The Smiler: time to turn the music off

[John]

If I were Merlin I would not want guests dressed up in a manner where other guests could forgivably confuse them for staff (be it ride staff or actors). A while back they sold off some of their own uniform which just seems like asking for trouble to me.

On topic - Smiler audio is way too loud, both at the entrance to XS and in the section of queue after the vending machines. Whatever they do though, the queue experience will always be dreadful - the lack of movement would make it miserable even if there were no other aggravating factors.

 

[Sam]

I actually like the smiler soundtrack and sometimes even listen to it in my spare time haha. The queue I do agree is awful though, very overstimulating.

‘Everybody hates it’. Not true, me and my son both love it…and I also love the twisty turns cattlepen followed by the batty indoor queue and lighting system. Should be left exactly how it is. LOVE it!

I would tactfully suggest that people on this forum who like the music are not representative of the public at large, who I reckon almost universally hate it.

 

[BSwiss]

Yeah, time to turn it down a few notches, in my eyes.

 

[George W]

My issue with the cosplayers is the fact a lot of them are so close to the staff outfits it can be difficult to distinguish. It’s the reason Disney bans it outside specific events.
Edit: I didn't see that @John had already addressed this above.

Anyway. Off topic. Music bad, please turn down.

They obviously don't threat too much about this stuff as this is the park that was flogging old staff uniform and reports of them not even making sure the pockets were empty before selling them on their website.

In terms of the smiler soundtrack I think imascore did a great job of matching the theme and all the lore behind the ride they certainly get the memo with these things and I quite like it although I do wish there was a tad bit less of the ha ha ha.
The smiler queue is atrocious but as a coaster nerd I do love watching trains constantly flying over my head in the queue line especially since this is the most compact coaster on earth there's just track everywhere you look.

 

[Blackhole_Sun]

Considering the themes we’ve had for Nemesis, Wickerman, Curse and Toxicator I would be fully for getting rid of the horrible thing once and for all. Especially as they blast you with it as you walk into X sector.

 

[Ted]

I think it's time to turn the whole ride off, not just the music.

Do Furuvik still have Black Hole lying about?

 

[Tom]

Worst soundtrack the park have ever produced/commissioned for me. Volume just makes it worse. Certainly distinctive though.

 

[Burbs]

May I just remind everyone about our community expectation of being respectful to other members please. I’m aware of a couple of posts in this thread which don’t quite meet this, but as they have been responded to and discussion has progressed, I will leave all posts as they are.

Please all be mindful of contributing well to discussion going forwards and not taking gibes at one another.

Thanks.

 

[Matt N]

I actually really like the Smiler soundtrack, but admit that the volume could be a bit lower in the queue, as they do play it quite loudly in sections. With that said, I do like how The Smiler breathes life into X-Sector and makes it feel a bit more animated, as I think the area felt a bit lifeless before (and did when The Smiler was closed in 2015). The ride and the music breathe real energy into the area that it lacked before, I think!

I like the concept of the Smiler queue, and I think it’s really cool how the ride whizzes so close overhead (I enjoy watching it!), but I think the execution with the cages falls short somewhat and feels a bit oppressive. Maybe it would be better if they had the queue working around the outside of the pit rather than through it? I don’t hate it as much as some, though, and I think Alton has less interesting queues.

The thing that irritates me most about the Smiler queue is probably that awful strobe in the indoor section… that bit always makes me grit my teeth, and the strobe seemingly serves no purpose other than to be irritating!

 

[Alphe86]

I actually like the music lol. The speakers do need turning down in some places though.

 

[Sam]

Thinking about it, I'd actually go further than my original post.

The Smiler's probably the only ride in the world where I would actively champion removing most of the theming. The screens, the smiley faces – just get rid. It's all horrible and makes you feel frazzled and anxious. Paint the concrete sky blue, and find a way to get as much greenery in that pit as possible. Rewild The Smiler.

 

[rob666]

Twenty decent drilled holes, twenty different climbers in the fencing, the queue would look amazing after a few years...and it would probably sort the big puddles out too.

Get on with it!

 

[Martin]

Completely agree but strangely I think it's partly why it's so popular. The sheer 'lairyness' of the overall ride area draws people in like moths to a flame.

It could well be the worst queueing experience in the world. I'll only ride it if it's less than 10 minutes.

I definitely think the appeal is how over the top obnoxious it is. Something something TikTok generation something something old man yells at cloud.

I think on some level it also just shows their own lack of confidence in the ride, almost as if they don't want you to be able to hear yourself think in case you start thinking "hang on, they really couldn't be arsed here could they"

 

[Smiley]

I love the music and the theming. Can't help but think if it's marmalising people it's doing a great job. If you must replace it, I think this would be even better

 

[DistortAMG]

I don't mind the queue or the music to be honest. Everyone will have different opinions but for me it's OK..

 

[Dave]

The music fits the “theme” which if it had been implemented correctly would have been an intriguing theme. Yes it makes people unnerved and anxious but that was the point and a 14 inversion coaster doesn’t have to pander to the nervous disposition.

That said I have never liked the music playing at the entrance to X-Sector, the Smiler is only 1 ride in the area (though to be fair that is 50% of the rides at the moment), so confining the music to the ride area would be a benefit.

 

[Steve74]

The music fits the “theme” which if it had been implemented correctly would have been an intriguing theme. Yes it makes people unnerved and anxious but that was the point and a 14 inversion coaster doesn’t have to pander to the nervous disposition.

That said I have never liked the music playing at the entrance to X-Sector, the Smiler is only 1 ride in the area (though to be fair that is 50% of the rides at the moment), so confining the music to the ride area would be a benefit.

I know it's slightly different because the music is more palatable, but Forbidden Valley's music was and still is Nemesis's theme. Dark Forest's is also Thirteen's too.

 

[Dave]

I know it's slightly different because the music is more palatable, but Forbidden Valley's music was and still is Nemesis's theme. Dark Forest's is also Thirteen's too.

The entrance to Valley is now slightly different to the rides area music (FV didn’t really have area music when Nemesis opened).

The issue with Smiler is although its theme links with X-Sector (at least it would have if they had actually had the money to see the original plan through), it’s not the vibe of the entire area.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

I wonder whether we’ll ever see a soft-retheme of The Smiler at some point when it inevitably needs a refurb.

If Forbidden Valley is the new X-Sector, then X-Sector needs to do something different to stand out. Keep the core identity of X-Sector being a government facility conducting experiments but every ride has it’s own philosophy, with The Smiler’s being themed around hedonism and conceptually similar to Huxley’s Brave New World. Whereas Oblivion would themed around nihilism and existentialism. Add another two flats each with their own philosophy to match their brand too.

Have the area be more cohesive with theming points and motifs consistent throughout. These rides had some of the most conceptually interesting themes in the world when they opened and there’s no reason why they couldn’t be again!

 

[Mick]

The Forbidden Valley is X-Sector gets discussed a lot so I won’t get too into it, but I think in its simplest terms they are still different in that FV is a military base and X-S is human experimentation. That said, it’s difficult for any area with only two rides to feel particularly themed (same as Dark Forest), so if there’s a time to refresh/retheme it’ll be soon you’d think.

That said, I like The Smiler as it is, it’s pretty unique amongst coaster experiences - which may be because of the very reasons that make people dislike it!