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Rank Alton's coasters in terms of ride experience

1. The Smiler
Longest ride and possibly the flagship ride. John Wardley's aim was to top Nemesis and I think he achieved that!
2. Wicker Man
Brilliant coaster with some of the best theming in the country and a well-done pre-show.
3. Nemesis
Brilliant but starting to show its age. I find the restraints uncomfortable because they are loose when I leave the station and tighten on the first drop. But despite this the ride is one of the most intense I have been on.
4. Oblivion
Also starting to show its age but the ride still intimidates despite newer and bigger models existing.
5. Galactica
Could have been done a lot better with theming in the tunnel and the theming John Wardley created that was cut. Galactica refresh seemed a bit half-done as it was clearly just an excuse to try VR.
6. Rita
Nice but they could have done more with it. E.g Theming and maybe an actual station.
7. TH13TEEN
Again could have been done a lot better. No trims, marketing not ridiculously over-hyped.
8. Spinball Whizzer
Area just seems a little unloved and doesn't quite fit with the rest of the park. Could do with a proper station and some TLC.
9. Runaway Mine Train
Not a bad coaster but showing its age. Towers too heavily reliant on this ride in its family line-up.
10. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure
Could have been done a lot better, they could have made a bigger coaster with a higher capacity by using the land behind the Spinball photo booth.
 
