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[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation
Rob
TS Team
How can it open incomplete? Missing theming, missing details, effects not fully working, area looking like a construction site rather than a finished ride. There's many ways this could open and look or feel incomplete. Of course most people will judge this based on only track and train and that will obviously be complete whenever it opens. But you can't help feel there are so many other aspects to this ride.
I agree that they need it open sooner rather than later. But it's a lose lose situation for Towers. Delay the ride so that a finished product can be opened, they get criticised for delaying it. Open it as soon as testing is complete and the area is signed off over to Towers despite not everything looking finished or things not working, they get criticised for an incomplete attraction that comes across as naff. In my opinion, after the last few seasons they cannot afford the latter of those options. It is so so important that this ride is as it should be from the day it opens. I think I said way back before they even started construction that Towers have to pull this off and show Merlin that they can have a great attraction from day one of operation.
Saying all of that, I have no idea how long it takes to do what they have left to do. It's possible that May is still easily achievable and I hope it is. It just looks like there is still so much to do. The central hub of the marmaliser is currently on the site, yet it doesn't look anywhere near finished. So clearly that's an example of work that needs doing once everything is built.
I agree that they need it open sooner rather than later. But it's a lose lose situation for Towers. Delay the ride so that a finished product can be opened, they get criticised for delaying it. Open it as soon as testing is complete and the area is signed off over to Towers despite not everything looking finished or things not working, they get criticised for an incomplete attraction that comes across as naff. In my opinion, after the last few seasons they cannot afford the latter of those options. It is so so important that this ride is as it should be from the day it opens. I think I said way back before they even started construction that Towers have to pull this off and show Merlin that they can have a great attraction from day one of operation.
Saying all of that, I have no idea how long it takes to do what they have left to do. It's possible that May is still easily achievable and I hope it is. It just looks like there is still so much to do. The central hub of the marmaliser is currently on the site, yet it doesn't look anywhere near finished. So clearly that's an example of work that needs doing once everything is built.
TheMan
TS Member
I'm going to send them some episodes of Grand Designs, where the designers throw every builder they can find at a project to make sure it gets done, despite all the adverse conditions and inevitable issues/delays - and then one where they stick on budget and end up with a delay months behind...
Sam
TS Member
This won't be like Sub-Terra because that is a crap ride system dressed up with theming, whereas this is an amazing bit of hardware, dressed up with theming. The theming is essential to the former, it is not to the latter. If some of the theming is missing on opening day, I doubt it'll make much difference to the reviews, as 95% of this ride will be the hardware itself, which is looking to be absolutely amazing.
I'd rather they try and open it was soon as possible and add the finishing touches over the next few weeks.
I'd rather they try and open it was soon as possible and add the finishing touches over the next few weeks.
Sam
TS Member
All of you people who think that Towers should delay the opening of a mechanically functioning ride (that's already very late) to add the finishing touches to the theming are living in cloud cuckoo land, frankly. Your expectations of the park are complete fantasy, not actually aligning with business and customer service common sense.
Sub-Terra's changes weren't planned from opening, hence the need for a closure. If Towers just need to add a few minor bits and pieces here and there that have always been planned for, they could almost certainly do it overnight.
To those that think this incredible looking coaster with 14-inversions will get slated on opening day because the theming is only 90% complete: try living in the real world! It'll be bloody great either way.
Sub-Terra's changes weren't planned from opening, hence the need for a closure. If Towers just need to add a few minor bits and pieces here and there that have always been planned for, they could almost certainly do it overnight.
To those that think this incredible looking coaster with 14-inversions will get slated on opening day because the theming is only 90% complete: try living in the real world! It'll be bloody great either way.
Rob
TS Team
Roger Ramrod said:To those that think this incredible looking coaster with 14-inversions will get slated on opening day because the theming is only 90% complete: try living in the real world! It'll be bloody great either way.
I've read enough of TST/TTF over the years to expect that to happen though!
Cheese
TS Member
Rob's summed up what I mean about completion nicely. Track, trains and major theming elements are only half the battle. The rest comes down to those little details and the atmosphere. On this ride I believe those are the factors that could make the difference between a good ride that's missing something and a fantastic ride.
By "Sub-Terra all over again" I meant public perception. I agree that the experience provided by Sub-Terra isn't particularly substantial, and because of the nature of the hardware used it never could be, but it was greatly improved by the changes made in the first few months. However, a fair number of people rode it early on and would've told their friends and family how poor it was. Even if they revisited later in the year they might not have bothered to do it because they thought it was awful last time, and if they did they wouldn't necessarily have mentioned the improvements to the people they spoke to about it before. The end result is that Terry is probably still perceived to be utter rubbish by a lot of people that have never even been on it.
