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The Smiler - General Discussion

Surely they some inclination that the drainage and general maintenance of the concrete finish would be an issue. surely it’s due some sort of re-vamp soon, it’s in a dire state for saying it’s one of the main attractions at the park. Worst is when you see people saying they think it adds to the industrial/creepy theme... no it doesn’t, it just looks pathetic.
 
I just must get lucky then because I’ve not had a rough ride on The Smiler since it’s opening year. Surely I’ll have been on one of the “bad” trains, there’s no way I’ll have avoided it - but I don’t feel roughness on it at all - so I really can’t relate to what others say here I have no idea of the roughness you feel - always noticed jolt on the cobra roll but even that wasn’t riding too bad last year. Said it before but I think The Smiler will be my favourite ride at Alton for ages - has been for the best part of 8 years (can’t believe it’s that long!!) except a temporary time at 2nd whilst Wicker Man was at the top.
 
Danscott22 said:
I just must get lucky then because I’ve not had a rough ride on The Smiler since it’s opening year. Surely I’ll have been on one of the “bad” trains, there’s no way I’ll have avoided it - but I don’t feel roughness on it at all - so I really can’t relate to what others say here I have no idea of the roughness you feel
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Completely agree i don't find it rough either. It does have the odd jolts but they're not too bad. I think people give the ride a lot of undeserved criticism when it comes to the smoothness of the ride imo
 
Some of the rides I've had have been hideous - headbanging and pain that makes the Odyssey feel as smooth as glass. The length, number of inversions and the cumulative bangs don't help with its pleasantness though.
 
All this "I find it rough", "Well I don't!" discussion is a bit pointless. We're all different sizes and builds and we all have different tolerances. I've ridden alongside people and got completely different reactions even though we were all on the same ride and the same train.
 
Alsty said:
All this "I find it rough", "Well I don't!" discussion is a bit pointless. We're all different sizes and builds and we all have different tolerances. I've ridden alongside people and got completely different reactions even though we were all on the same ride and the same train.
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I do think tho that anyone who seriously thinks the smiler is rough needs to get on the blackpool woodies
 
I thought that it was fairly universally accepted that the ride is pretty smooth up until the last two inversions, no? I'm a 6"4 lanky dude and the ride can definitely get a little too, ahem, restrictive down below but I've generally found the ride to be pretty smooth up until the end.
 
Front left seat is the ideal seat for me. Failing that any seats on front row is fine too. I do find it gets drastically worse on the other rows though and can see why some people may not like it.

It's not a rough coaster though. Far from it. However I don't hold up much hope for it staying that way. Gerst coasters definitely seem to deteriorate quickly.
 
Riding like a bag of spanners and rough are different. It isn't rough but on a train with 50p shaped wheels it's not pleasant compared to a train with actually round wheels.
 
Ethan said:
I do think tho that anyone who seriously thinks the smiler is rough needs to get on the blackpool woodies
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This is the issue for me, none of the woodies at Blackpool are capable of causing me discomfort, let alone pain, with the exception of the pot-hole that is the bottom of the Big Dipper's first drop if one's back isn't straight. OTSR roughness is hugely different to lap bar roughness.
 
Hence why say Infusion is really horrendous but something like Ultimate was not. Not that The Smiler is anywhere near as bad as Infusion mind you.
 
Alsty said:
All this "I find it rough", "Well I don't!" discussion is a bit pointless. We're all different sizes and builds and we all have different tolerances. I've ridden alongside people and got completely different reactions even though we were all on the same ride and the same train.
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Totally agree, I "fit" onro the Smiler too, and head is well away from the restraints, so never bang my head.

Nemisis on the other hand, and SLC's, the restraints are right next to my ears.
 
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