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The Smiler - your thoughts?

owentaylor121

Giga Poster
fefa said:
I honestly find it HILARIOUS that someone gets upset about another person not trying a ride.
It's not like YOU cooked for me and I refuse to eat it, right?

I think it's nothing but my choice not to ride a rollercoaster that looks and feels uncomfortable.
I do not consider myself to be a rollercoaster junky like most of you are and do not follow a coaster count, yet I would think that I've been on enough rides to have a rough idea which type of rides I like and dislike.

You guys act up as if I offended you mum and even accuse me of lying - seriously guys, grab yourself a bag of maturity!

Again, I think it's all very immature and super hilarious what you guys are writing.
The thing is though, nobody is bothered that you didn't ride The Smiler, we are bothered that you pretty much completely made a story up for no apparent reason.
 

Screaming Coasters

Strata Poster
Joo know what guys??? WHO GIVES A FLYING ****?????

I don't care if he made it up or not, just let him tell what he needs to tell and just go with it. Gosh, some people really need to get a grip of life if you're going to nit pick sht like this...
 

SaiyanHajime

CF Legend
Can we all stop giving attention to the situation? Thaaaaaaanks.

This is a warning. Not just for this thread but others. Someone says something you think is a lie/stupid? Ignore it.
 

TilenB

Strata Poster
It's been nearly a month since my visit to Alton Towers. I can't see what are you all complaining about. Apart from one or two jolts on the track and restrains being a bit on the uncomfortable side, I think that the ride was pretty good, though a bit boring. (dive loop after dive loop after dive loop, such an unimaginitive layout)
 

fefa

Mega Poster
owenrita121 said:
we are bothered that you pretty much completely made a story up for no apparent reason.

Exactly - there is no reason to make the story up, so that should tell you enough about whether it's true or false. Dude grow up that's all I'm sayin'.
 

ashtonrick

Roller Poster
Went on the Smiler twice back in August and didn't really get what everyone was saying about it being really rough to be honest, mind you, I don't mind an SLC and have never found Traumatizer/Infusion that rough so must be slightly immune.

Really enjoyed the ride myself although it was just an endless onslaught of inversions - must admit my favourite part though was the 2 airtime hills :)

Went back on today and whilst I noticed the odd jolt here and there, hardly found it uncomfortable at all and again really enjoyed it. In fact, I got more of a headbashing on the backseat of Nemesis (which was as good as ever) lol.
 

Jambo

Roller Poster
ashtonrick said:
Went on the Smiler twice back in August and didn't really get what everyone was saying about it being really rough to be honest, mind you, I don't mind an SLC and have never found Traumatizer/Infusion that rough so must be slightly immune.

Really enjoyed the ride myself although it was just an endless onslaught of inversions - must admit my favourite part though was the 2 airtime hills :)

Went back on today and whilst I noticed the odd jolt here and there, hardly found it uncomfortable at all and again really enjoyed it. In fact, I got more of a headbashing on the backseat of Nemesis (which was as good as ever) lol.


How busy was it pal? Going on Friday and hoping for it not to be too busy!! :)
 

ashtonrick

Roller Poster
It was pretty busy yesterday compared to the Monday on the week before when we went, but not ridiculous. Most queues were about 20-35 mins with the Smiler standing about 50 mins from about 1.30pm onwards (it was about 90 before that). Non coasters like Flume, Rapids, Hex, Sub Terra etc.. were pretty much walk ons though. Enjoy your day.

Oh and from about half 4 both days Nemesis was a total walk on with no queue whatsoever! :)
 

Jambo

Roller Poster
Hi,

Thank a lot!

Queues weren't too bad at all, but tad busier than I was expecting. Got to gates at 11 after we got stuck in a taffic jam on the way, and then queued for monorail. First queue for Smiler was 50mins and was again good.

No matter how much stick this ride is getting for its roughness, its still a thrill. Rode it a 2nd time towards the end of the day, asked a nice member of staff if me and 4 friends could have fast pass since it was my 21st, and she actually said yes!

Queued up for 5mins near the baggage area, walked straight on and got front row! Couldn't have asked for much more!
 

ashtonrick

Roller Poster
Sounds like a top day mate! And the smiler is defo not rough at all - just been to fantasy island and I have never had such a bashing off a coaster in my life as jubilee oddessey! Tried front back and middle and every time was a head battering experience n I can normally put up with vekoma roughness! Good thing was though every ride was a walk on :) shame about oddessey tho as if it wasnt so rough could well be one of the best rides in the UK!!
 