Mine has changed quite a bit since I last did it so may as well post my new ranking:
  1. Wicker Man - I loved Wicker Man in 2018, and it was one of my biggest positive surprises ever when I first got off it on its opening weekend. But little did I know that I was in for yet another big shock when I rerode in July 2020, because the whole ride felt like it had been turned up a notch since 2018! The pacing, while fantastic in 2018, was absolutely impeccable in 2020; the whole ride definitely felt fast throughout, and sections of it were absolutely frantic! A ride that didn’t have an awful lot of airtime in 2018 had quite a few nice pops in 2020, some of which were pretty strong! Remarkably, the ride also managed to do this while also staying relatively smooth (by wooden coaster standards) and comfortable, and a combination of its rerideability and its pacing and airtime meant that even though I only had 2 rides, I would quite happily have sat on it all day! On the whole, Wicker Man is just the coaster that keeps on giving for me; my favourite at Alton Towers by a considerable distance, and hot on Icon’s heels for the title of my favourite UK coaster! 10/10, #3 overall
  2. Galactica - Galactica may not be the most intense coaster in the world, but it wasn’t designed to be; I personally love the experience it offers! It’s such a fun, smooth ride, while also keeping pretty consistent pace through the layout, and the feeling of flying is quite unlike anything else! On the whole, while Galactica isn’t the most intense, crazy, fast-paced coaster in the world, it is smooth, fun, and genuinely just a really nice ride that seems to grow on me every time I ride it! 8/10, #14 overall
  3. Oblivion - I was not that fussed on Oblivion the first time I rode it back in 2013, but like Galactica above, it grows on me every time I ride it! Between it and SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa, which I absolutely adore, I’ve grown to really like B&M Dive Coasters as a model, and while Oblivion may not be a huge behemoth with a wide variety of elements like SheiKra is, it does what it says on the tin for me; the drop is fantastic, and gives you such a rush! Overall, while Oblivion may have a very short ride duration, it proves that it’s not length that really matters, but what you do with that length! 8/10, #16 overall
  4. Nemesis - I do enjoy Nemesis, but I don’t rate it anywhere near as highly as most do anymore. However, instead of dwelling on my main gripes with it, which I’ll come to later, I’ll start with the positives. It’s got a very unique layout, and it’s an absolute feat of engineering in terms of how Wardley & B&M crammed it into that pit; it almost feels like it shouldn’t exist! Bits of it also pack a real punch; the helix is very intense (almost toeing the line of enjoyable intensity for me), but one thing I do like is that the coaster doesn’t expose you to high positive g’s for too long at once, so while it has very intense sections, they’re short enough that they don’t blow your head off and make you feel really ill, which I like. However, I do definitely have gripes with Nemesis. My first one is that it isn’t the smoothest of coasters compared to some other B&Ms I’ve been on, even ones of a similar sort of age; while I wouldn’t go as far as to call Nemesis rough, it’s definitely not particularly smooth, as there are a few places in the layout that induce somewhat painful headbanging; the zero-g roll and the corkscrews are a little bit jolty, in my opinion, and it does detract from my enjoyment of the ride when I come off with sore ears. It’s definitely a fierce coaster, in my opinion, and one of the rougher B&Ms I’ve ridden. My other gripe with Nemesis is that I do not think it is the strongest paced of coasters; there are 1 or 2 notable dead spots in the layout, with the most notable being the turnaround after the vertical loop, which I’ve seen it nearly stall trying to go into on some of my rides. I personally prefer coasters that offer a nice level of g-force and speed consistently throughout, such as Inferno, for example, so while Nemesis’ helix is probably more intense than any individual section of Inferno, for example, I think Inferno maintains a comfortable level of speed and g-force throughout, so I do personally prefer it for that reason. Still, Nemesis is a definite Alton Towers icon, and one of the most unique and admirable coasters in the UK! 7/10, #21 overall
  5. Thirteen - Thirteen may not be “the ultimate rollercoaster” that it was marketed as back in 2010, but it is a fun family roller coaster, in my opinion! There are actually some nice pops of airtime, in my opinion, and it’s blissfully smooth; Intamin & Alton Towers have done a wonderful job on making sure that Thirteen aged well! The ride’s key trick is also very well executed, in my opinion, and the backwards section packs a surprising punch! Overall, if you go down to the woods today, you’ll be sure to get an enjoyable ride out of Thirteen! 6/10, #22 overall
  6. Runaway Mine Train - Runaway Mine Train will always be a special coaster to me, being one of my first ever roller coasters! But even excluding my attachment to it, it is still a pretty great family ride, in my opinion! It has a nice pace to it for a family ride, with sections of it being surprisingly intense; the second helix has no business being on a family coaster! Overall, Runaway Mine Train, while nothing earth-shattering to us enthusiasts, has a really wide appeal, with everyone who rides it seeming to come off with a smile on their face, and surely that’s the most important thing of all? Choo Choo! 6/10, #26 overall
  7. Spinball Whizzer - Spinball Whizzer is a solid family coaster, in my opinion, but I find it a bit too jerky to rank it really highly. The layout is very good, however, and intensity-wise, I think it’s a good stepping-stone coaster! 4/10, #43 overall
  8. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure - Octonauts is a good coaster for the younger kids, but I can’t really say an awful lot more than that. It’s quite smooth, and the theming is very nice, I suppose, with a good water effect! 4/10, #49 overall
  9. The Smiler - Smiler is a novel idea, and I think the layout is a brilliant one given the space on offer and the intention of the designers, but I personally find it too rough to really enjoy these days. Most of the elements nowadays have some sort of jolt in them that makes me bang my head against the back of the seat every time, and there’s a very noticeable and persistent vibration. It often makes my head hurt when I get off it, and in all honesty, I’m not really sure if it’s my kind of coaster these days. It’s a wonderful coaster to watch, however! 3/10, #56 overall
  10. Rita - Rita has a great launch, but I seem to remember the rest of the layout being very rough. I admittedly haven’t ridden since April 2016, however; I definitely need a new perspective on it. I think I might go back on it next time I visit Towers. 3/10, #58 overall
I should probably point out that the score out of 10 is on my overall spectrum of enjoyment, and some of the rides would score far more highly on an individual basis (i.e. against similar rides). I should also point out that I have been on a total of 72 different roller coasters, so the overall ranking is out of 72.
Matt, ride the Smiler with your head forward as far as possible, it improves it no end. Since i've been doing that i haven't bashed my head once.

Smiler, and nemesis, head forward

Rita, Head back.
 
It pains me a little to see Octonauts above The Smiler :eek:
Especially as The Smiler has re-taken my top spot at Towers for the first time since 2018. Usually I’m alright with my head back on it, apart from inversions 2, 12 and 13 I deliberately put my head forward to brace and it definitely helps, as there’s no head-banging that way.
 
It pains me a little to see Octonauts above The Smiler :eek:
Especially as The Smiler has re-taken my top spot at Towers for the first time since 2018. Usually I’m alright with my head back on it, apart from inversions 2, 12 and 13 I deliberately put my head forward to brace and it definitely helps, as there’s no head-banging that way.
The only reason I put Octonauts above Smiler & Rita is because I’m really not a fan of rough coasters; I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but I would always take a gentle ride over a rough one, personally.

