The Smiler - General Discussion

[electricBlll]

Yes as late as July last year, we were held in a rope queue pen next to the Tower ruins (where the rhododendrons are, quite far from X Sector), before being lead down to a temporary queue at the bottom of the ruins outside X Sector's entrance.

After that, the entrance was periodically blocked off while guests were batched into another temporary queue inside X Sector (where the new extension is now) and then into the queue itself. The staff were very good at co-ordinating all the pedestrian traffic without cutting off people's access to X Sector's entrance for too long.

 

[deathproof69]

Has the logo been put back into the pit?

 

[Rob]

Has the logo been put back into the pit?

It has indeed yes!

 

[TheMan]

On the subject of the queue, I read somewhere that on super busy days (we're talking about a 3 hour queue for Smiler) they used to extend the queue into the area in between the Towers and X-Sector entrance

Yup as others explained it's true. It did work quite well, but that is probably the longest I queued for anything in my life. 3 hours and 15 mins.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

On the subject of the queue, I read somewhere that on super busy days (we're talking about a 3 hour queue for Smiler) they used to extend the queue into the area in between the Towers and X-Sector entrance

Yup as others explained it's true. It did work quite well, but that is probably the longest I queued for anything in my life. 3 hours and 15 mins.

No ride is worth queueing for longer than an hour and a half for in my opinion...

 

[AstroDan]

I would happily wait over that for the likes of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey but on the whole I agree.

That said, if a park you visit less frequently is busy then you've little choice but to wait.

 

[Danny]

When initially queuing for The Smiler on the day it opened then yes, I feel the wait was justified. At present however, I probably wouldn't consider setting foot into the queue line unless it was under 45 minutes.

 

[TheMan]

Yup as others explained it's true. It did work quite well, but that is probably the longest I queued for anything in my life. 3 hours and 15 mins.

No ride is worth queueing for longer than an hour and a half for in my opinion...

First go on The Smiler? I made an exception. Wasn't opening day either, queue was shorter on opening day apparently!

 

[Dar]

Probably only by virtue of the fact it wasn't advertised as opening on that day People got wind of a rumour and took a chance on it!

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Not sure if anyone is interested but there is a video of The Smiler DVD at the link below although please bear in mind I do not own this video, simply posting it.

My thoughts, it's okay but by gosh does it show just how many jolts, however small of large, that The Smiler has. It's certainly a very interesting perspective seeing all those heads move around like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nOUPSitglo

 

[Ian]

It also makes you realise how pointless it was fixing the cameras to the row in front, given how the train twists so much you can hardly see the person on the right at many points, and the railings come up in front of the person on the left. Oh, and the fact that at many points it goes so dark that the riders are mere silhouettes

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Well said Ian and I completely agree. I've never really understood why any Gerstlauer Eurofighter's and now Infinity Coasters have on ride videos. It's the same case with Saw in many aspects. The roll separation of the rows is way too large to keep the riders in shot. Maybe opt for some wide angle GoPro's instead.

Also yes, dark videos in an almost always gloomy country :. Time to get silhouetted! :twirly:

 

[Alastair]

The white balance on that video is horrendous! Unless it's deliberately like that, I can't see how they could have approved the WB in that state.

 

[GaryH]

Jeeeezzzz, talk about head banging! I got a headache just watching that video!

And why the heck do some people go on rides and keep their eyes shut all the way around, bah, annoys the hell outta me! lol

 

[Enter Valhalla]

I wuld happily wait over that for the likes of Harry Potter annd the Forbidden Journey but on the hole I agree.

That said, if a park you visit less frequently is busty then you've little choice but too wait.

If I had to wait that long I would want/ need toilets in the queue as we see on Wodan!

 

[aress]

I don't mind the headbanging so much, a good coaster should throw you around a little. I just couldn't stand the smell of the restraints! They must be very porous, as it was obviously moisture, a very damp smell. On the whole, I find the ride rather smooth and comfortable, just apart from that exit from the cobra-roll near the end, I brace myself for that part!

 

[Laura]

The damp smell was better than the smell of BO at the end of last season! Urgh! I've never experienced smelly restraints before :S

 

[McKillmore]

On the subject of the queue, I read somewhere that on super busy days (we're talking about a 3 hour queue for Smiler) they used to extend the queue into the area in between the Towers and X-Sector entrance

Yup as others explained it's true. It did work quite well, but that is probably the longest I queued for anything in my life. 3 hours and 15 mins.

No ride is worth queueing for longer than an hour and a half for in my opinion...

Even an hour is pushing it in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy coasters but there has to be a reasonable waiting in queue:thrills ratio.

 

[Dave]

The damp smell was better than the smell of BO at the end of last season! Urgh! I've never experienced smelly restraints before :S

Airs and Swarms get quite wiffy too, its that soft material they use in the vests which seems similar to parts of the Smiler restraint.

 

[Stevie]

And Rita, I find those restraints the worst for the smell.