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Have you missed riding the Loch Ness Monster?
No, I don’t actually mean Nessie, the creature said to reside in Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.
I mean the iconic steel roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park!
The Loch Ness Monster Roller Coaster
The Loch Ness Monster attraction first opened at BGW on June 2, 1978, appropriately in the Scotland section of the park.
And this coaster clearly offers guests a thrilling experience, considering the following stats:
- Height of 130 feet
- Drop of 114.2 feet
- Speed up to 60 miles per hour
- 2 Inversions
- Duration of 2 minutes and 10 seconds
The Loch Ness roller coaster is the only remaining roller coaster with interlocking loops in the world. It’s a favorite of many Busch Gardens Williamsburg guests. And on June 17, 2003, it was even awarded Roller Coaster Landmark status by the American Coaster Enthusiasts organization.
Loch Ness Monster Reopening
Over the last several months, the Loch Ness Monster ride has been closed for renovations and restoration. And now, the attraction is about to reopen!
Guests can enjoy new storytelling elements as part of an enhanced queue experience. There’s also a brand new ride soundtrack created specifically for the Loch Ness Monster!
So when can you ride the enhanced Loch Ness Monster coaster?
The ride officially reopens on May 10, 2024.
And guests with a Busch Gardens membership can ride it early! Platinum and Premium members enjoy exclusive ride time on May 2, 2024. And all members have the opportunity to ride Loch Ness Monster May 3 through May 5, 2024.
Becoming a Busch Gardens Member
Not a member but want to ride the reimagined Loch Ness Monster early?
Luckily, it’s easy to become a Busch Gardens member. A membership is basically like an annual pass, as it gives you 12 months of admission to the park.
And there are different membership levels. Depending on your plans and your budget, you can choose from a Basic Membership for just Busch Gardens with blackout dates all the way to a Platinum Membership that includes 11 parks (both Busch Gardens in Virginia and Tampa Florida, Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Adventure Island water park in Tampa, Aquatica water parks in Orlando and San Antonio, Sesame Place in Pennsylvania and California, and all three SeaWorld parks in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando).
The Platinum Membership level is what our family has and we love it. If you’re only planning on visiting Williamsburg over the next year, though, then you should choose one of the 1 park or 2 park options (the two parks being Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA).
And a great thing about the Busch Gardens Memberships is that you can choose to pay for it all upfront or pay for it with monthly installments.
You can see all the membership options and purchase your new BG membership here.
Loch Ness Monster Sighting Center
Are you planning a BGW trip in April, before the ride reopens?
You can stop by the Loch Ness Monster Sighting Center in the Scotland section of the park between now and April 21, 2024. This is a walkthrough experience showcasing archived photos, attraction milestones and more.
Loch Ness Vacation
If all this talk about Nessie has made you want to visit Loch Ness in Scotland, then you’ll want to check out these top 8 family friendly Loch Ness hotels.