[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

[Martin]

I'd hope with them lowering the floor instead of covering the pit, they'd be a bit more creative with the queue.

But being honest, I can't see it happening.

 

[Quetzal]

Phwoar.

When this ride is finished it's going to look amazing. It's quite disappointing to see how much of the plaza will inevitably be covered by a queueline.

I presume they'll now go ahead with the final bits of groundwork, and constructing the maintenance bay (I presume the Maintenance track, and the track below has gone in), before finaliaing the layout.

I'm a little confused about how low the roof of the shop is? :/

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Looks like there will be plenty of track overhead in that plaza. I just hope it's not filled with cattlepen...
*Knows it will be* :

There may be a chance they will stretch the queue up to the top of the site, underneath the vertical lift hill and then back down to the station. It would be pretty easy to do and would give a Nemesis-esque feel to the queue experience.

The plans they submitted for the queue were unlikely to be accurate anyway. We know loads of the others were not.

Wishful thinking I know but it's a possibility.

 

[BigAl]

This was what the queues looked like in the original plans:

As to how accurate this is now I don't know. I do hope that it won't be like that, but I won't keep my hopes up.

 

[Andrew]

I'd say that the queue layout must be changing, but I'm not too sure whether it will be drastically or just minor alterations.

This is because the queue on the plans and the construction photos do not seem to line up correctly, so I guess that the queueline will be changing.

 

[Dar]

From the images posted today, it doesn't look like they are going to try and hide construction when the park reopens.

 

[AstroDan]

There's not enough space for a fancy queue. It'll be cattle pen.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

^If it does indeed turn out to be like that plan, it will make Rita's queue look pleasurable in comparison. Literally every inch is cattlepen.

However, we know for a fact it won't be exactly because the stairs up to the station are the opposite side of where the queue appears to end.

 

[Alastair]

From the images posted today, it doesn't look like they are going to try and hide construction when the park reopens.

There's no way they can - unless they want to erect 70ft tall boards around the entire site so that it can't be seen from Oblivion

 

[DiogoJ42]

Whoever designs queuelines for Merlin needs shooting. Th13teen and especially Swarm really annoy me. You get so far then suddenly take a turn that takes you right back to the entrance again. I'd rather a straightforward old Europa style cattlepen. At least with those you are always getting closer to the station.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

There's not enough space for a fancy queue. It'll be cattle pen.

Yes there is, absolutely bags of room up behind the vertical lift hill.

 

[AstroDan]

It won't trail up there. It'll be a pen at the base of the pit, under the ride.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Alastair]

I think I'm in love

Also, Oblivion looks nothing short of stunning in the background here <3

Good view of the repainted logo on the support there too. Looking great.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

It won't trail up there. It'll be a pen at the base of the pit, under the ride.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Why not?

If they were building this in 1994, then it would. But Merlin are lazy and unambitious with their designs and thought is no longer put into the entire ride experience like it used to be.

It's all good and well having a world beating coaster, but if you've had to queue for two hours + beforehand surrounded on all sides by smoking and swearing chavs, the overall experience is dampened.

I don't doubt for one minute that it won't be a cattlepen, but with very little cost and effort it could be made so much better.

 

[Dar]

From the images posted today, it doesn't look like they are going to try and hide construction when the park reopens.

There's no way they can - unless they want to erect 70ft tall boards around the entire site so that it can't be seen from Oblivion

I was thinking more along the lines of ground level Unless they put some solid boards up between now and the weekend, all they've got is the plain mesh type fence

 

[badlydrawnkelBel]

I hateeeeeee the queue line for colossus! I like to quote how I felt that day I had to endure a 2 hour wait...."an insane bear". As well as the smokers and the security walking up and down....not very pleasant. And I detest those stupid huts which sell food.....th13teen...prime example. What a way to hold a queue up!

 

[Dar]

I am slightly concerned that this particular support looks to be held up with a ratchet strap!

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

I hateeeeeee the queue line for colossus! I like to quote how I felt that day I had to endure a 2 hour wait...."an insane bear". As well as the smokers and the security walking up and down....not very pleasant. And I detest those stupid huts which sell food.....th13teen...prime example. What a way to hold a queue up!

If you think Colossus is bad, then where does that leave Stealth, SAW, The Swarm, Rita, Spinball etc?

Hell, that's where.

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

I believe the support is like that as it has not yet been concreted in place, just to ensure a little 'wiggle room' is available when connecting and matching up the rest of the track.

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

I am slightly concerned that this particular support looks to be held up with a ratchet strap!

I believe the support is like that as it has not yet been concreted in place, just to ensure a little 'wiggle room' is available when connecting and matching up the rest of the track.

It would be indeed for that reason.

And I detest those stupid huts which sell food.....th13teen...prime example. What a way to hold a queue up!

Yeah, because holding a queue up for a few minutes at a time really adds to your queuing time - It doesn't. It doesn't make one blind bit of difference. You will either be stood where you are for a few minutes or just slowly shuffling forward. It annoys the hell out of me when people walk past the people ordering things as it doesn't affect whether they are stood behind them waiting or in front of them...waiting! Just wait for them to finish then move forward with them.

This is coming from someone that has never bought anything from a ride store too.