After weeks of speculation, the new-for-2013 roller coaster called The Smiler will not open until May. This confirms earlier rumours of a delayed opening.
As we previously reported, things over the past few weeks have been moving very slowly in regards to The Smiler. A few weeks ago, the countdown clock was removed from the Alton Towers website and since then construction of the ride has moved very slowly. Since reporting that information, the country has been gripped by cold weather and this has probably slowed construction even further. As well as this, the park’s official call centres have gradually been sounding less confident about a March opening.
Today’s news has been released by Alton Towers’ Press Office. In a quote from the resort, regarding the ‘creepy sheep’ viral marketing campaign, they have said “We wanted to create some mystery around the name of our new world first rollercoaster, The Smiler. We’ve managed to baffle the nation and hopefully made a few people smile. The Smiler will be our biggest and most thrilling attraction the Resort has ever seen and we can’t wait for guests to join us in May and experience it for themselves.”
The last line of the quote confirms that The Smiler, which is described as being “an all-knowing controlling force that will make riders compliant until they become a smiling advocate,” will not open until May.
What this means for those who have already booked park tickets and hotel rooms expecting the ride to be open is unclear. We also do not know if there will be an official opening date or if the park will trial some soft openings across the month.
