[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

[electricBlll]

Morwenna Angove had a key role in the design of Thirteen, in terms of researching what the public want and consulting on the ride and theme. Just like Nick Varney did with Nemesis, whose input helped change the plans from an Arrow pipeline coaster to a B&M inverted coaster; and Glenn Earlham with developing Oblivion's "cool" theme.

In terms of theme parks, marketing directors do much more than just 'hype up' new rides. It is also interesting how Alton Towers have continued to use the hyperbole tactics even now she has gone, although we have seen a change of direction recently with The Smiler's marketing.

 

[James]

Most successful based on gate figures. 3 million guests in 2010! The highest figure they had since the late 90s/early 00s! Morwenna and her team marketed Alton Towers greatly in 2010 and the park felt full of life. It was a winning year for Alton Towers and the marketing was done very well.

You can argue SW6's hype as much as you can, but as far as figures go, 2010 was one of the best years.

Hopefully 2012 will follow in the footsteps of 2010.

---

Some of the opinions on here are so far removed from that whichI have seen posted before by people, I have to wonder if it isn't actually just because they subconsciously cannot bring themselves to agree with me ;D

Look through my post history on TowersTimes and you will find I've always admired Morwenna's work. I disagree with you because I think people talk of Morwenna very negatively just because of their personal disagreements with her style of working.

 

[TheMan]

It is also interesting how Alton Towers have continued to use the hyperbole tactics even now she has gone, although we have seen a change of direction recently with The Smiler's marketing.

Old habits as they say Bill, old habits.

The Smiler is a perfect example of high quality, multifaceted, media embracing marketing. It is creating honest intrigue through preexisting and well rehearsed methodologies, and fusing them together to create a coherent thus far incredibly well executed campaign.

It is absolute night and day compared to the SW6 rubbish, and it was rubbish. This has a quality sheen, bereft of cheap tricks and hyperbole that is not justified. There are obviously construction issues, which we have all had a big say upon, that are perhaps affecting the lineage of the campaign itself - which is annoying, as it does make it feel a little stop start.

It is always best to ever so slightly undersell until you absolutely know what the public's reaction will be, whilst also building excitement, rather that stupidly oversell and leave yourself looking almost moronic or just outright liars which is how SW6 ended up coming across.

It is quite possibly the most unique (or was) family attraction in the world, that would appeal to a broad age range, and deliver a fantastic thrilling surprise. But no. It had to the every coaster you have ever dreamed on in one blah blah.

That mantra, by how things are developing, (and if Gerst really do something reliably brilliant) would possibly be more suited to The Smiler.. legitimately.

EDIT: To save double post

You can argue SW6's hype as much as you can, but as far as figures go, 2010 was one of the best years.

Look through my post history on TowersTimes and you will find I've always admired Morwenna's work. I disagree with you because I think people talk of Morwenna very negatively just because of their personal disagreements with her style of working.

First point, it was based on a falsehood and had a knock effect later, tarnishing respect and trust in the brand, that much was abundantly obvious - and had a longer term damaging effect for short term gains. If it was so successful, why are they avoiding pretty much every method they used this time round? If something is that brilliantly successful you don't change a winning formula. Those results were false, and I personally found the whole thing to be absolute tripe, and actually ruined the experience for many of the visitors who went with far different expectations than were accurate.

That is a shame, because in and of itself, SW6 was actually a piece of absolute genius! It got spoiled by the stupid marketing, not enhanced by it, and it has taken people quite a while to get rid of the expectation the marketing created and to be able to enjoy it for what it is. They then went and ruined the surprise by showing it on daytime TV with the lights on!! You think this isn't why JW has come out to explicitly state you will have to ride it this time to discover it's secrets?

She marketed it like it was Harry Potter World, Kingda Ka, Manta, and NTG mixed into one. Fact remains, it is a pretty poor outdoor bit of coaster, with no theming, and a rather brilliant indoor/backwards bit.

It is not my favourite ride, relies heavily on novelty, and to me it doesn't feel finished and that is a great shame. Over sold, under appreciated, and under developed.

However, as for you standing by your belief in her methods, that's fair enough - we disagree, but I do have respect for you maintaining your personal views.

 

[Wilsy]

2 more photos from today by Rob:

 

[Nick]

Well there's inverted drop number one.

 

[Benzin]

Please, PLEASE let that follow a launched lift hill...

What an opening to the ride that would be... Offt...

 

[Daniel_F]

Looking good! Great lighting for it in the top picture :twirly:

 

[DiogoJ42]

So that pretty much confirms at least ten inversions then. Blimey.

It looks like there is some truth to the "plans were wrong" camp after all. Fair play, I'll admit I was wrong on that one. Though so far, it must be pointed out that the track is still following the same path through space as the plans, it's just rolling latterally as it does so.

...

