Rita
Rita is a launched roller coaster at Alton Towers in England, known for its rapid acceleration and later Dark Forest retheme.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Rita is a launched steel roller coaster located in the Dark Forest area of Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire Moorlands, England. The attraction was designed and manufactured by Intamin as an Accelerator Coaster and opened to the public on 1 April 2005. It was originally promoted under the longer name Rita: Queen of Speed and formed the centrepiece of a major redevelopment of the former UG Land area. The ride's core identity is based on speed and drag-racing imagery. From the station, its train is propelled from 0 to approximately 98.3 kilometres per hour in about 2.5 seconds. The track then follows a high-speed figure-of-eight layout containing tight turns and airtime hills before reaching a brake run alongside the station. Most of the track is red, while sections at the highest elevations were painted dark green to reduce the ride's visibility above the surrounding tree line. The original launch sequence used a motor-racing-style countdown and commentary, reinforcing the attraction's competitive, high-performance presentation. Rita opened as Alton Towers' headline new attraction for the 2005 season and was advertised with the slogan “Your best Alton Towers ride ever.” Its launch helped replace much of the former UG Land attraction mix after several older rides were removed in preparation for the project. The surrounding area was initially associated with UG Land and the Thunder Rock Rally, a themed collection that included Rita, the Corkscrew and other attractions. The ride underwent a significant thematic adjustment in 2010, when Alton Towers created the Dark Forest area in connection with the opening of Thirteen. Rita's “Queen of Speed” suffix was dropped, and its visual and audio presentation was altered to fit the darker supernatural forest setting. The entrance, queue line, station and control cabin were redecorated to suggest that the forest had overtaken the facility. The cars retained their blue and purple colour scheme and flame graphics, but received darker, weathered detailing. The launch message was also replaced with an escape-themed warning: “Keep your head back! Hold on tight! You MUST escape! Go, go, go!” Rita's published maximum capacity is approximately 1,150 riders per hour. Its launch system has experienced cable failures during testing, including incidents reported in 2005 and 2012. The 24 July 2012 failure involved an empty train during testing and caused no reported injuries; the ride reopened on 26 July 2012. These events are operational incidents rather than evidence of a wider product recall or permanent closure. As an attraction rather than a standalone corporation, Rita does not have independently reported financial statements, executives, public-market information or a separate corporate website in the supplied reference material. Its brand meaning is tied to the ride experience, Alton Towers' seasonal marketing and the continuing Dark Forest narrative. The canonical subject is the roller coaster at Alton Towers, not another product or company using the name Rita.
History
Rita was developed as the major new attraction for Alton Towers' 2005 season. In September 2004, the park removed most of the attractions from the former UG Land area, including The UG Bugs, The Bone Shaker and Lava Lump, to make room for the project. The Corkscrew and UG Swinger were among the rides left in the area during the transition. The new coaster was designed by Intamin in the Accelerator Coaster style, using a launch system rather than a traditional lift hill. The ride opened on 1 April 2005 as Rita: Queen of Speed. Its presentation focused on drag racing and rapid acceleration. A train leaves the station and reaches approximately 98.3 kilometres per hour in around 2.5 seconds, then travels through a high-speed figure-of-eight layout with turns, hills and a brake run parallel to the station. The opening formed part of a broader area concept known as UG Land and the Thunder Rock Rally. Alton Towers marketed Rita as its leading new experience for the year, using speed-oriented advertising and a racing-style pre-launch countdown. On 8 April 2005, the attraction was temporarily renamed Camilla: Queen of Speed as a publicity stunt connected with the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. The change was short-lived and did not alter the ride's underlying technology or layout. A later change in the park's thematic strategy reshaped Rita's identity. In 2010, Alton Towers introduced the Dark Forest area alongside the new Thirteen roller coaster. Rita was incorporated into this setting, and the Queen of Speed suffix was removed from its public name. The entrance, queue line, station and control cabin were redecorated to imply that a threatening forest had taken over the ride infrastructure. Its trains retained their coloured cars and flame graphics but were given darker, weathered finishes. The launch narration was replaced with an urgent escape message consistent with the Dark Forest story. The ride has also experienced launch-system incidents. A cable failure was reported during testing in 2005, and another occurred on 24 July 2012 while an empty train was being tested. No injuries were reported in the 2012 event, and Rita reopened on 26 July. The supplied references do not establish a permanent closure, a corporate ownership history separate from Alton Towers, or any independently reported financial performance. Rita is therefore best understood as the named product and attraction brand of a theme-park ride rather than as an independent company.
- 2012
Launch cable incident and reopening
[1]A cable failure during testing temporarily closed the ride; it reopened on 26 July after the incident.
- 2010
Dark Forest integration
[1]The ride was renamed Rita and rethemed to match the Dark Forest area.
- 2005
Public opening
[1]Rita: Queen of Speed opened at Alton Towers on 1 April as an Intamin Accelerator Coaster.
- 2004
UG Land cleared for a major new attraction
[1]Most of the former UG Land rides were removed in preparation for the new launched coaster.
Products and positioning
A high-speed, adrenaline-focused amusement-park attraction combining Intamin launch technology with drag-racing imagery and a later supernatural forest theme.
Launched roller coaster · 2005
Rita
An Intamin Accelerator Coaster at Alton Towers. The ride launches riders from 0 to approximately 98.3 kilometres per hour in about 2.5 seconds, then follows a high-speed figure-of-eight track with corners, airtime hills and a brake run beside the station. Its original drag-racing theme was later replaced by a Dark Forest escape narrative.
Marketing campaigns
- 2005Camilla: Queen of Speed
United Kingdom
Alton Towers temporarily changed the attraction's name to Camilla: Queen of Speed as a publicity stunt marking the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
Outcome. The temporary name was later discontinued, with the attraction returning to its Rita identity.
Brand decisions
2012
Response to launch cable failureOtherBackground
A launch cable failed during testing with an empty train on 24 July 2012.
Action taken
The ride was temporarily closed for inspection and repair following the incident.
Aftermath
No injuries were reported, and Rita reopened on 26 July 2012.
2010
Repositioning within the Dark ForestStrategyBackground
Alton Towers developed the Dark Forest area around the launch of Thirteen and needed Rita to fit the new supernatural setting.
Action taken
The park dropped the Queen of Speed suffix, redecorated the ride environment and trains, and replaced the racing-style audio with an escape-themed launch message.
Aftermath
Rita continued operating as part of the Dark Forest area with a darker narrative identity.
Recent events
- 2012
Launch cable failure temporarily closes Rita[1]
Other
A launch cable snapped during testing while attached to an empty train on 24 July. No injuries were reported, and the ride reopened two days later.
- 2010
Rita receives Dark Forest retheme[1]
Product generation
The attraction was incorporated into the new Dark Forest area, lost the Queen of Speed suffix and received revised scenery, vehicle decoration and launch audio.
- 2005
Rita opens at Alton Towers as Rita: Queen of Speed[1]
Product launch
The Intamin Accelerator Coaster opened to the public on 1 April 2005 as Alton Towers' principal new attraction for the season.
- 2005
Rita temporarily renamed Camilla: Queen of Speed[1]
Campaign
For a public-relations stunt associated with the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, the ride temporarily used the name Camilla: Queen of Speed on 8 April 2005.
Sources2 sources
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