My problem with Smiler is; regardless of where I put my head, it always seems to end up bashing it for me. As I said, I’m just not entirely sure if it’s my kind of coaster; I like very rerideable, fun coasters (hence why Wicker Man is so high), while Smiler is a very intense, rough coaster that isn’t particularly rerideable. I always end up coming off Smiler with my head hurting these days. It’s a shame, as I did really love it when it first opened, but I think my tastes have changed a lot since then, as well as the ride itself aging.
 
I can see what you mean but I don't personally find the smiler rough. It's got a few jolts but tbh I've probs experienced more headbanging on nemesis and Rita. I actually think majority of the layout is fairly smooth for how compact and crazy the layout is
 
Mine has changed quite a bit since I last did it, so may as well post my new ranking:

  1. Wicker Man - I loved Wicker Man in 2018, and it was one of my biggest positive surprises ever when I first got off it on its opening weekend. But little did I know that I was in for yet another big shock when I rerode in July 2020, because the whole ride felt like it had been turned up a notch since 2018! The pacing, while fantastic in 2018, was absolutely impeccable in 2020; the whole ride definitely felt fast throughout, and sections of it were absolutely frantic! A ride that didn’t have an awful lot of airtime in 2018 had quite a few nice pops in 2020, some of which were pretty strong! Remarkably, the ride also managed to do this while also staying relatively smooth (by wooden coaster standards) and comfortable, and a combination of its rerideability and its pacing and airtime meant that even though I only had 2 rides, I would quite happily have sat on it all day! On the whole, Wicker Man is just the coaster that keeps on giving for me; my favourite at Alton Towers by a considerable distance, and hot on Icon’s heels for the title of my favourite UK coaster! 10/10, #3 overall
  2. Galactica - Galactica may not be the most intense coaster in the world, but it wasn’t designed to be; I personally love the experience it offers! It’s such a fun, smooth ride, while also keeping pretty consistent pace through the layout, and the feeling of flying is quite unlike anything else! On the whole, while Galactica isn’t the most intense, crazy, fast-paced coaster in the world, it is smooth, fun, and genuinely just a really nice ride that seems to grow on me every time I ride it! 8/10, #14 overall
  3. Oblivion - I was not that fussed on Oblivion the first time I rode it back in 2013, but like Galactica above, it grows on me every time I ride it! Between it and SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa, which I absolutely adore, I’ve grown to really like B&M Dive Coasters as a model, and while Oblivion may not be a huge behemoth with a wide variety of elements like SheiKra is, it does what it says on the tin for me; the drop is fantastic, and gives you such a rush! Overall, while Oblivion may have a very short ride duration, it proves that it’s not length that really matters, but what you do with that length! 8/10, #16 overall
  4. Nemesis - I do enjoy Nemesis, but I don’t rate it anywhere near as highly as most do anymore. However, instead of dwelling on my main gripes with it, which I’ll come to later, I’ll start with the positives. It’s got a very unique layout, and it’s an absolute feat of engineering in terms of how Wardley & B&M crammed it into that pit; it almost feels like it shouldn’t exist! Bits of it also pack a real punch; the helix is very intense (almost toeing the line of enjoyable intensity for me), but one thing I do like is that the coaster doesn’t expose you to high positive g’s for too long at once, so while it has very intense sections, they’re short enough that they don’t blow your head off and make you feel really ill, which I like. However, I do definitely have gripes with Nemesis. My first one is that it isn’t the smoothest of coasters compared to some other B&Ms I’ve been on, even ones of a similar sort of age; while I wouldn’t go as far as to call Nemesis rough, it’s definitely not particularly smooth, as there are a few places in the layout that induce somewhat painful headbanging; the zero-g roll and the corkscrews are a little bit jolty, in my opinion, and it does detract from my enjoyment of the ride when I come off with sore ears. It’s definitely a fierce coaster, in my opinion, and one of the rougher B&Ms I’ve ridden. My other gripe with Nemesis is that I do not think it is the strongest paced of coasters; there are 1 or 2 notable dead spots in the layout, with the most notable being the turnaround after the vertical loop, which I’ve seen it nearly stall trying to go into on some of my rides. I personally prefer coasters that offer a nice level of g-force and speed consistently throughout, such as Inferno, for example, so while Nemesis’ helix is probably more intense than any individual section of Inferno, for example, I think Inferno maintains a comfortable level of speed and g-force throughout, so I do personally prefer it for that reason. Still, Nemesis is a definite Alton Towers icon, and one of the most unique and admirable coasters in the UK! 7/10, #21 overall
  5. Thirteen - Thirteen may not be “the ultimate rollercoaster” that it was marketed as back in 2010, but it is a fun family roller coaster, in my opinion! There are actually some nice pops of airtime, in my opinion, and it’s blissfully smooth; Intamin & Alton Towers have done a wonderful job on making sure that Thirteen aged well! The ride’s key trick is also very well executed, in my opinion, and the backwards section packs a surprising punch! Overall, if you go down to the woods today, you’ll be sure to get an enjoyable ride out of Thirteen! 6/10, #22 overall
  6. Runaway Mine Train - Runaway Mine Train will always be a special coaster to me, being one of my first ever roller coasters! But even excluding my attachment to it, it is still a pretty great family ride, in my opinion! It has a nice pace to it for a family ride, with sections of it being surprisingly intense; the second helix has no business being on a family coaster! Overall, Runaway Mine Train, while nothing earth-shattering to us enthusiasts, has a really wide appeal, with everyone who rides it seeming to come off with a smile on their face, and surely that’s the most important thing of all? Choo Choo! 6/10, #26 overall
  7. Spinball Whizzer - Spinball Whizzer is a solid family coaster, in my opinion, but I find it a bit too jerky to rank it really highly. The layout is very good, however, and intensity-wise, I think it’s a good stepping-stone coaster! 4/10, #43 overall
  8. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure - Octonauts is a good coaster for the younger kids, but I can’t really say an awful lot more than that. It’s quite smooth, and the theming is very nice, I suppose, with a good water effect! 4/10, #49 overall
  9. The Smiler - Smiler is a novel idea, and I think the layout is a brilliant one given the space on offer and the intention of the designers, but I personally find it too rough to really enjoy these days. Most of the elements nowadays have some sort of jolt in them that makes me bang my head against the back of the seat every time, and there’s a very noticeable and persistent vibration. It often makes my head hurt when I get off it, and in all honesty, I’m not really sure if it’s my kind of coaster these days. It’s a wonderful coaster to watch, however! 3/10, #56 overall
  10. Rita - Rita has a great launch, but I seem to remember the rest of the layout being very rough. I admittedly haven’t ridden since April 2016, however; I definitely need a new perspective on it. I think I might go back on it next time I visit Towers. 3/10, #58 overall
I should probably point out that the score out of 10 is on my overall spectrum of enjoyment, and some of the rides would score far more highly on an individual basis (i.e. against similar rides). I should also point out that I have been on a total of 72 different roller coasters, so the overall ranking is out of 72.

