The Smiler

[Danny]

There's one thing I will say that I wasn't pleased about was that the backstory was not once described. On the screens were saying about the ministry of joy but no one had a clue who they were apart from people like us. My mum didn't get the whole story around it without me explaining it to her. Although the projection mapping was cool it would've been nice to have a vid explaining the story. But other than that A-M-A zing!

[Shangalaing]

Here's my two penneth after two rides today, (I was at the front of the second train btw)

Starting with the cons: the sound effects before the first lift hill are unbearably loud, waiting there was almost painful.
Towards the end of the ride I noticed a bit of shuffling of the wheels.

And that's it for the cons

The pros: unique interlocking inversions which are relentless, the pacing for each half is perfect.
The seats are comfy, no fiddly seatbelt either!

The trains duelling is a highlight, especially inverted on the final barrel roll with the other train on the brake run. The flashes of yellow and passing screams really add to the experience.

To add to the smiler v nemmie debate. They are two different animals. Nemesis interacts with the landscape where the smiler interacts with the marmaliser and track and other trains. The smiler also works with air time and hang time as opposed to nemesis' unrelenting positive G's.
They are each better in some ways than the other, give me the smilers twin dive loops and airtime hills and nemesis' helix and zero g roll any day and I will be a happy man!

[themealgang]

I rode the coaster for the first time today, and I really don't get some of these negative comments from 'hardcore' enthusiasts. There is very little to complain about! In my opinion, the ride is world class. Inversions galore, its fast and fun with a great theme to match. The silly name aside, it's a little rough around the edges, but that's if we are being really picky.

Other than that, a superb addition to the park that will delight not only the public, but coaster enthusiasts across the globe. And The Smiler staff also look incredible!

[astralAndy]

The silly name aside, it's a little rough around the edges, but that's if we are being really picky.

Thanks for the review. When you say rough around the edges are you meaning the theming work, the feel of going round the track, or the general 'finish' or 'polish' of it as a whole experience?

[Osaka12]

Finally got a ride on the Smiler today and well....

When we were finally let in under the ride and into the "bowel" of the beast (the queue) this morning the sight and sound of this monster rushing all around you is truly spectacular! It sounds phenomenal and looks amazing when it duels. The speed it carries when it rushes over your head after the second inverted drop is awesome and caught out several people unaware, giving them a jump.
The ride from underneath is very intimidating and foreboding, it ramps up both excitement and anxiety, I could have stood in line all day and not got bored of the atmosphere.

As for the ride itself it is a lot faster than it looks, I more enjoyed it than feared it to be honest, but man what a rush! The inverted drops are something I have never experienced before and were especially intense! (with the nad crushing harness! I think I pulled it a bit too tight to be honest lol).. The sea serpent roll was another high point and the last section before the double corkscrew is immense! it's really quick and throws you about Nemesis style, Even from a mid row you can follow the track and see all the people on the other train when you pass them.. The Smiler is over 2 minutes of absolute joy! i'm going back tomorrow for another go!

Lastly thanks to all the fantastic staff members who did a great job operating the ride and queue and to the awesome like minded people we met queuing up this morning, the atmosphere today was fantastic!

[Fragga]

Well having no ridden the smiler 4 times I've decided to throw my review into the pot and would like to think it has some weight to it as I'm not only comparing the smiler to coasters in AT or the UK but I've been lucky enough to have travelled all around the globe riding all the top rated coasters out there.

In some respects I felt the smiler has really delivered, it really is as some have described it a relentless onslaught of inversions, I think it's a gutsy coaster for a park like AT to deliver and after Rita and thirteen it's exactly what AT needed to pull the crowds back that were starting to consider Thorpe as the UK number one park for pushing boundaries however the problem with an initial drop or in this case 2 into what can only be described as a mess of metal is that sometimes it's all going by a bit too quick it's hard to really appreciate one inversion from the other.

I'm not going to go into the merits of theming as for me they mean little to nothing, it's great when there is something there to give the coaster a story but if you look at the worlds top rated coasters hardly any of theme have extensive theming.  So my opinions are based on the coaster and that alone and how do I rate it overall??

