Loch Ness Monster (roller coaster)

Loch Ness Monster
Company type	Steel roller coaster
Industry	Amusement ride
Founded	June 2, 1978; 48 years ago
Founder	Arrow Development, Ron Toomer (designer)
Headquarters	Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Products	Roller coaster

Loch Ness Monster is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Created by Arrow Development and engineered by Ron Toomer, it holds the distinction of being the first coaster globally to incorporate interlocking loops. Debuting on June 2, 1978, within the park’s Scottish-themed Heatherdowns section, its design draws from the legendary Loch Ness Monster. The ride stands at a height of , achieves a maximum speed of , and features a track length of .

It continues to be the sole roller coaster worldwide featuring interlocking loops. The layout includes two lift hills, a drop measuring , a helix enclosed in a tunnel, and loops that extend over a water element. Upon its launch, it garnered favorable critical reception and has been celebrated during various milestone anniversaries. The Loch Ness Monster has also been designated as a Coaster Landmark by the American Coaster Enthusiasts organization.

History

When Busch Gardens: The Old Country opened in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1975, it featured only one roller coaster named Glissade. The park expanded in 1976 with the addition of the Oktoberfest area, introducing two new coasters: the children’s ride Das Kätzchen and the adult-oriented Die Wildkatze. Adopting a plan to introduce new attractions biennially, Anheuser-Busch announced the Loch Ness Monster coaster in July 1977, which debuted in 1978 as the park’s largest attraction at that time. Situated in the Scotland-themed zone, its construction cost approximately $5 million and coincided with expansion efforts at the Williamsburg brewery and similar projects at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Construction permits were secured toward the end of 1977. Despite setbacks caused by winter weather, much of the building process was kept out of public view to build excitement. The coaster was revealed to media representatives in March 1978 with an official opening scheduled for June. Park general manager John Roberts highlighted it as the fastest and tallest coaster featuring the steepest drop worldwide, along with its unique interlocking loops and tunnel element.

By April 1978, construction reached its highest point, accompanied by a marketing initiative seeking eight athletes and stunt performers to serve as inaugural riders. The ride officially opened to guests on June 2 and subsequently hosted the first convention of American Coaster Enthusiasts. On June 19, Alex Campbell, who claimed firsthand encounters with the legendary creature, formally christened the attraction.

In September 2023, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced plans to refurbish the Loch Ness Monster for the 2024 season. During late 2023, several track segments were replaced, a canopy was installed over the final brake run, and portions of the track received fresh paint. The attraction reopened on May 10, 2024, now featuring updated audio systems on both lift hills and improved lighting effects within the tunnel. Moreover, an all-new sighting center debuted in April as an interactive walkthrough exhibit highlighting key milestones and archival photographs related to the coaster.

Ride experience

The train exits the station making a gentle left turn followed by a sharp right turnaround past a boat shack housing an old ride vehicle before ascending the initial lift hill. At its summit, it veers right and plunges down a first drop angled at 55 degrees toward the park’s Rhine River area, reaching its top speed of . The train then ascends an upward hill while turning left before briefly climbing again and dropping into one of two interlocking vertical loops. After executing a right turn and climbing uphill into the mid-course brake run, it spirals downward through a tunnel containing a 2.75-rotation helix.

Upon leaving the tunnel, the train surmounts a bunny hill followed by a short brake run before ascending a second lift hill. After cresting this hill, it turns right and descends into the second loop. Passing alongside a statue depicting the Loch Ness Monster lunging at riders, it then rises into the final brake run before returning to the station. The entire ride duration is approximately two minutes and ten seconds.

Characteristics

The roller coaster's title is inspired by the mythical Loch Ness Monster, appropriately situated within the Scotland-themed area of the park. Visitors waiting in line encounter expedition-style artifacts connected to the quest for this elusive creature. The ride passes through a tunnel known as the "Monster's Lair," symbolizing the monster’s cavernous mountain dwelling. In 1979, enhancements were made to the tunnel, incorporating special effects such as a misty mural combined with lighting. These visual and audio effects were later modernized to celebrate the attraction's 40th anniversary.

Track

Manufactured by Arrow Development and designed by Ron Toomer, the Loch Ness Monster is a Custom Looping Coaster model. It is classified as a terrain roller coaster, making use of the existing topography. The steel track measures and is painted bright yellow. The highest elevation reaches roughly above the lake, while its lowest point lies approximately above water level. Maintenance areas are situated beneath the station platform.

