After the three operators release the train, it rolls forward slightly until it is attached to the catapult. The train is then pushed back a few inches by the action of the catapult attaching, then there is a pause of a few seconds (but it seems like a lot longer) before the train is launched out of the station.

The force pushes you right back into your seat, it is hard to breathe in this period. In no time at all you are passing the Ug Swinger ride and are rapidly climbing the first hill, the noise caused by the rush of the air past your head when you are climbing is tremendous, after that you go into the two spirals and hills.
The rides main brakes are on the final hill and slow the train down to a crawl before entering the offload area after the final bend. Rita - Queen of Speed is a better ride then it looks from the ground or from any of the videos posted. It is short, but makes up for this by keeping up its speed for almost the entire track.

I must say that Rita has blown me away. Perhaps the best installation since Nemesis, Rita is everything a coaster should be about.

It builds to the launch perfectly with the engine noises and the 'Go Go Go!' and the launch itself is fantastic - just like a horizontal version of Oblivion. And with the speed of the ride remaining constantly fast, Rita's short but relentless ride gives an experience which in terms of thrill levels is halfway between Nemesis and Air. The G-Force on the corners is great and the airtime on the hills is superb, the restrainers allowing lots of room for that out-of-the-seat experience.
It's a thrilling ride, an exciting ride and above all, a fun ride.

The only thing I can possibly fault it on is that the image being portrayed by it's logo and what is being conveyed by it's publicity doesn't seem to have much of a link to the ride that's just opened in Ugland.

Rita the image seems to be that of a Goddess of Speed, a kind of powerful, Xena-esque, ethereal woman.

Rita the ride has a Flintstones-esque feel of a 'modern' racetrack in a stone-age land.

But who cares? Alton Towers have opened one of their best rides in a long time.

Ride Rita and feel a man!

What can i say...

AMAZING!

if you dont get to ride Rita this year you will miss one of the most spectaular rides to hit Alton Towers.

You start off queuing then when you reach the final stage of the main queue, you are stopped just before you go underneath the track where the launch section is. You then queue up along side the launch track watching other guests riding Rita. Then before you know it, it's your turn. You climb the few steps to the station platform and are batched in a group of 18 (the final 2 seats are for front row only which has a seprate queueline). Then after waiting for the people infront to be launched from teh station you are dispatched into bays ready to board the cars. You are placed in rows of 2 seats. The over head restraints are securely fastened and you head the countdown, then Go... Go... GO! and you are launched at such a G Force that before you know it, your onride picture has been taken and you are climbing the first hill. You then swoop down by Corkscrew's station area and then being thrusted up to the second and most impressive "Airtime" hill. You then are swung again by the first corner of track you have been launched along to then recive another and 3rd hill which isnt as strong in airtime as the 2nd one but is still good. Then onto the final bunnyhop section to the break run then the slow decent into the disembarkation platform.

Rita: Queen of speed, ok the adverts maybe a bit lame but the ride is impressive!

Rita- Queen of Speed

Before the ride:
The year is 1994 and Alton Towers has just opened Nemesis, one of the most ground breaking rides of the time- literally. They then stayed a bit quieter over the next few years, just installing the likes of Ripsaw until once more in 1998 they opened the world’s first (almost) vertical drop rollercoaster- Oblivion. Once more 4 years later they opened the world’s first flying coaster (at this point in time we’re pretending Stealth was never built) Air. So then it comes to 2004 and all the Alton Fan-boys are
Shocked to hear that yet another ground breaking coaster is coming- but only three years after Air. It was announced as a launched coaster with an acceleration of 0-100 in 2.5 seconds, which really got the Alton Fan-boys excited, until they realised it was 0-100 km/h, which is just over 60mph.
So September comes and Ug-Land is closed to make way for this new coaster, which was being advertised as being called Rita- Queen of Speed on park posters. This worried the Fan-boys, had their precious Towers really made a ride with a girl’s name? Yes, in a word. So construction came and went and themeing was added, a very original racing theme, so unlike all the other rockets its unbelievable…… *cough*. Although to be fair to Alton, they have merged the themeing with the Stone Age surroundings very well, although most other enthusiasts will have a hissy fit for me saying that.