Well I really don't see it as an engineering triumph on the larger scale but given the restrictions at AT its quite an achievement, it's a little rough in places and I think it lacks imagination in the sense that I feel any coaster company or major park could of came up with something with more inversions, for me it's just not doing anything ground breaking...even after my first ride I didn't come off and think "wow" or at least not in the same way as I did when I first went on el toro or intimidator 305 or nemesis for that matter.

Don't get me wrong, in the uk this is now going to be in many people's books the number 1 thrill ride but on a world stage for me sadly it doesn't quite deliver, and I can't even contribute that to the height restrictions at AT because with nemesis many years ago they did show what can be done when they put their mind to it.  If I wanted to just go upside down many times I'd go on one of the many fairground attractions that offer this experience, and ultimately for me that's where the smiler fails, in that all it delivers is inversions...sorry guys but comparing this to coasters I've ridden in Europe the US and Japan I'd give it 6.5/10, hopefully they will make it a bit smoother and ill up my rating to 7/10

[TheOutpatient]

^trolling I bet

[Fragga]

^trolling I bet

No not trolling at all, don't get me wrong I enjoyed it, it's a good coaster and exactly what AT needed after Rita and thirteen, but I don't rate it as world class coaster, certainly close to the best in the uk and up in possibly the top 10 in Europe but on a world stage it's just outclassed by much better examples of imagination and engineering.

Ok let me rate the coaster comparing it to other coasters in the uk it gets 8.5/10, but still doesn't give me the same thrill nemesis does.

[Phild94]

Ok... Going to post this after reading a few reviews and giving myself a day of thinking time....

This ride is (to me) the best ride i have ever been on (including the likes of Hulk and Kraken in Orlando),

First off the queueline, you could stand there for hours watching the cars fly past you feet above your heads... And the exiting queueline is fantastic.... From the moment you enter the queue until you leave the shop everything is fully immersive and you feel like you're somewhere entirely different, the corridors after the ride are fantastic as well, full of illusions and the darkened corridors are absolutely brilliant

However it isn't amazingly intense like Nemesis is, for the most part it is as smooth as air and spins you much like enterprise.... It is fantastic though.... Every inversion feels different and even after watching many POVs, no limits mash ups and other off ride footage I had pretty much memorised the track layout.... But once on it it all means nothing at all you have no idea where you're going from start to finish and in some ways the 1st break run is a relief an the inclusion of the haha half way corrected t really does feel as if the ride is tormenting you that what you had ridden was only 50% of what it throws at you...

If you are after speed and pure positive g's then it's to to be Nemesis but if you're like me and enjoy a little more variety an to walk off a ride an just have little to no idea where you are going and what you have done then this really is the ride for you

Comparing this and Nemesis is VERY difficult, they are 2 different beasts entirely... nemesis is intense, slightly rough and fast till the end...

The Smiler is a varying speed, g force-aholic, smooth and moderately intense ride

And for anyone questioning how good those airtime hills were.... Well I left my seat for about half a second and my restraint was fully down and it was possibly the most intense moment of any ride I've ever been on

In certain places there is a minor jolt from an outside seating perspective but on the inside it was much smoother making jolts little to none

To me this coaster was a solid 9.6/10 with Nemesis at 9.55/10

Honestly it is intense in places but for the lost part you have NO idea what is going on, you get the occasional flash of yellow whizz past you as part of the marmalisers leg goes inches above your outstretched hands.... Every second of it is enjoyable and at certain points such as the airtime hill you get a split second to think "HOLY &@** WHAT IS COMING NOW"

All you know is that You do belong to the smiler once disembarking

[TheSmiler1998]

This topic hasn't really caught on has it 

[mattallennet]

I think the ride is absolutely epic, my daughter asked what it would have been like if it had the vertical drop.

I reminded her that to get the full experience like any other Eurofighter, you'd need to run from the Smiler shop to the oblivion queue line. Shame they had to make that compromise because of Oblivion!

It definitely completes X-Sector though!

[Luce]

Having ridden The Smiler yesterday, all I can say is wow - not only is it a visually impressive ride to look at/watch, it's also a fantastic rollercoaster which I think is very intense in some parts.  The theme tune is pretty catchy too and it stuck in my head for a time.

