Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[SoCalCoasters]

To add fuel to the rumor mill fire....

 

the "Marmalisation" stage icon in the Smiler Gameplay videojust so happens to be a gyroscope rotating.

[RCT3Bross]

From CoasterLive official facebook page. It's the second Inverted drop of the Smiler which means they have half of the 14 inversions inverted.

Also Yesterday TowersTimes had a aerial update for the smiler whiteout the yellow boxes, and guess what? Nothing there than a barrel roll. Later I post this aerial update here when it's public. It is still rumored to have some secret element after the barrel roll that they're going to keep secret till the end.

[kadabrium]

So is this going to have the world's (only) 3rd jojo roll? Not counting Supersonic odyssey..

[AstroDan]

I am pretty certain that this is the worlds first rollercoaster with 14 inversions.

 

Which is great, because if it's confirmed to be the case, it means no gimmick! Hoorah!

 

[Randomman295]

I think my previous prediction was right: Build the Smile element, wait, then throw up the rest of the coaster ridiculously fast. The hype is working, too!

[oriolat]

Didn't Alton suggest that they would have some way to guarantee that the coaster always held the inversion record?

 

I would not rule the washing machine element out just yet...

[coasterfreak101]

So is this going to have the world's (only) 3rd jojo roll? Not counting Supersonic odyssey..

 

If you're considering a jojo roll (which is really just a made-up marketing term for Hydra...) to be a barrel roll before the first lift or launch of a coaster, then this would be the fifth I believe, after Hydra, Supersonic Odyssey, Saw, and Takabisha.

[JayTricky]

 

New update from http://www.altontowers.com/the-smiler

 

I'm liking the inverted drops.

[Gutterflower]

If Alton submitted the plans fully knowing that these inversions were going to be included* then that is actually a pretty brilliant piece of misdirection, They have managed to create a situation where we enthusiasts have been speculating about what the gimmick will be when the truth is that the very first "most inversion record" rumours were probably spot on the money. It sure drummed up a lot of speculation and hype and it cost them nothing.

 

I can't say I always agree with Merlins marketing but well played Alton, Well played indeed.

 

 

*the coaster is under a general planning application so as long as they don't change the major structures it doesn't matter about the changes to track.

[3Mutts]

The inverted drop on this looks REALLY sweet, if I make it back to the UK anytime soon I will make sure to go to Alton Towers to ride The Smiler.

 

Also hasn't The Smiler tied with the most inversions record with Jouney to the Stars (Chinese Knockoff of Colossus with a extra loop) now with the 3 added inversions (the Barrel Roll and the two inverted drops)

[jammy2by4]

^It's going to succeed Journey to the Stars, no Chinese knock-off is going to take that record. In the trailer for The Smiler game, five inversions are unveiled, the two inverted drops, the indoor heartline roll, a corkscrew and a heartline roll just before the train hits the final corner onto the brake run. One more left, which could be this camelback into inline twist(?):

[invisibleinthedark]

It may just be me, but that Marmaliser machine in the poster reminds me of robotic arms/robotic arm coaster, it may be a far fetched idea but what if the secret element is a robotic arm that is attached to a section of track?

[TPDave]

Is there enough clearance for that? I haven't had a detailed look at the pictures but I wouldn't have though you'd be able to fit an arm inside the envelope.

[RCT3Bross]

Inversions spotted in the game sneak peak, pictures, and plans:

1. Indoor heart line. (Sneak Peak, Pictures)

(Possible Secret Element?) Lift 1.

2. Inverted drop 1. (Sneak Peak, Pictures)

3. 8 shaped inversion (first half) (Sneak Peak, Plans)

4. 8 shaped inversion (second half) (Sneak Peak, Plans)

5. Bat-wing (first half) (Sneak Peak, Pictures, Plans)

6. Bat-wing (second half) (Sneak Peak, Pictures, Plans)

7. Corkscrew (Sneak Peak)

Lift 2 (Vertical)

8. Inverted drop 2. (Sneak Peak, Pictures)

9. Sea-serpent roll (first half) (Sneak Peak, Plans)

10. Sea-serpent roll (second half) (Sneak Peak, Plans)

11. Cobra roll (first half) (Sneak Peak, Pictures, Plans)

12. Cobra roll (second half) (Sneak Peak, Pictures, Plans)

13. Barrel roll. (Sneak Peak)

14. Barrel roll. (Sneak Peak)

Brakes.

Here a top view:

Blue and Yellow are the inversions.

So 14 Confirmed inversions all to happen.

[eastcoast]

What is the expected ride time? Sorry if it has been discussed elsewhere, I don't think I've come across it. 14 inversions in a small foot-print seems like it might be vomit inducing for those with a weak stomach. Stay away from this one after your run of the mill greasy amusement park food. Take this one for a ride via POV first! Haha. Give me airtime before inversions. Doesn't that go back to East Coast vs. West Coast? Well my username says it all.

[RCT3Bross]

^ It says on the Smiler site 165 seconds (2:45 Minutes) Must say for a Roller Coaster it has a decent time.

[kadabrium]

Where is the camelback inline twist thing?

[RCT3Bross]

^ I suspect it's the 13th inversions (barrel roll as I called it). Since I don't know I called it Barrel Roll.

[kadabrium]

^Since it is listed in the trailer immediately after the batwing,

probably your corkscrew no.7 is actually a twisted hill followed by that supposed barrel roll.

The long straight section before the second (vertical) lift would be pointless elsewise.

[RCT3Bross]

^Since it is listed in the trailer immediately after the batwing,

probably your corkscrew no.7 is actually a twisted hill followed by that supposed barrel roll.

The long straight section before the second (vertical) lift would be pointless elsewise.

Thought the same way but then you miss the 8 shaped inversion between the inverted drop and the Batwing. So it's difficult to say if there is a logical follow up of inversions.

[kadabrium]

^Since it is listed in the trailer immediately after the batwing,

probably your corkscrew no.7 is actually a twisted hill followed by that supposed barrel roll.

The long straight section before the second (vertical) lift would be pointless elsewise.

Thought the same way but then you miss the 8 shaped inversion between the inverted drop and the Batwing. So it's difficult to say if there is a logical follow up of inversions.

^Apparently they wrote "batwing*2"

which would probably have counted the 2 dive loops as a batwing as well.

derp

[RCT3Bross]

With all the new developments on the ride Someone was nice enough to chance his No Limit version and uploaded it on Youtube.

It misses the indoor section but we don't mind, right? Enjoy and Smile.

[XYZ]

If Smiler is getting 14 inversions, wouldn't that be a little too much? After watching that NL creation ^, I felt a little dizzy and I can see the GP getting quite dizzy from that many inversions.

[jammy2by4]

^ That means less queue time for the people who really want to ride it! It shouldn't be too much, Eejanaika flips riders upside-down 14 times as well and that seems to be a pretty busy ride.

 

I was wondering when he would upload that. Nemesis94DJW created the original versions.

 

According to TowersStreet, not much construction is going on today. I suppose there will be some construction tomorrow when half-term is over.

[RCT3Bross]

^ Eejanaika doesn't inverted 14 times the Smiler does. Eejanaika inverts around 4 times and they just counted every inversion and train flip as a inversion in the Guinness book of world records. We could say the record is gimmick. I must say it's pretty sick 14 inversions but it won't scare me away. I'm going this year specially for it and I'm quite hyped about it.