Attraction Source Forum

While this Alton vs Disney argument is going on you are missing the facts... its been testing again!! and thus Its looking good!! Lets all give it our best and hope for this weekend opening!
I reckon its a case of someone going round with a broom now, bit of glass cleaner on the ole glass floor and away we go!
I'm staying positive anyway.. like ive said before, its rubbish now BUT in 6 months we wont remember all of this and be enjoying it!
I do hope it lights up for Scarefest like we have seen!

I've been to a few theme parks in the USA.
Firstly, Islands of Adventure is amazing and probably my favourite theme park that I've visted. The theming of the entire park is absolutely incredible and it does truely feel that you're in a different world. For the record I'd probably say that their best themed ride there is Dudley do rights ripsaw falls (a flume ride,) which is really, really impressive.
Without riding the smiler its difficult to compare it with the Hulk or Dueling Dragons in terms of theming. However, one point I will make is that with a lot of coasters at islands of adventure l, the theming stops as soon as the coaster moves. I'd you think about the Hulk, as soon as you're launched out of the gamma ray, there's not a great deal of theming, and the Dueling dragons has pretty much nothing the second you leave the castle an ascend the lift hills. Compare tht with the likes of Nemesis and the Smiler, which has theming throughout, and I think there is a decent argument to say the theming at Alton Towers is on a parr with it. It's definately not on as grander scale, but this is an 18m investment not a 50m one, but it doesn't necessarily have to be absolutely huge and in your face to be good. Sometimes subtly is the key and the Smiler has a really interesting plot, storyline. We'll know more when the thing eventually opens I guess.
On a side note I went to six flags magic mountain last month and they barely theme anything so the idea of the USA theming being impressive doesnt apply to everything.

It's coming...!

Whilst I was there yesterday, they had completely lowered the trims on the 2nd air time hill and where fiddling about with them and with the photos posted a few pages back its now apparent that they were getting ready to take them off
With everything coming back to life over the past few days and the confirmation of testing it looks like we are going to be getting corrected within the next week! Are they still painting the mesh today?

Can we please take the Alton Towers vs Disney discussion elsewhere, maybe to the other theme park reviews, as it is totally off topic and doesn't relate to the smiler.

Thanks

Barty wrote: It's coming...!

Whilst I was there yesterday, they had completely lowered the trims on the 2nd air time hill and where fiddling about with them and with the photos posted a few pages back its now apparent that they were getting ready to take them off
With everything coming back to life over the past few days and the confirmation of testing it looks like we are going to be getting corrected within the next week! Are they still painting the mesh today?

Yep mesh is still being painted but from the looks of it , not much left to do! Standing over the site i can just see that there needs to be a few more fences placed , mesh needs painting and then clean up the dusty queue line then it looks to be finished And now that testing has commenced again then we could possibly see an opening on Friday ( as it is the last day of May ! )

Posted by Krave Facebook...

Hint to opening soon?

Thrillmad wrote: Posted by Krave Facebook...

Hint to opening soon?

Possibly, but krave isn't the most official source out there  :P

A wrote:

Thrillmad wrote: Posted by Krave Facebook...

Hint to opening soon?

Possibly, but krave isn't the most official source out there  :P

They are there sponsors...

Exciting! Do you think it'll open this weekend on mid-week next week?

That Krave feature has to be accurate considering its the sponsor. It's too coincidental that as soon as testing starts they release a picture saying 'almost there' - I can't think in what other context 'almost there' is relevant.

EDIT: optimistic but could it not open tomorrow? It seems its ready to go again and it doesn't have to open at the weekend this week as its half term. Plus, staff could get used to running it when it's less busy than opening being at a weekend.

At this stage I wouldn't be surprised if it opened any day from tomorrow onwards, but when alton do open it I think they will be sneaky about it, something along the line of just removing the technical issues banner from the website and acting as if it has been open from the 23rd all along

Thrillmad wrote:

A wrote:

Thrillmad wrote: Posted by Krave Facebook...

Hint to opening soon?

Possibly, but krave isn't the most official source out there  :P

They are there sponsors...

I hate it when they have cheesy sponsors like this! Can't they just leave it to themselves?! It's a weird and horrid brand to go for and I bet were going to have another Oblivon fanta and coke fiasco!! I really don't want anything referring to krave with The smiler otherwise I will cry

I'm going to AT on Friday and travelling almost 300 miles to get there, anyone on site able to tell me if it looks even close to opening this weekend?

J_Baggie wrote: On site again this morning. Quite a few builders here already. Mostly putting fences up along the treeline next to the 1st lift hill. I'll try get a picture at some point

BOING BOING FELLOW BAGGIE

On a construction note (to avoid the deletion of this post lol). They really do look I be doing all the finalisations in preparation for a proper opening. Also regarding the Krave sponsor. I didn't even know they sponsored them until that post and there are no dodgy Krave logo's anywhere so this will just be a Krave thing I'm guessing.

ChelseeSmile102 wrote: I'm going to AT on Friday and travelling almost 300 miles to get there, anyone on site able to tell me if it looks even close to opening this weekend?

IMO yes it does

also note that Krave boxes were the medium in which alton towers decided to reveal the world's first, so possibly a good source of info if they were less Vague

MatthewR1990 wrote:

J_Baggie wrote: On site again this morning. Quite a few builders here already. Mostly putting fences up along the treeline next to the 1st lift hill. I'll try get a picture at some point

BOING BOING FELLOW BAGGIE

On a construction note (to avoid the deletion of this post lol). They really do look I be doing all the finalisations in preparation for a proper opening. Also regarding the Krave sponsor. I didn't even know they sponsored them until that post and there are no dodgy Krave logo's anywhere so this will just be a Krave thing I'm guessing.

Haha yess! Boing boing. Always good to meet another baggie. I'm from London you see, so I dont often meet any!

Back on topic: yeah almost looks finished imo. Friday opening is my guess

So, so happy to hear that the trims on that airtime hill are getting removed. That first ITV PoV showed the sheer force of that airtime (hint : good) , would be a total shame to trim it.

Been on the phone to towers and they say that they are going to make a big announcement for the opening a day in advance. He said there won't be any suprise openings or soft openings just the main event

Sat on the fried chicken and just seen they have just removed the porta-cabin from the back off the smiler, also I know it's not reliable info but spoke to a AT worker and he said possibly Friday and they had issues with the drainage to which caused the issues on the celb night

What's the port cabin?