There are however a few areas where it is rough but nothing unbearable, although riding in the front row is best as it's very smooth. Another aspect that stands out for me is how massive the ride is, especially when you're in the queue and the parts where you get close to it is great.  The shop is really good too and I loved The Smiler shopping channel

[Lexie]

I'll apologise in advance - this is going to be long, and is spoiler heavy!

I have basically been living at AT for over a month, watching and waiting, and have been filled by disappointment over the way they have chosen to handle the delays. However... I had booked three days at the park to celebrate my birthday, so despite my feelings and the fact that I had mostly given up hope, I stuck it out and was there 30th, 31st and 1st. Of course I had heard rumours, but it wasn't until I reached the park on Thursday that I really began to hope. The nervous tension across the entire park was intense and the site looked so ready!

On Friday morning, four of us went straight down to X Sector at 9am to find it closed, Smiler staff everywhere, a large number of ride ops visible around the station, new fencing visible everywhere for overflow queues, and management telling us they didn't know if it would open that day, but that if it did, it wouldn't be until the afternoon. At ten they moved the queue forward. Eleven: staff and competition winner rides. Just before half past twelve the door opened and we were among the first to walk through the queue line and into the station. The view from the queue line is simply amazing. She is immense! The music and the roar of the ride that surrounds you is breathtaking and disorientating.
Inside the station the 3D mapping is really effective. The one thing that I would say here that is a major con for me is that they should have used a familiar voice - Dr Kelman, Miles or the woman from viral video #3 - they shouldn't have added a fourth voice, it loses some of the atmosphere. Personally I would have preferred Dr Kelman. It would have been far more chilling. I can see lots of evidence suggesting that not all effects are currently in use, and I believe that there is more to come in this section. The baggage section is effective and secure, but don't forget to look at the ceiling! The paint rollers are just superb!

Then it's up the stairs, hurried along by extremely creepy ride ops, and into the station. The station has quite a clinical feel to it, with surgical lights surrounding the next train to leave. The ride is actually operated from a viewing window above the station, giving it even more of that operating room feel. We were straight on to the front row of what I believe was the third train to leave the station. Dispatch happens fast - the staff are completely on the ball and were simply fantastic on the day. Then it's off... past the smoke and diving down into the indoor section, past the heart line roll and stopping at the overwhelming lights and screaming laughter.

The first lift hill is a slow climb, as half the track becomes visible to your right and you realise what you are about to do, then you're off...and the world goes crazy! I have followed the build and made countless visits to the site, I know that track like the back of my hand, but when you're on it with your arms in the air, everything changes! The near misses are superb, the dueling trains are truly intense at some points, although every ride differs on timing. The cold jab to the face from the inoculator is great (when it works), the flasher also seems a little temperamental, but makes for a great near miss. The brake at the bottom of the vertical lift hill comes as a relief and a much needed breather, but the addition of more video here is very effective. Then we were on our backs, climbing and climbing into the sun before the world went nuts again! The second airtime hill is simply incredible and did actually induce hysterical laughter in me. The last three turns are beyond intense and beat the memory of the whole experience into you - literally.

We arrived back to the station breathless, speechless and with four beaming smiles. Then it's off the train, up the rainbow stairs, through the incredibly disorientating corridors, stopping to collect belongings, and onwards through more tunnels, more lights, more music, which - for me - tied in beautifully with the way The Sanctuary made me feel, and also existed to both prolong the whole experience and give you time away from reality to fully process what you had just done. Then finally out into the ride photo area. I was very pleased with the quality of the ride photos themselves, although staff were refusing to grant annual pass discount on individual purchases. Then I turned round... The shop is amazing! The merchandise has tripled in number and much is exclusive to that shop. The Smiler Channel is very effective and incredibly funny. The mirrors are temperamental and don't seem to work for certain people, which is frustrating, but they still add to the feeling of being monitored. Then it's out, across the glass floor (which you can't actually see through - more lights in the indoor section please!) and out into the sun, with a beautiful view of what you have just been through to your immediate left. I was stopped by a member of staff requesting a review and then walked up to see the site manager from Gerstlauer, said hi again and he asked what I thought. I got a lovely cuddle from the rather eccentric German and we laughed about how finally he can be happy because everyone else is walking out smiling now. It was lovely to see the huge grin on his face, too.

