Dare you venture deep into the woodlands that surround the gothic ruins of Alton Towers? If you do, you’d better not go alone…
Food & Drink
- Woodcutter’s Bar & Grill
- Forest Feast
- Tormented Treats
- Coca Cola Freestyle
Shops
- TH13TEEN Shop (Closed)
Fun & Games
- Crypt Games
Facilities
- Toilets –Â found in Fountain Square, opposite entrance to Dark Forest
- Lockers – located next to Crypt Games
Since 2010 a mysterious force has arisen in the woodlands surrounding Alton Towers. Wraiths have been seen roaming the area, whilst an abandoned crypt has been uncovered in the proximity of Rita.
The park’s unluckiest attraction and penned ‘psycoaster’ will take guests on a winding journey into Alton Towers’ famous woodland surroundings before bringing them to a gruesome finale deep within the crypt at the centre of the attraction.
Your only hope of escape from the clutches of the Dark Forest is through riding Rita, a ride which launches riders with an exhilarating acceleration – 0-100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds! No one is quite sure what evil inhabits the crypt but if one thing’s for certain; you must escape!
Rita
Never has the age old saying of don’t judge a book by its cover been so true. Rita may look like she has been over powered by the forces of the Dark Forest, but that won’t stop her from catapulting you from 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds! Take a seat, it’s time to escape.
TH13TEEN
An unearthed burial site has recently been discovered in the mysterious depths of the Dark Forest, where an ancient crypt lying undisturbed for years has now been found and is ready for guests to explore.
Dark Forest is the area that started it all when the Corkscrew was installed here in 1980. Back then the area was known as the Talbot Centre and beside the coaster there were few attractions, mainly aimed at children.
The area quickly became one of the ‘thrill’ areas of the park with the addition of several flat rides some of which can still be found in the park today, such as the Enterprise or Twirling Toadstool (known then as the Wave Swinger). During this period from 1984 the area was known as Festival Park, and it remained one of the more fast paced areas of the park until in 1999 when it was re-themed into Ug Land, a prehistoric playground of fun for the family.
Towards the end of its time as Ug Land, Rita – Queen of Speed also found its home here in 2005, bringing with it the Thunder Rock Rally which dominated the area through to the end of 2009, when an ancient crypt was discovered during the removal of the Corkscrew.
It was then in 2010 that Secret Weapon 6, TH13TEEN was unveiled – the world’s first freefall drop rollercoaster, marking Ug Land’s transformation into Dark Forest, as the unleashed dark forces took over.
In 2021, the very far end of the area, just beyond the end of Rita’s launch, was temporarily home to Roller Disco – a member of The Retro Squad, a collection of pop-up flat rides. The ride also returned for the 2022 season.
Past Areas
Past Attractions
Lots of attractions have come and gone with each area theme. Have a look through some of the past areas to discover more!
