The Smiler - Construction Discussion

Thu May 30, 2013 10:57 am

Also thanks J_Baggie for the photos. It really looks as though they are gearing up for an opening tomorrow.

Also, as you're onsite, do you know if they've installed the remaining fencing next to the pit at the entrance to the double barrel roll after the cobra roll, that's been missing for ages?

Thu May 30, 2013 10:57 am

JAMMYD777 wrote: You can just see the fixings for them.

Well spotted, it's curious how we seem to have lost the bunny hop fi... I mean brakes

and now the pinch brakes are gone too. Perhaps they were more trouble than they were worth or just unnecessary and another thing that could fail.

Thu May 30, 2013 10:58 am

5HEPP wrote:
ATfanatic wrote:
swfcjambo wrote: So.... if it doesn't open tomorrow, and is delayed by another week or more, will my sun free tickets be valid for a different day? has anyone had confirmation about this yet???
sorry to be bearer of bad news but this is a no, no they won't the same question was asked by a person on twitter and the simple answer alton gave them was no
I was at alton towers on 21st may and complained that smiler was closed and got the tickets re validated for any other day (not special events).

Had I been AT I would have told you to do one - how can you complain on the 21st when the advertised date was the 23rd? I would count yourself VERY lucky.

Thu May 30, 2013 11:05 am

mikecloud1984 wrote:
5HEPP wrote:
ATfanatic wrote: sorry to be bearer of bad news but this is a no, no they won't the same question was asked by a person on twitter and the simple answer alton gave them was no
I was at alton towers on 21st may and complained that smiler was closed and got the tickets re validated for any other day (not special events).
Had I been AT I would have told you to do one - how can you complain on the 21st when the advertised date was the 23rd? I would count yourself VERY lucky.

yeh ? why would they give you a refund that day when it was already announced that it would open 23rd ? For all you and AT know , they were still opening that day ? Thats like going to a restaurant and 9am when it opens at 10am and asking for your food bill to be free because of the inconvenience ? :/ 1) Im not even sure why you even complained ? 2) Im not sure why AT didnt reject your complaints 3) Im not even sure you're telling the truth lol sorry mate ! :L Hard to believe !!

Thu May 30, 2013 11:07 am

JAMMYD777 wrote: Not a picture, but in this video at 1:23 you can see them lying on the floor behind the vertical lift and in a this picture from J_Baggie yesterday you can see they are absent from the lift itself. You can just see the fixings for them.

Thanks for that, that is VERY curious, I don't suppose anyone knows if they're still like that today/yesterday?
If they are gone completely, then you may be right Forza, could well have been deemed unnecessary :-k

jbuckton18 wrote:
mikecloud1984 wrote:
5HEPP wrote: I was at alton towers on 21st may and complained that smiler was closed and got the tickets re validated for any other day (not special events).
Had I been AT I would have told you to do one - how can you complain on the 21st when the advertised date was the 23rd? I would count yourself VERY lucky.
yeh ? why would they give you a refund that day when it was already announced that it would open 23rd ? For all you and AT know , they were still opening that day ? Thats like going to a restaurant and 9am when it opens at 10am and asking for your food bill to be free because of the inconvenience ? :/ 1) Im not even sure why you even complained ? 2) Im not sure why AT didnt reject your complaints 3) Im not even sure you're telling the truth lol sorry mate ! :L Hard to believe !!

A bit off topic there guys, can you take it elsewhere please?

Thu May 30, 2013 11:13 am

Boz wrote:
JAMMYD777 wrote: Not a picture, but in this video at 1:23 you can see them lying on the floor behind the vertical lift and in a this picture from J_Baggie yesterday you can see they are absent from the lift itself. You can just see the fixings for them.

Thanks for that, that is VERY curious, I don't suppose anyone knows if they're still like that today/yesterday?
If they are gone completely, then you may be right Forza, could well have been deemed unnecessary :-k

I've had a browse about the past few pages and can't seem to find this video that you are referring to - could you post the link, please?

