Benin Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Smiler is damn fab It's wonderful, not perfect, but just, damn solid and a real hit with everyone... I'll do a full report tomoz... EDIT - REVIEW TIME! It's hard to review something that has had numerous reviews already, without repeating everyone else constantly, but quite simply, the Smiler is a solid coaster that has really brought something to the table that has captured the minds of everyone who visits the park... The GP are just as incredulated by the ride, and who can blame them? If there's one thing Smiler is, it's a construction marvel, such a mass tangle of track in that area is a great feat of engineering... To think 8 years ago Black Hole stood there is ridiculous, and Smiler is just one big twisted sight of metal with the two yellow trains providing a great addition to the darkness... It's certainly a ride designed for off-riders overall... The Marmaliser is certainly more noticeable for near-misses off the ride (though the Inoculator arm is very good on-ride) and indeed, people say there is a lack of thematic elements, but how can you provide that without it detracting from the ride or indeed make it more obvious? IMPOSSIBRUUU! The queue then, it's a concrete cattlepen yes, BUT, do you notice this? I (and many others in the queue) spent the entire time looking up and around at the ride, one thing I had before I rode was a crick in the neck because of 2 hours of this... It can be claustrophobic but it's only till you stand in the queue do you realise why the adjustments to the fencing were required before it opened... The track gets damn close at times... The music, is fab... I can also see why some hate it, but it's so fab and LOTS of people hum it... I want it in my life more... Besides, when the ride gets going, you can't hear it anyway because of the Gerstlauer ROAR <3 The projection mapping room is made of awesome as well... Simple, but effective sums it up... I think this room is the reason why many dislike the clinical plain nature of the station, because of the sheer change in atmosphere... However, I like it, especially the dispatch system... Simple, but effective... So the ride, the first ride, I felt one jolt which was akin to the one on Vampire's straight before the 2nd lift, nowhere near the Cobra Roll, the second ride in the back row, there were 3/4 jolts of URGH (including the Cobra Roll)... However, these aside, it's mental, completely and utterly mental... The near misses with the track and the craziness really help the ride push itself up to the limits... The break at the vertical lift is REQUIRED however, it may result in a 'two rides bolted together' opinion, but without that break, there would be a lot more problems with people feeling sick after the ride... Overall, I would say Smiler is a fantastic addition to the park... Not the best ride on park or a Nemesis beater, but it is a damn solid ride... It's not perfect, but the unique theme (including the fab Candy Cave <3) really provides a great overall experience... There is a worry about it getting rougher in the future, but that's for another day... One final mention, the duelling element is amazing... Like, seriously, both on and off ride... It's a shame it's not constant, but when it DOES happen, it's just made of pure win... The best aspect of the ride right there... 8/10 JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretchy Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 ok bit of a bizarre post this. Some friends of mine are going to Towers Tomorrow and they asked me if I could knock up some 'themed name badges'. I asked Marc if he thought you guys would be interested and he said post it here. So feel free to grab use or ignore them (they look much better printed as they look a bit too bright on a normal screen). filled out they look something like Liam T, Kerfuffle and Fred 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Dammit Stretchy, you've missed The Disorientator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercameron98 Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Wow Stretchy well done they look great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 That's quite Impressive Stretchy, with the idea of name tags for elements of the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 Anyone fancy a smiler onesie? Only £30! Thanks to Alton Towers Guide EC! and Inferno 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiteknuckle Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 Finally got on the Smiler yesterday. The ride itself was better than I anticipated, but that music did my head in after about 5 minutes. Queued about 1 and a half hours in the main queue and about 30 minutes in the SRQ. In my opinion I think it's on a level par with Nemesis. 9 out of 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted July 3, 2013 Report Share Posted July 3, 2013 In my opinion I think it's on a level par with Nemesis. 9 out of 10 Seem to be hearing this more and more. I find it hard to believe, but makes me excited for getting my turn and deciding for myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_C Posted July 3, 2013 Report Share Posted July 3, 2013 Looking at the ride it just looks as if it is more disorientating than sheer fun. I wont be able to try it until October probably, but I'm sure it will not be better than Nemesis for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted July 3, 2013 Report Share Posted July 3, 2013 It's a bloody good ride. Incredibly good ride. But it's no nemesis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 3, 2013 Report Share Posted July 3, 2013 Well that depends on the person doesn't it not everyone enjoys Nemesis! EC!, Liam T, Coaster and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Well that depends on the person doesn't it not everyone enjoys Nemesis! Who are these people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Who are these people? Even TPR like Nemesis... It