The Smiler - Speculation

[kingda dude]

As to the actual TV advert itself, I hope that we get something similar to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5AKVtvkdc

i.e. An advert that starts off by showing short videos of people relaxing and having fun with a repetitive ,almost robotic, voice over. As the advert continues it deteriorates with the voice over getting stuck on the word "smile" and showing clips of: the coaster trains going past, the logo and 'Marmalised' people more frequently.

[Owen]

Well A and B both have * and states on the bottom (*) The Smiler won't be open on those bands, but isn't present on band C which starts 18th so they must of known roughly what date they were aiming for. Otherwise it'll be around the 25th <-- isn't that when kids break up.

Btw I mentioned this way back and it was discussed in great length

[Kirsty25]

I've been thinking about the theme tune/song/voice over for the smiler...

And the first minute of this - makes me think of X-Sector in general and I think it pretty accurately sums up the smiler in my opinion!

[Jmurphy55]

I'd just like to discuss the world first aspect of this in a little depth
Many seem convinced that the worlds first is 14 inversions, I would personally be amazed if that were the case.
I've now seen 3 interviews, two with John Wardley and one with a lady that works at Alton Towers, and all three times they have specifically said that something will be revealed on opening day. Not only that but the game its self specifically has 7 slots dedicated to a worlds first... I'm struggling to believe that they suddenly decided not to wait until opening day, got impatient and wrote "worlds first 14 looping coaster" on the back of a cereal packet (which is an advertising programme which is worth MILLIONS of pounds and would
  have been agreed ages ago anyway.)I realise that the majority of non-coaster enthusiasts wouldn't be aware that 14 inversions is a record, but its nothing that a simple google search wouldn't clarify.
I'm not saying that the "worlds first 14 looping coaster" isn't something that AT will use to market it, but there is something else going on. As to what that may be, I have no idea, that's not my area.
And if I'm by any chance wrong then its extremely poor marketing on AT's part.  To say that the world's first will be revealed on opening, and to then reveal something which simply playing the game and counting the number of inversions you would be highly deceptive. Don't get me wrong, the ride looks absolutely amazing, and I've been all over the world hitting coasters and this looks like it could beat all of the, but why not simply run with the coaster being an absolute beast? There's no need to invent a worlds first and then at the last minute use the number of inversions as the worlds first element?
I'd like to finish by saying that whatever happens, this thing looks utterly immense . I'm just discussing it from a marketing perspective, which i seem to remember AT getting very, very wrong with Thirteen, so hopefully that won't be repeated!!

[Aidan Lowe]

I would love something like this while queuing, not a track for the ride but something to add some effect while there are monitor's playing.

First, I love this whole sinister laugh and the track kicks in with some nice beats here.

Then a "possessed gramophone", think they could use this to good effect. Click here

[Owen]

I'd just like to discuss the world first aspect of this in a little depth
Many seem convinced that the worlds first is 14 inversions, I would personally be amazed if that were the case.
I've now seen 3 interviews, two with John Wardley and one with a lady that works at Alton Towers, and all three times they have specifically said that something will be revealed on opening day. Not only that but the game its self specifically has 7 slots dedicated to a worlds first... I'm struggling to believe that they suddenly decided not to wait until opening day, got impatient and wrote "worlds first 14 looping coaster" on the back of a cereal packet (which is an advertising programme which is worth MILLIONS of pounds and would
  have been agreed ages ago anyway.)I realise that the majority of non-coaster enthusiasts wouldn't be aware that 14 inversions is a record, but its nothing that a simple google search wouldn't clarify.
I'm not saying that the "worlds first 14 looping coaster" isn't something that AT will use to market it, but there is something else going on. As to what that may be, I have no idea, that's not my area.
And if I'm by any chance wrong then its extremely poor marketing on AT's part.  To say that the world's first will be revealed on opening, and to then reveal something which simply playing the game and counting the number of inversions you would be highly deceptive. Don't get me wrong, the ride looks absolutely amazing, and I've been all over the world hitting coasters and this looks like it could beat all of the, but why not simply run with the coaster being an absolute beast? There's no need to invent a worlds first and then at the last minute use the number of inversions as the worlds first element?
I'd like to finish by saying that whatever happens, this thing looks utterly immense . I'm just discussing it from a marketing perspective, which i seem to remember AT getting very, very wrong with Thirteen, so hopefully that won't be repeated!!

Btw the 14 inversions IS ONE of the world firsts this has been ether deliberately or has been accidently confermed through Krave cereal BUT mr.wardley him self said and I quote

there will be more than one world first elements

I rest my case

[wagger20]

If they're going to insist on testing only at night, surely that suggests that there is something special which they are trying to keep hidden from the public before opening.

