I did some research before I came to Alton Towers, and Rita doesn't look as fast on the videos. I thought I'd do it, but when we arrived I thought it looked too fast. I gained more confidence after Air and decided to go on Rita. When we neared the end of the queue and saw the gates to go in, my heart started pumping. In just a matter of minutes I would be accelerated 0-100 kilometres per hour in 2.5 seconds. We sat down in one of the middle seats. They are pretty comfy. The sounds of a revving engine started. The lights started to turn on. "Keep your heads back and hold on tight - we're counting down..." I knew what was coming. I braced my self. "go... Go... GO!!!!" We launched forwards and I was pushed back into my seat. 4.7Gs pulled on me as we turned the first corner. I was enjoying it, just speeding in random directions for 50 seconds or so. Rita is a good ride for people who want to push their limits and have a good time.

Rita is definitely the best ride there. It's worth the wait, and for me I'd rate it 11 out of 10. You get a fantastic rush that you can't get anywhere else in the UK. A must ride! You get a little excited as you wait to shoot off.

I went to Alton Towers with my best friend and her mom. I had never been on a roller coaster before, and her mom insisted Rita was the best ride for beginners - she tricked me! I got on and expected a small jolt, then BAM - I was shooting off wondering what the hell happened. We got there extremely early and only had to wait for 10 minutes. It was truly a great ride, and I'm glad I was tricked!

It's such an amazing ride. The launch is just mad; it takes your breath away. I would give Rita 9 out of 10.

Rita is a really thrilling ride. I love to go on it - the queue builds up your excitement, but the best bit is where you are getting ready to go... and once you go, you'll want to stay on and have another go. It's that brilliant!

It was great! Waiting for that green light made me really nervous in anticipation.

Rita is great! I was really worried about going on it because of the sudden speed, but it's really fun - a must go on.

This ride had me laughing like a maniac the whole way round. And the wait spent watching people scream off into the distance only added to the experience. Simple and short, but does exactly what it says on the tin.

It's the best ride I have ever been on.

Wow, what a thrill! I thought I drove fast, but Rita is the real star.

A ride I will never forget - it was simply stunning! But it was a bit painful in some parts.

To me this ride is a complete waste of time. You queue up for hours and the ride is over in a couple of seconds. What's the point in that? The speed is good but simply too short a ride.

The moment you reach Ug Land, you'll agree that Rita is an intimidating piece of kit. Watching it blast down the first straight is enough to make any potential rider question their sanity. The queue was shorter than I expected (other than the front seat one). I joined single riders and was put in the second row with a friend. Watching the riders on the train before vanish in less than a second provided a last minute reality check. The next train pulled in. I got in and braced myself. Then came the words. "The lights are on, engines revving, and it's go, go, GO!" Yaaaaargh! The shove this thing has can only be described as vicious as you tear towards the first bend. Videos of the ride show the speed but don't give you the forces acting on your body as the curves change from tilting left to tilting right at the top of a crest. And then it was over, and the smiles came out on everybody's faces.

I think Rita Queen of Speed is the best and most thrilling ride at the park. It takes off at a high speed and the launch is the best part, it goes round really fast and that is what I love about it. I never used to like fast rides, but since last year I feel different; now you can get me on any fast ride there is - I LOVE them!

The radio helps you get the stress out of the queue, but once you are near to the station the tension starts to build. The screams of earlier passengers haunt you; the pure thrill in their sounds. You get to the end of your wait, and it's your turn. You slowly get into your seat and pull the harness down, hands trembling. You clip the buckle and wait. One red light, 2 red lights, 3 red lights, 4 red lights, 5 red lights, and before you wait for the green light, you're off. The g-force is pure happiness. You climb the hills, drop the drops and sharply turn the corners with a massive smile on your face. You screech to a halt. You are shocked of the pure speed, but you are proud of taking on Rita.

When you ride Rita for the first time, you think, "how amazing was that, I want to go on it again... but the queue is too big... oh well". But after you have ridden her about 10 times, like me, you start to notice that there isn't much to it, and after that first buzz that you get when she accelerates, there isn't much else. Intamin AG could easily have put a loop or twist in it somewhere, to make the experience even more thrilling.

I'm absolutely terrified of rides, or at least I thought I was, but I went on Rita. It was the first ride we went on, and we hardly had to queue for it at all - we just basically walked to the ride without having to stop long at all. We probably waited about 15 minutes. This ride is absolutely awesome though! I found it very difficult to keep my head back, and it did hurt quite a bit, but seriously, go on this ride... it's amazing!

