[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

[aru]

I have also had the same thoughts regarding this! Perhaps a bucket on-board will be the secret element! ;D :

 

[Trixico]

Sorry to sound slightly unnerved and maybe graphic, but am I the only person thinking just how much this coaster will make the GP ill? I feel slightly on edge knowing that I am going to be queuing under the ride structure with certain 'showers' possible.

I've only ever seen one person lose their lunch after a ride and that was Mission: Space in WDW a month after it opened. I'd been on the ride before this guy, and I was still trying to stop my stomach spinning.

I've never even heard anyone complaining of feeling ill coming off a coaster, I'm sure people do, but I think you might be thinking more along the lines of RCT

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Sorry to sound slightly unnerved and maybe graphic, but am I the only person thinking just how much this coaster will make the GP ill? I feel slightly on edge knowing that I am going to be queuing under the ride structure with certain 'showers' possible.

Maybe my understanding of the GP is flawed.

I think vomiting on The Smiler will be more than any other ride in the park - lets face it, some people are sick after Nemesis which only has 4 inversions, 10 less than The Smiler. Although that could be due to the intense G-forces on Nemesis such as going round the turn after the corkscrew and before the Zero-G at a high downward speed. Also with the effects this could push people over their limits?

I'm calling it now, The Smiler - AKA The Vomit Comet!

 

[Tim]

Sorry to sound slightly unnerved and maybe graphic, but am I the only person thinking just how much this coaster will make the GP ill? I feel slightly on edge knowing that I am going to be queuing under the ride structure with certain 'showers' possible.

Maybe my understanding of the GP is flawed.

I wouldn't worry; motion sickness is normally caused by repetitive motion such as that found on a Waltzer or T-Cup ride. A Roller Coaster is far too dynamic for such effects to occur so it's actually quite a rare case. Most of the times that people are ill on rides it's for other reasons (such as already being close to being ill before riding) which normally causes them to be ill as they get off rather than when the ride is in motion.

Anyway both Air and Nemesis go over the path and queue lines and I’ve never seen anyone get out an umbrella for the occasion

 

[Ian]

I have to say, the only ride I have ever seen cause lots of vomiting is Talocan at Phantasialand. On two consecutive days the plaza outside the ride had numerous piles of vomit around the edges.

Hopefully this won't cause too many problems though. Hopefully, the fact the ride is staggered with the lift halfway through should help

 

[Tomahawktom]

If boy scouts want to take there lunch box on this ride, there would be mess all over the place..

 

[GaryH]

I wouldn't worry; motion sickness is normally caused by repetitive motion such as that found on a Waltzer or T-Cup ride. A Roller Coaster is far too dynamic for such effects to occur so it's actually quite a rare case. Most of the times that people are ill on rides it's for other reasons (such as already being close to being ill before riding) which normally causes them to be ill as they get off rather than when the ride is in motion.

Anyway both Air and Nemesis go over the path and queue lines and I’ve never seen anyone get out an umbrella for the occasion

Hmm, I get motion sickness, mostly in cars particularly if im in the back seats, and I cant ride things like Enterprise or the tea cups. However, its not just repetitive motion that causes the sickness - one big factor is not being able to see whats coming, and as such the brain cant prepare for the event, which then causes the sickness feeling - hence not being able to travel in the back of cars.

On the Smiler, many of the effects are set to disorientate you, which means the brain will already be wondering what is going to happen before the event does, i.e. having bright lights blinding you temporarily before you hit a loop would make many people with motion sickness feel ill. Add into this the associated roughness you get with Eurofighter style cars and this will only add to the sickness feeling.

Luckily I can ride rollercoasters with little problem.

I have actually seen someone chuck on Air, was one my mates actually after just eating a large sausage sarnie for breakfast, then riding Nemesis and immediately then going on Air. Left a lovely trail all the way back into the station

Going back to the Smiler though, I doubt it will have a high re-ride factor. I may be wrong..... but its looking that way!

 

[Tim]

Fair point I hadn't taken the special effects into account. I still don't think it's that big an issue though, if it was we'd never see queue lines under attractions.

 

[BigDave]

Sorry to sound slightly unnerved and maybe graphic, but am I the only person thinking just how much this coaster will make the GP ill? I feel slightly on edge knowing that I am going to be queuing under the ride structure with certain 'showers' possible.

Maybe my understanding of the GP is flawed.

I have a feeling that any areas that the track passes over the queue, they will put some sort of shield up. They have nets for spinball, but with this ride being bigger and after the recent problems with Rita, I can see it being metal sheeting.

 

[JB1985]

Sorry to sound slightly unnerved and maybe graphic, but am I the only person thinking just how much this coaster will make the GP ill? I feel slightly on edge knowing that I am going to be queuing under the ride structure with certain 'showers' possible.

I've only ever seen one person lose their lunch after a ride and that was Mission: Space in WDW a month after it opened. I'd been on the ride before this guy, and I was still trying to stop my stomach spinning.

I've never even heard anyone complaining of feeling ill coming off a coaster, I'm sure people do, but I think you might be thinking more along the lines of RCT

Lol a mate of mine threw up coming off AIR and Th13teen - needless to say he didnt go near Nemesis

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

^Yes...so what do we think the likelihood of the track and supports being up by the end of March is then?

 

[Rob]

^Yes...so what do we think the likelihood of the track and supports being up by the end of March is then?

At the current rate of construction, I'd say very likely. Things seem to have progressed really well over the past week or so. I must admit it is going to be a push to get it all ready for May, but it's certainly achievable so long as there are no problems in testing etc. If the coaster isn't fully built by the end of March then I think we will see an opening more towards the end of May.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

^Yes...so what do we think the likelihood of the track and supports being up by the end of March is then?

At the current rate of construction, I'd say very likely. Things seem to have progressed really well over the past week or so. I must admit it is going to be a push to get it all ready for May, but it's certainly achievable so long as there are no problems in testing etc. If the coaster isn't fully built by the end of March then I think we will see an opening more towards the end of May.

I was thinking it would be sooner given how quickly they put the top end track up, but after seeing the pictures of groundwork still being carried out for the vertical lift I thought this might delay it by a few weeks.

 

[TheMan]

I'd bet they wanted all vertical construction done by opening weekend. Testing concerns me also, this is a very complex bit of machinery that much is obvious.

Big cranes and heavy movers are not something you want to be in a close area that people will want to be visiting. They really need to get stuck in now, as I am sure they are.

 

[TheMan]

Right you have thrown down the gauntlet ;D

Choose your sides and prepare to be gloatful opening day :twirly:

AMEND SIGNATURES NOW

 

[Scott]

In order to keep this topic flowing neatly, could further discussion regarding the trains please be continued in the following thread:

http://www.towersstreet.com/talk/future-discussion/the-smiler-train-speculation/

I'll see about merging the recent posts from here into there later on too

 

[Rob]

New photos from Towers!

Looking good!

 

[rightbackgranty]

Whilst the new ride looks brilliant, can I be the first to say that Oblivion looks equally as good. Will be a great view from the top of the drop next year!

 

[Jonathan]

Wow. Blivvy, you're looking fantastic. Just like you always should.

 

[Nick]

It's awesome, in a way, having the most and least understated coasters ever right next to each other. But so fitting.

And it shows how low the Knot is when you see it in context with (what looks like) the first half of the sea serpent roll.