Entering the Ride:
Coming up in front of the Towers heading to Ug Land, you can barely even notice Rita at all. In fact it wouldn’t take a lot of convincing before you think you have the wrong park. Advertising in the park itself is very low key, with just a tiny sign on the map being all I noticed. For most people their first glimpse of Rita will be either from the side of it, coming from Hex, or from directly above, whilst on the sky ride. For maximum impact I would suggest you take the Sky Ride, the way the ride is revealed to you from above has a lot of visual impact on a first time rider.
Once you are in the area, it is impossible not to be in awe of Rita’s speed. The launch takes place above a busy path, and the rest of the ride sweeps over Ug Land and the queue. While you work your way to the queue you can’t miss some of the ways that they’ve tried to make it fit in with the rest of Ug Land, the brightly coloured hydraulics shed has a Stone Age pattern on it, as well as the normal black-and-white racing strip pattern. The queue entrance is a large half tire with the word “Rita” across the top, shaped to look like a woman.
You enter the queue and are just hit by a huge maze of queues, wood poles surround you and people are everywhere, packed into cattle pens. There is really no way of knowing which way the queue winds round itself, so anyone who wants a good vantage point may not know until that time comes. The queue is OK; it moves quite well and has an opportunity for anyone with a sweet tooth to buy an ice cream. The ride’s first hill leers over most of the queue, and that can really drum up the anticipation for any first time riders. After surviving the horrible cattle pens (which are the reason some people have lovingly nicknamed the area Queue Land) you follow the queue across the front of corkscrew, giving some great views of the ancient bone crusher. The queue then enters its final moments, and my personal favourite moments. The queue snakes its way under the launch track, so close that if you jumped up you could touch it. You pass some signs which say- “Please deposit gum here” but actually have no bins under, so they’re covered in people’s gum. You follow the queue to a point where you can queue for the front, but for those who want to experience the best seat in the house, the back, you just follow the queue across the length of the station, and then up some final stairs until you reach the station floor. You and 17 others (the front 2 will have already taken their spot) enter the station and get to choose whichever of the remaining 9 rows you please. You can then turn your head to the right and view your now empty train coming down from the unloading station, ready for you to board.

The Ride:
If you’re sitting in the farther of the two seats, you’ll have to attempt a feat of contortion to reach your spot, but you will get the better photo. The restraints are then lowered. I have heard a lot of negativity about the restraints on Rita, but I personally think they are among the best OTSRs around. They consist of a rather cosy bar that fits snugly around the waist, and two rather flimsy bars that move when you lean onto them. The bars are more often then not above you and barely ever touch your shoulder or mid-drift. The belt is clipped into its home and the thumbs up sign is given. You’re ready to go. The sounds change to a countdown and the train rolls forwards a little. A man yells- “The lights are on”, the train rolls back a bit and the fear starts to drum itself up in the pit of your stomach. “We’re counting down”. A lump forms in your throat and you suddenly want to get off. “Get those engines ready”, followed by revving sounds. Hands clasp the bars and start to turn sweaty. The copper fins drop down either side of the track and you know there is no time left. This is it. Then the voice speaks one last time. “GO, GO, GO!!!” The launch is breathtaking. The train is thrown out of the station with immense power; the whole world instantly becomes a blur. Hands are now firmly placed on the bar and you can’t help but be in awe. You can barely move the g-force is so strong. Your eyes begin to water and your heart feels like it’s going to explode. The camera flashes on the right but you don’t notice it; you’re going too fast, your head is too focused on other things.
Before you can get to terms with what just happened the car severely banks and hits the fast of the large sweeping turns. The g-force pins you down and you can’t move as you navigate your way through what I think is the most intense corner around. The world is a blur of colour, people are below but you don’t notice them and before you know it you are whipped skywards in an awe inspiring hill. It feels as if the whole world has flipped over, the whole hill is a mess of awesome banking. The airtime at the top is among the best I’ve ever felt and it leads right into another amazing turn. You fly over the queue, corkscrew’s station and corkscrew’s on-ride photo booth. The g-force is once again huge and if your legs aren’t jelly now, they never will be. Once more you hit an airtime hill; once more you are literally ripped out of the seat and sent into the restraint. What follows next is very similar to the first corner, once more you are lost, disorientated and once more the g-force is there by the bucket load. Another, yet smaller, hill follows once more ripping you skyward from the airtime. Then another massively airtime filled hill into the brakes and you’re done. The brakes are fast and effective, smooth and quick. The buzz is huge; you want nothing more then to ride again and again. A rather slow banked curve takes you gracefully into the unloading station and you’re free to leave.

