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[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

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It was snowing quite heavily where I am this morning and I live 16.7 miles from Alton's entrance (just checked :p ) but the sun has come out now. Though nothing stuck here, it wouldn't surprise me if there's a dusting there.

I'm just guessing though. It'd be better if someone that lives closer or who has been up there today could report. My iPhone says it's sunny up there today but the current temp reading is -2! :eek:
 
I have come from Towers this morning after dropping off a staff member, there isn't much snow but where there is it is drifting on the tops out towards Leek and Ashbourne. It is a cold dry day up at Towers today and the yellow crane was up this morning so they are moving something about.
 
At www.Altontowers.com/events/easter it confirms that the Sanctuary will be open until May, and if you visit beforr may you can get a £1 return ticket.
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Although we already know the above, even if we do get a first week in May opening day, it will most likely not be on May 1st, it is a Wednesday School Day I'm afraid! Towers would prefer more guests on opening day as there can be more hype about it. Take TH13TEEN for example, they hired the actors to increase the experience for the many guests on a Saturday. And even the fact that The Smiler isn't opening on March Opening day doesn't make much difference.

I am 95% sure that The Smiler will open on a weekend, so getcha' hopes up for being able to visit on a weekend and not wagging it of school! But unless further marketing starts soon, I think we'll get it at t' end of May unless they want a soft opening preview weekend for a weekday opening.
 
Stelios said:
Although we already know the above, even if we do get a first week in May opening day, it will most likely not be on May 1st, it is a Wednesday School Day I'm afraid! Towers would prefer more guests on opening day as there can be more hype about it. Take TH13TEEN for example, they hired the actors to increase the experience for the many guests on a Saturday. And even the fact that The Smiler isn't opening on March Opening day doesn't make much difference.

I am 95% sure that The Smiler will open on a weekend, so getcha' hopes up for being able to visit on a weekend and not wagging it of school! But unless further marketing starts soon, I think we'll get it at t' end of May.
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I think they'll probably just open it as soon as it is ready to go. A weekday opening makes more sense, even. It's a big project, and having a quieter park allows for more room for issues to be resolved.
 
I don't mind when it opens. As long as The smiler opens this year and without many tech problems. Also to put the icing on the cake lots of brilliant themeing! :) :twirly:
The Smiler: Get Corrected. :twirly:
 
Stelios said:
Although we already know the above, even if we do get a first week in May opening day, it will most likely not be on May 1st, it is a Wednesday School Day I'm afraid! Towers would prefer more guests on opening day as there can be more hype about it. Take TH13TEEN for example, they hired the actors to increase the experience for the many guests on a Saturday. And even the fact that The Smiler isn't opening on March Opening day doesn't make much difference.

I am 95% sure that The Smiler will open on a weekend, so getcha' hopes up for being able to visit on a weekend and not wagging it of school! But unless further marketing starts soon, I think we'll get it at t' end of May.
Click to expand...

I think a soft opening will take place - there is no way they will want to f**k up in terms of reliability problems on a big opening day; especially after a 2 month delay already. A week of soft openings to iron out any problems, and allow the ride ops to get up to full speed with dispatches would probably suffice.
 
If The Sanctuary is open until May, I'm getting the feeling they're just using it as a filler until The Smiler opens. :twirly:
 
I think that's exactly what they intend to do.

I think it's quite kind of Towers to do something to fill the gap. Granted it shouldn't be opening late, but at least they're doing something to combat that. They could have just said, "oh, it's opening in May. Tough." Yet they've actually done something to fill the gap that is directly related to the ride. Top idea in my eyes :)
 
I'm not convinced that it wasn't meant to happen together, and that the delay means one then the other - or why May and not June closer to when it is likely to actually open?

I think the two were supposed to support and compliment each other, you'd need to be organised for that, although the delay may not be causing too much consternation in this forum, I don't think it is really grasped how much more of an impact opening day, with Sanctuary backing it up in a busy period, and a gleaming newly revamped X-Sector would have had - when you consider this hotchpotch farce of a situation.

This country gets bad winters, if you don't factor in contingency, then what exactly are you doing, because this ride is extraordinarily behind schedule.

Debates been had many times, this is a missed opportunity though no matter how you look at it (if you do so with any kind of professionalism).
 
If The Smiler opens on any of the 1st, 7th, 17th or 24th May then I will kill someone. They're my exam dates, thankfully none are a Saturday. So Towers, please do the sensible thing and open this ride on a Saturday, thank you! :p
 
I think they might have some trial openings during April to make sure everything is how it should be and tweak if necessary, and then open in the middle of the week, unannounced, so that ride staff can get to grips with it properly and then open in the Saturday, which would be announced in the media as the opening day.
 
They should have said "Opening Day! Saturday".

Just never specified which one. Mind you, they haven't lol!
 
They probably don't know yet what exact date they will have it ready.

Given there are no school holidays during May I doubt they will be in a rush to secure an opening date yet as it's unlikely they will expect a surge of guests in that month (obviously until they advertise the hell out of the ride).

Oh and the promotional images have been updated for use by the press. They've added 'opening May 2013' to it, which will be good just to cover the delay at all angles.
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The landscape promotional image also has the same now on it.
 
Looking at that image, and going back to the previous debate of whether the marketing material is a good enough indicator of what the finished product will be... I think that can be taken with a pinch of salt in terms of the train design and OTSR/lap-bars etc.

It shows 6 rows of 2 riders in Oblivion type seats. In no way can that be considered conclusive that there will not be lap bars



On subject of school holidays - there is the Whitsun half term last week of May
 
About an opening date for The Smiler, the date bands for The Sun ticket offer mention that the first two bands are when the Smiler won't be open.
The third band starts on the 18th May, which is a Saturday. Certainly not a confirmed opening date, but food for thought.
 
I think that's purely because the first two bands contain dates not in May. So they have to mention that you may get a ticket for when The Smiler is not open - rather than inadvertently releasing a date.

Besides, I don't think Towers have any idea exactly when the ride will open to be honest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.
 
Just tweeted by Towers:

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And this is on Facebook. Looks like top of the Marmaliser is on site and the maintenance shed now has a frame:

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I think I'm in love :D

Also, Oblivion looks nothing short of stunning in the background here <3
 
Looks like there will be plenty of track overhead in that plaza. :D I just hope it's not filled with cattlepen...
*Knows it will be* ::)
 
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