During the Friday afternoon I had one go in each row on a train. I found the back to vibrate quite badly and the fifth ride of the day I believe we ended up on the newer train. The wheels were screeching the whole way round and wow! Was she ever rough! I also noticed that the lovely hesitation on the inversions was gone as she had been speeding up gradually throughout the day.

The next day I had four more rides, one in each row again. I noticed it was smoother already than the day before and there was a little less vibration. A couple of the transitions still knock you about though, and once again she does get a little faster throughout the day. Definitely at her best first thing in the morning. I am not a fan of Gerst restraints, and recommend hands up high, as although it will bruise the inside of arms, you won't slam down onto your shoulders quite so severely. The restraints could have been designed much better, but I really have no other complaints.

I refuse to join in on the Smiler vs. Nemesis debate. They are different animals entirely. I have loved Nemesis for nineteen years. I was there to see her open, I will be there on her final day, although I hope I won't see that for many years to come. I know her personality in every seat, all weathers... She is glorious. The Smiler also does what it says on the tin. For the first time in a long time, Alton Towers have delivered what they have promised. Yes it was late, but they have not opened it at the expense of the ride experience and for that I am grateful. It was an honour to be there to celebrate and experience her very first day as I was with Nemesis and Oblivion, and a privilege to share it with so many others who I have been lucky enough to meet and bond with while we have been there, camped at the fence for months. We're all smiling now.

[BHXDMT]

Well... I popped down to Alton today to have a go on The Smiler, and I can't believe what a brilliant ride they've got there! Of course, there are some cons, but overall a great addition to the park and one I think they've needed for a while!

Arrived at 8am, when there were only 6 or so people queuing, but by 9 this had grown to well over a couple hundred. The gates were opened and everyone started running toward X Sector which I found quite hilarious... I 'powerwalked' and still managed to be within the first 60 or so people. The ride didn't start testing until just before 10, and a member of Alton Towers staff was walking the queue explaining it was going to open a little late due to tech services (he said it was their fault... not quite sure what he meant!).

Anyway, we watched it test and it really is quite a sight to behold! Absolutely huge, and I wasn't expecting it to be so loud! The screeching wheels still exist but what can you do. Around 10:15 they let us all into the queue and it's been done really well! As a tall person, the caged in areas were actually quite small... I'm sure that's not a problem for most people though! Being so close to the ride was quite a rush, and the Marmaliser looks epic from below and in and around!

We walked pretty much straight into the 'Correctional Building' since we were near the front of the queue. The projection mapping inside is nice and I suppose it wastes a bit of time. Loved the atmosphere set by the voice saying "You are about to begin the correction process" etc. The station is very bare, but it works because of the nature of the backstory. Very clinical. We were pretty much straight onto trains at this point, it was very fast to load. I managed to get front row on my first ride! The drop out of the station is surprisingly good, as is the barrel roll.

What comes next is hard to describe! It's full on, unrelenting, joy. I didn't feel it was "one loop into another" as some people have described, there was enough in between to break those up. It's still an amazing feat, though, that they have squeezed 14 inversions into such a space!

The only Marmaliser effects that I really noticed were The Giggler and The Innoculator... mainly because being front row I got pretty wet through both! I had no time to notice The Hypnotiser, and didn't notice The Flasher at all. Shame really, because they've made so much effort with them... in terms of elements, that 2nd airtime hill delivered everything that it promised! So so good. And the G's at the bottom are intense if shortlived.

I came off smiling, so you could say I had been corrected! I had 3 more goes after this, but chose to use the Single Rider queue instead. Good choice! First time was an hour, when the main queue was in excess of 2. Second time was 5 minutes, Third time was 10 minutes! Practically walked on by 2pm. Unfortunately after the 4th go they started dispatching trains empty and they had stopped letting people enter both the 'Correctional Building' and queueline at the top of X Sector... haven't had a chance to catch up to see what that was about yet!

