Like mentioned above, Grande Rio has become specially notorious for bringing famous actresses as Queen of the Drums Sections, called "Rainhas de Bateria".
In 1992, the school reconquered the right to compete in the principal parade, being the champion of the Grupo de Acesso, with the plot Águas Claras para um Rei Negro ("Clear Waters for a Black King").
In its return to the Grupo Especial, with the plot No mundo da lua ("In the world of the moon"), of Alexandre Louzada, the school stimulated the Marquês de Sapucaí and was placed in the 9th collocation.
In 2001, the school brought again a good samba (this time with Quinho), and the star Joãosinho Trinta in command to tell the story of José Datrino.
In the carnaval of 2006, telling the history of the exploration in the Amazon, the Grande Rio conquers its best result: the vice-championship, because it lost two tenths for exceeding the maximum time of parade in 1 minute (what took to the tie in number of points with the school Unidos de Vila Isabel, that won for having better notes in the requirements of tie breaking).
For the carnaval of 2008, the school of Duque de Caxias brought to the Sambadrome the importance of the gas in our daily lives,[1] homaging the city of Coari, in Amazonas, that possesses the petrochemical pole of Petrobrás, conquering a third place[2] and finishing with the departure of Roberto Szaniecki after the results.
The 2022 Carnival would prove to be Grande Rio's best finish yet, as it ended with the school's first general championship of the Special Group division.