The Smiler
Having been on The Smiler by day, I thought it would be a similar experience by night- but how wrong I was!
The park has a very different atmosphere by night. I’m not sure whether it was the dark, the Halloween time frame or the idea of going on my first rollercoaster by night, but it certainly got my heart racing! Walking up to the looming structure in the dark is quite daunting as the large screen TV in the centre of The Marlamilser casts an eerie yellow glow over the entire ride and the silly, yet maniacal music plays in the background as you queue for the ride.
Despite knowing each and every turn of the rollercoaster, I still felt uneasy about going back on.
The staff were all on song as we were guided up to the loading bays by a slightly unhinged man in overalls whose mouth was wedged open in a wide smile and kept laughing at us at every turn. Those who were operating the ride were no different and caused a few frights just when we thought they had dropped their act. It certainly made you believe that your life was in the hands of raging psychopaths!
After the first 180 degree drop to the left and the inversion, the train comes to a stop and ascends the first hill lift. This allows you to have views of the towers by night, and take in the sheer magnitude of the entire park. Just as you begin to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings you are thrust into the first seven loops.
The slight chill in the air as you ascend the vertical uplift reminds you of just how high you are and as the remaining seven loops ensue, the psychological effects of The Marmaliser are exaggerated as the dark masks their whereabouts. The spritz of laughing gas and flashing lights are all the more pronounced and disorientating.
Overall, if you are going to go on The Smiler, do it by night. If you insist on doing it in the day make sure you repeat the experience at night to compare. There is nothing quite like being whipped around 30 feet high in the autumn air at 85km speeds!
Tagged in Halloween Alton Towers