Darren B

Giga Poster
^I found Jubilee Odyssey to be extremely rough through the last 2 inversions, but the drop, loop and cobra roll I really enjoyed. If the ride could finish as well as it starts it would make it into my top 10.

Anyways, The Smiler...

I found it to be mediocre. The visual impact of the ride is good, but I'm going to be controversial and say that I don't find it as visually impressive as Nemesis, Oblivion, or even Air. It's really just a tangled mess of mediocracy. I like the idea of the theming, it's taking a step back from the depressive theming of all of Merlins previous instalments, and the fact that nobody has a clue what it actually is I find quite a nice touch.

As for the ride itself, I didn't find it rough at all, and not as disorientating as I expected, but on a whole the ride didn't do anything for me, It was just a mass of inversions with nothing that really stands out.

As a whole I'm disappointed with The Smiler, It stinks of another Investment year wasted by Merlin on another below par coaster (The Swarm being the exception), and I'm pretty sure in 3 years time it's going to be horrific to ride too! As far as new for 2013 coasters goes, I honestly preferred Hero at Flamingo Land.
 

DelPiero

Strata Poster
I just got off the smiler for the first time, single rider- 5 mins.
Looks spectacular, but overall it's just ok. The 2nd airtime hill is the best part of the ride.

The bad - The indoor section is poor compared to saw's. One of the corkscrews was rough, as we're the last 3 inversions as others have said. The rest was just inversion after inversion, which is great if you love inversions. Not so much if you like speed, airtime and knowing where your going.

The good - 1st airtime hill ok, 2nd brilliant.

That is all.
 

Ben

CF Legend
Smiler was actually pretty good today... I think it helped I was bang in the middle of the train, and riding with non-enthusiasts which always skews your view, but, it was good.

I had a few good rides on Saw in opening year though, so, it'll still turn disgusting soon.
 

DelPiero

Strata Poster
I managed another go before I left, this time front row.
The roughness wasnt as bad, maybe it's the train, maybe the row but it was a lot better.
The effects on the marmaliser working is a plus, you get a massive shot of water from it when front row.

It's decent but very much depends on where you sit IMO.
 

Smithy

Strata Poster
Had two rides earlier, one third row middle, one front row outside seat.

As a stand-alone ride, it's a decent enough ride, smoother than I was expecting and the only part that was rough was the pull out of the cobra roll. It's a far, far better multi-looper than Colossus, but just 10 days ago I was riding Khan in 20+ degrees so Smiler was never going to live up to that.

As an overall experience it's utterly brilliant in most parts. The queueline was annoying today because there was no more than a 15 minute queue but we had to walk the entire length of the queue each ride, but the proximity to the ride you actually get and the noise of it (along with that infectious **** soundtrack) makes the whole experience very good. The room prior to loading was a bit of a let-down. Station was a bit bland. Loved the themeing on exiting the ride and the shop is very good. The entire ride area has transformed X-Sector, it dominates it but in a good way. If it ages well (monumental IF) it'll be a very good addition for them in the long run. Was running 5 trains all day too.
 

Pierre

Strata Poster
I joined a 90 minute queue for this yesterday at 11.15am... at 2.00pm we'd finally rode it.

We lucked out and hit front row too - that first inversion is quite sharp, takes you by surprise! The rest of the ride is quite fun - other than the 'incoulator' spraying the mist in your face the other 'phases' are pointless. Pretty to look at in a 2hr 45 min queue but adds nothing to the actual ride experience.

It is the best ride there in my opinion though, it is just non-stop inversion one after the other with some of the inversions being quite tight packing a bit of a punch! It had its usual kind of jolts you'd expect from a Gerstlauer but nothing that ruined the ride.

Would I queue 2hr 45min again for it? Absolutely not, and I wouldnt have in the first place if I knew it would take that long. No ride is worth longer than 90 minute queue in my opinion.
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Darren B said:
Pierre said:
It is the best ride there in my opinion

Have you been on the Carling, Pierre?

While I disagree, I can understand it. The ride offers a decent length, an "unusual" ride and (in the right seat at the right time of day :p ) is good "fun". So I can understand people actually enjoying it :)
 
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