The structure comprises 300 tons of steel, with its framework welded together instead of bolted—a distinctive construction method at that time. During assembly, one segment of track was improperly shaped and required heating and bending into proper alignment, resulting in a noticeable bump.

The coaster includes two loops, each with a diameter of . Originally, trains entered these loops at speeds of , slowing to about at their peaks. The first loop’s summit is at , and the second loop reaches . This coaster was pioneering as the first full-circuit roller coaster to incorporate interlocking loops and remains the only operating ride featuring this element. Previously, two other coasters had interlocking loops: Lightnin' Loops at Six Flags Great Adventure and Orient Express at Worlds of Fun.

Trains

The attraction runs with two green trains, each composed of seven cars. Each car accommodates four riders (two seats across in two rows), allowing for 28 passengers per train. The trains utilize flat wheels running inside the track rails and are equipped with over-the-shoulder restraints that subject riders to forces up to 3.5 g. Initially, the design called for four trains with six cars each; however, due to concerns about potential congestion, this was revised to three trains with seven cars per train. Currently, only two trains are owned by the park. At first, braking was manually controlled within the station. After the closure of its sister coaster Python at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, some components were transferred to this ride. The original train set was eventually replaced by vehicles supplied by S&S Worldwide. Upon opening, Loch Ness Monster had a maximum capacity of approximately 2,000 riders per hour.

Incidents and accidents

In August 1981, an 11-year-old girl lapsed into a coma after riding due to an existing medical condition; she recovered by September of that year. In June 1989, a train carrying 25 passengers collided with a fallen tree on the track, leaving riders stranded roughly 30 feet above ground level. Safety mechanisms prevented a collision with another train, and all passengers were evacuated over a period of two hours. Five individuals required hospitalization; four were discharged the following day while one teenager remained due to a leg injury. A lawsuit demanding $2 million was filed but settled for $250,000 over alleged internal injuries.

In June 1992, two riders filed suit claiming that water mist sprayed during the ride caused temporary blindness and emotional distress due to its allegedly caustic nature. A park representative testified that only plain water was used in the misting system and that it had been discontinued independently from any legal action. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.

Reception and legacy

Upon its launch, the Loch Ness Monster was met with positive feedback from both critics and visitors. Cindy Skove of the Daily Press noted that while guest opinions varied, the overall response was favorable, with some attendees labeling it as "one of the finest" attractions. Despite her usual aversion to roller coasters, Skove later described the experience as simply "enjoyable." Distinguished visitors such as then-governor John N. Dalton and climber George Willig also expressed admiration for the ride, with Willig mentioning his eagerness to ride it again.

During the inaugural American Coaster Enthusiasts gathering, participants praised the ride's thrilling qualities. Dan Perry from The State likened the initial descent to a "free fall from a 13-story building," emphasizing its intense acceleration. Similarly, Hank Burchard of The Washington Post remarked that coaster enthusiasts could not truly claim prestige without experiencing this ride, placing it in a superior category of thrill attractions.

Following its introduction, Busch Gardens Williamsburg welcomed its earliest millionth guest on July 22, 1978, and set a record attendance day of 30,000 visitors on July 29, which necessitated an early park closure. By the conclusion of that season, total attendance reached an unprecedented 2.1 million, largely driven by the roller coaster’s appeal. The Loch Ness Monster significantly boosted the park’s recognition nationwide throughout 1978 and strengthened its competition against Virginia rival Kings Dominion.

In the first-ever Golden Ticket Awards held in 1998, this coaster secured 15th place among steel roller coasters, sharing the spot with Taz's Texas Tornado at Six Flags AstroWorld.

Busch Gardens has marked several milestones for the Loch Ness Monster with special celebrations: its tenth anniversary drew 400 members of American Coaster Enthusiasts; the fifteenth anniversary featured Elvis impersonators parachuting into the park; while the twentieth and thirtieth anniversaries included fundraising efforts benefiting organizations such as the Kiwanis Club and Autism Society of America. The fortieth anniversary involved enhancements to the ride along with a five-day celebration.

Acknowledged for its groundbreaking design as the first roller coaster worldwide to incorporate interlocking loops and for holding records as tallest and fastest at its debut, the American Coaster Enthusiasts honored Loch Ness Monster as a Coaster Landmark in 2003. In 2021, the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives acquired an original Arrow Development train from this ride for its collection.

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