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Controversial Alton Towers Opinions

Matt N said:
As much as I’m not a huge Smiler fan, I’ll admit that I actually really like The Smiler’s layout, personally. It’s mainly the roughness that makes it less enjoyable for me; if it were smoother, I feel as though I’d rate it quite a bit higher.

Out of interest, what do you mean when you say that Nemesis and Wicker Man “take you on a journey”? Surely any ride takes you on a journey, in a sense?
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In regards to taking you on a journey, it’s more of a metaphor I guess as to you feel like you’ve gone somewhere and each element you pass through is perfect timed as part of that, whereas the smiler is just repeat elements jammed together (apart from the odd interesting one like a sea serpent roll or the airtime hills).
 
I think the reason why people often criticise the smiler (do correct me if I'm wrong) is because unlike the more traditional layout of coasters it doesnt follow the pattern of anticipation to a climax to a then more tamer section, e.g. a lift hill to a drop and then into a smooth turn, it's more like constant elements one after another, which is a valid criticism. However whether you like this or not honestly just depends on the person. I personally do enjoy the smiler because I like the constant intensity of it. I think many people believe towers pushed too hard for a world first ride and created one with too many inversions and elements making it unenjoyable, but personally I think they wanted to make an intense, non stop coaster and they achieved that.
 
Rita is better than Th13teen. I fee like this is a controversial one because a lot seem to really like th13teen, but for me it's the worst out of the big 7. Rita provides more thrills and is a more exciting ride
 
The park is seriously lacking in variation compared to other parks, There’s more than enough coasters in the park but with nothing in the middle to break up the day. The park is desperate for more flats/dark rides that can fill out the day and give more value for money.
 
Heidi said:
I think the reason why people often criticise the smiler (do correct me if I'm wrong) is because unlike the more traditional layout of coasters it doesnt follow the pattern of anticipation to a climax to a then more tamer section, e.g. a lift hill to a drop and then into a smooth turn, it's more like constant elements one after another, which is a valid criticism. However whether you like this or not honestly just depends on the person. I personally do enjoy the smiler because I like the constant intensity of it. I think many people believe towers pushed too hard for a world first ride and created one with too many inversions and elements making it unenjoyable, but personally I think they wanted to make an intense, non stop coaster and they achieved that.
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In a way yes, but I’ve always enjoyed more intense coasters that supply good amounts of positive g, so in a way I should like the smiler. However I feel somewhere along the line I’ve kind of fell out of love with it. Due to a combination of its god awful rattle in sections, repetitive layout and the poor cleanliness and upkeep of the attraction as a whole, maybe one day my opinion will change as I have previously had more enjoyable rides on it, but nowadays they seem to be few and far between... where as on a coaster like nemesis you pretty much know your going to get that similar level of experience and sometimes it still surprises me to this day even after riding many larger and so called “better” coasters.
 
Here’s one , CBeebies land is much better than anything the park would have come up with themselves for the target age group.

IP investements are the best way to add family attractions to the park, the license holders demand a higher quality than anything we would get from an original theme, and IPs provide a far better return on investment .
 
tayspru said:
Here’s one , CBeebies land is much better than anything the park would have come up with themselves for the target age group.

IP investements are the best way to add family attractions to the park, the license holders demand a higher quality than anything we would get from an original theme, and IPs provide a far better return on investment .
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Very fair argument! I know for a fact it’s a huge draw for youngsters as my niece is always on at me to go “CBeebies land” with her, so it’s really captured the attention of that age group for sure. I just wish there was a slight bit more to do for that age group across the park as on certain trips we’ve felt rather confined to just that area.
 
pluk said:
This is possibly the least controversial opinion ever given on these forums!
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More than likely but with all opinions there will no doubt be someone who will come along and say the park is absolutely fine just the way it is and needs more coasters and less flats.
 
- Oblivion should be the next ride to be removed. It just doesn't have the same pull anymore and looks old, it is normally at the bottom of my list to ride

- the whole of haunted hallow should be removed and redeveloped

- the whole of CCL / World of David Walliams could be shut and it wouldn't really make any difference
 
Well, if we're being controversial, here are my preferences (and they are just opinion).

The Land of Make Believe ruined Talbot Street.

The current Towers Street music is the best it's ever had and is superior to the Graham Smart composition of the 90's.

