The Smiler over closed season 13/14

[lewis97]

    Exit- Some Smiley actors in the exit line would be nice. Maybe a smiler themed Mirror maze.

I have noticed that some ride ops do put extra effort in, and do a bit of acting. On my first visit, the ride op batching before the baggage hold kept letting out high pitch laughs, and hiding round the corner in front of the stairs, and so scaring guests when they went to go up to the station.

On my latest visit, a ride op was sat in a chair in the area in front of where you pick up your bags from the baggage hold. He acted like a marmalised advocate tied to the chair, and was continually laughing and then screaming at people when they went to walk past him.

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It's clear that there are so many ideas of what could be done, but I really doubt that anything major will be carried out. Realistically I can see them working to fix the drainage issue, or I hope so anyway, as this is something which has repeatedly caused problems this season.

Also, I think it would be sensible if they gave the first inverted drop some attention, as there are some obvious issues there which cause a jolt on the ride. This is easiest jolt for them to 'correct' as it is due to a structural fault, rather than a flawed profile- lets face it, they're not going to replace parts of the track as although the jolts are momentarily uncomfortable there aren't massive health implications associated with them. But then again, they may see this as too much a problem to undertake, even though it has resulted in falling bolts.

[nancarrow]

The only thing they have to do is to make the smiler 99 % reliable. Af an unreliable ride like smiler was to continued for more that a year it would really damage the parks  reputation.

[Exterminieren]

Something big. Touching up the drainage will not cut it when we have riders being hit by debris on the ride.

[CPATH10]

I dread to think what will happen in October and November as the weather gets worse.

Well, you thought correctly, the guide wheels came off yesterday, and hit a teenager and three adults, I think the ride just needs the downtime sorted out, it has broken down over fifteen times since May, and in five months that averages out at a downtime once every week. That is just appalling considering it is brand new. We could sit here for years and name the problems with effects, but we actually want a running ride before we can even think about effects. You know we can compare The Smiler to Oblivion and Air because they are from B&M.
This is a Geurstlauer ride, and they generally don't break-down this often with so many different problems. I mean look at SAW-The Ride, that rarely goes down. I think it has broken down once a season if that since opening in 2009 and maybe a separate day each season for maintenance. The Smiler has gone down more often in five months, than SAW has gone down in four years, I don't think we should be directing questions at Alton Towers. I think we should be directing questions at Geurstlauer.

[sw7nutter]

I dread to think what will happen in October and November as the weather gets worse.

Well, you thought correctly, the guide wheels came off yesterday, and hit a teenager and three adults, I think the ride just needs the downtime sorted out, it has broken down over fifteen times since May, and in five months that averages out at a downtime once every week. That is just appalling considering it is brand new. We could sit here for years and name the problems with effects, but we actually want a running ride before we can even think about effects. You know we can compare The Smiler to Oblivion and Air because they are from B&M.
This is a Geurstlauer ride, and they generally don't break-down this often with so many different problems. I mean look at SAW-The Ride, that rarely goes down. I think it has broken down once a season if that since opening in 2009 and maybe a separate day each season for maintenance. The Smiler has gone down more often in five months, than SAW has gone down in four years, I don't think we should be directing questions at Alton Towers. I think we should be directing questions at Geurstlauer.

Saw always breaks down, there has not been a visit to Thorpe this year where i have not seen saw break down at 10:15. In saws opening year that kept breaking down every 5 mins, however for parts to fall off was unheard of. For anything to fall off a ride is unacceptable but for it to happen 4 or 5 times.

I think what they need to do is fix the jolts and stop stuff falling off. There is lots of other stuff they could do but they need to fix the problems before they start improving it.

[CPATH10]

I dread to think what will happen in October and November as the weather gets worse.

Well, you thought correctly, the guide wheels came off yesterday, and hit a teenager and three adults, I think the ride just needs the downtime sorted out, it has broken down over fifteen times since May, and in five months that averages out at a downtime once every week. That is just appalling considering it is brand new. We could sit here for years and name the problems with effects, but we actually want a running ride before we can even think about effects. You know we can compare The Smiler to Oblivion and Air because they are from B&M.
This is a Geurstlauer ride, and they generally don't break-down this often with so many different problems. I mean look at SAW-The Ride, that rarely goes down. I think it has broken down once a season if that since opening in 2009 and maybe a separate day each season for maintenance. The Smiler has gone down more often in five months, than SAW has gone down in four years, I don't think we should be directing questions at Alton Towers. I think we should be directing questions at Geurstlauer.

Saw always breaks down, there has not been a visit to Thorpe this year where i have not seen saw break down at 10:15. In saws opening year that kept breaking down every 5 mins, however for parts to fall off was unheard of. For anything to fall off a ride is unacceptable but for it to happen 4 or 5 times.

