The Smiler: What does the future hold?

[Sku]

I think they will try and get it open before the end of the season.

Simply because when it reopens it will attract media attention, and they likely want to confine the news story to 2015 only. By getting it open again in 2015, they "end" the news cycle regarding The Smiler. Then when the park reopens in 2016 with The Smiler in the lineup, it's just business as usual, rather than an opening day marred by "Horror Rollercoaster Reopens" headlines.

Get it open this year so we can be business as usual next year.

 

[Rick]

I would suggest the scope of the design review with Gerstlauer could influence the timescale. Also the availability of rolling stock will be a factor, I'm sure.

 

[smudge]

I too can't see how they can loose much by opening it now...

1) they believe the problem to be resolved (you would think...)
2) they are confident with their safety standards
3) bad press will not affect next season (this season will already be written off/compensated by insurance.)
4) noone else can get put off coming, they are already put off if they are going to be
5) People can continue to enjoy the smiler for the popular ride it is/was/will be again.
6) Does not drag this out any longer.

I really cant see how opening it could be misconstrued as disrespectful - who cares when the girl released her 'story' - she could have done it in 3 years time, they wouldn't shut it again for that would it. The victims have been compensated, as sad as it is.

People will be talking about this for years and will be on the tip of everyone tongue when talking about AT - that just how it works - nothing will change that.

 

[Tom]

It's more a question of not gaining anything by reopening it. There are still huge PR risks of opening it, they could indeed lose a great deal by reopening it and have a guide wheel come off or a track bolt fall from the ride and it be covered by the media.

 

[Scott]

Trouble is though - no matter what happens on The Smiler from here on in, whether it's a simple ride breakdown or something like boltgate, the media will be all over it like a rash.

The regular ride breakdown articles have only just started to go away but you can be sure that whenever The Smiler reopens it will be scrutinised in great detail whether it's this year or next.

 

[Rick]

But less so 7 months from now, surely? The media moves on, there's been nothing but migrant stories on the news for the past couple of days, then, the second there was the disaster in China this morning, it soon takes second shuffle.

The news comes in a wave, it starts from nothing, quickly rises to a peak and then gradually disappears to nothing. If you wait for it to be forgotten (not completely forgotten, of course) there is less chance of things building up again, rather than making a newsworthy change as it's still in the process of disappearing.

 

[James]

The media does move on (quickly) although with big stories like this when there's some fresh content to deal with they will be all over it again.

It's unlikely to be covered as much as the crash was. But it will be covered enough to remind joe public what happened, and make some believe the park is dangerous again.

Given how many irrelevant and stupid articles we had for weeks following the crash, rides stopping because of someone being sick on the ride (reported as chaotic emergency after horror crash), this story has clearly helped news sites with 'clicks' and sales. The minute The Smiler reopens they will want to get reporting straight away so they benefit from sales and clicks.

 

[Rob]

It's clear that a story such as this sells papers. They can put a small picture on the front page and people pick up the paper to have a look at what it's about. The media will cover The Smiler's re-opening whenever it is, and I am sure that papers such as the Mirror will make out that it should not re-open.

I am sure Towers would much rather open it quiety on a random weekday rather than pre-annouce that it will re-open on March 19th 2016 when the media would no doubt come in to the park and hover around the ride all day report each and every time it breaks down.

 

[Leah]

It's more a question of not gaining anything by reopening it. There are still huge PR risks of opening it, they could indeed lose a great deal by reopening it and have a guide wheel come off or a track bolt fall from the ride and it be covered by the media.

They will gain back the people who's favourite ride is the smiler and they don't see any point going because it's closed.

If a bolt fell from Rita now though, the media would be all over it. Even if someone was killed or injured by climbing into the ride area or a pre-existing medical condition occurs whilst someone was riding any of the rides and the media would make out that it was towers fault and link it to the smiler crash.

Im hoping for it to open for FHT. It's quiet and some people don't know about it. It would make more people go, but be quiet enough for the ride to be run on a low capacity.

 

[Tom]

Immaterial. Even if 1,000 people per day came back because it reopened, it would be nothing compared the damage that has been done.

 

[AndrewH]

Immaterial. Even if 1,000 people per day came back because it reopened, it would be nothing compared the damage that has been done.

Yes but from a business perspective it would be an improvement even if it was just 100 people a day extra that is potentially £5000 a day so it is not going to bring profits back to where they normally are but it would be an improvement.