Although it's a lackluster launch coaster compared to others and it's crazy that a park with coaster height restrictions doesn't have a better one, Rita is still an enjoyable and popular ride. I think it gets over criticised due to it's placement, incoherent theme and the fact that enthusiasts have ridden far better launchers elsewhere.

Similarly, Oblivion doesn't need any other filler material, it just needs the drop. It's fine as is and still intimidates and excites visitors. Again, I think it's critics sometimes view it through enthusiast eyes comparing it to others in the world, which most of the GP simply don't.

Wickerman has ruined Katanga Canyon. KC used to feel like an isolated area (even though it wasn't) due to it's design. With Wickerman towering over the Rapids, it's completely ruined the immersion and effectively merged KC and MB.

Although I love ATH, I actually prefer Splash.

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk
 
Matt.GC said:
The current Towers Street music is the best it's ever had and is superior to the Graham Smart composition of the 90's.

Although it's a lackluster launch coaster compared to others and it's crazy that a park with coaster height restrictions doesn't have a better one, Rita is still an enjoyable and popular ride. I think it gets over criticised due to it's placement, incoherent theme and the fact that enthusiasts have ridden far better launchers elsewhere.

Similarly, Oblivion doesn't need any other filler material, it just needs the drop. It's fine as is and still intimidates and excites visitors. Again, I think it's critics sometimes view it through enthusiast eyes comparing it to others in the world, which most of the GP simply don't.
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I actually agree with all 3 of these, to be honest! I love IMAScore’s current Towers Street soundtrack; as much as I have a real nostalgic connection to the PitStop Productions track, used between 2008 and 2015, I really do think that the current IMAScore track is an absolutely wonderful, magical track that really helps get you excited for the day ahead (for me, at least)!

In terms of Rita and Oblivion; I personally think that they’re both great rides that I really like, even though I can perhaps understand why some who’ve done more coasters might be a little apathetic towards them. Yes, Rita might not have as intense of a launch as Stealth or any individual airtime moment as strong as Stealth’s top hat, or it might not be as long or have as wide and brilliant of a range of elements or as comfortable restraints as Icon, but I still do really like Rita; the launch always delivers a great punch, in my opinion, and the layout that follows is supercharged and airtime-filled from start to finish! In terms of Oblivion; while it’s no SheiKra, in my opinion, I do still really enjoy it, and oddly, I actually think it’s grown on me as the years have gone on; I absolutely love the intensity and airtime offered by the drop!
 
RicketyCricket said:
Duel was a very good upgrade from the Haunted House and the shooter element makes it a lot more fun.
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The tacky lazer element makes it feel a whole lot more dated today than without. It needed a refurbishment after 10 years, but the lazers were always just the laziest gimmicky option. A quick fix for a few years, but the present state is wayyy worse than the situation in 2002 when Duel happened.

Thirteen, Sub Terra and The Smiler are badly envisioned, not what the park needed then or now, they are fun but by complete fluke and not as good as what should have been built. Many of the park's identity problems today are still the problems it had 10 years ago that shouldve been addressed with better development.

But The Smiler though is a fluke Id like to keep, just finish it properly!
 
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OilyWater said:
Thirteen, Sub Terra and The Smiler are badly envisioned, not what the park needed then or now, they are fun but by complete fluke and not as good as what should have been built. Many of the park's identity problems today are still the problems it had 10 years ago that shouldve been addressed with better development.

But The Smiler though is a fluke Id like to keep, just finish it properly!
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What do you think the park did need then and now? And how did you think the smiler should be finished?

I'm loving hearing everyone's opinions! But I'm starting to think liking the smiler is controversial which I didnt realise!
 
Heidi said:
What do you think the park did need then and now? And how did you think the smiler should be finished?
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I just think the park really didnt develop as a theme park to its real potential. It was in a bad state when Merlin bought it, after some years of bad and very boring investments, where it lost its identity and theme.

It got better from that, but projects wasted on a short term whim with stuff like Thirteen. Now we've ended up with a park full of grey and boring themes, loads of coasters but not enough diversity and family offering.

Thats not to say Sub Terra and Thirteen werent fun, but they were over convoluted for what they actually offer, at the expense of what the park really needed. Just look at other similarly sized parks around Europe really for the direction it could have gone in with such an amazing setting!

The Smiler had a horribly built area, cheap or non existent theming, empty building, if that was finished then the ride would be much better.
 
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