The Smiler - General Discussion

[Connor98]

I wouldn’t say the correlation between smoothness and thrill is a thing in my opinion. Two of my favourite coasters are Zadra and Shambhala… they are glass smooth yet still extremely thrilling and world class coasters. I do kind of understand what you mean if it was referencing woodies, as dipper and national seem to feel more out of control. But in the grand scheme of things a coaster is better if it’s both smooth and thrilling if you ask me.

 

[AT86]

Maybe it’s a personal thing, but forces are the main factor in terms of thrills for me, a coaster can be smooth and forceful, it doesn’t need to be rough to ‘feel like it is doing something’.

Edit: @Connor98 beat me to it.

 

[mo237]

I think one of the biggest ironies about the ride is how disgusting and dank it's become - let alone what it's like to ride - given what happened back in 2015.

You'd think they'd want to really show that they've redeemed themselves with it by being proud with its presentation. Almost to say that - yes, what happened all those years back shouldn't have happened, but we've given the ride even more care than others to ensure it's safe, and damn well looks it. But to the untrained eye, all that grease and grit doesn't exactly scream "this is safe".

As soon as you get on the ride and it awkwardly shudders along, it feels like it's going to fall apart - although it's obviously safe enough to pass inspection, to those out of the loop it wouldn't give off that impression.

And to those who say that the memory of the accident has all but vanished - a friend of mine, who wouldn't really ride much, definitely wouldn't ride Smiler because of what happened - and if he saw it in person and how dilapidated it's become since, I don't think that'd exactly instil confidence that another accident won't occur.

 

[Ethan]

I think one of the biggest ironies about the ride is how disgusting and dank it's become - let alone what it's like to ride - given what happened back in 2015.

You'd think they'd want to really show that they've redeemed themselves with it by being proud with its presentation. Almost to say that - yes, what happened all those years back shouldn't have happened, but we've given the ride even more care than others to ensure it's safe, and damn well looks it. But to the untrained eye, all that grease and grit doesn't exactly scream "this is safe".

As soon as you get on the ride and it awkwardly shudders along, it feels like it's going to fall apart - although it's obviously safe enough to pass inspection, to those out of the loop it wouldn't give off that impression.

And to those who say that the memory of the accident has all but vanished - a friend of mine, who wouldn't really ride much, definitely wouldn't ride Smiler because of what happened - and if he saw it in person and how dilapidated it's become since, I don't think that'd exactly instil confidence that another accident won't occur.

Nearly 8 years after the accident and likely over half a million trains later, nothing has happened since. If people feel uncomfortable riding it, just don't go on it. No point worrying about your safety on a ride when you're more likely to get injured or killed on the drive to the park

 

[mo237]

That's not quite the point I'd intended - I understand it's safe, but the appearance of the ride doesn't exactly scream that, and to some it'd make people question the rides welfare - it's worth remembering that not everyone gets how safe rides are.

 

[RIPCorky]

That's not quite the point I'd intended - I understand it's safe, but the appearance of the ride doesn't exactly scream that, and to some it'd make people question the rides welfare - it's worth remembering that not everyone gets how safe rides are.

Yep makes me chuckle when people think AT will consider just lap bars on this ride after what happened.

 

[Earthwürm]

Just got off The Smiler, and honestly, I don't find it rough at all. It's more than acceptable in my opinion. The general cleanliness and presentation are very valid points though, and I'd argue a jet wash isn't going to be enough. It could do with the entire outdoor queue ripping out and rethinking at the very least.

 

[Ethan]

That's not quite the point I'd intended - I understand it's safe, but the appearance of the ride doesn't exactly scream that, and to some it'd make people question the rides welfare - it's worth remembering that not everyone gets how safe rides

If people are put off the ride it'll be because of the accident not its appearance. I don't pay a single notice to how clean the ride looks.

 

[The Big Mack]

It's not terribly rough, but it's not entirely smooth either. Just a jolty, janky shopping trolly in a park with mostly smooth B&M's.

 

[jon81uk]

If people are put off the ride it'll be because of the accident not its appearance. I don't pay a single notice to how clean the ride looks.

But both things can go together. A rusty, moudly looking thing looks unsafe and unloved. That on its own might not be too bad, but with the incident it can make those on the fence really put off.

 

[rob666]

You've gone from saying it isn't rough, to it's a bit rough now. So which is it?
By modern standards it is not the smooth ride that it should be. Whether that's down to track design or quality is up for debate. Corkscrew was a much shorter ride and the sections of track that would have been under the most stress would have been very short indeed. It's the length of the smiler that is it's biggest problem.

It is a bit rough in parts, but reasonably smooth in large parts...and mouldy.

 

[Tom]

And the results are in: Since The Smiler opened, this forum has attracted 478,418 posts saying it's rough and 461,571 posts saying it isn't rough. Thanks everyone for taking part.

