Photo Trip Report Archive
Archived Photo Trip Reports of Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, and Donkeys!
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Some Thoughts on the Loch Ness Monster: The Legend Lives On The Loch Ness Monster started thrilling riders the same year that I graduated from high school--1978. Although I think the word “icon” is overused to describe some theme-park attractions, I think it fits the Loch Ness Monster. It would be hard to imagine Busch Gardens without the sight of Nessie’s interlocking loops from Grimm’s Crossing or the bridge between Italy and Germany. Her nearest coaster neighbors, Alpengeist and Griffon, may be taller and faster, but the Loch Ness Monster really sets the scene. Plus, for many local residents (and their kids), it was their first “big coaster.” It made sense for Busch Gardens to restore and enhance this already classic ride. So, after replacing 900 feet of track (including the two loops) and adding to the theming in the ride’s queue, station, and helix cave (call it “Nessie’s Lair”), how did they do? I’d say quite well. The ride itself is still the Loch Ness Monster we remember, but it’s less clunky and janky than it had become during the last few years--about as smooth as a 1970s Arrow coaster can get. This retracking should ensure the coaster is around for a long time to come. The park has been building the ride’s backstory for a while, too. The Loch Ness Monster has been spotted for the first time in years, and there’s a contest and cash prize for the first person to provide any photographic evidence of its existence. They’ve been playing up this story on social media through a series of videos featuring “Duncan,” a Scotsman obsessed with spotting Nessie and winning the cash. The main queue is filled with artifacts, such as old photos and news stories, about Loch Ness. There’s a small radio room that offers a few hints at what you’ll encounter during the ride, and the station itself has been repainted and decorated to better resemble an old Scottish castle. There’s new train-dispatch music, and the safety spiel is now delivered in a Scottish brogue. As for the ride, you’ll encounter the first evidence of the monster’s existence as you round the turn to the lift hill. There’s a radio shack broadcasting a message about a “wee craft” they found washed up on the shore--a wrecked coaster car with what looks like a dragon’s tooth sticking out of it. Nessie’s Lair now boasts spooky lighting, roaring sound effects, and Nessie menacing you (via video) as you twist around the helix. She gets another shot at you right after the second loop before you return to the station. Busch Gardens managed to upgrade a classic ride while maintaining the experience of the original coaster when it opened back in 1978. Well done! Here's a look at the Loch Ness Monster's media day. Theme Park Review thanks Busch Gardens for inviting us to participate. Just hanging out with my new Scottish chum, Duncan, who assured me that he was going to win the big prize. Hmm--a harbinger of things to come, perhaps? How can Nessie hope to elude capture when they have all this high-tech gear? I've seen a craft like this before . . . but where? You might see a tooth like this again. Keep your eyes open. Here's your chance to win big money. But don't be taken in by clever fakes like this. I know that monster is around here somewhere. Maybe I'll have better luck from bridge between Italy and Germany. Wait a second! What's that? Aha! The big prize is mine, I tell you! Mine! How do you like that, Duncan? "Grr! Nessie eat you now!" Don't miss your chance to join the Loch Ness Expedition. Thanks for reading. -
None of this really matters, but if the discussion goes on for more than 30 seconds, one should probably mention the technically longest one AND the one as massive and fast as would be expected of a huge ride. If only one is stated, most say it is the latter, and I don't blame them. Weigand's datasheet states "Manual brake and centrifugal brake in vehicle" and maximum 40 km/h. While there are other ways to make a long coaster that never hits high speeds, the centrifugal brake surely makes that a lot easier. Of course there are practical limits, but having to regulate speed by the complex calculations and braking systems of most other kinds of coasters is not one of them. I'm still left wondering if the centrifugal brake is a mechanism, or just uses the centrifugal force during curves to regulate speed, which it certainly does. -
Well, years ago there were rumors that Seaworld and Disney had made offers to the owner to purchase the park but it was just not for sale. It would make so much sense and be probably very lucrative for a big chain to buy the park. It's in such a hot tourist spot and the land of the park is like 3 times larger than Canada's Wonderland. So much space for huge roller coasters! It would be a shame to see the place being demolished and have condos and houses built on it, because that is also a lucrative possibility. -
By prozach626 · Posted