Something quite visible that happens to the cars as they travel around the track...

Something like a vertical fall-back...?

[Benjsh]

Far too much emphasis is put on these "world first" claims. It's just a gimmick. The ride is what matters.

Of my top 5 favorite coasters in the world, none of them are what you'd describe as a world's first yet they still WOW me more than all these New design coasters that have been flooding the market recently.

[C0RR3CTED1]

If they're going to insist on testing only at night, surely that suggests that there is something special which they are trying to keep hidden from the public before opening.

Something quite visible that happens to the cars as they travel around the track...

Something like a vertical fall-back...?

Good point! seeing as people have mentioned that a secret element will be revealed on opening day this might well be why 

[Zach]

On the topic of smiler opening what ever day it opens what are people's thought on times and thing such as best time to get there?  will people que around the area during ERT ? Will there be ERT that day?  obviously there will be dash to the ride when the park does open....survival of the fittest and fastest, do you think the first members of the public on first train out will be riding with mr wardly himself ? Will be be there ? Will there be a special badge/medal for the people there on opening day ? Sorry many questions just want to get people's opinions and speculatory discussion going

[lewis97]

There will be no ERT for any rides in X-Sector on opening day, as X-sector will probably be closed off completely. Therefore, you'd have to wait out by the X-Sector entrance, or even right back at the towers. It's likely JW will be milling around, but he will have probably already ridden it by opening so I doubt he'd actually ride it that day.

Also, the opening date is looking confirmed as the 18th, which was reported by LeeJames in the SB, who's been to AT today, and was told (and hinted at) by numerous members that this is the day they are aiming for.

[Krazycoaster]

On the topic of smiler opening what ever day it opens what are people's thought on times and thing such as best time to get there?  will people que around the area during ERT ? Will there be ERT that day?  obviously there will be dash to the ride when the park does open....survival of the fittest and fastest, do you think the first members of the public on first train out will be riding with mr wardly himself ? Will be be there ? Will there be a special badge/medal for the people there on opening day ? Sorry many questions just want to get people's opinions and speculatory discussion going

John will most likely have ridden beforehand but he sometimes hangs around the exit to watch people's reactions; basically to see if he's done his job If he is there, I suspect Candy will be as well.
Also, it's highly unlikely that we'll see badges. And ERT is probably out of the question as well, but you never know, people might have booked with the Hotels and are expecting ERT. Smiler obviously won't open till opening time though 

[Jmurphy55]

Far too much emphasis is put on these "world first" claims. It's just a gimmick. The ride is what matters.

Of my top 5 favorite coasters in the world, none of them are what you'd describe as a world's first yet they still WOW me more than all these New design coasters that have been flooding the market recently.

Yes but Alton Towers have put them emphasis on the worlds first themselves.
It's not as if we're sat here idly speculating about a potential worlds first, which we've seen no evidence of. Alton have run with this for the start, and Wardley has been specifically vocal about it. Perhaps you're right and I'm reading too much into it, but if that's the case then Wardley is, to me ending his career on somewhat of a low point. They claimed Oblivion was a worlds first, and it was, it was unlike anything else in the world at the time. Thirteen was also a very different type of ride (I have my own opinions on altons choice of how to market thirteen which I thought was, to say the least, excessive.)
But the point I'm trying to make is that a 14 looping coaster is not, in its self ground breaking, its world beating yes, it's technically worlds first I guess, but its a technicality isn't it? We all know full well that within 5 years probably less) that a big American or Asian theme park will break that limit.
It's not innovative in the same way that oblivion of thirteen is.
The coaster will be immense either way but if there isn't something new here, something not done before, then to me Alton are guilty of adversiting it very deceptively.
They have *specifically* said that there will be something new revealed on opening day.

[Astro61201]

John said there will be a worlds first live on radio

[Astro61201]

sorry for double posting but was vampire one of johns first rides? If so him and Alton may be hinting to the past with the double lift hills

[clayj]

sorry for double posting but was vampire one of johns first rides? If so him and Alton may be hinting to the past with the double lift hills

I posted this a while back which is quite relevant to your post...

Just noticed something which I thought I'd point out...

First of all, I love it when someone starts a post with "I was just thinking", or "I just noticed something" as it's usually either an incitefully constructed comment based upon documented evidence which adds value to the speculation/conversation and the credibility of TTF or it's a totally wacky idea, which in all fairness still adds to TTF, however makes the forum a joy to read when read some people's ideas.

