Schools are off this week.

High/secondary only get one week at this time of year.
Primary get 2 weeks off.

Well that's how it is in Manchester.

Also study leave, school trips etc

Just viewed a Tweet by AT saying that you can start que'ing for The Smiler at 9am, suggesting that ERT isn't needed to do this. Anyone confirm this?

RobStandley wrote:

Just viewed a Tweet by AT saying that you can start que'ing for The Smiler at 9am, suggesting that ERT isn't needed to do this. Anyone confirm this?

What they mean is you can start queuing before it opens. Much like for example if you were to queue outside the post office before it opens, you'd be stood outside and then when in opens you'd go in but you'd be at the front of the main queue inside ready to be served first.

This isn't anything radically new, you've been able to do it for a while now, I did it twice last year for rides that were due to open at 10am and I was stood waiting at 9.50.

I understand that but do you need early ride time to do so? Normally. you have to wait just past the Frog/Lily Pad's until 10am unless you have early ride time.

lewis97 wrote:

I believe you're allowed into the park, and could wait around or queue (whatever you want to call it) for a ride outside of the actual queue line. As The Smiler isn't on ERT anyone can join the queue that forms and wait until 10am, which is when everyone has access to all the rides, so long as they aren't closed, say due to valleying, for example.

That's right. Anyone can queue for any ride outside the normal queue area, only ERT holders can get into the queues though (although this doesn't seem to have been enforced well this season).

alot of people seem to think ERT is pointless now, im sure somebody posted the other day that staff on nemesis were letting anybody on, on the day that they went.

I'm a teacher - very few,  if any, schools will be off next week. My school is back in Monday after 2 weeks off. Secondary school study leave is something to consider for queue times although shouldn't have a major effect.

Looks like they have finally got rid of the horrible mud guards. Also they have now changed the wheels.

[credit alton towers guide]

Benji wrote:

Looks like they have finally got rid of the horrible mud guards.

[credit alton towers guide]

Yes, all three trains that were running today do not have them anymore. The 4th train, sitting outside on the track to the left of the brake run still has them.

So I had my 5th ride on The Smiler today, and I have to say what an improvement over Sunday! The trains are virtually silent now in comparison to how loud they were on my previous visit, and the vibrations seem to have largely ceased! I noticed a few more jolts than last time, but nothing major and might have been how I was holding my head.

Still a great ride! I shall be going back again... and again... and again!

Benji wrote:

Looks like they have finally got rid of the horrible mud guards. Also they have now changed the wheels.

[credit alton towers guide]

Ahh I thought the mud guards looked amazing

What's this? With new wheels and no "mud guard" The Smiler is running smoother and faster?! I may have to visit this weekend to investigate these claims.

Just a few pics today to make all of you lot jealous

A view from outside XS


Hypnotising the advocates


Tickling the advocates


Flashing ( ) the advocates


That's all for today we've already seen so much nothing else is really new now

However I hope you like the few pics there were

EDIT: My apologies if any have rotated/ all have rotated feel free to rotate and reupload providing you credit me of course

we was told that the fast track tickets had sold out so they do exist, people were queing up for them at one hut the lady had one left.

singhters wrote:

we was told that the fast track tickets had sold out so they do exist, people were queing up for them at one hut the lady had one left.

But not valid for the smiler, they wont be for a while.

Thankyou for the flashing pic (!) it really does show how much of a head chopper it is I didnt quite realise before

Having a very eagerly anticipated trip to AT tomorrow and gutted its been so busy all week! Does anyone think we would be better off buying fast tracks and if so which one? (sorry slightly off topic I know)

Very glad smiley seems to be smiling again - was panicking yesterday that it wouldnt be open for tomorrow!

I had a feeling those novelty wheel covers would be removed at sometime, I doubt they had any bearing on the speed of the train mind you, however I suppose every little bit helps.  They did look good mind you. 

aircanman wrote:

I had a feeling those novelty wheel covers would be removed at sometime, I doubt they had any bearing on the speed of the train mind you, however I suppose every little bit helps.  They did look good mind you.

I was wondering if maybe they were taken off for ease of access to the wheel areas for checks/tweaks etc whilst the possibility of teething problems is still looming. If that's the case then maybe the covers will be put back on once the coaster has proven it's reliability a bit more. Just a guess though.

Be warned of my essay. It will be helpful to anyone visiting soon though.

Right to answer a few questions today. Yes you can queue for the smiler without ERT. I did and I'm a nobody. In fact I was only 15 mins from the front of the queue. They don't let you into the actual queue though until its finished testing and is open. The queue starts near the X-sector sign. Runs down the back towards the chicken place and then back up on itself (cattle pen) all the way up to the towers. And then they run a smiler queue crossing across the X-sector path. They halt the flow of traffic coming in and out of X-sector and run a certain number of guests into a secondary queue that runs along the Smilers perimeter fence down to the main entrance. then into the main queue where you walk the actual queueline (which goes on forever).

Now from where I was in the queue the problem with the Smiler running extremely slow seemed to be with 2 trains. They both displayed very similar characteristics around the batwing. Specifically the second part of the batwing. Something knocks it out of them before it hits that element. My main guess is simple. The trims on that awsome air time hill. Especially when the cars are cold. Don't gene wrong they don't exactly fly through the rest of the track but you can see something is wrong after the airtime hill.

I'd like to point out that all trains seemed to run lovely by the end of the day. And I went on 3 times all together. Spaced pretty evenly apart. 11:30, 13:30 and 17:15. The last two times were 15 minute waits in the single rider queue, which might I add doesn't ever leave the main queue area so can be accessed directly from the smiler entrance (as with disabled that can walk). I will also add though that the ride smoothness took a bashing near the end today. Some really rough parts.

Little problems today. The restraints! They are to roomy. And not enough padding. I'm a big lad but I tell you what! they knocked it out of me! They grip your thighs lovely but my shoulders took the beating of their life. Like I mentioned above the ride got considerably worse through the day. (But it also ran so much faster and more fun too) so bring shoulder pads and foam for your collar bones lmao. The giggler is a pain in the rear end if you're queuing up under it. I was actually incredibly lucky today. I never queued up in the proper queue line once (well not outside I didn't). the first time i rode it me and the GF were near the front. So when they pulled the queue through once it opened I ended up directly inside lmao. 2nd and 3rd time I used single rider and the same happened with me ending up directly Inside. I didn't even get time to take photos or record some footage of it from inside the queue. But when I did walk through, the giggler got me good. And I didn't even have to stand underneath it. It looks great but that would annoy me on a cold day constantly being misted lol.

I'm not sure how many trains they were running today. But there was always a train waiting or coming around the last few inversions about to come into the station so I'd say it was at least 3. But throughput was very efficient. Minimal downtime once it opened.

Right sorry for the essay. I'll review the actual ride shortly in the appropriate topics. Hope I did alright feeding you guys the news.

@MAtt1990 , where were you sitting for the last 2 rides? You said it got worse later on and also mentioned you were near the front the first time, just wondering because a lot of people have said that the back is much worse in terms of  ride smoothness etc and was wondering if that was the case for you or not.