 

[Tom]

The ride does have operational costs and risks (PR in the event of a minor incident etc) associated with being open, these are likely to outweigh the ride's popularity at this stage.

 

[smudge]

But they will get that anyway, wouldn't it be beneficial to keep it in this season while they are already being compensated for loss of income?

 

[Alec]

Can't someone make a poll? To see what the people want, for it to reopen or remained closed.

I know the Mirror had one a few days after the incident but that one was easily rigged & with it being the Mirror, it most definietly set it up in favour of the ride staying permanetly closed.

I only ask as it would be interesting to see what most actually want. Reading through the forums & seeing park figures I'm getting mixed signals, could also help to push Towers into making a decision quicker (highly unlikely given the sercumstances)

 

[UserDeleted]

Trouble is though - no matter what happens on The Smiler from here on in, whether it's a simple ride breakdown or something like boltgate, the media will be all over it like a rash.

The regular ride breakdown articles have only just started to go away but you can be sure that whenever The Smiler reopens it will be scrutinised in great detail whether it's this year or next.

Just referencing "bolt gate" what actually happened with this? As all the info I could find at the time was what newspapers were saying. Do you have a link to pics?

Immaterial. Even if 1,000 people per day came back because it reopened, it would be nothing compared the damage that has been done.

Completely agree with you. Just because people who have no idea of business think it would b a great idea to open it now (purely for selfish reasons) doesn't make it so. Even if it boosted initial park takings by £20,000 a day for the rest of the season.... This has an impact on towers forever.

The time frame is everything....

 

[bluesonichd]

when the black hole crashed not long after opening and the kids ended up in hospital. Towers only closed the ride for a short time, about a week I think before opeining again.
That never had a detrimntal effect on park, people were queing to get back on it when it opened.
maybe that area of park has just got bad karma

 

[UserDeleted]

when the black hole crashed not long after opening and the kids ended up in hospital. Towers only closed the ride for a short time, about a week I think before opeining again.
That never had a detrimntal effect on park, people were queing to get back on it when it opened.
maybe that area of park has just got bad karma

Yes but wasn't this was the 80's.

- Health and safety has improved a lot since the 80's, not just at theme parks but all aspects.

- Social media and media coverage of the smiler was much bigger.

- Alton Towers has a bigger and better reputation now than it did then. Much more to loose.

 

[Leah]

The smiler will never be as popular, but the reason i want the smiler open is not for (purely) selfish reasons. They have noting to lose and lots to gain by opening. As a map holder, i often forget that £50 is a lot to get in, and if i was willing to spend the whole day in the smiler queue and do only that ride, i wouldn't spend £50 to get in if the one and only ride i wanted to experience was not open. Looking on towers Facebook, many people feel this, and many are holding off until it opens. These people will make 1000s for towers a day, yet they are at home. If it was open though, they would be there. It was a terrible accident, but leaving it closed isn't going to heal their injuries.

 

[bluesonichd]

Yes but wasn't this was the 80's.

- Health and safety has improved a lot since the 80's, not just at theme parks but all aspects.

- Social media and media coverage of the smiler was much bigger.

- Alton Towers has a bigger and better reputation now than it did then. Much more to loose.

true, true, Health and Safety have gone mad.
Oh the good old days when you could run around, fall over scrape your knees and there were no signs telling you not to do it or you will get hurt.
Jumpers for goal posts and all that

 

[UserDeleted]

The smiler will never be as popular, but the reason i want the smiler open is not for (purely) selfish reasons. They have noting to lose and lots to gain by opening. As a map holder, i often forget that £50 is a lot to get in, and if i was willing to spend the whole day in the smiler queue and do only that ride, i wouldn't spend £50 to get in if the one and only ride i wanted to experience was not open. Looking on towers Facebook, many people feel this, and many are holding off until it opens. These people will make 1000s for towers a day, yet they are at home. If it was open though, they would be there. It was a terrible accident, but leaving it closed isn't going to heal their injuries.

I don't wanna sound patronising, but you're only 15. I have run a business for over 10 years. And playing the waiting game is the best thing Alton can be doing right now.

Let's just say opening now: for every 5 people that it encourages it discourages 5 people (this may tarnish Alton's rep for the 5 people that don't come and may never come back)

Opening after a longer period of time will still encourage the original 5, but also may entice a few of the other 5 to come back. It's just how it works.

And when we are talking about the "5" as in 1000's it adds up.