Alton Towers has had a long and interesting history. We have already covered the many changes of X-Sector and Forbidden Valley. In this article, we are going to continue this discussion by exploring the Dark Forest. Anyone that is lucky enough to be familiar with Alton Towers, will have enjoyed many hours in the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest is one of the key areas of the park and is home to two of the park’s main attractions, Rita and Th13teen. The area has gone through many changes over time before it became what we know today.
1980
Originally just part of the Tower’s grounds, this area was sectioned off and became known as Talbot Centre. This part of the park already had two attractions, the Adventureland Playground and the Wildlife Museum ‘The World of Nature’ that had been there since 1977 and housed a display of taxidermy animals. Both of these became part of Talbot Centre. In addition to becoming its own designated area, this new land also debuted two new attractions this year. The Rupert Bear Magic Show, a collection of automated dioramas and the park’s first IP based attraction, opened. This new attraction was overshadowed by another addition that opened the same year. This addition was the now famous roller coaster Corkscrew, Alton Towers’ very first roller coaster that would go on to influence the entire future of the park.
1983
Talbot Centre opened its second roller coaster, Mini Dragon, a small family coaster.
1984
Talbot Centre was renamed Festival Park. The Adventureland Playground was relocated to a different area, Fantasy World, and replaced with a more thrilling line-up of flat rides. These included Wave Swinger (a swinging chair attraction), Enterprise and Magic Carpet. 1001 Nights also opened later this year. It was a larger version of the Magic Carpet ride and was the tallest attraction at Alton Towers. The Sunliner Trains began operation this year. This was a land train that would transport people from the entrance and stopped at Aqualand, Fantasy Land and Festival Park.
1985
The Ferris Wheel opened. The Magic Carpet was removed, likely due to being overshadowed by 1001 Nights.
1986
The Ferris Wheel was removed to make way for the Skyride. The Sunliner Trains also closed as they were no longer needed due to the Skyride. The Spider, a spinning attraction with seats attached to rotating arms, opened. The Rupert Bear Magic Show closed. The Wildlife Museum moved out of its building at the centre of Festival park, although a small section of it still remained. The building became home to The Corkscrew Games, the area’s first arcade.
1987
An open air stage was built in the plaza attached to Festival park. The stage showcased a variety of show’s starring Henry Hound up until 1992. The Skyride opened, with a station located in Festival Park.
1989
A dome was added over the stage to make it more suitable for British weather and it was renamed the Festival Park Dome.
1991
The Spider closed.
1992
The Mini Dragon coaster was relocated to Thunder Valley, where it was renamed the Beastie. Tri-star was moved from Talbot Street to Festival Park. The Wildlife Museum closed.
1993
The Festival Park Dome showcased its first show without Henry Hound called Music Mania. Tri-star was removed.
1994
1001 Nights closed to make space for Energizer. The Festival Park Dome had a new show called Music Powerhouse, which remained until 1998. Baby Flug, which had previously been in Adventureland, was moved and became the Junior Flyer (It appears the attraction may have been in storage since the 1991 season when Adventureland 4-11 was closed, although we cannot confirm this. If anyone has any additional information on this attraction, please let us know. Thank you!).
1997
AstroDancer was moved from Fantasy World to Festival Park.
1998
Enterprise was moved to X-Sector, where it remains today. Energizer was also relocated to X-Sector, however this was only temporary.
1999
Festival Park was rethemed and renamed Ug Land. To fit this new prehistoric theme, many of the attractions were also rethemed and renamed. The Wave Swinger was renamed the Ug Swinger, AstroDancer was renamed Dino Dancer, Junior Flyer was renamed Ug Bugs and Corkscrew Games was renamed Cave Games. Lava Lump, a climbing wall and Soakasaurus, a water balloon game, opened. Other smaller carnival games also opened, these included Ug Basher( a hammer game), Ug Mobiles (remote control cars), Dino Derby (a dinosaur themed Roll-a-Ball Derby), Ug Basketball, Rock Shot and Sabre Tooth Shy. A performance, featuring the Ug Family who rode around in a stone age fire engine, could be watched by the fountains and treehouse in the centre of Ug Land. Two eateries opened with the land called Bronto Bites and Swee-T-Rex.
