The Smiler - General Discussion

[RCandrew]

I'm on park on the 10th & 11th of July, will The Smiler still be 2-3 hours then?? I'm quite surprised at how consistently long the queue has been since it opened! Is The Smiler still using temporary queues or is it just in the real queue now?

[imcn]

I don't see the queue dropping below 90 minutes anytime soon, especially with it being school trip time and the summer holidays coming up.

[Kirsty25]

I'm in park on the 10th & 11th of July, will the simler still be 2-3 hours then?? I'm quite surprised at how consecutively long the queue has been since it opened! Is the smiler still using temporary queues or is it just in the real queue now?

It was still using the temporary queues when I went earlier this month and I can't see the queues being under 90 mins until at least september or even the week before scarefest (once unis/colleges have also gone back)

[Themeparksandy1981]

I don't know if this has been talked about but what does it sound like inside the toilets when the trains are above it?

[JamHar]

Currently sat in the hotel bar after a full day in the park. Loved the smiler. Easily in the top 2 rides in the park. Brilliant from start to finish. A teensy bit rough in places but I can get over that having been on Furious Baco. Top quality day in the park. If only I lived closer...

[leeprice]

I'm in park on the 10th & 11th of July, will the simler still be 2-3 hours then?? I'm quite surprised at how consecutively long the queue has been since it opened! Is the smiler still using temporary queues or is it just in the real queue now?

I was there today and the queue was never less than 90 minutes, I'd highly recommend you buy a fast track though because the general queue was 150 minutes and we literally walked straight on. It's well worth the £7!

[Lee]

The Smiler's queue is consistently long because of its delayed opening in my opinion. You've got hoards of people who waited March, April and most of May to ride all arriving at once during peak season.

It'll quiten down slightly in September.

[TB2]

Sorry to say but I'm with ponder above. I wasn't particularly blown away by The Smiler either.

Currently touring around the North West USA riding coasters in lots of different parks and every comparison I'm making is not with The Smiler, it is with Nemesis. That is the hallmark of a good ride.

As some have said, it is a great addition to the park and Alton/Merlin are to be commended for investing in their rides, but I'm positive it won't reach anything near 'classic' status in the long run. Looking forward to the crowds dying down a little so I can get a few more rides on all the coasters though 

Good.

Although irrelevant because Nemesis has has 20 seasons to set this massive, concrete reputation, Smiler has had just over a month. Smiler may become regarded as a classic or it may become one great big headache. But the fact we are able to talk about it this way and yet Air, Oblivion, Rita and Thirteen don't get spoken about at all means Smiler has got over that hurdle already.

[TheOutpatient]

School holidays?? 

[Lee]

School holidays?? 

What about school Holidays? If you're asking will it be busy, id presume so.

[Lee]

Good.

Although irrelevant because Nemesis has has 20 seasons to set this massive, concrete reputation, Smiler has had just over a month. Smiler may become regarded as a classic or it may become one great big headache. But the fact we are able to talk about it this way and yet Air, Oblivion, Rita and Thirteen don't get spoken about at all means Smiler has got over that hurdle already.

It's getting spoken about because it's a brand new ride, that has generated its own hype on top of that. You can't judge a coasters legacy within a few months. As for the other rides, i disagree entireley on Oblivion; she is still looked upon with high regard by the majority of the coaster community across the world and as such is discussed quite frequently, therefore making her a complete classic.

[TheOutpatient]

I just think the first week of September is gonna have a few kids still on summer holiday.

[Lee]

I just think the first week of September is gonna have a few kids still on summer holiday.

They all go back in early September. So by the 10th onwards, it should be kid free with the exception of a few University trips. I'm not saying it'll be dead, but September has always been a good month to go

[mikecloud1984]

Do what we are doing - waiting until 1st October.

No school.
No college students.
No uni students.

Should be lovely a peaceful for us!

[DaveBear]

Good.

Although irrelevant because Nemesis has has 20 seasons to set this massive, concrete reputation, Smiler has had just over a month. Smiler may become regarded as a classic or it may become one great big headache. But the fact we are able to talk about it this way and yet Air, Oblivion, Rita and Thirteen don't get spoken about at all means Smiler has got over that hurdle already.

It's getting spoken about because it's a brand new ride, that has generated its own hype on top of that. You can't judge a coasters legacy within a few months. As for the other rides, i disagree entireley on Oblivion; she is still looked upon with high regard by the majority of the coaster community across the world and as such is discussed quite frequently, therefore making her a complete classic.

Those Rides did have hype and spoken about....... Th1rteen never much after a initial lot of Hype thanks to the World First Speculation and the TV Adverts etc.... ultimately the hype wore off as the ride was a Family Coaster with a added surprise Drop for some Thrill Factor.... its still a nice ride that adds some Thrill for those who do not ride Thrill Coasters.

Air still had a lot of talk etc about it, as it was a true worlds first, but the hype died after more steel flying roller coasters came about, more faster, more intense more inversions etc...

And ultimately the Smiler will lose its hype even faster in future, mainly because the Theme Alone is not enough, but it could have been and what we are left with is a 14 inversion roller coaster, that the more 14+ Inversions coasters that come out over the years, then the less and less of a talking point the Smiler will be.... (By that once we have say 3+ Rides with same number of inversions and say 4+ that better it...)

As for Oblivion.... its a true classic....

Its one of my best ride moments, that very second you drop into the abyss.... it has lost some of its sparkle like Apocalypse at Drayton Manner, purely because they do not hold you at the top for any length of time.

When those rides first opened, the main factor for them was the  Anticipation as you was held at the top for a few seconds before you was dropped...

[sully1311]

Do what we are doing - waiting until 1st October.

No school.
No college students.
No uni students.

Should be lovely a peaceful for us!

Exactly, I'm waiting until the 1st week of October.

[lucy2244]

I don't know if this has been talked about but what does it sound like inside the toilets when the trains are above it?

It sounds immense! You can hear the roar of the track and the light from the skylights is blocked so you can sort of 'see' it going past! I love those toilets just for the pure feeling of being right under the coaster!

[Jammydodger]

I really wouldn't bank on a quiet September!
I remember visiting 3 times last September all on weekdays throughout the month and the park was inexplicably heaving every visit. Sub-terra often hit 90 minute queues if I remember right...

[Lee]

I have merged a few posts from The Smiler review topic that were beginning to become a discussion. Apologies in advance if it has generated one or two double posts or the topic flow is slightly off.

[W@LLI$]

I've just got back from the park today. I queued up for the smiler around 3 and I got on the ride around 4:45. It was busy but the queue moves really fast!