The Aftermath:
I’ve only been on Rita 4 times, but I have yet to see a single person come off it less then impressed. My Dad, who spent his whole ride on Nemesis bored stiff, demanded that the next time we went together we go on it, despite how long the queue may be. The thoughts of how awesome it is stayed with me for a week before I could get over how good it was. You are left shaking, hungry for more, which is why I think that if it was longer it would lose some of its charm, the fact you crave another go so much is why I think it’s brilliant. It’s my number one coaster after all.

Summary:
Very fast launch and g filled ride through out, with great speed.

Good Points:
1. Launch is incredible
2. Good enough theme
3. Never loses much speed
4. Huge airtime and positive g-force

Bad Points:
1. Some find it rough
2. Some find restraints bad

Overall score: 10/10.

You said nothing could top Nemesis, you said not even Oblivion or Air, but what you hadn’t seen coming, was Rita….

Approaching UG land home of Thunder Rock Rally, your nerves tingle, you can feel the aura of something fast, something big, something sexy! You turn and face the person walking beside you; there is a terrified look upon their face. There is a moment of silence, then the silence is broken. And from the distance you can hear the quiet echo of Thunder Rock Ralley Radio. You mind is in too much of a blur to think, you try to prepare yourself for what lies ahead, nothing can prepare you, nothing at all! Your heart beats violently, the person next to you is now shaking, sweating and breathing heavily, dare you ride Rita?

You look up and see a sign welcoming you to UG Land, home of Rita, by this time you are a nervous wreck, but a welcoming atmosphere of people laughing and singing along to Bon Jovi soon numbs the panic. You take your 1st step into UG land, you look to your right, and there she is, Rita - Queen Of Speed, could she be your best ride ever?

By the time you walk through Rita’s arching tire entrance you are quite calm, your nerves being to tingle again, but this time with excitement! Walking up the stairs to Rita’s launch pad, your heart starts beating again, pounding, you begin to sweat, shake, you mind is once again a blur, you talk your seat…

Rita’s smooth, sexy restraints comfortably lie on your lap and arch over your shoulders, you fasten tight, and get ready! Just as you question what you are about to do there is a large ‘clunk’ sound, and a mans voice ripples through you, ‘are you ready the final count down, keep you heads back and hold on tight, the tension is mounting’, the sound of a car’s engine rips through you, a large cloud of smoke builds up around you, then, ‘GO GO GO’!

You blast off at 100kmh, but it feels like you have just hit the speed of sound, a sudden feeling comes over you, like you on a natural high, you raise you arms in the air and scream! Rita’s cool, sexy car then blasts you around the 1st bend, this is a tight one, you arms are forced to lower, by this time adrenalin is pumping through your body faster than you dare to dream! The car then rockets up a large hill, at the top you feel as if you are floating, you take a split second to admire the legendary Corkscrew, before you are hurtled to the ground again. You make a tight swooping turn, back over another hill, she doesn’t slow down, she shows NO mercy! Rita then takes the final turn and towards the station…

The breaks are sharp, you lift out of your seat and crash back down again, you hair is pinned back, and your face is tingling, you look to the person next to you, and what you see is the biggest grin you have even seen, they then ask ‘want to ride her again?’ you say YES!

Rita – Queen Of Speed, my best ride ever?? YES, 100%!!

I went for my first visit of Alton Towers in a few years so i was really excited. I had been fearing going on Rita and Oblivion for weeks and that's how i came around TTF, by looking for information. So we got to park on Oct 28th (i think it was) and headed straight for Rita - Queen Of Speed. The queue had not yet been allowed to go in yet so we were just standing in a queue for around 15 minutes. Then they let the queue officially queue up. After 10 minutes they said that Rita was not operating properly and didn't know how it would be until it was ok to open. Then they were testing it and i thought, 'Hey, this don't look that scary, looks really fun!'. So it opened and the queue started to move forward. When we got to the station were cracking up watching the people faces when they launch. So then it came to our turn.

I sat down, pulled the OHR down and buckled my seatbelt (i think there's one). Nerves struck me again. A red light came on, followed quickly by the others. We were sitting there for what seemed like ages, but it was only a few seconds. Then i saw 5 bold green lights come on from red. WHOOSH! I was pinned back and had no regard for anything around me. Gradually i felt the Gs grow stronger and before i knew it, i was on the first bend.

