The Smiler - General Discussion

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
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GriffGB
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"We have introduced very limited numbers of Fastracks for The Smiler to help us manage the queue line more effectively – ie, by opening the Fastrack line we can take some people out of the overflow area.  We’re very much reviewing it on a daily basis to ensure we get the balance right."

I like the way they've said they've introduced them to reduce queue times.  I'd be surprised to see how much it reduces queue time.  Surely the people in the queue have to wait longer while fast tracks stroll in in front of them?
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Renoh
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I know the train vs. track thing annoys people, but I want to defend myself. Last week I was given a hard time by a member (mikecloud1984) when I said that just because one train was seen leaving the ride, and that the ride was now working, it doesn't mean it's only a train issue (or a train issue at all for that matter).

The TT article today says that it is believed to have been caused by the trims. So you cannot always be sure when you don't have all the information, which is what I and others were pointing out. Last week I stopped replying as it was a cyclic argument, so I am not trying to cause trouble. I would like it if mikecloud84 would just consider what we now know, and what he was saying last week.
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Ryster
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Well just got home, really gutted I didn't get on the smiler. Only go once and year, and went today specifically to ride it on my birthday.  That said, I had a good day nonetheless. Surprisingly, given what I'd heard, I actually really enjoyed Sub Terra too. Oh and Battle Galleons.... hilarious :)  Nemesis, Oblivion and Air as dependable as always, and I even enjoyed Thirteen today.. forgot how that freefall grabs your stomach.
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Owen
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WOULD PEOPLE STOP  MOANING!
like Ryster said he had a good day (off course annoyed about it not opening)!
Just because one coaster doesn't open doesn't mean you should complain so much! You have 6 other coasters to enjoy!
Yes it may be disapointing but no need to slate towers for it! How ungreatful!
Now to put an end to this madness, I'm sure the smiler will be full operational now that lots of its faults have been fixed and its back in business  :)
Last edited by Owen on Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dazza4783
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So, does anyone know if the smiler will be open tomorrow as normal or are they closing it to try and sort the problem. Am going on Thursday so trying to get an idea as to whether it will be open that day or not.
Thrillmad wrote: WOULD PEOPLE STOP  MOANING!
like Ryster said he had a great day!
Just because one coaster doesn't open doesn't mean you should complain so much! You have 6 other coasters to enjoy!
Yes it may be disapointing but no need to slate towers for it! How ungreatful!
Now to put an end to this madness, I'm sure the smiler will be full operational now that lots of its faults have been fixed and its back in business  :)
If The Smiler isn't open i will be disappointed ofcourse, but i'm sure i will have a good day non-the-less. I only manage to get there once or twice a year, and am really looking forward to riding the smiler. But the smiler wasn't open last year and i still had a great time on the occasions when i was there so can't complain too much.
Last edited by dazza4783 on Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Hitch
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zenith wrote:
James97 wrote:
I remember when people were arguing with me, that they would never take the train of the track at the point where it had stalled, well all i can say is my point has been proven. It is much easier to take it off where it is than pull it to the nearest brake run.
My thoughts exactly, I never could understand why or how you would pull a rollercoaster train through an inversion, how on earth would you go about doing such a thing?
SmileyMan wrote: It is funny how Alton Towers are being more open about this situation than the last 2 times (That the public know of) it stalling this time. Last time they wouldn't let anyone into X-Sector, ans this time, they are performing the lift of the train in full view of the public. Weird, just something I wanted to point out :)
I think since it happened last Tuesday and people saw it first hand and started taking pictures I get the impression that they'd be foolish to try and hide it again. Plus I guess it still allows people to ride Oblivion as I noticed plenty of people were upset that they couldn't ride Oblivion last week as a consequence of The Smiler.
It can be done, from what ive heard they pull it up about a meter at a time with the crane and then secure it to the track so it doesn't go backwards. They repeat this until they get the train to a brake run. But this isnt any normal coaster, doing this on the smiler would be very difficult so I argued that they would just take it off where it was and turns out I was correct.
Heres an image of them doing a similar thing with a saw train, but the saw track is much easier to access. Image
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Ryster
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Thrillmad, please don't put words into my mouth. I'm as annoyed as anybody. I went today specifically to ride The Smiler and I'm gutted I didn't. As much as I re-enjoyed all the old rides (Sub Terra excluded as that was new to me), I'm now unlikely to ride Smiler until next year, though taking away the positives... at least these issues should be ironed out by then :)

Team Edit: Removed swearing ~ Danny
Last edited by Ryster on Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RubyGaga
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So how much are they charging for these fasttracks?
Are they as available as the other fasttracks? Or are they only given to certain people?
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Just like to point out,some people will be making 5 hour+ round trips to make it to ride the smiler,it not just a case of shut up moaning when it's something like that and yes,people (especially on the AT facebook page) may go a bit OTT,but this is down to heavy frustration,how would you like it if you went to a concert and let you wait for an hour until they came on,did 1/2 of a practice song then went off,you's be a bit annoyed.
I know this is completely out of AT's control but something like this is a very frustrating matter,especially for those on park.