After a visit in September and a general bit of thought, I have a few updates to make to my list, including one that may be particularly eyebrow-raising based on the general opinion of this ride, including my own past opinions...

  1. Wicker Man - no change. (10/10, #3 overall)
  2. Rita - I can hear the gasps from here, and honestly, given that I never used to be a fan of this ride, I was equally surprised when I got off after my most recent ride! I recently decided to re-ride Rita for the first time since April 2016, and before riding, I was not anticipating an enjoyable experience. However, it was very good fun, and I would definitely have gone round again had the queue been shorter! The ride is absolutely supercharged from start to finish, with a great launch to kick things off, and there’s some very good airtime in places! Best of all, the rough ride I remembered was gone; there was a very small rattle, but I didn’t mind as the ride was not painful in the slightest! I was bracing for rough transitions, but they never came, and I frankly couldn’t be more glad! I think the harnesses are still a minor niggle (without them, I think it could quite possibly hit my top 10), but they don’t bother me anywhere near as much as they used to. Overall, Rita massively went up in my estimations after my recent ride, and I certainly hope it’s less than 4.5 years before my next ride! (8/10, #15 overall)
  3. Oblivion - Oblivion was another one I hadn’t ridden in a while, and I don’t know why, as I really like it! My recent ride was no exception; it seems to be one of those coasters that grows on me with every ride, and I absolutely loved what the ride had to offer! The sheer sensation of speed in the tunnel was tremendous, and the drop had some excellent sustained airtime! Oblivion may only have one main trick, but I think it’s one that it executes very well, personally! (8/10, #16 overall)
  4. Galactica - no change. (7/10, #21 overall)
  5. Thirteen - I’ve always enjoyed Thirteen for what it is; even though I don’t find it to be the world’s most intense coaster, I think it’s a very good family coaster that’s very smooth and has some clever tricks up its sleeves! I must admit that it felt a little slower on my recent visit, but that didn’t really take away from it too much for me, and I decided to elevate it above Nemesis for the raw fun factor it consistently provides! (6/10, #24 overall)
  6. Nemesis - no change. (6/10, #25 overall)
  7. Runaway Mine Train - no change. (6/10, #27 overall)
  8. Spinball Whizzer - no change. (4/10, #44 overall)
  9. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure - no change. (4/10, #50 overall)
  10. The Smiler - no change. (3/10, #57 overall)
 