In terms of the trains and ride quality... way smoother than Saw, but the 2nd half of the Sea Serpent and first corkscrew before the end are killers. Really jolty, and it hurt my neck quite a bit! The restraints are rather roomy, even for me! And the seats were comfortable. Unfortunately, there really does seem to be something wrong with the wheels! I got back row twice, and the vibrations coming up from the wheels in the last row were insane! My feet actually went numb from the vibrations. My ride on row 3 and 1 had far fewer vibrations. I think they need to address those problems... it was quite uncomfortable at the back.

Overall, a solid coaster with a few bugs to iron out... but so glad I went, and I really enjoyed it! By the 4th time I had the biggest smile on my face!

[SuperWill]

Just got back from AT and wow! What can I say? I arrived at AT early and once the turnstiles opened I dashed to The Smiler to wait for an hour for it to open! The queueline is awesome! I love it how the track is near the queueline! I loved the indoor section before you board the ride! (I won't tell anyone what happens in the indoor section) I was on the 3rd row and it was just amazing! I can proudly say that The Smiler is better than Nemesis and it is my favourite coaster! I rate The Smiler 10/10! Nothing will ever beat The Smiler!

[Forza_Dan24]

Here's a link to Theme Park Tourist's review: http://www.themeparktourist.com/feature ... ton-towers

[SmileyMan]

Theme Park Tourist's amazing review of the smiler -

Tucked away in the picturesque Staffordshire Moorlands, Alton Towers has become the market leader within the UK theme park industry for churning out thrilling attractions that push the envelope of roller coaster design and amusement park innovation. It is this unique approach that has led the Merlin-owned theme park giant to produce some of the most iconic thrill rides and roller coasters of the past two decades.

While the park has taken a more family-oriented approach in recent years, 2013 has seen Alton Towers lift the lid on a new star attraction that is already proving that it has got the power to turn the frowns upside down on the faces of coaster enthusiasts and general public alike. The result is a a coaster that is making thrill seekers "smile". Always.

Planning for the aptly named The Smiler began in 2011, and in true Alton Towers style, the ride was shrouded in secrecy throughout its development. Assuming its codename, "Secret Weapon 7", as the plans were subtly unveiled, many enthusiasts started to become excited about what the future had to hold.

With a twisted and compact layout set to replace the iconic Black Hole tent that had lain dormant for over half a decade, this new metallic beauty was set to put the humble inversion back on Alton Towers's radar. Little did many know that the park was about to smash the current inversion record by an astonishing 4 elements; bringing the ride's total inversion count to a "marmalising" 14.

EuroFighting

The Smiler marks a new chapter in Alton Towers's thrill ride catalogue; borrowing the ride system used by the highly successful EuroFighter series, which has become the flagship product for German coaster supplier Gerstlauer since its first incarnation in 2003. With its signature vertical lift and compact steel circuit that allows for endless track configurations, it was able to reach the demands of Alton Towers for their next "world's first". The ride system received a unique facelift with 16 passenger trains (compared to the more traditional 8 abreast), allowing an increased capacity.

After a series of marketing and teaser campaigns, in January 2013 the news finally broke. "The Smiler" was the name chosen for the new development that was to set "marmalise" your body and brain as you become a smiling advocate.

With the coaster costing Merlin an astonishing £18 million (the most expensive roller coaster ever built in the UK), and the last of a plethora of attractions designed by the legendary John Wardley, the price tag and credits certainly impress. But the marmalisation process got off to a rocky start - plagued with delays until finally opening its gates on May 31, 2013.

Get ready to smile

Despite its outrageous marketing claims, construction delays, awe-inspiring inversion count and truly ridiculous name, The Smiler's experience and niche theme is proving to be a hit across the board. Experiencing the attraction for yourself, it's not hard to see why.



The Smiler has joined Oblivion in X-Sector's line-up.
Approach the X-Sector area of the park and the site that once held the iconic blue tent that was home to a Schwarzkopf classic has at last warped its way into the deepest and darkest areas of a black hole, and a colossal mess of twisted steel has taken its place. Completed by the thumping dub-step soundtrack, the atmosphere created is somewhat spooky and ambiguous. But then again, for a coaster that is claiming to transform the innocent park guest into a "smiling advocate" with its "all controlling force", there should be some mystery surrounding this inversion machine.