Unfortunately, i wasn't prepared and bashed my head on the site. On that bend i started screaming like a little girl and put my hands up in the air. Up the first hill and to swoop down into a terrific U-turn feeling some strong Gs. Up the second hill picked up some airtime and down again onto the last helix bend for climbing up onto the brake run. Because you are still travelling quite fast, the brake run throws you forward hurting your neck and shoulders. Still travelling at probably around 10mph, you go round the last bend to finish the terrific new launch coaster.

Got off and bought an on-ride photo. So Rita - Queen of Speed, your best Alton Towers ride ever? It wasn't my best Alton Towers ride but was definately one of my favourite coasters. If you are scared of riding Rita like i was, don't be, you'll love it!

Rita - Queen of Speed is a diamond in the rough. never underestimate the immense state of girl power she holds.

When I first queued for Rita, sure I was excited, but I had experience what I thought was so much more. Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm. To me Rita would be a nice tame succesor to my ride on the original Intamin accelerator.

I was wrong.

Drawing near to the ride on the Sky Ride, my friend yelled out "There's Rita" and sure enough her beautiful red track was just viewable through the trees. We ran to the end of the Cable car and stuck our faces upon the glass. "Wow" was the only thing I could thing. She was so much bigger in the real life. Then I saw the lights turn from green to red, but it appeared that she near enough dribbled out of the station, which was a downer. Perhaps she really couldn't come close to Xcelerators 80 mph launch. Even though, I soon saw myslelf sprinting reclessley sprinting down her launch strench to the tire entrance, at which part my friend dropped out. I payed little attention to his cowardice, and continued to wind around the queue, which went alot quicker than expected with the newly found buzzing and vibrate atmosphere Ug-Land now had. Soon enough I was in the front row queue, and could hear here "Go, go, go" as she drove screaming riders away. Still no big, I was expecting her to be good, not great. Bording, I realised she was ever bigger than I expected. Forcing the stiff restraints down, I was brave that the ride would not be overtly amazing. She lunched forward and I heard for the final time the "Go, go."

Then, it felt like someone wrenched my stomach. My heart. Yeck, my soul (!) from my physical body. It felt like half of me was still in the station and half of my down the launch track. The first few nano-seconds were a hazzy blur, but then I recovered my vision and honestly screamed like a never had before. When I finally retreaved my breathe, the only thing I could say - was "Sh**!". Zooming around the track, swtiching from positive to negative G's "sh**, sh**, sh**!". A final lurch over the hill and into the break section, my whole body was quite literally buzzing. It was like I'd had a shower of exhileration (Bad metaphor, I know). But to the point, I think I'm inclined to say Ritas launch was good if not better than one to 80 mph. The twist and turns, and the differencial G's lead to an absolutley awsome ride.

You may love her, you may think she is average, but there is no doubt she is the most thriling ride in the park, and one of the most thrilling rides I have ever ridden. Rita - rocks! She carries with her a great vibrant atmosphere and still, after all of this the one word to best describe her is:

Wow!

Well, as you wait in the queue for Rita you see others riding it. It's looks very slow watching it, but just wait till your on it. Wow!


The gondola edges backwards for about 3 seconds then whoosh when you are on it, it feels so fast . It immediately goes into a curved left bend.
Definately the best ride ever. The camera takes a photo as soon as you have been blasted away so everyone is so shocked. If you have been to Alton Towers and not on this ride. You haven't been to Alton Towers. Go on this ride!

P.S : the adverts are rubbish compared to the ride.


Lauzi: Edited your post so it is more readable

Ritas not the best Alton Towers ride, but it's probably in the top three.

When we went to the park in the April that Rita opened, we did not get a chance to go on it because one of our company was very scared of fast rides, and the queue was three hours long, so it wouldn't have been fair.

However, when we went back two months later, that was the first ride we headed to, and despite getting there early, there was a two and a half hour queue. We got in the queue, ready for a long wait, and it defiantly was.

But finally, it was our turn. We got in our seats, we managed to get the back, then for red lights turned green, and a voice shouted "Now go, go, go!

We were blasted off at such a speed I couldn't even keep my eyes open. The strange thing about Rita is that there are no loops, or sharp turns or high drops, its just pure speed the entire way.

And then it ended, the most intense twenty two seconds of my life.

Getting out of my seat was difficult, i could barely stand, and i had hurt my shoulder quite badly, but it was worth it.

