B15NCK wrote:

Hi there.

Forgive the stupid sounding question but I have a thing about rides that make you feel dizzy ( Waltzers, Teacups, Enterprise etc..)
I can ride coasters no problem, Nemesis, Air even spinball whizzer but anything like the teacups etc. make me feel sick.

I will be going up to the towers soon and really want to go on the Smiler but if its going to make me feel sick then it will ruin the rest of the day for me. Can anyone tell me are there any "spinny" bits or similar?

Thank you for your help!! :-)

My girlfriend is the same! Although she can't go on sonic because she is a little worse and she can't do nemesis more than once in a row! However, when she was worried about this, she came off saying it wasn't dizzy at all! And I don't think it is either so I'm sure you'll be fine

Got on the smiler today in 19 minutes Go at 15:00

SmileyMan wrote:

Got on the smiler today in 19 minutes Go at 15:00

me too twice in 35 mins  great day, longest queue was 40 mins for me

Whats the park queues and specifically the Smiler queue like on Sundays? I'm going to the park next Sunday and only get to go once a year so I don't really want to be standing in a 2 hour queue and not get to do as much as I want to eg. get on all the big coasters at the park. I don't really want to miss riding the Smiler though, and still not rode Th13teen yet so got that to try aswell.

I was thinking about the old Fast-track pass and mentioned it to the other 3 guys I'm going with but they aren't sure about it :/

Any tips?

Well as it's the school holidays and I think the big car factories have shutdown for 2 weeks I can see it been busy. When I had my annual pass I always went to places on a Sunday as guests leave earlier as the kids have school the next day and adults want to chillout before work the next day.

It's a great coaster,
But it doesn't scratch the same itch as nemesis,oblivion or Rita!

I wanted more extreme. But it's still fantastic!

As The Smiler is a Gersty, is it rough and headbanging like SAW-The Ride is at Thorpe Park? Does it matter where you sit or something because I really hope its not rough. Well, SAW-The Ride was only built in 2009 so it couldn't have aged that badly already to become as headbanging as it is. Is it the fact it is a Gerstlauer or am I getting something wrong here? 

Hari wrote:

As The Smiler is a Gersty, is it rough and headbanging like SAW-The Ride is at Thorpe Park? Does it matter where you sit or something because I really hope its not rough. Well, SAW-The Ride was only built in 2009 so it couldn't have aged that badly already to become as headbanging as it is. Is it the fact it is a Gerstlauer or am I getting something wrong here? 

Seems fairly smooth to me apart from the last few inversions which are a bit rough

Anyone know how long the queues will be this Friday, specifically for the smiler? They've been very quiet lately but its getting a bit later in the holidays and it seems that Fridays are usually busy?

Hari wrote:

As The Smiler is a Gersty, is it rough and headbanging like SAW-The Ride is at Thorpe Park? Does it matter where you sit or something because I really hope its not rough. Well, SAW-The Ride was only built in 2009 so it couldn't have aged that badly already to become as headbanging as it is. Is it the fact it is a Gerstlauer or am I getting something wrong here? 

I've found that the further back in the train you sit, the rougher the ride. Unfortunately as there's no front row queue, it's luck of the draw where you sit. But despite the roughness it is a great coaster and in my opinion worth a little discomfort.

I have not been on SAW however as far as I know The Smiler isn't quite as rough. But you're right Gerstlauer do have a reputation of making coasters which aren't as comfortable as others.

a few people on twitter this morning are saying the smiler is closed, can anyone confirm if its true and why? I had planned to use my free tickets (that I got after complaining) tomorrow

fyi ridetimes.co.uk have the flume, rapids 13 and the smiler as closed with everything else 0 minutes

It closed last night and had "technical difficulties" at about 1740, a few more trains went around until about 1800, then nothing for 10mins, then they announced it was closed, as I was leaving the queue line I passed a member of staff whose radio mentioned "the exact same bolt has gone yet again".

Anyone know why it's down again? Hoping that it's not another or the same bolt again.

First post here, but i was at the park on Sunday and whilst near smiler i noticed that the concreate support slab and track etc just inside the fence by the toilet block moves  when the train goes past, also the leg support slides up and down in the concreate support. It looks like new concreate has been put between the post and the slab. Would this cause more flex in the track. I noticed it on my first visit a couple of months ago, but it seemed to move more this time. I am wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

Stuart

I really hope its fixed by Sunday, I'm coming all the way from Aberdeen, Scotland especially to ride it. Anyone know exactly what's wrong?

MizzHanza wrote:

I really hope its fixed by Sunday, I'm coming all the way from Aberdeen, Scotland especially to ride it. Anyone know exactly what's wrong?

Not sure, a few people are saying the bolt had come off again but that can be other people reading old news. I guess we will know more when people who were on site get home.

looking on twitter though many are saying nemesis, rita, and ripsaw are shut.......or could just be down anyhow not a good day for alton towers

This image was sent to us from Facebook follower James Musson, showing people from maintenance in the queue today:

I just got back from a two day trip there and was queuing when they closed the ride, today there has been absolutely no movement with the ride the trains did have test dummies back in them though I did try and get photos so when I get a chance I shall upload them, the only thing I heard whilst waiting yesterday was a code zero which apparently is the v lift and it definitely isn't a bolt as they did try sending empty trains around the track whilst it was broken down all bolts looked fine today

Im in the queue for the oblivion and I can tell you that the smiler is...........

Closed

However I keep seeing staff taking small railings away. Who knows what thats all about

Danny wrote:

This image was sent to us from Facebook follower James Musson, showing people from maintenance in the queue today:

It must be bad, I can see a face palm there.