takes a special kind of person to hate it based on that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Well I for one don't find nemesis 'all that it's cracked up to be'. Inferno and ste193 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Well I for one don't find nemesis 'all that it's cracked up to be'. Whilst that may be the case, do you still enjoy / like it? Of course everyone has different opinions, but Nemesis seems to be one of the few rides where everyone agrees about it's greatness, or at the very least, still enjoy it. Don't think I've ever heard of someone who dislikes / doesn't enjoy Nemesis actually! In fact, Smiler seems to be one of those rides everyone seems to agree on as well - it's blooming good, but a bit rough round the edges, and so not perfect (based on reviews I've read, as I've not ridden it yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Let's just say, I wouldn't be particularly bothered if it was closed when I went! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 It appears the smiler is closed again today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC! Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Again?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 They'd better make sure this ride is working for Sunday, otherwise a certain someone may go down to ride guest services . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Smiler (like any new ride) is being very on/off throughout the days... Seems a lot is down to the vertical lift though... But look at how complex rides are these days, there are a lot more bugs to sort out (especially as a ride with as many blocks and such as Smiler)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Smiler (like any new ride) is being very on/off throughout the days... Swarm wasnt.. </just sayin> Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Swarm wasnt.. </just sayin> B&M though, so ergo not applicable in building new rides that break down constantly simply because Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 You say complex. It is a coaster with no trick track and a few blocks, it is essentially simple stuff that has been done for decades and although this is something of an evolution of their vertical lift even that is nothing new really. Look at something like Potter or Spiderman, thirteen maybe, even launch coaster to an extent, they are complex and have things about them that may be inherently unreliable. This is wheels on a track with gravity, and versions of lifts that have been around for decades. It is clearly unreliable because it was rushed at the end and not tested properly to get the bugs out before opening, it should not still be regularly unreliable (I don't actually know that it is, I'm taking the 'again' as a sign it is) this far in. Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 You say complex. It is a coaster with no trick track and a few blocks, it is essentially simple stuff that has been done for decades and although this is something of an evolution of their vertical lift even that is nothing new really. If this was true, then every ride that was (in rather basic terms) simple in track and design, would never break down (or crash, interesting Tranan's brakes failed recently, there was nothing special about them, yet there you go, see also Pepsi Max Big One's brake failures as extreme examples of systems that should be easy to build that failed)... Unfortunately, however 'simple' the ride might appear, these are still complex machines... Consider the amount of sensors, computer calculations and the like, it shows that even the most basic would be prone to breaking down for whatever reason... Indeed, a lot of shut-downs these days (heading into opinion waters here) are no doubt mostly down to the over-bearing nature of safety sensors tripping out for whatever reason and the automatic reaction is (naturally) to shut the whole thing down... When I was at Towers last week, Smiler was stuck on top of the lift, which meant that the ride system wasn't allowing it to descend back to the bottom for some reason... That in itself must be a real strain on the ride PLC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretchy Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Can I point out some things that some people may not be aware of. Smiler is NOT a eurofighter. It is a prototype coaster. The actual ride systems for The Smiler is totally new. The ride actually weighs every car and adjusts f**s around the ride to make sure that the ride reaches its high points at a specific speed no matter the amount of unlimited piza consumed by the riders. At various points around the ride the weight is re-measured The valleying is caused by it miscalculating the weight and the effects of the f**s. The ride uses a totally new type of anti rollback which is extremely cool to watch (even though nobody notices it.) F**S decend just before cars go over them as they go up the lift hill and raise just afterwards. The idea is that even with a total power failure, cars can be gently backed down the lift hills. The cars for the smiler are a totally new design and not eurofighter cars re-configured. In the few weeks the ride has been open they have used all of Gerst's stock of 1 particular component which keeps failing. This is what I hear todays outage was caused by. Gerst have restocked this item twice since it opened that I know about which shows you how frequently it is failing. Car 5 is now back from Germany - totally rebuilt after it was removed from the track in the first valley after the ride opened. (This is the car people saw on the back of a wagon.) Last saturdays lift stall was the first catastrophophic fault. Gerst didnt know what caused it but think it was a faulty sensor. When the system reset all lights were then green. You need to see the control both. JoshC., Inferno, Liam T and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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