Big Dipper vs The Smiler

Vintage is the reversed stat — the older ride wins. Every number here is the same one printed on the card; see /methodology for how Build Cost and Throughput are sourced.

The verdict

The Smiler takes it 5–1, and the 1 Big Dipper does win is the whole of its case.

Big Dipper is a wooden Classic wooden out-and-back coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, GB, built by William H. Strickler & John A. Miller (extended 1936 by Charlie Paige & Joe Emberton). The Smiler is a steel Infinity Coaster coaster at Alton Towers, GB, built by Gerstlauer.

Both are in GB, which puts them in the same conversation for anyone planning a trip there.

Stat by stat

• Height goes to The Smiler at 98 ft against 65 ft — a long way clear.
• Speed goes to The Smiler at 53 mph against 40 mph — well clear.
• The Smiler inverts 14 times against nothing at all from Big Dipper — the widest kind of gap there is on this stat.
• Throughput goes to The Smiler at 1,050 rph against 900 rph — well clear.
• Build Cost goes to The Smiler at 28.1 $m against 0.1 $m — in another class entirely.
• Big Dipper predates The Smiler by 90 years — 1923 against 2013 — and on the one stat where old beats new, that is decisive.