This is a great ride. My favourite part on Rita is the obvious; the launch. The feeling you get with the added sounds of car engines revving, and then "GO, GO, GO" as you speed off up the track at 60mph. A truly amazing experience.

Don't get me wrong, I like Rita. I like her a lot... but best ride in the park? Best ride in the UK? Better than Air and Oblivion? Better even than the mighty Nemesis?? I think not. Yes, that explosive launch is simply stunning, the airtime hills and helixes are very intense, the theming is very cool (if slightly at odds with the whole Ug Land vibe) and the Thunder Rock Radio station has livened up the atmosphere no end... BUT - and this is a big 'but', Rita is simply too short. After the take-off, the rest of the track layout is decidedly uninspiring and it's all over too quickly. It's easy to see why some people feel a little short changed, especially after a lengthy queue. And another thing, despite Rita's claims to being the 'Queen of Speed', believe it or not she's not fastest coaster in the park. Check the stats - Oblivion is faster. That said, Rita is still a thumping good ride and a welcome addition to Alton Towers arsenal of thrill rides. I do wonder though if in 10 years time, Rita will have the same kind of praise and respect that Nemesis still has now? Somehow I doubt it...

A breath taking ride. Although not as good as Nemesis, Rita is well worth riding. The speed of the launch is incredible, and the sheer force of it will leave you thrilled for minutes afterwards. Rita's only major downfall is how quickly it's over, and it feels like there could've been a lot more track.

Absolute 5 out of 5, it's so worth the wait. Take it from me, I am a major ride critic, I've been to every theme park in the UK and by far this ride is off the hook!

Queue for the front seats if you have time to spare. The experience is so much better from the front, as well as the fact that you can see where you're going!

Mind blowing. The launch really is out of this world, and so unexpected. The build up of anticipation waiting for the train to launch is by far the scariest part. The only downside to Rita is the length. With the speed that it hits the brakes there was definitely room for a few more helices, or some more track to burn out the speed.

Great ride but not sure we will wait that amount of time to ride it again.

Go to this ride at the end of the day or very early to avoid the two hour queues that you might have to face. The acceleration is incredible and the speed of this baby is immense.

Wow! Best ride at Alton Towers! "Go, Go, Go", the words I dreaded as I sat in my seat clenching the handles. When the last red light shone, my face started to melt, my insides jumped around frantically, adrenaline shot through my body.It was intense beyond my wildest dreams, it made Nemesis' intensity feel like a small merry-go-round. I shot round a corner, up a hill, down a hill... it was so fast... dip, after turn, after drop, then the cart came to a sharp halt. A small dip round the corner and it was all over. I came off shaking with adrenaline, surprise, and excitement. No trip to Alton Towers is the same without a ride on Rita! Everything I expected and much, much, more. Essential.

Well, I went on Rita on the 1st June 2005. It did not stop raining all day, but it did not dampen my spirits. I waited for almost 2 and a half hours for Rita; it was the reason I went. And oh my God, it was the most intense ride I've ever been on. It was simply outstanding - Alton Towers have really outdone themselves this time. The launch is so fast and the first airtime hill is fantastic. A must ride!

Amazing! Although it doesn't look much, it's an even better ride than Xcellerator at Knotts.

One of AT's best rides. The launch is fantastic and the rest of the ride really makes your stomach turn in certain places. Try and go on the front!

Man, this is some ride - it is thrilling and breathtaking. Waiting for the green light was the scariest few seconds of my life!

The feeling on launch is amazing but it bashed my head around. Amazing ride!

It takes your breath away!

The fastest ride I have ever been on! It's the best ride there - well worth the wait, though I only waited 20 mins. It was really fast.

Though it hasn't knocked Nemesis off the top spot this ride is a pleasant suprise. Even though most of the essence of UG land has been lost the Thunder Valley Radio station provide a buzzing atmosphere. The ride itself is a extremely forceful beating Oblvion for high G-forces but it's way too short and will leave you feeling a little ripped off after you've queued for 2hrs plus for a ride. 4/5

The best ride! Great build up, then go go go! It takes your breath away! Simply the best!!

Rita is amazing. She is far by the best ride at Alton Towers and the speed, well that says it all. One great great great ride!!!!!!!

Simply Stunning!