RubyGaga wrote: So how much are they charging for these fasttracks?
Are they as available as the other fasttracks? Or are they only given to certain people?
Last I heard £10 a pop,limited to 40 an hour.
Last edited by JaykeAT on Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Michelle
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They're releasing a limited number of Smiler FT per hour as far as I'm aware, the price is fluctuating between £6 and £10 through the day at the moment.
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Ladyofthelake
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Michelle wrote: They're releasing a limited number of Smiler FT per hour as far as I'm aware, he price is fluctuating between £6 and £10 through the day at the moment.
What I'm trying to work out is how a fasttrack ticket can be different prices at different times through the day. Surely it should be one fixed price regardless of the time.
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Ryster
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What I've noticed is, if the trains really are so "close to the edge" in terms of making it around the circuit when empty, why are they only half (at most, just 2 dummies at least) filling them with dummies for testing?

My pic of stalled train.... 

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Last edited by Ryster on Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Michelle
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I agree, I am only aware that the  fast track price was changing yesterday when we were on park, I have no idea what the situation has been today, it would be interesting to see if it remained at £6 all day today.
Danny

ladyofthelake wrote: What I'm trying to work out is how a fasttrack ticket can be different prices at different times through the day. Surely it should be one fixed price regardless of the time.
If they're time slotted [I'm still not fully aware how they work], then I can see why. I'd be hard pushed to pay £10 when the queues are around 90 minutes at 2pm, but would be much more willing to pay it at the start of the day when they're heading up towards three hours.
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JaykeAT
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Danny wrote:
ladyofthelake wrote: What I'm trying to work out is how a fasttrack ticket can be different prices at different times through the day. Surely it should be one fixed price regardless of the time.
If they're time slotted [I'm still not fully aware how they work], then I can see why. I'd be hard pushed to pay £10 when the queues are around 90 minutes at 2pm, but would be much more willing to pay it at the start of the day when they're heading up towards three hours.
I think it was £6 for the first day,but since then has been £10 all day,as far as I know.....
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Michelle
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JaykeAT wrote:

I think it was £6 for the first day,but since then has been £10 all day,as far as I know.....
It was definitely £6 at around 4pm yesterday Jayke as I was chatting on the blivvy break run to a guy who had just purchased one.
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RubyGaga
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£10? Surely thats pushing it a bit. People (like myself) will travel for hours to get to the park. Its not very likely that ill be back again in the year, so a fast track would help my day.
£10 is too much. And only 40 an hour? Thy may aswell scrap the whole idea
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Ollie16
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Just got home, brilliant day at towers regardless of The Smiler being shut. The staff were great, a bit hushed regarding the stall but I'm guessing they were all a bit embarrassed. They were entertaining, kept radioing the oblivion staff giggling and laughing. I'm still excited to ride it, towers are trying, the crane was there at 10.10 and train cleared by 4.

40-60 minute queues for most things, revalidated tickets for the rest of the season, but no extended opening?

Anyway, bring on next week!
What he said.
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mikecloud1984
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Renoh wrote: I know the train vs. track thing annoys people, but I want to defend myself. Last week I was given a hard time by a member (mikecloud1984) when I said that just because one train was seen leaving the ride, and that the ride was now working, it doesn't mean it's only a train issue (or a train issue at all for that matter).

The TT article today says that it is believed to have been caused by the trims. So you cannot always be sure when you don't have all the information, which is what I and others were pointing out. Last week I stopped replying as it was a cyclic argument, so I am not trying to cause trouble. I would like it if mikecloud84 would just consider what we now know, and what he was saying last week.
Fair enough  8)

Last week it was obvious it was a train issue. But I will consider the other option of it being a trim issue.

However, I am still of the belief that the train that valleyed today was the same one as last week. How embarrassing for AT and more so, Gerst, that this has happened twice in a week. You can't really blame them to saying it's the trims. If it was public knowledge that one of the trains was "faulty" in some way would it do much for the general confidence behind the ride?

All rides suffer downtime when they are new - we already know how much of TS is new to AT and also to Gerst - as with getting a worlds first ride, its subsequent cousins will always learn from the first's mistakes.

Has anyone been able to confirm whether this was the same train as last week?

The AT statement has said this is a trim problem, but I still believe it's the train.

Renoh - I apologise if you think I was giving you hard time. It was never my intention to come across like that.  8)
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Alex Tyler
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Just so I'm up to speed, went yeterday and could only count 4 trains on the ride (including the mech bay) are there only 4 trains or has the 5th one been taken off site, and someboday said that it was train 4.1 that got stuck would I be right in thinking that the 1 means row 1?
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