72-Year-Old Grandmother Will Test All Roller Coasters, Beloved Theme Park Confirms

A popular theme park has designated a 72-year-old grandmother as its chief roller coaster tester.

Some people visit theme parks for the characters, some are there for the food, but if you’re an adrenaline junkie, you know that your first (and last) stop of any trip is going to be the tallest, fastest roller coaster on property. Fortunately, the world is packed with high-speed, record-breaking thrill rides – and it feels like more are being announced every single day.

A striking image of a roller coaster set against a dramatic sunset sky in a bustling theme park. The intricate loops and steep drops of the coaster are highlighted by the warm colors of the setting sun and a background of scattered clouds, creating a thrilling and picturesque scene. — Credit: Thorpe Park

Roller Coaster News in 2024

Some of the most impressive additions in the pipeline over the next few years include Falcon Flight at the upcoming Six Flags Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia (the first Six Flags theme park outside North America).

This Intamin-designed ride will be the tallest, fastest, and longest coaster in the world, reaching speeds of up to 251 km/h (156 mph) and heights of 200 meters (656 feet). Spanning four kilometers (2.5 miles), the coaster will feature a 160-meter (525-foot) vertical cliff dive and a weightless airtime hill.

Meanwhile, in May, Cedar Point debuted Top Thrill 2 – a reimagined version of the iconic Top Thrill Dragster. This new iteration retains the original ride’s top speed of 120 mph but offers a new experience featuring three launches, sending riders forward and backward, and extends the ride time from 30 seconds to approximately two minutes.

While the attraction only lasted just under a week before Cedar Point announced an “extended closure” to modify its trains, it received a positive reaction during its short lifespan (and surely will again when it reopens, whenever that day may come).

A group of people is ascending the tall, vertical roller coaster track of Top Thrill 2 with red and white sections at Cedar Point. A blue structure with a waving red flag is in the foreground, and the sky is clear and blue. — Credit: Cedar Point

Unfortunately, downtime has been a common trend in the roller coaster world this year. As Top Thrill 2 closed in the U.S., Hyperia – a new hypercoaster that holds the title of the UK’s tallest and fastest roller, with top heights of 236 feet and speeds of over 80 mph – opened (and closed, repeatedly) at Thorpe Park.

The same thing has happened at Alton Towers (Thorpe Park’s sister park in Staffordshire, owned by Merlin Entertainments). The park reopened its beloved Nemesis roller coaster earlier this year under a new name, Nemesis Reborn, having re-tracked the entire attraction. While it hasn’t faced the same extended closures as Hyperia, the coaster has become infamous for downtime since reopening in March.

Alton Towers Announces a New “Chief Thrillseeker”

Its latest coaster may not have had the smoothest time since reopening, but that’s stopping Alton Towers from plowing ahead with new thrill projects. In fact, according to Indy100, the park just announced its first-ever “Chief Thrillseeker” – AKA the person responsible for testing and assessing the adrenaline factor of each new addition.

The Smiler roller coaster track — Credit: Alton Towers

The Chief Thrillseeker in question happens to be 72-year-old Jackie Smith. A grandmother of four, Smith is no stranger to adrenaline, having been the first woman to join the Parachute Regiment, the Red Devils, in 1971.

After convincing her commanding officer to let her try parachuting (which was forbidden for women at the time because, as Smith puts it, “they were worried they would flash their knickers on the way down”), she completed over 5,000 parachute jumps during her career.

In other words, she’s a lifelong thrill seeker. Bravo, Jackie.

72 year old gran of 4, Jackie Smith, has been appointed as our first ever Chief Thrillseeker! 🎢 🙌👵

72 year old gran of 4, Jackie Smith, has been appointed as our first ever Chief Thrillseeker! 🎢 🙌👵 pic.twitter.com/DgdEx4fkkU

— Alton Towers Resort (@altontowers) July 19, 2024

During her 12-month stint at the park, she will be tasked with attending the theme park’s biannual Thrillseeker Summit and testing rides, starting with Nemesis Reborn. Did someone say dream job?

“It’s my absolute honor to be appointed Alton Towers’ first chief thrillseeker,” Smith said. “Alton Towers sets the bar worldwide for thrill-seekers and I can’t wait to bring my expertise from a lifetime of adventure to help ensure they continue to set new standards. My first time on the iconic Nemesis Reborn definitely met my high standards for thrills – it felt like my first jump all over again.”

Workers guard the new Nemesis track — Credit: Alton Towers

Bianca Sammut, divisional director at Alton Towers Resort, also shared a comment stressing how “excited” she was to welcome “a true female trailblazer” to the theme park.

We’re so excited to welcome the inspirational Jackie to our team. Her seven decades of thrills expertise is sure to elevate our attractions at Alton Towers. Alton Towers is the beating heart of UK thrill-seeking, offering fantastic attractions for all ages, from kids to grandparents.

Jackie, a true female trailblazer, shows that you’re never too old for thrills. As part of our summer of fun, we’re making it even easier to enjoy a thrilling day out with great offers for all members of the family.

This isn’t the first time a theme park has offered a highly-publicized “ride tester” role. In 2020, UK travel agency Ocean Live launched a global search for a theme park tester to visit Central Florida’s theme parks, such as Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, and experience all the attractions firsthand.

What would be your dream theme park job?