This made me chuckle. I'm glad someone is happy to admit it. :tearsofjoy:
I know it might seem harsh, but I just find The Smiler too rough to really enjoy these days, and I don’t think it’s really my kind of coaster.

A smoother ride could change my opinion, however.
 
I know it might seem harsh, but I just find The Smiler too rough to really enjoy these days, and I don’t think it’s really my kind of coaster.

A smoother ride could change my opinion, however.

It's not harsh at all; I'm in the same boat. Every time I ride it, I just find myself enjoying it less and less. It's certainly plummeted down my rankings over the years.
 
1. Wicker Man - Even with the rough bit of retracking it's still number one for me, I'm hopeful it will bed down a bit too.
2. Nemesis - Smooth as silk and running well, every ride is a pleasure.
3. Galatica - Fantastic to fly through the trees, really enjoyable too
4. Oblivion - Great drop and it still scares me slightly no matter how many times I ride it
5. Th13teen - Fantastic ride in the dark, decent ride in the day.
6. RMT - Can't beat a bit of Mine Train action #ChooChoo
7. Rita - Launch is fun the rest is rough
8. Smiler - It's getting rougher, Every single time I ride it I feel worse for riding it, Becoming close to unrideable.
9. Spinball Whizer - Even when you throw a lot of weight on one side, you still can't get a good spin.

Not ridden Octonaughts so that's unranked.
 
I know it might seem harsh, but I just find The Smiler too rough to really enjoy these days, and I don’t think it’s really my kind of coaster.

A smoother ride could change my opinion, however.
I'm no Smiler fan but if it's a walk on (lol), and so is Octonauts - you're gonna chose to ride Smiler surely?
 
I'm still not on board with The Smiler being unbearably rough. Maybe I'm just very lucky and always get a good train?
 
I'm no Smiler fan but if it's a walk on (lol), and so is Octonauts - you're gonna chose to ride Smiler surely?
Yes (because I was very embarrassed on the only occasion I ever rode Octonauts), but I’ve always said I prefer gentle coasters over rough ones that hurt me a lot, which I admit is a somewhat controversial opinion.
Geez I hope none of you softies ever have the misfortune of experiencing Saw.
I have experienced it, and I like it even less than Smiler. I want to really like Saw, because I do think it has an excellent layout, but it never fails to leave me with a pounding headache after riding, sadly.

The thing is, I just don’t think I’m a huge fan of Gerstlauer coasters based on the ones I’ve done.
 
I'm still not on board with The Smiler being unbearably rough. Maybe I'm just very lucky and always get a good train?

Same here, never had a really rough ride. Seems to vary on body shape and where your ears sit in relation to the restraints - and what train your on.

I find Wickerman, and Rita rougher, but i still enjoy them both.
 
1# Wickerman - If we are purely talking about experience then it has to be this for me. Eventhough i was sceptical when building commenced, it's turned out to be a brilliant coaster. Everything from the theming, pre-show, special effects. Times this by ten at night. I am a little concerned about the people saying that this is getting a little rough. I've always thought that this was smooth for a woody but i have not yet got to ride it this year. I don't mind a bit of roughness, but woodies do tend to get that spine rattling type of roughness, which i really can't tolerate very well. See how it pans out or if i can get to the towers in the next few weeks.

2# Oblivion - Honestly, being a one trick pony, i think this is one of the best rides in the park. The build up, slow rise to the top, held before the drop, the hole in the ground...gets me everytime. It's the only coaster i genuinely get nervous about before i get on. It's probably the only coaster (in the uk), that i still get that butterflies feeling in my stomach on the drop. Also, i like a menacing looking coaster.

