The Smiler™

The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. It opened in 2013 as the first Infinity Coaster model from Gerstlauer and was built in the X-Sector area of the park. The Smiler features 14 inversions, which is a world record for most inversions on a roller coaster.

The ride has experienced a series of setbacks since its initial unveiling. A malfunction at a press preview event delayed the official opening date by two weeks, and in 2015, a major collision left five riders seriously injured. The incident resulted in an investigation by the UK government's Health and Safety Executive, and the ride eventually reopened the following season with revamped safety standards.

A key feature of the ride is the large, metallic spider-like structure that serves as a centrepoint for the coaster track. Called the Marmaliser, it has five legs which are responsible for manipulating riders into smiling, in accordance with the theme of the ride. It is also equipped with a wraparound screen that displays themed graphics and video. The roller coaster's track intertwines within the structure, enhancing the experience for riders.
Five trains can operate on the ride at once, leading to a theoretical capacity of 1200 riders per hour.