I prefer The Smiler, purely as it's less intense than Nemesis. Unfortunately, after riding Nemesis as much as I have done, I now get an awful headache after each ride, so multiple riding isn't really something I can do (and enjoy) any more. However, I find The Smiler nothing short of enjoyable, and much less intense, and as such could happily ride all day long!
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Nemesis Vs The Smiler
- Thread starter JB1985
- Start date
- Status
My problems with the smiler queue are:
1) its ok for say 30 min waits but any longer and it becomes hell
2) the ride being so low to the queue creates a lot of noise which gets annoying after a while
3) music is loud down there to add to the ride noise
4) no escape from the sun (granted, other queues the same)
5) no indication of how close you are to the entrance of the ride
6) grid on the top of the queues and the fences being so high make it feel claustraphobic after a while
My first ride, after waiting 2 1/2 hours down there, if someone had opened a gate and let me out I would have. But given the length of what I just queued and the complexity to get back out of the queue line (as a few people tried to do) I decided to stay put.
1) its ok for say 30 min waits but any longer and it becomes hell
2) the ride being so low to the queue creates a lot of noise which gets annoying after a while
3) music is loud down there to add to the ride noise
4) no escape from the sun (granted, other queues the same)
5) no indication of how close you are to the entrance of the ride
6) grid on the top of the queues and the fences being so high make it feel claustraphobic after a while
My first ride, after waiting 2 1/2 hours down there, if someone had opened a gate and let me out I would have. But given the length of what I just queued and the complexity to get back out of the queue line (as a few people tried to do) I decided to stay put.
BigAl
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Forbidden Journey
Nemesis for me because it just is a better ride.
Nemesis has better quality theming (I honestly can't see Smiler's lasting as long as the theming for Nemesis, even though what Nemesis has is now falling apart
), has probably the best landscaping of any ride ever built, has a more interesting tale that is great for those interested but not necessary for those who are just there for the ride, the ride itself is much better quality (Smiler's new and is already more rough), the pacing of Nemesis is much more fluid and natural, the layout is superb (such a range of elements and forces as opposed to being neither intense nor weak like Smiler is from beginning to end), it's much more dramatic and the queue offers great views of the ride but keeps some aspects a mystery so there's something hidden for the ride itself (and it also gives you an idea of where you are). The construction of it was much more interesting too, what with them having to use dynamite to create a giant pit to set the ride in. Before Air opened, Forbidden Valley's theme was as consistent as that of Katanga Canyon's and Gloomy Wood's.
Everything about Nemesis, bar the awful station interior and the generic trains, is what a good theme park ride should aspire to be. The hype that surrounded it before it opened was enormous, yet it delivered (and it did it all on time as well ). Nearly 20 years on and it still gets consistently big queues because it offers a consistently fantastic experience (even its worst rides are still greater than most others). It's pure theatre, not just a big roller coaster in a concrete pit with a queue designed to be as mind-numbing as possible, with theming that's cheap and mostly tacky and repetitive (make up whatever excuse you want for the Smiler's "theming", it is what it is).
Smiler's fun but many rides can put a smile on your face. I want more than just a fun ride when I'm at a theme park because that's what sets them apart from amusement parks and fairgrounds, etc... Nemesis provide's that little bit extra and that's why I think it still deserves to be king/queen of all of the rides at the park.
Edit:
The real test of whether a ride is good is whether it can hold such a high rating in 15+ years.
Nemesis has better quality theming (I honestly can't see Smiler's lasting as long as the theming for Nemesis, even though what Nemesis has is now falling apart
), has probably the best landscaping of any ride ever built, has a more interesting tale that is great for those interested but not necessary for those who are just there for the ride, the ride itself is much better quality (Smiler's new and is already more rough), the pacing of Nemesis is much more fluid and natural, the layout is superb (such a range of elements and forces as opposed to being neither intense nor weak like Smiler is from beginning to end), it's much more dramatic and the queue offers great views of the ride but keeps some aspects a mystery so there's something hidden for the ride itself (and it also gives you an idea of where you are). The construction of it was much more interesting too, what with them having to use dynamite to create a giant pit to set the ride in. Before Air opened, Forbidden Valley's theme was as consistent as that of Katanga Canyon's and Gloomy Wood's.Everything about Nemesis, bar the awful station interior and the generic trains, is what a good theme park ride should aspire to be. The hype that surrounded it before it opened was enormous, yet it delivered (and it did it all on time as well
). Nearly 20 years on and it still gets consistently big queues because it offers a consistently fantastic experience (even its worst rides are still greater than most others). It's pure theatre, not just a big roller coaster in a concrete pit with a queue designed to be as mind-numbing as possible, with theming that's cheap and mostly tacky and repetitive (make up whatever excuse you want for the Smiler's "theming", it is what it is).Smiler's fun but many rides can put a smile on your face. I want more than just a fun ride when I'm at a theme park because that's what sets them apart from amusement parks and fairgrounds, etc... Nemesis provide's that little bit extra and that's why I think it still deserves to be king/queen of all of the rides at the park.
Edit:
Most certainly. It happens with every new ride (Swarm being the most hilarious example of the "best ride ever"!DiogoJ42 said:
The real test of whether a ride is good is whether it can hold such a high rating in 15+ years.Nemesis beats Smiler. Can ride both in same day and you can tell how it pips it.
Queueline for Smiler is hit and miss. It's awfully cattlepenny, the queue moved ridiculously slowly for me (on 4 trains) and inside just irritated me more, as you then knew you were so close and therefore the slowness of the queue got more frustrating.