3# The Smiler - If U2 did a tour of American prisons, this is probably what it would look like (minus the coaster). I genuinely thought we have moved away from building everything with concrete. Saying that, eventhough it does need a bloody good clean up, it still has a creepy, menacing atmosphere. The music, coupled with the screens and the sheer mass of track in a small space make this a very unique ride. I don't tend to find gerstlauers all that rough with the exception of Speed at Oakwood. Maybe i have learnt how to ride it. However, Towers really need to keep on top of the maintenance for this one or it will deteriorate very quickly and just look a mess.

4# Nemesis - It's still a fantastic ride. Great near misses, very intense and unique in that it is built into the ground. The reason why this is slipping down the list is that i feel like it's becoming a bit dated, as is the area. I just feel like this whole area has lost it's spark a little bit and needs a bit of a freshen up. Not to mention that right next to it is Galactica, i feel there is a bit of a conflict of themes going on. Still a classic but something to inject a bit more excitement into the area.

5# Thirteen - I've put this here for one reason really. During the day, it is extremely bland. The inside drop doesn't do much for me in terms of excitement. This ride is the definition of building something for the sake of having a worlds first. However, the reason i put this ahead of the rides below, is because the outside course improves at night with the addition of atmospheric light/smoke effects. It also generally just has a creepier atmosphere at night.

6# Galatica - Great music, area has been nicely tarted up since the Galactica conversion and is a unique ride for this country. The issue i have is that i feel as though this ride should have had a bigger drop. Maybe it could have dropped slightly into the ground. The ride just feels too tame and the seating position can be a bit uncomfortable. There is no real theming around the ride, which is a shame. I very rarely go on this ride on my visits as the huge queues put me off a little bit. I come away feeling as though i've not really missed much. For me, this could be a contender to be removed for a new ride. I feel like adding VR to the ride, was an attempt to rescue it but has failed.

7# Spinball Whizzer - I am actually a bit sad that i have had to put this at number 7 because we do genuinely have a good time on this ride. It is a sort of 'go to' ride of ours, when we first arrive or just after a break. However, the reason this is in 7th is because i am never fully confident that our time in the queue, will end up with us getting on the ride. It's got to be one of the most unreliable rides in the country. There is very minimal theming, the music isn't great and the whole area is looking tired and in need of work. Would be sad to see it leave but again, another contender to replace with a better ride.

8# Rita - We very rarely go on this these days, launch can be fun but then there is nothing. Queues don't justify riding this. Minimal theming and really out of place in Dark Forest. For me, Intamin's latest blitz coasters are far superior to this and i could see this getting replaced with a Taron/Taiga style intamin. This could also be themed more around Dark Forest. This isn't even a candidate to be replaced, this needs to be replaced in my opinion.

Special mention:

Runaway Mine Train - Actually really enjoy this ride for what it is. A fun family ride and a good interaction with the rapids. I didn't rank this but if i had to it would be between Galactica and Spinball.
 
This year was the first time I was able to actually go to Alton Towers since 2013 so I will do a list on how I felt over the years compared to now after my return. This is based on overall experience and not just the physical enjoyment of the ride:

2013:
  1. Smiler
  2. Nemesis
  3. Air
  4. Oblivion
  5. Th13teen
  6. Rita
  7. Spinball
  8. RMT

2020:
  1. Nemesis
  2. Wicker Man
  3. Smiler
  4. Oblivion
  5. Th13teen
  6. Rita
  7. Galactica
  8. Spinball
  9. RMT
Will make some comments on some interesting changes in the list:

Smiler on opening year for me was incredible! Was the most enjoyable coaster on the park unquestionably, at the time the only issue I had was the terribly designed queue. Fast forward to today, ride experience was mostly excellent until the final 3 inversions, felt a little uncomfortable, and the place is in desperate need of a good clean.

Wicker Man was a fun experience, queuing on a cold autumn morning was very atmospheric with the orange leaves falling from the trees, tied with the soundtrack and being able to see the ride at every angle you could hope for. The ride itself we managed to get a few rides on the back row, the speed was not as fast as I anticipated, but the airtime moments I had were great, the fact that it is a new ride at Alton (for me) also helps it's position on the list. I definitely didn't get the full experience without the preshow however. Roughness was also of no concern to me, simply did not feel it.