9 out of 10:

Williscroft: Edited for spelling and grammar

I don't think rita is a little overated. The launch and the first hill are fantastic but after that it just loses the fun. I think if it went a bit higher it would be very good ride. Sometimes the launch is a bit out of time, we were launched about 5 seconds after the lights had gone out, so it really gave me a suprise
Overall I think this is a pretty good ride and I give it 7/10

What can I say I went on this yesterday. I came on bank holiday Monday I saw the ride and it looked great but I never been on any big rides before AND I’m 18 lol. After being 4 and passed out on the cups and saucers I was to scared. I dared myself to go on the corkscrew and loved it. Me and my auntie were ready for Rita and as family were little board of waiting I promised her we would ride it next time I come. I came yesterday and their were hardly any queues so me and my girlfriend decided to have ago we were both nervous but excited. We got to the point and my girlfriend had to take her glasses off . We strapped in and the adrenalin went to my head it felt like a real race. This was amazing when it took off it seems faster when your on it but it was fantastic. The dips catch your stomach occasionally but you don’t care the ride is fantastic. Even though the ride is short well more like its fast it was brilliant. You can’t improve the ride as it’s so great. If I would improve it it would be great if their was another track and its like a race to the finish, that would make the ride feel like a real raise. I got to give this ride 9/10

Williscroft: edited for spelling and grammar, please try not to use text language in the future

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! I queued for an hour for this ride but it was SO worth it! The speed was amazing and the ride itself was an adrenaline buster I wouldn't want to have missed!
As you get nearer the front of the queue, you begin to get excited. You watch everyone zoom past you on that ride but you think 'I can handle this, it isn't that fast.' It doesn't look as if it is the queen of speed, but when you hop onto this ride and the restraints come down, it is AMAZING!
The speeds just blew me away! I thought I could handle it because I've been on rides that exhilarate fast before, but this one was out of this world!
I can't find a single critisism for this ride! The speed was great throughout, the staff were friendly, the ride itself was absolutely fabulous and I would definitely recommend this ride to everyone and anyone tall enough to get on! In fact, even if you are too small, were huge shoes because you cannot miss this ride! Don't ever visit Alton Towers without giving Rita a go!

Rita is amazing. When I heard that Ug Land was closed for a new development & Corkscrew was shutting, I felt a degree a shame. But the Corkscrew was not to be removed, and would stay along with Project RITA. Eventually the ride opened & I went for my first go.

The day was a bank holiday Monday, the 11th of April, and Rita was easily regconizable from Fountain Square. A massive twisting structure of red & some green areas. The queues were stretching to the Hex entrance, since the ride didn't open until 10:00 am. Eventually 10 am came & we entered the queue.

Queueing was a cramped but cosy affair with views of the ride above & around you. Everytime we saw a launch I got giddy with excitement, something that I'd never felt before. Hey, Nemesis builds up quite a lot of excitement, but Rita takes that to a new level. I got so excited I wet myself!

The ride around looked sleek, smooth & agile, compared to the rattles, bumps & jolts of the Corkscrew. It took 10 minutes to reach the front of the queue, and we watched the ride launch close up. The launch looked quick, quicker than the offride videos I saw.

Eventually, we took our seats on the blue train, Train 2, and sat in the back row of Car 3, in the middle of the train. The restraints are comfortable, with an orange U-shaped bar with two plastic handle straps. There was a seatbelt for extra safety. The car was ready, we moved back a bit, then forward as a clunk was heard.

5.4.3.2.1.BANG! And it is a bang as well, the launch is powerful, fast & well, fast! The first turn is not as sharply taken as I expected, but it still piles on the lateral g's. Next came the airtime hill, which thrusted me up into the restraint.

We took another sharp, but graceful turn into the most airtime packed hill on a ride I have experienced, thrusting me up further into the restraint before smashing back down into my seat. The last turn has more grace than the first turn before another airtime packed hill before we stopped.

The brakes were sharp, but smooth, but we still coasted through the last downward right turn into the station before disembarking. My legs were like jelly afterwards, and I went on to do the other rides.

Rita easily gets a: 10/10! My #1 ride ever! And Alton's best ride ever!

People arnt going to agree with me here, but i think this ride is excellent, and the best ride since nemesis! From the moment the harness is locked, you can feel the tension in the air from everyone around you, and once you see those lights clear, you know its only a few moments untill your hurtiling down that launch track! And then, you launch, 0-60 in the blink of an eye, straight into that tight right hand bend, up, over, down back around, up over again, down, round up and into the brakes! And thats it, in the space of 25 seconds you've been hurteled around a 674m track at 100kph! Its an intenses ride and i recomend it for anyone!

Liam =)