Thu May 30, 2013 11:18 am

Exciting development the smiler has been added to the park wide que time boards!!!

Thu May 30, 2013 11:23 am

Maybe the smiler will open today of they have only got a small fence at the start of the que and It it is on the bord.what does the bord say for the smiler?

Thu May 30, 2013 11:23 am

Im guessing people are referring to these?

This was a pic I took yesterday:

Thu May 30, 2013 11:25 am

Cheers Mabalzich
Looks like they may have been permanently removed then :O

Thu May 30, 2013 11:28 am

JAMMYD777 wrote: Also thanks J_Baggie for the photos. It really looks as though they are gearing up for an opening tomorrow.

Also, as you're onsite, do you know if they've installed the remaining fencing next to the pit at the entrance to the double barrel roll after the cobra roll, that's been missing for ages?

If I'm correct about what fence you're talking about, then yes I think they have. Anybody else on site to confirm?

Thu May 30, 2013 11:35 am

On park today and i asked the guy standing at the entrace of the smiler just now and he told me that everything is being cleared up now for opening tomorrow ! Apparently the staff have been told that the ride IS opening tomorrow !

Also , on the queue times bored , The smiler has now appeared !

Looks like we are ready to go !

Thu May 30, 2013 11:37 am

Would be nice to have an official announcement though..
Because you know what communication is like in this project

Thu May 30, 2013 11:38 am

jbuckton18 wrote: On park today and i asked the guy standing at the entrace of the smiler just now and he told me that everything is being cleared up now for opening tomorrow ! Apparently the staff have been told that the ride IS opening tomorrow !

Also , on the queue times bored , The smiler has now appeared !

Looks like we are ready to go !

Staff were told a week ago when it was opening

Contractors knew from sunday.

Thu May 30, 2013 11:40 am

King Nemesis wrote: Would be nice to have an official announcement though..
Because you know what communication is like in this project

Oh yeh for sure. However , im sure that if the park staff have been told then they should announce something this afternoon ! However , i think that they wont announce anything and simply just take off the announcement on the website about it being closed. Imagine if they announced it ? The queues would be sill tomorrow ! like 3 hours + ! and as much as that sounds good financially , the park wouldn't like it at all being THAT busy around x sector !

Thu May 30, 2013 11:40 am

Sure there won't be a soft opening later today? Just because it could be quite confusing for visitors there today if its on the board but not actually open.

Thu May 30, 2013 11:42 am

Friedchickenman wrote:
jbuckton18 wrote: On park today and i asked the guy standing at the entrace of the smiler just now and he told me that everything is being cleared up now for opening tomorrow ! Apparently the staff have been told that the ride IS opening tomorrow !

Also , on the queue times bored , The smiler has now appeared !

Looks like we are ready to go !

Yeh probably , however the guy just told me that they have been told it's opening tomorrow . Confirmed !

Massive hint aswell with the queue boards !

Thu May 30, 2013 11:44 am

Kinda feel stupid for cashing in on my re-validation tickets yesterday now as I have tomorrow off work, working tonight instead.

Still had a great time, be back in July to ride it then October.

[Edit] @jbuckton18 didn't get any refund, I pre-booked to go the 23rd but the email I got said I can show up whenever I liked so I just showed my booking at the kiosk yesterday and was granted entry and fast track.

Thu May 30, 2013 11:44 am

Mabalzich wrote: Kinda feel stupid for cashing in on my re-validation tickets yesterday now as I have tomorrow off work, working tonight instead.

Still had a great time, be back in July to ride it then October.

Re buy the ticket with the money that was refunded ?

Thu May 30, 2013 11:46 am

Heisenberg96 wrote: Sure there won't be a soft opening later today? Just because it could be quite confusing for visitors there today if its on the board but not actually open.

Assuming this beast is ready to go, I think a soft opening (today, tomorrow or any other day) is the best thing they could do. Then after a day or half a day of running they can post an official announcement, but at least they'd avoid drawing huge crowds in and risking disappointing people again if the thing isn't ready or fully working.