The Smiler logo is plastered everywhere the eye can see.
Heading into the ride's main queue line with the yellow Smiler logo emblazened across the terrifically vibrant entrance arch, chances are, you see going to come face-to-face with a member of The Smiler staff. Following in the footsteps of many major theme park powerhouses such as Disney and Universal, Alton Towers has made the effort to dress its staff in authentic costumes to match the mood of the ride. Looking as eye-catching as ever in yellow shades, flat caps and boots is one thing, but their customer service, willingness to help and make the experience as memorable as possible is also another factor that contributes to The Smiler's experience being so enjoyable. Let's hope they can keep it up throughout the season.

As expected from most Merlin attractions, entering the obligatory cattle-pen queue line, guests (or should that be advocates?) gain terrific views of what is about to marmalise them to a point of complete disorientation. Gaze upwards, and there's nothing more than an abundance of inversions, loops and corkscrews mashed together in a compact space. Complete with two lifts (one of which is completely vertical), the trains duel as they race around the circuit.


Waiting riders have a close-up view of The Smiler in action.
Seeing the ride cars swooping around the inversions is quite a spectacle, and the criss-cross of roller coaster track is a true work of art to see in person and a stunning engineering feat. Complete with the LED screen on the signature "Marmaliser" structure and flashing images as the trains whizz past the five "mind manipulating" elements, the ride certainly makes a lasting first impression.

Commencing "marmalisation"


3D effects are used to keep waiting guests entertained.
Meander into the ride building and The Smiler has another treat in store for the waiting riders. In a new queue line experience for the UK theme park industry, the park hired 3D mapping experts to produce a terrific projected sideshow for the waiting public aiming to work everyone into a slight frenzy as they await instructions within the low-lit corridors. Reach the end of the queue, and the smiling staff guide you up the stairs and into the beautifully themed ride loading bay. It is at this point you really feel as though you are starting to belong to The Smiler...

Look around and the white and yellows of the station contrast superbly to create the idea you are in a clinic of some description about to discover your fate. It’s eerie, intimidating and atmospheric; just what the doctor ordered for a new multi-million pound thrill ride.



The Smiler's trains use traditional over-the-shoulder restraints.
Pull down the conventional EuroFighter over-the-shoulder restraints, and the ride soundtrack begins to kick in. "You belong to The Smiler" - a voice is heard, before a curtain of mist is blown in your face, the lights in the station dim, and the first steps towards complete marmalisation start to come into play. It's a dramatic start, but is by far one of the most memorable send-offs to any coaster in the UK, and demonstrates that Alton Towers is trying to push the boundaries to create such unique coaster experiences.

I look to my right and the jolly ride host is smiling at me with a wide grin as he dispatches the train. It is as though I have entered this process slightly naive, not understanding what is about to follow. And what does is something that will certainly make any thrill seeker smile.

Breaking records

SPOILER WARNING: this section contains a detailed description of The Smiler's circuit.

As the train snakes its way to the left, there is a surprisingly sharp banked drop that is accompanied by a sudden burst of strobe light as the cars race towards the park floor. Before anyone on the train has even a chance to grin, we are suddenly catapulted into a heartline roll element that flings everyone head over heels; inversion number one over with, just another thirteen to go. As the trains come to an abrupt stop, a creepy giggle is audible as we make our way skywards; the warm-up act left behind us.

Ascending the 72-foot lift hill, beautiful views of the surrounding area are visible as far back as Towers Street and the park entrance. But there's hardly any time to soak in the atmosphere of the surrounding gardens as The Smiler bites back.



The inversions just don't stop coming on The Smiler.
Bank to the right, and it's another inversion; a barrel roll that leaves riders briefly suspended upside down as the cars catapult their way to the top speed of 52 miles per hour. The force and adrenaline rush is quite something, before the trains suddenly ascend upwards, inverting once more as they traverse two dive loops consecutively and narrowly missing the bright light of "The Flasher". A great moment of ejector airtime is felt as the cars continue to race with fury around their serpentine tracks.

Heading towards the back of the coaster, riders are then flung into another inversion; the ride briskly turning upside down to the right and the left in a unique batwing element. A brief moment of hang time is felt as guests' bodies are pushed into the shoulder harness before the train plummets downwards once more towards the concrete floor. The minds of all riders are almost completely disorientated at this stage of the process as we catch a brief glimpse at the iconic Smiler logo plastered over the surrounding area.

