RubyGaga wrote:

Just think of the positives from these horrible reports!
Less people interested, means shorter queues for us

That's a plus indeed but this is the first known issues it's had since running during park opening times and so close to opening day. Just makes me worried if these teething problems will arise on Thursday.

Heisenberg96 wrote:

How unlucky that the ride breaks down the day of press release...really not good for reputation. Is it working now?

Rather awfully conveniently lucky actually.

Guys, I know this might be hard to swallow but this is screaming out to me as PR stunt. In fact, I'd bet everything I've got on it! I read one article late last night from some paper who had managed to ride it. The article was pretty dull and consisted of "so yeah, its 14 loops, pretty good eh.. loop de loop.. woop woop".

Bare in mind that the ride has already been on the news, it's been featured on Blue Peter, it's had a tone of viral campaigns and when you consider the social world we live in now that sort of thing spreads quick. So what could the press possibly write now that would grab people's attention?  Easy, you stage a break down.

Every idiot and their granny knows that Alton Towers' rides break down. It's no big deal. It doesn't stop anyone from visiting the park. So what you've got here is a great headline: "BRAND NEW £18M RIDE BREAKS DOWN" - then of course you do it on the lift hill (which conveniently can easily be evacuated) so that forms the next part - "LEAVING RIDERS DANGLING IN TERROR".

It might look like a PR disaster, but this isn't really bad at all. The press fell for it. We fell for it, and nearly every person in the country will have heard news about the Smiler today. Job done if you ask me!

PeteB wrote:

Heisenberg96 wrote:

How unlucky that the ride breaks down the day of press release...really not good for reputation. Is it working now?

Rather awfully conveniently lucky actually.

Guys, I know this might be hard to swallow but this is screaming out to me as PR stunt. In fact, I'd bet everything I've got on it! I read one article late last night from some paper who had managed to ride it. The article was pretty dull and consisted of "so yeah, its 14 loops, pretty good eh.. loop de loop.. woop woop".

Bare in mind that the ride has already been on the news, it's been featured on Blue Peter, it's had a tone of viral campaigns and when you consider the social world we live in now that sort of thing spreads quick. So what could the press possibly write now that would grab people's attention?  Easy, you stage a break down.

Every idiot and their granny knows that Alton Towers' rides break down. It's no big deal. It doesn't stop anyone from visiting the park. So what you've got here is a great headline: "BRAND NEW £18M RIDE BREAKS DOWN" - then of course you do it on the lift hill (which conveniently can easily be evacuated) so that forms the next part - "LEAVING RIDERS DANGLING IN TERROR".

It might look like a PR disaster, but this isn't really bad at all. The press fell for it. We fell for it, and nearly every person in the country will have heard news about the Smiler today. Job done if you ask me!

So like TPs Swarm?

Yes.

Add to the fact as well that you had a bunch of celebrities at the press event, it gives the papers more to write about.  Why else would celebs have been invited to a press event, they aren't press.

Mabalzich wrote:

RubyGaga wrote:

Just think of the positives from these horrible reports!
Less people interested, means shorter queues for us

That's a plus indeed but this is the first known issues it's had since running during park opening times and so close to opening day. Just makes me worried if these teething problems will arise on Thursday.

Yes, I can remember Thirteens hiccups when it opened. Me and my friends went shortly after opening, and Alton had put up signs at the entrance stating that the ride would be closed all day!
Now I REALLY hope this dosent happen to the smiler.

Hi not sure whether this has been discussed before, but on Blue Peter is this the On-Ride photo in the background?

Maseyg123 wrote:

Hi not sure whether this has been discussed before, but on Blue Peter is this the On-Ride photo in the background?

Looks like it, they also had some merch on rails and shelves too

James97 posted some nice audio which I've trimmed, this I'm guessing is either in the queue or the station. You can actually hear a girl say "oh god" when the guy says "you'll see our happy host". Wonder what they see?

You can download this audio clip by clicking... wait for it... download.

https://soundcloud.com/ig3n87/smilerqueueaudio

PS: Smile. Always. never sounded so awesome as it does in this clip.

Mabalzich wrote:

James97 posted some nice audio which I've trimmed, this I'm guessing is either in the queue or the station. You can actually hear a girl say "oh my god" when the guy says "you'll see our happy host". Wonder what they see?

You can download this audio clip by clicking... wait for it... download.

https://soundcloud.com/ig3n87/smilerqueueaudio

PS: Smile. Always. never sounded so awesome as it does in this clip.

Can't hear the girl say "OMG" anywhere?

kierannewcombe wrote:

Can't hear the girl say "OMG" anywhere?

Around 16 seconds, literally after he says host. Sounds more like she says oh god now I've played it through a few times.

Mabalzich wrote:

kierannewcombe wrote:

Can't hear the girl say "OMG" anywhere?

Around 16 seconds, literally after he says host.

]
Ahh yes can just faintly hear it! What do people think this is?

I guess this could be a clip from the potential pre show just after you enter the station building. Maybe the host is a member of staff with a big smile who leads you to the inside queuing area

LCFCjames wrote:

Maybe the host is a member of staff with a big smile.

Well yea I did recently see a picture on a smiler bus with staff having really weird makeup additions (not as good as the JLS guy), tbh it did look kinda wrong. I can't see them keeping up with this but if for the first few months ride operators wore this extended smile it would be cool.

Imagine it, your sat in the train and above you in the control room you see the ride operator looking down at you with that odd smile... creepy..

[Edit] Might this possibly be played in the press event (inside the towers) as there were staff in smiler uniforms and grins. Maybe they take them to the ride from the towers. Either way it's cool.

I reckon it could be when they were inside the towers waiting to go on the ride! What is the point in saying you can't go on the ride if your under 12 blah blah blah half way through the queue?

kierannewcombe wrote:

What is the point in saying you can't go on the ride if your under 12 half way through the queue?

It's just recommended nobody under 12 rides it, they won't stop you going on it if your adamant you want to go on it.

Who will be watching  BGT (again) in hope for a smiler ad?

bealyboy wrote:

Who will be watching  BGT (again) in hope for a smiler ad?

And somehow again this week I think we'll have a no-show, but as always I'll be watching in the hope of.. something. Anything even a blip of the logo between adverts. Enough of the journalist articles now get it on the TV.

does anyone think we will hear anymore from/about Dan and Trisha? The videos said they were looking for details/info of there whereabouts (including the last one) so do we think the story for these two is not over yet??

DoubleOh7 wrote:

does anyone think we will hear anymore from/about Dan and Trisha?

Although it's potentially a spoiler If you would possibly like to know what happens to Trisha visit the link here.

ahh yes the old leaked video - perhaps we may see something similar in the queue lines?