That mustn't happen with The Smiler. No ride is ever universally praised, but if the general opinion of the ride from guests that visit on its first day of operation isn't highly positive then Towers have a big problem. Who knows what the future might hold for the park if the people that have been losing faith in it don't love this.
By "Sub-Terra all over again" I meant public perception. I agree that the experience provided by Sub-Terra isn't particularly substantial, and because of the nature of the hardware used it never could be, but it was greatly improved by the changes made in the first few months. However, a fair number of people rode it early on and would've told their friends and family how poor it was. Even if they revisited later in the year they might not have bothered to do it because they thought it was awful last time, and if they did they wouldn't necessarily have mentioned the improvements to the people they spoke to about it before. The end result is that Terry is probably still perceived to be utter rubbish by a lot of people that have never even been on it.
That mustn't happen with The Smiler. No ride is ever universally praised, but if the general opinion of the ride from guests that visit on its first day of operation isn't highly positive then Towers have a big problem. Who knows what the future might hold for the park if the people that have been losing faith in it don't love this.
Quetzal
TS Member
I'm not sure what theming people are expecting with this ride? Yes, it may open without some of it's theming elements, but they're not going to be major enough to require any closure of the ride to install them, they'll just add them overnight, like the first upgrade to Sub Terra.
It's frankly a bit strange to see people saying that without theming the public are going to dislike this ride. It's a massive rollercoaster, and with theming or without, people are going to get an adrenaline rush from it.
It's frankly a bit strange to see people saying that without theming the public are going to dislike this ride. It's a massive rollercoaster, and with theming or without, people are going to get an adrenaline rush from it.
BigAl
TS Member
Can they afford to keep it closed any longer though?
If it isn't open by the last day of May, there's going to be a lot of angry visitors and many more potential visitors who will continue to not visit until it's done, or simply give up. There's already been quite a number of people who were there for the Smiler on March 16th who were disappointed (most people I saw were visiting from other countries in Europe), so disappointing a greater number of people again would be a huge mistake imo. As I said, the longer they leave this ride doing nothing, the lower their gate figures will be which means the lower the amount of money they make.
Every day of this season counts when a major multi-million pound attraction should be up, running and pulling in loads of customers. I'm sure we can forgive them if it's missing a few small details in the first month or so that it's open.
If it isn't open by the last day of May, there's going to be a lot of angry visitors and many more potential visitors who will continue to not visit until it's done, or simply give up. There's already been quite a number of people who were there for the Smiler on March 16th who were disappointed (most people I saw were visiting from other countries in Europe), so disappointing a greater number of people again would be a huge mistake imo. As I said, the longer they leave this ride doing nothing, the lower their gate figures will be which means the lower the amount of money they make.
Every day of this season counts when a major multi-million pound attraction should be up, running and pulling in loads of customers. I'm sure we can forgive them if it's missing a few small details in the first month or so that it's open.
Dave
TS Founding Member
Thing is they have missed the first big holiday (Easter), i imagine they wont be ready for the 1st bank-holiday in May so they will probably be aiming for the start of May half term. They will probably see that as the goal and if they open any earlier than that's a bonus.
Once track is up they will still have to work on building the queue and wiring and testing so theming can happen at the same time. I just don't want to get my hopes up about the theming as i think it will be The Marmaliser and some yellow paint on the concrete (outside, my expectations inside are higher). But i tend to expect low so i am not disappointed.
Once track is up they will still have to work on building the queue and wiring and testing so theming can happen at the same time. I just don't want to get my hopes up about the theming as i think it will be The Marmaliser and some yellow paint on the concrete (outside, my expectations inside are higher). But i tend to expect low so i am not disappointed.
TheMan
TS Member
Roger Ramrod said:Cheese said:
As long as there are trains travelling around this track
...then the generally opinion will be highly positive.
Agree, my theme issues to one side, they could open this on a car park and the public would still be raving about the coaster itself. Right so as well, look at it lol!!
Rollercoasters4Life
TS Member
Adam from TTF said this yesterday morning (Saturday):
Make of that what you will...
Make of that what you will...
Rob said:Just been posted by Alton Towers on Twitter:
Understandably it doesn't look like there's been much progress since Thursday. I certainly would not say construction is continuing as normal from that image.
Forget wiring, testing, themeing etc... the station still doesn't have half it's freakin walls yet!
Very pretty image but I'm expecting Alton to announce that The Smiler is now 'coming this summer' in the near future.