The Smiler shows no sign of calming down its craving for inversions as the trains scrape past the legs of The Marmaliser and fling themselves into another corkscrew. The smooth magnetic breaks bring the brisk train to a smooth halt. But seven inversions down, the ride wants more upside down goodness... look around and it's soon apparent the ride is only halfway to fully correcting its advocates.

Halfway there

Gaze upwards and there’s an even more terrifying obstacle in the way in the form of a second, stomach churning lift hill. Unlike the conventional lift that offers a brief escape from the bedlam of the coaster's layout, as the motors slowly squeak into action, riders are left lying on their backs like an astronaut about to take flight. As some thrill seekers raise their arms and scream with delight, groans of fear can also be heard as The Smiler delivers another abundance of mayhem.


Riders are flipped in just about every direction as they whizz around the ride's track.
The cars repeat the earlier process by banking this time to the left and somersaulting over the queue line into another inverted drop before another two inversions follow as part of a roll over element.

At this point, guests' ability to even comprehend their whereabouts in the world has diminished as the Innoculator of the Marmaliser attempts to inject some much needed happiness back into their lives as they narrowly miss the spinning cogs of The Hypnotiser.

Brainwashed, some more injector airtime follows before we duel head-to-head with another Smiler train; weaving around it as we enter the cobra roll with a complete loss of well-being. As more screams follow, we are then abruptly tumbled in a double barrel roll segment over the waiting passengers providing some awesome moments of hang time. Then, it's over. Roll back into the station, exit through a spectacle of light in the narrow corridors, feeling completely defeated in the battle to survive the all controlling force that is The Smiler.

Our thoughts

In the grand scheme of things, The Smiler impresses in every shape and form. A visual spectacle, the ride experience is as good as its first impression. Smooth and enjoyable, the diverse range of inversions, disorientating experience and ultra-modern-meets-super-retro theme equates to a phenomenal and unforgettable experience.


The Smiler's compact circuit is a sight to behold.
Proudly taking the inversion world record away from veteran Colossus at Thorpe Park, The Smiler’s world's first is a gimmick. But, it being executed in such a sublime way and with a lengthy 3-minute duration and a clever theme has resulted in Alton Towers gaining a superb addition with a worthwhile gimmick and world record under its belt. The Smiler is not only one of the most influential roller coasters ever built in Britain, it stands up to anything on the world stage, too.

[Benjsh]

Just got back from AT and wow! What can I say? I arrived at AT early and once the turnstiles opened I dashed to The Smiler to wait for an hour for it to open! The queueline is awesome! I love it how the track is near the queueline! I loved the indoor section before you board the ride! (I won't tell anyone what happens in the indoor section) I was on the 3rd row and it was just amazing! I can proudly say that The Smiler is better than Nemesis and it is my favourite coaster! I rate The Smiler 10/10! Nothing will ever beat The Smiler!

I concur. I've also been on it today, 3 times no less, and can confirm it's every bit as BLOODY AWESOME as it looks, maybe even better.

And god bless the single rider queue. Life saver with those ridiculous queues today. I don't do 3 hrs queues. Longest we waited for Smiler was 35 mins and we did 3 rides.

I was Corrected and I am proud to admit it.

[piggzzz]

Been today. Around a three hour queue time (from 10 o'clock) with the ride having some issues mid-queue. It was so worth that queue time.  Everything about the line is amazing. It's not a boring experience. Being so close to the track makes it so much more exciting, and the noise that comes from the ride is phenomenal.. the atmosphere in the entire area is just amazing.

As for the ride? I was VERY impressed. Could barely walk in a straight line as I got off.. just so exciting and refreshing to see something so mental arrive at Alton.

[Jack]

had 3 goes today (I could've lived on it for the day ) and I don't really know how to put it into words how this ride makes you feel, even the 'roar' of the train, that could be heard from The Flume, was incredible, just...AMAZING, thats all I need to say and all I want to say about this ride, and I hope I can go again soon, see how many times I can ride :moj btw, the newer train is easy to tell, very bumpy, but just increases the ride experience :moj