 

[Benjsh]

Smiler isn't horrifically rough at all. What a poor take. It's a bit shaky towards the end of the ride as has been well documented on here. 90% of it is just fine though.

I do always feel a bit ropey after riding it however but that's not due to roughness at all though but due to the number of Inversions. It's not a coaster you can lap at all really where I can happily ride Wickerman or even Nemmy for an hour or so on a quiet day and not feel anything.

It definitely needs some money spending on the queue, station building and track though. A Paint job will obviously hide some wear and tear but they really need to sort out the drainage issue where pools of water just linger under the track in the queue.

 

[Ethan]

Smiler isn't horrifically rough at all. What a poor take.

I had to stop watching pleasure beach experience because of how ridiculous his opinions are. I get that everyone's different but I'm convinced some just love the attention of being different. He said that opening weekend best ride was National, but the worst was smiler because of how rough it is... I'm sorry what?

 

[Danscott22]

I had to stop watching pleasure beach experience because of how ridiculous his opinions are. I get that everyone's different but I'm convinced some just love the attention of being different. He said that opening weekend best ride was National, but the worst was smiler because of how rough it is... I'm sorry what?

Everyone has their opinions obviously, but I do agree with you here.

 

[DistortAMG]

It’s horrificly rough, especially if you compare the other rides on offer in the park. We could compare to 100 year old wooden coasters like some have but that would be what is expected? This ride is 10 years old, that’s nothing for a coaster, nothing at all.

I gauge opinions from everywhere online and generally it’s a big complaint of the ride apart from the torture cell queue line.

It only takes more and more to complain about it and it ends the way Corkscrew did.

It needs big investment, and it needs it now before something potentially happens.

Investment how though? Gerstlauer are not exactly known for building smooth coasters. They are all quite rough. They also have never been able to get their mathematics precise enough on transitions or good heart lining of their elements. 2 factors that massively increase roughness of a ride, as your body is pulled sharply from pillar to post. I suspect that they are capable of those two things, but the track design they choose struggles to be able to be shaped like that.

One of the great things about B&M, the box section back bone. Because the back bone is made of triangular pieces that make a box, you can extremely, and I mean to the thousandths of a millimetre, angle those triangles so precisely you can make your ride transitions extremely precise, the end result is a ride that feels extremely smooth. Other companies have struggled with this. Not surprisingly because it is much, much harder to do without a box section spine. You would be amazed that most of the roughness of a coaster comes from the transitions of the ride and track, rather than a train. Although a train with hard or dogey wheels certainly doesn't help.

 

[Zeock]

I had to stop watching pleasure beach experience because of how ridiculous his opinions are. I get that everyone's different but I'm convinced some just love the attention of being different. He said that opening weekend best ride was National, but the worst was smiler because of how rough it is... I'm sorry what?

Agree there. That doesn't seem to make much sense to me.

 

[Steve74]

And to those who say that the memory of the accident has all but vanished - a friend of mine, who wouldn't really ride much, definitely wouldn't ride Smiler because of what happened - and if he saw it in person and how dilapidated it's become since, I don't think that'd exactly instil confidence that another accident won't occur.

This reminds me, this week I was talking to a colleague of mine and when she saw my laptop lock screen was Wicker Man, she said "oh not the one that crashed". She said her daughter said she would never go on The Smiler due to the accident and I proceeded to say how the ride was and still is perfectly safe and that ultimately, the accident it was down to human error and not a mechanical fault. She admitted that she thought it was a mechanical fault - and was very surprised to find out it was human error.

 

[Spark]

This reminds me, this week I was talking to a colleague of mine and when she saw my laptop lock screen was Wicker Man, she said "oh not the one that crashed". She said her daughter said she would never go on The Smiler due to the accident and I proceeded to say how the ride was and still is perfectly safe and that ultimately, the accident it was down to human error and not a mechanical fault. She admitted that she thought it was a mechanical fault - and was very surprised to find out it was human error.

My wife is the same, i mention going and taking the kids to AT she says not a chance the place is a death trap

 

[STEJENT]

I had to stop watching pleasure beach experience because of how ridiculous his opinions are. I get that everyone's different but I'm convinced some just love the attention of being different. He said that opening weekend best ride was National, but the worst was smiler because of how rough it is... I'm sorry what?

This made me chuckle. I can vividly remember going on Grand National while I was at PB on a date with an absolute nightmare of a guy who was the most nauseatingly happy, giddy person you could ever meet.
The look of consternation and physical pain on his face still makes me howl with laughter when it comes back to my memory today.
I actually love Grand national and think it's quite funny the way you get thrashed by it, especially when you see a drop coming and know it's going to hurt.

The Smiler however is a perfectly normal ride in terms of ride quality. I only really find the last inversion before the brake run to be "uncomfortable".