2000
Dino Dancer was removed.
2001
Energizer returned to this area, now renamed Bone Shaker. This was also the last year the Ug Family made appearances
2002
With the Festival Park Dome having sat unused since 1998, it was finally converted into a quick service restaurant called Fountain Square BBQ. Dino Dancer returned, rethemed as Dynamo.
2003
Bone Shaker closed.
2004
In preparation for the land’s future changes, much closed this year including Dynamo, Ug Mobiles, Ug Bugs, Rock Shot and Sabre Tooth Shy. The Treehouses and jumping fountains were also removed from the centre of Ug Land.
2005
Ug Land reopened as Ug Land featuring The Thunder Rock Rally. Rita – Queen of Speed, an Intamin Accelerator coaster, opened. Cave Games was demolished to make room for Rita and a new arcade opened near Rita’s hydraulics building. The Ug Family shooting gallery opened. A Rita gift shop opened where Rock Shot and Sabre Tooth were located. Ug Bugs moved to Cred Street and was renamed Bouncing Bugs. Fountain Square BBQ was renamed the Hog’s Head Bar and Grill.
2006
Lava Lump was moved to Forbidden Valley. Rita Racers, a racing car game, opened.
2007
The Hog’s Head Bar and Grill was demolished and replaced by a more permanent restaurant, Rita’s Chicken and Ribs.
2008
Corkscrew closed.
2009
This was Ug land’s final season. The Ug Swinger was moved to Cloud Cuckoo Land and renamed Twirling Toadstool. Soakasaurus, Ug Basher, Ug Basketball, Dino Derby, The Ug Family shooting gallery and Rita Racers closed.
2010
The area reopens as Dark Forest. Th13teen, a sit down steel coaster, opened in the place of the Corkscrew along with a gift shop. The two quick service eateries are renamed Forest Feast and Tormented Treats. Rita’s Chicken and Ribs became Woodcutter’s Bar and Grill. Creepers Challenge opened. The remaining carnival games from Ug land were renamed Cutter’s Tower (A hammer strength game) and Galloping Gargoyles. Cave Games was renamed Crypt games. Rita-Queen of Speed was also slightly renamed, becoming just Rita.
2012
Cutter’s Tower closed
2014
Galloping Gargoyle was moved to Mutiny Bay and replaced with a new game called Demon Pots, where guests could pay to try and throw a ball in a bucket.
2015
The Rita gift shop closed.
2016
The space left by Cutter’s Tower is replaced with Creeper’s Claw. The Dark Forest Box Office opened where the Rita Gift Shop used to be located.
2017
The Th13teen gift shop closed.
2018
Crypt Games closes.
2019
The Dark Forest Box Office closed.
2020
A Refresh & Refill (Coca-Cola Freestyle location) opened opposite Rita, where the Dark Forest Box Office was located.
It is clear to see that Dark Forest has been through many changes before it became what we know today. It’s unsurprising that this area of the park is so interesting, as it has been a key part of forming the Alton Towers we know today. The legacy of Corkscrew lives on today, with a section of the coaster’s track sitting at the park’s entrance. Writing this brought back many fond memories of Ug Land, a familiar part of the version of the park we grew up with. However, no matter how nostalgic we feel for this part of the past, there’s no denying the excitement Dark Forest currently holds with the beautifully themed family coaster Th13teen.
We can’t wait to get back to Alton Towers and explore Dark Forest with an increased knowledge of its past. While the area still has much to offer, we’d love to know what you miss most from the past? Of course Corkscrew is the obvious answer, but we were also rather fond of many of Ug Land’s flat rides such as Ug Swinger.
We will continue to explore the history of Alton Towers in our future articles.