However, I quite enjoyed the music in the area, and you do get to see a fair bit of the ride to keep you relatively entertained.. perhaps not for the 2hrs I was in it, but way better than Thirteen for instance, which can bore you after 10mins even with a quickly moving queue.
Queueline for Smiler is hit and miss. It's awfully cattlepenny, the queue moved ridiculously slowly for me (on 4 trains) and inside just irritated me more, as you then knew you were so close and therefore the slowness of the queue got more frustrating.
However, I quite enjoyed the music in the area, and you do get to see a fair bit of the ride to keep you relatively entertained.. perhaps not for the 2hrs I was in it, but way better than Thirteen for instance, which can bore you after 10mins even with a quickly moving queue.
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
OK, time to cast my vote after reading, riding a few times, and rekindling my love of Nemesis after a brief flirtation with her raunchy dirty sister's dark tunnel in London.
So my answer is:
NEITHER.
No, because this is a stupid question (not a stupid topic, or idea, it's natural so not having a pop at that don't get me wrong). You just can't compare the two. They ride totally differently, the theme is incomparable, they just do different things. Now, if you are to ask which is the most important or quality for their respective times? Nemesis. That's not even debatable, it launched Towers to where it is now.
It's a bit like comparing some shiny new piece of theme, to the Towers themselves. Nemesis, is just part of Alton Tower's, I just marvel at the achievements of near 20 years ago, and if that was shiny and new and built tomorrow in a huge pit totally transforming/creating a new area like Nemesis did, we'd still be excited to ride it now!
The Smiler really had me scared to ride, each time I still get nervous, the loops twists turns and pacing almost becomes more fun each time you ride it - not many rides do that, I actually like it MORE each time, but it just doesn't hold the out and out intensity that Nemesis does, and not one of The Smiler's inversions will ever top Nemesis stall turn and dive into vertical loop then under the tunnel, or roll over the station, or first helix - I could go on...
These rides are just totally different animals.
However, one thing must be said, The Smiler is NOT to the standard it should be and that is a shame, it is far, far too rough for a new coaster and far more so than a ride nearly 20 years it's senior which in coaster terms, I'm sorry, it's unforgivable. Saw has that occasional jolt at the bottom of the lift/drop, but to me, this is FAR worse and comes second only to colossus in terms of roughness to ride. Some of the jolts for a new coaster are just plain awful.
Building team, or coaster design? I don't know enough to tell, but it's one of them, and given Gerstache is not prevalent apparently on many new coasters, and Saw itself I believe is due to some ground subsidence(?), then that means one thing.
If they can fix that, I would be more inclined to consider things further but for workmanship, quality, longevity, creativity and technology respective to it's time, Nemesis - but I cannot argue that, for all it's faults, The Smiler succeeds bizarrely in one thing... it makes me Smile.Always
So my answer is:
NEITHER.
No, because this is a stupid question (not a stupid topic, or idea, it's natural so not having a pop at that don't get me wrong). You just can't compare the two. They ride totally differently, the theme is incomparable, they just do different things. Now, if you are to ask which is the most important or quality for their respective times? Nemesis. That's not even debatable, it launched Towers to where it is now.
It's a bit like comparing some shiny new piece of theme, to the Towers themselves. Nemesis, is just part of Alton Tower's, I just marvel at the achievements of near 20 years ago, and if that was shiny and new and built tomorrow in a huge pit totally transforming/creating a new area like Nemesis did, we'd still be excited to ride it now!
The Smiler really had me scared to ride, each time I still get nervous, the loops twists turns and pacing almost becomes more fun each time you ride it - not many rides do that, I actually like it MORE each time, but it just doesn't hold the out and out intensity that Nemesis does, and not one of The Smiler's inversions will ever top Nemesis stall turn and dive into vertical loop then under the tunnel, or roll over the station, or first helix - I could go on...
These rides are just totally different animals.
However, one thing must be said, The Smiler is NOT to the standard it should be and that is a shame, it is far, far too rough for a new coaster and far more so than a ride nearly 20 years it's senior which in coaster terms, I'm sorry, it's unforgivable. Saw has that occasional jolt at the bottom of the lift/drop, but to me, this is FAR worse and comes second only to colossus in terms of roughness to ride. Some of the jolts for a new coaster are just plain awful.
Building team, or coaster design? I don't know enough to tell, but it's one of them, and given Gerstache is not prevalent apparently on many new coasters, and Saw itself I believe is due to some ground subsidence(?), then that means one thing.
If they can fix that, I would be more inclined to consider things further but for workmanship, quality, longevity, creativity and technology respective to it's time, Nemesis - but I cannot argue that, for all it's faults, The Smiler succeeds bizarrely in one thing... it makes me Smile.Always
blackholes crow
TS Member
nemesis hands down not only got a soft spot for her but you don't need to see a chiropractor afterwards
nemesis1954
TS Member
exactly what I would say about itAshleeKel said:
Craig
TS Administrator
Hi AirFAN, this topic is a little old to be dragging up again as it's now almost a year old. When replying, you're best having a quick check on the last post date and also ensuring the topic title is relevant to what you're asking (remember this is a discussion about Nemesis vs The Smiler).
For pictures, you're best off checking our gallery pages as there's plenty of pictures including ones of construction there. If you're still after specific pictures, we have a Quick Questions topic where you can ask questions that just require a simple answer (ie the pictures you requested) rather than lengthy discussion.
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For pictures, you're best off checking our gallery pages as there's plenty of pictures including ones of construction there. If you're still after specific pictures, we have a Quick Questions topic where you can ask questions that just require a simple answer (ie the pictures you requested) rather than lengthy discussion.
Topic locked
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