Anyhow, "i was just thinking" (lol), since The Smiler is to be John Wardley's final coaster that he is leaving us with, call it his final act if you wish, what a legacy to leave us ! He appears to have drawn inspiration from his portfolio of rides, cherry picking what works best & incorporating them into the Smiler. When you look at it, the Smiler encompasses everything which I personally love from not only his previous rides, but also little snippets of the park's other rides and magic which I feel sets AT above the rest.

The list I have so far of the similarities between the smiler and the quintessential essence of John's rides and AT's magic is as follows (feel free to add);

- The smiler has been created to conform to it's surrounding area, however in reality, you get the look and feel as if the surrounding area conforms to fit the ride (pretty much every coaster in the park especially Nemesis & Oblivion *excluding Rita)

- The Smiler's banked right first drop from the lift hill, and the last two inversions before turn to breakrun (from a side angle) bare a canny resemblance to that of the now defunct corkscrew’s 1st drop & double corkscrews.

-The mystery and surprise (to GP) of the hidden section under the station which is kept from the public until they actually ride just like Thirteen's indoor section.

-The ride itself comes with a full back story, adding scope to the possibility of add-on attractions rather than a gimmick or catchy name like other parks. Think of what the sanctuary is too the Smiler, being that of SubTerra too Nemesis. On top of this, the ride is immersed into a completed themed section where all rides compliment each other like FV or KC. Personally, no other park in the UK achieves this level of integration within and segregation between themed areas.

-As with Air, the ride has allot of concrete and concrete tunnels, however, John has #Corrected this with what appears to be the high standard theatrical set dressing of Hex in the first tunnel. I think we all have our own theory's on what will happen under the maintenance shed but we know one thing for certain, it will be world class !!

-The Smiler is a tightly compacted, well profiled coaster with punchy inversions where each inversion compliments the next. A perfect comparison/example of this would be Nemesis, as the ride is profiled in a way that there isn't really any wasted space between sections of the ride. Even what appeared to be straight sections in the Smiler's plans have turned out to be airtime hills which also run under the marmiliser's legs and potential interactive elements.

-Upon approach, the fear inducing theming & track layout on the Smiler is similar to the leg chopping elements and general alien station on Nemesis and the "I'm not going to fit in that hole" of Oblvion's vertical hold drop. I'm not only thinking about the hidden section under the station and rumoured secret element under the maintenance shed.... Just think, once complete, never mind the end section in the pit with the Staffordshire Knott & Cobra roll (no real themeing to date), the middle section of the ride is going to be epic with it’s sea-serpant roll through two Immelmann rolls which are built over and retrospectively intertwined by a corkscrew. Add to this a 5 legged marmiliser structure interwoven in between the track which is speculated to interact with the ride cars which are rumoured to be duelling each other through the top, middle and bottom sections of the ride ! Finally, if the dueling speculation is true, the John has managed to revisit his orgional plans for SW! & 2 and delivered us his dueling coaster... We all know he can make them, you just have to look at Stampedia

Long and short of it, John Wardley & his team are complete Legends !!

[sw7nutter]

sorry for double posting but was vampire one of johns first rides? If so him and Alton may be hinting to the past with the double lift hills

The vampire was Johns first ride i believe so its quite fitting that his first and last were double chain lifts.
As for the worlds first didn't the Smiler game hint at more than one. Why should his final ride only be 1 worlds first.

[A]

I know I'll get shot down for this.... first rollercoaster to give the riders an electric shock via the handlebars? :P

[krug]

If this is a dueling coaster am I right in thinking that both trains will have to be synced to drop from the top of the lift hill at the same time?
If this is true, I assume the longer, first lift hill, will take longer to ascend compared to the vertical lift.  Could that mean that a reverse drop could be used to waste some time to allow the train on the first hill to catch up?
Or can they simply increase the speed of the first hill?  And the fins are just for evacuation updates as suspected by most.

It does seem odd though that the secret element would be out of sight, as where would it go? And how special could it be if its just enclosed in the part before the first lift?
If they are testing at night and JW says it will be revealed on the day, I can only assume it is in plain view.

[Andzdrew]

You're right thinking the trains have to leave at the same time. If you play the game and watch the train going up the vertical, while you're on the first lift... You'll see they're perfectly synchronized. That's why I theorized if there is a freefall drop on the vertical, that wed have to have somesort of rollback on the first hill to make up the extra time, which was why I was pleased to see fins on both lifthills. Think about it, why would you need to roll a train back on a normal lifthill? Logic says if they're going to be used at all, they will be used on both hills at the same time to allow the trains to duel.