Can't common sense play in as a factor, though? This is like the Facebook argument someone tried to start with me saying every single animal's life is just as valuable as a child's, because we're all in the mammal species so we're all equal. (I actually just deleted my Facebook app again because of it...) At a certain point you have to put aside the technicalities. -
By prozach626 · Posted
Quite the opposite for us in 2018. I'm looking forward to eventually being able to enjoy it. -
By prozach626 · Posted
The last three times I went to Cedar Point, I went in mid-June. Just shoot for whatever is available first from Sun-Friday and go from there. I don't think you're going to get nightmare scenario (pun intended) Halloween event FL situation where you will wait over an hour. Will you maybe wait 30+ minutes for some rides? Yeah. It's Cedar Point. But, with 3 days of FL, you can take your time and get everything in. The alternative is to go earlier in June when the park isn't open as late, and just make the most of it. I'd personally rather ride less and have 10-10 to come and go from Breakers as I pleased, and not get to ride as much. The combination of Breakers, Cedar Point, and FL is a well rounded experience regardless. If less rides and 'a little' more wait during the day means I get to view the park lit up, so be it. I always take my chances on that. My other advice is when (not if) you see Maverick's FL spilling out into the midway, just pass by and check it again later when you're in the area. That FL queue is either feast or famine. Good luck with your health problems. I hope they don't get in the way to the point where you can have an awesome time. I'm not a fan of long narcissistic TR's anymore, but I'd definitely like to see yours when it's all over. -
Well, as everyone who has read anything of mine should know by now, you can't go by me. I guess I just imagined that "turbo mode" meant that it would spin like crazy. But in fact I don't think I really spun at all. Instead, it just beat the crap out of me. Awful. I wish you and Playland something better! Perhaps a Mack Extreme Spinner. Or a Volare. Just kidding. I've never ridden a Volare. But that's part of it for me. If looks to have no redeeming qualities, I don't ride. Tornado fooled me. -
Thanks for joining us for lunch! And for being part of the Cult of the Lake Carousel.
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By CedarFlags · Posted
Maybe it's the 'tism speaking but... I think the people voting No are considering form more than function. The mechanics of being hoisted up a lift hill, then riding a rolling ride vehicle through a layout of track, converting potential energy into kinetic energy.... that's what a roller coaster is. That's what mountain coasters do, they just have different ride vehicles. -
By CedarFlags · Posted
I've been on several mountain coasters and, just like traditional coasters, they feature trim brakes to keep the ride vehicles traveling at the intended speed for the design in certain areas. Some sections of the layout are meant to be taken faster or slower. Also I have no clue where your "unlimited length" theory is coming from because brakes remove energy from the ride vehicle, they don't add energy. You can't have unlimited length on something that gets its energy from being pulled up a hill and coasting back down. -
By CedarFlags · Posted
Log ride is finally back open and Ghostrider is now closed for its pre-summer maintenance. -
By Hilltopper39 · Posted
Great report, this looks like my kind of trip to Vegas. I'm pretty excited for the Meowolf installation in Orlando if it ever actually gets built, and also interested to see how it does. I feel like Orlando can be a bit weird at times for attractions like that so I could see it being really successful or struggling a bit after the initial "newness" wears off. -
By abovethesink · Posted
We last went in 2022. SkyRush had an awful shake in the wing seat I rode in and was pretty smooth on an inside seat. I only had the two rides. Looking forward to getting back and trying it with the new restraints. They didn't completely ruin the ride for me, but they were very, very bad. Now I just need SFNE to replace the god awful bricks on Superman. -
By abovethesink · Posted
I know I am not saying anything original here, but it will always blow my mind that a park with this much land LITERALLY within the distance of human sight from a top ten most visited tourist attraction in the world has amounted to so little. Any park in this spot should be a slam dunk success on paper. -
By thepoint4life23 · Posted
Each week you wait will Get a little busier. If the hotel is fully booked means its going to be pretty booked. Like he said you can knocked alot out the last hour or so in the park, and first hour if you dont waste it waiting for something to open. https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/sandusky/44870/june-weather/1167 This might help not a big change from start of June to the middle. Also its on a leak will always have some kind of breeze.
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