CGM
TS Member
With my coaster enthusiast hat on, it's the second best coaster in the park. It has a great launch, some pretty powerful airtime and the turn over the Thirteen Queue has some strong positive Gs as well. It's a very good coaster, one of the best in the UK.
However, as a fan of Alton, it's just an attraction that has just never fitted. Ug Land was a brilliant family area. It was open, airy, well themed and felt very balanced and well thought out. It was a demonstration of how you don't need to completely break the bank to create a good theme.
I think this had a lot to do with it being designed as a cohesive area rather than being designed around a new star attraction. Nothing was screaming for attention, every attraction there performed its role perfectly. Its centrepiece wasn't a ride but an interactive tree house which is reminiscent of Disney philosophy.
When Rita was built, all of that planning and balance went out the window. The structure completely dominated the area making it feel cramped and claustrophobic. There was ugly loose article netting everywhere. The launch was built right across the main walkway at the entrance forming that awkward corridor towards the arcade and any remaining space was filled up with wooden queue fencing. It was a mess.
Five years later, Alton had to try and fit Rita into the Dark Forest theme. It's not the type of coaster that lends itself to it and the result is a huge, high tech coaster clearly themed around motor racing with some dirty green paint and turquoise fake ivy added in a weak attempt to tie it in.
Rita was a last minute decision and it shows. Most coasters at Alton look like they belong there. Rita jars with everything that surrounds it and I wish that Alton had held off another year before rushing into buying it. At the time and under the circumstances, an Intamin rocket was the right coaster to get but Rita was the wrong way to go about it.
However, as a fan of Alton, it's just an attraction that has just never fitted. Ug Land was a brilliant family area. It was open, airy, well themed and felt very balanced and well thought out. It was a demonstration of how you don't need to completely break the bank to create a good theme.
I think this had a lot to do with it being designed as a cohesive area rather than being designed around a new star attraction. Nothing was screaming for attention, every attraction there performed its role perfectly. Its centrepiece wasn't a ride but an interactive tree house which is reminiscent of Disney philosophy.
When Rita was built, all of that planning and balance went out the window. The structure completely dominated the area making it feel cramped and claustrophobic. There was ugly loose article netting everywhere. The launch was built right across the main walkway at the entrance forming that awkward corridor towards the arcade and any remaining space was filled up with wooden queue fencing. It was a mess.
Five years later, Alton had to try and fit Rita into the Dark Forest theme. It's not the type of coaster that lends itself to it and the result is a huge, high tech coaster clearly themed around motor racing with some dirty green paint and turquoise fake ivy added in a weak attempt to tie it in.
Rita was a last minute decision and it shows. Most coasters at Alton look like they belong there. Rita jars with everything that surrounds it and I wish that Alton had held off another year before rushing into buying it. At the time and under the circumstances, an Intamin rocket was the right coaster to get but Rita was the wrong way to go about it.