I think what they need to do is fix the jolts and stop stuff falling off. There is lots of other stuff they could do but they need to fix the problems before they start improving it.

Saw breaks down quite a lot, and it was down a fair amount of time in it's opening year yes, but it was nowhere near The Smiler, it's downtime did not average out with it breaking down once a week. Yes, they need to make sure the ride and surrounding area can operate in weather, for example the fact the queue line floods. Overall, I think this closed season, they need to fix it so it isn't breaking down on average of once a week!

[Fantasmic]

I think that the most important thing is to fix it PROPERLY so bits aren't falling off it left right and center.

[Themeparksandy1981]

The problems with the Smiler ain't they down to the contractors hired to do the foundations and put the coaster together?

I think this coaster would have cost a lot more than 18 million but a lot of cost cutting was done. If they started with the ground work as soon as the black hole tent was removed it would have opened in March.

I hope they put more drains in the queue line.

[Zach]

Well closed season is now upon us, with Cbeebies land in development and MI7 having planned flights I have read that he will also keep his eye on The smiler site and update us with any developments so we shall have the answers with what Alton decide to do :moj

[kierannewcombe]

As many people have already said I'd love to see something done to the indoor section! Types of theming, doors and more lights! Would make the whole experience a lot better

[Georgia_Leigh]

Personally, apart from all the breakdowns and the track and things like that, I hope they don't change anything major. Because this ride holds amazing memories for me, and it will always be the Smiler Man and I's rollercoaster even though we aren't together anymore. I don't want those memories to be lost, they were some of the best times of my life.

[MinecraftFan96]

I really think a lot more effort can be put into the indoor section around the inversion area. This is possibly wishful thinking but they really need to make that indoor section as similar as the advert as possible. Loads of colourful lights that change different colours curving around the track so it looks more like a tunnel that you enter. Also if they painted the concrete floor and the walls white so you get more out of the colours of the lights (very much like the Marmalisation room in The Sanctuary) 

[lf2001]

Hopefully they just find out what is causing all these breakdowns, and fix them!  I went quite a few times this season, and in most of my visits, The Smiler broke down at least once.

Apart from the breakdowns, I think it is a great ride! The only other bad thing is the music, especially when you're in a queue for an hour and over, and it keeps breaking down... 

[LoopyDan]

I think they should play the queue music (Only the HaHaHa bit of it) during the indoor section, and put a trommel tunnel before you go up the 1st lift hill.  I have no idea how expensive this would be though 

EDIT: Also, the least they can do is put a shutter before the 1st lift hill 

[Jamie]

First and foremost I think that getting the ride to a stage where it completely safe (not throwing bolts at people) and more reliable is the most important thing.
After this, maybe look at enhancing the theming, for example some small detailed theming that you go past as well as the marmaliser, and then making the shop look more attractive from the outside.
And obviously fixing that broken speaker by the ride entrance!

[PhoenixStudios]

Honestly I don't mind roughness because I'm not usually a repeat rider, I try to get through every ride in 1 day, which leaves not much time for it, if at all.

Considering the indoor section was dubbed as 'The Disorientater', it needs sorting out. When I went they had all the effects going, the smoke at the train departure, and the lights out + smoke machine during the indoor sect., but recently it appears they don't so this as much, leaving the lights on, revealing the 'icky' warehouse-like floor and walls... Change it! Even if everything was just painted black so it all matches, it would make a massive difference. Strobe lights would be a bonus but I'm not particularly eager to see it, however it would compliment the Disorientation idea, but it would mean another warning to put on their pre-ride signs

Basically, I just want the indoor section sorting out. The exit of the second inverted drop was the roughest part I experienced and was the one that stuck in my memory. Wouldn't mind if that was just smoothened out

[NemeJaney]

They should prioritise making it safer. Then they could add more to the themeing, especially in the station, which is almost identical to my form room at school (black, white, yellow, scientific, unsettling).  :moj

[JammyBand]

I'm confident over the closed season they will get an On-ride rider camera, available to buy in 'Buy the Smiler'. On certain trains, you can see the on ride cameras in front of you and you can see a black box towards the bottom of the train which says something along the lines of 'On ride camera'. It will be very similar to Saw: The Ride's on ride camera. I hope it has sound though.

[Jamie]

I'm confident over the closed season they will get an On-ride rider camera, available to buy in 'Buy the Smiler'. On certain trains, you can see the on ride cameras in front of you and you can see a black box towards the bottom of the train which says something along the lines of 'On ride camera'. It will be very similar to Saw: The Ride's on ride camera. I hope it has sound though.

That would be good, however there are lots of issues that they should be looking at before they even think about on ride cameras.

[NickiFan]

don't expect anything major.
The track wont be fixed, it will probably still be rough.
Maybe a little safer, to be honest that is all I want..