Nemesis has never disappointed, the only thing I miss is the blood river, which will never come back. There's nothing much else to say other than its' consistency in experience is why it's at the top.

Th13teen's throughput during corona severely impacted my enjoyment overall, the ride is still fun and remains the same, the station is neat too. But sheesh, that queueline is so poorly lit at night, the cattlepen is awful and claustrophobic even with social distancing, and there's nothing to look at except some generator-lit trees. If social distancing weren't a factor I would still feel roughly the same, the slow moving queue however made me think about it more. It doesn't budge on the list though cause the other rides below just aren't very impactful either.

Rita would be higher if the theming wasn't so silly and poorly thought, and if it didn't give me painful shoulders.

Poor Galactica.. I used to think the physical experience was so free and unique and relaxing.. Now? It's just kind of awkward and slow for me, and surprisingly rough! It still aesthetically looks nice and I like the portal, but that VR addition and removal has hurt the retheme, as now I have even less reason to buy into the space angle they went with and it clashes poorly with Nemesis. Soundtrack is great though.

Spinball used to command outrageous queues for a meh ride. Now it has reasonable queues for what is now an extremely rough ride with a fun soundtrack.
 
I’ve had a major rethink of my coaster rankings (if you want to see all 74 coasters I’ve done ranked, go to the top ten coasters thread), and this has changed a few things rankings-wise for the coasters at Towers since I last posted in this thread. So, I’ll show you my rankings and put a little bit of info for any updated rankings:
  1. Wicker Man (10/10, #3 overall, no change)
  2. Rita (8/10, #13 overall, no change)
  3. Oblivion (8/10, #17 overall, no change)
  4. Nemesis (8/10, #19 overall, +2) - As much as Nemesis isn’t my favourite coaster at Alton Towers like it is for most, I do always think I underrate it somewhat whenever I rank it these days. As much as it does have a slight headbanging problem in 1 or 2 of the inversions that detracts from it a bit for me, I do always enjoy it when I ride it, and I do think it has many great qualities! The ride is so unique, and really has its moments in terms of intensity and thrill; Wardley did a great job with the space on offer, in my opinion!
  5. Thirteen (7/10, #22 overall, no change)
  6. Galactica (7/10, #26 overall, -2) - Galactica may not be the most intense of coasters, however it’s just a really, really nice ride, and that’s what I like so much about it! It’s very, very smooth, is decently paced and I just think it’s a pretty fun ride, on the whole! However, the reason it’s dropped for me is because as much as I do quite like Galactica, I’m becoming more unsure whether the flying coaster ride type and what it does is really a type of ride that ranks really highly for me. I do also find that one bit that detracts from it slightly for me is the fly-to-lie; while it’s much more palatable forces-wise than the pretzel loop on Manta at SeaWorld, I still don’t find the g-forces rushing to your head a particularly comfortable sensation. I still think that Galactica is a really nice ride on the whole, however!
  7. Runaway Mine Train (6/10, #30 overall, no change)
  8. The Smiler (5/10, #38 overall, +2) - While The Smiler is far from my favourite coaster, I do think I was far too harsh on it in my last appraisal of Towers’ coasters. I do think it’s a somewhat rough coaster, and that detracts from it a fair amount for me, but I’d say it’s the smoothest of the Gerstlauer thrill coasters I’ve done; it’s got a very strong vibration, and a couple of bumps, but it definitely doesn’t leave me with a thumping headache every time like Saw at Thorpe does. However, my point about roughness does still stand, and it does still detract from the ride considerably for me; I’m actually a huge fan of the layout, and I think it has a lot of potential. If only Smiler was smoother, I think it could rank quite highly for me!
  9. Spinball Whizzer (4/10, #46 overall, -1) - I admittedly haven’t ridden Spinball since 2017, so it probably needs a reride so I can refresh my memory of it, but I remember it being surprisingly jerky last time I rode, so that detracted from it a bit for me, in spite of it having a fairly fun layout.
  10. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure (3/10, #59 overall, -1) - Octonauts is really great for what it is; it’s well-themed, comfortable and offers two laps of the circuit! However, it is ultimately a roller coaster designed for the very youngest guests, so that limits the heights it can really reach within this ranking.
 
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