How funny would it be if they got in trouble for not sticking exactly to the published plans? I wouldn't put it past a certain local family to kick up a fuss over this.

 

[Dave]

The roller coaster doesn't need planning permission, it was the building dimensions that had to be approved so the "certain family" are damned by the GDO.

Think Towers also submitted the application to produce a noise impact assessment so they can't be bitten by noise complaints when it opens.

 

[Martin]

I'd rather have the normal drops, but I'm happy the twisty bit at the end has bee replaced by a final barrel roll.

 

[Ian]

I doubt anything would come of it really. Considering that they did say the ride layout was only included for completeness of the application.

Unless I'm mistaken Alton have done similar before. Didn't Extraordinary Golf have some differences between the plans and the final product? The changes were minor so the overall result looked similar, but when you looked at some of the details there were differences between them.

I think that so long as the ride stays within the same footprint, location, and the high points and main features remain unaltered they can change it without causing any problems. At a glance you'd think it's the same, but the more you look, the more little changes you spot, this drop being one.

Given they've managed to get another inversion in there I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't doing the same somewhere else in the layout.

It makes me laugh though, as Alton is probably the last park you'd expect to have a huge multi-inverting coaster given all the restrictions they have in place upon them. If you said to me a few years ago "Alton are building a coaster with 10 or more inversions" I'd have just laughed! I guess it just goes to show what can be done with the right knack and technology.

For me, as long as there's no Gerstache (And even then it'd have to be pretty unbarable for me ) I can see it becoming my favorite coaster at the park

 

[Rupert]

You've got to hand it to them - after they baited thrillseekers with the 'every coaster you've ever dreamed of' crap, built a family coaster and then got a slating by us wanting something actually intense - they've built a completely balls-to-the-wall, billion-inversion, intense, disorientating coaster that's more ridiculous than potentially any coaster built south of Ripon.

We should be careful about the video/game though - it confirms nothing, just gives suggestions as to what may be the case. I enjoyed James' post but the more detail you interpret, the less accurate it becomes - something like the station decoration is a prime example of this. The only way we can be sure of things these days, like the opening zero-g (it's just a zero-g with the lead-out longer than the lead-in, no?), is by seeing it actually built.

Like Benzin I would love it to open with a launch into an airtime hill followed by a zero-g into a drop. That would be incredible. If the game is semi-accurate however, that doesn't bode well.

I really, really, really hope this is Gerstache-free: then launch or no launch, it should still be immense. (Edit: Ian has written the same)

 

[Dave]

And they have confirmed in that vid 4 extra inversions to the 8 we know about so we are actually up to 12 inversions.

 

[Sammy]

And they have confirmed in that vid 4 extra inversions to the 8 we know about so we are actually up to 12 inversions.

I think I can spot 5 extra ones... The indoor twist, two inverting drops and then two corkscrews/rolls at the end replacing the final two twisty hills?

If you look on that image, it certainly looks like the final two hills are both now inverted?

So what does that make it, 13?

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Plus you can see a corkscrew after the Batwing before the MCBR making it 14.

 

[Fredward]

Also you can see it duel with another car once the batwing/cobra roll is complete.

Could be a psychological effect you unlock?

Looking like a fun game. To bad it looks to be accelerometer controlled, got bored of that within a couple months of owning my first smart phone!

 

[Martin]

So am I right in thinking it goes:

Indoor twist
Drop
Dive loop
Dive loop
Batwing
Batwing
Corkscrew
Drop
Sea serpent
Sea serpent
Cobra roll
Cobra roll
Corkscrew
Corkscrew

?

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

That what we are led to believe yes. If the game is accurate that is.

 

[Rob]

Right, photo update time! A mixture of photos taken from inside and outside of the park. I'm posting them in chronological order.

Ooh look what we have here, an inverted drop:

One big support:

An overview of the supports and track above the toilets this morning:

Track in the air:

Putting the track in its place:

What is this in the distance?

It's The Smiler! It stands out rather a lot from outside the park, not the clearest photo but you can just about make out the inverting drop:

This was quite surreal, seeing a piece of track floating high up in the air:

Back on park, said piece of track being put in place:

I think this bit on the right is going to form part of the first turnaround pre-drop:

A close up of this:

Overview of what they had done by the end of the day:

A close up of the inverted drop:

Please do not replicate my photos elsewhere. TowersStreet may use them if they wish! All photos were taken from areas fully accessible to the public, whether that be inside or outside of the park!

Enjoy!

And to those who said this ride would be exactly the same as the plans, I told you so!

 

[IanB]

All these photos, I am really looking forward to seeing this in person on Sunday.

It looks like X-Sector is going to have a totally different First Look now, instead of the intimidating drop of Oblivion, there is going to be a lot of The Smiler visible. Hopefully this wont make Oblivion any less intimidating.

Ian