Giant Dipper Roller Coaster

Wooden rollercoasters are my absolute favorite. The Giant Dipper was a great fright & spook. It got my heart pumpin. I road this coaster over and over again.

My 1400^th Review could be none other than the —
Giant Dipper Roller Coaster — The 1925 Giant Dipper Roller Coaster (or «Earthquake») is a large wooden roller coaster, and its highest «hills» reach a height of 75 feet. It is one of only two large wooden scaffolded roller coasters remaining on the West Coast. The Giant Dipper was designed by noted coaster builders Prior and Church. It is the prime survivor and most visible symbol of the Mission Beach Amusement Center (Belmont Park), San Diego. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
After arriving at Belmont Park I found myself circling the tiny parking lot several times determined to find a parking space at any cost. This was my «Wally World» experience and like Chevy Chase nothing was going to keep me from it, not even John Candy (may he rest in peace) this possibly could be the once in my life time chance to ride this beautifully designed historic roller coaster. My $ 6.00 ticket for the 1 minute 55 seconds ride was a small price to pay, compared to the $.15 paid on opening day in 1925 when times were much different financially, but I am convinced the experiences were similar.
As I waited on the ramp my heart pounded as I watch the coaster race around the twists and turns, climbing and diving, the wooden planks shaking the steel rails clanking, the imperil screams, the roaring laughter from the vibrant riders as the coaster flung around this wooden structure as it had millions of times each lap providing a unique experience and individual interpretations by all. As the train brake scrubbed the speed the coaster approached the platform I realized although the line was short I would have to endure another what seemed to be an endless wait once again.
Finally ticket in hand I plowed up the ramp and through the turnstile walking briskly to the last car I stepped over the side to claim my seat I pulled the lap bar down and patiently waited for the attendant to lock the bar in place — ready, set, go raced through my mind, still the car didn’t move I slid my phone out of my pocket as I read the «no cameras allowed» posting, surely they must be kidding no way am I complying with this moment in time. Sudden the car lunged forward it was finally time, we were on our way to almost two full minutes of absolute pleasure. As we inched up the first hill the feelings and anticipation of what was before us was almost over-​whelming, every whisper and bit of laughter echoed back from the lead cars along with every click of the chain pulling us upward, we think this slow rhythmic climb is just for the thrills, but thats just a byproduct this is about the need for potential energy. As the best view of the ride approaches the bottom falls out, the cars seem to fly as the potential energy from the climb converts to kinetic energy which frees the mind of all things except self preservation, some raise their hands above their head others tighten their death grip on the lap bar, either way you aren’t getting off no matter how loud you scream or what promises you make to the almighty.
I wish I could say I remember every twist and turn, but I don’t, for this I blame that on the majestic design of the Giant Dipper which is as awesome today as it was one the first day, but I do remember the first climb, the first drop, the first and last turns but little else besides the pounding of my heart. As the momentum is mechanically tempered and the chain of cars come to a stop its clear this ride is physically over but I know the memories will live on forever. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this once if you’re ever in the area they don’t make them like this anymore when it’s gone it’s gone forever…

The Giant Dipper at the beach is pretty much a staple for the California coast as it’s been here since 1928!
The wooden coaster on the beach has survived lots of obstacles over the years only to have the coaster live on and be able to give rides to anyone who enjoys the awesomeness a wooden coaster brings.
The ride is $ 6 each buy your tickets at the booth just go down the path away from the coaster entrance and you will find what your looking for along with other tickets and passes for the multiple attractions.
The Giant Dipper has a really awesome ride to it as the coaster is smooth riding when comparing to some wooden coasters I’ve been on at other parks.
The coaster has a dark tunnel that leads you to the lift hill when you first start off giving you that disoriented feeling of where am I going?
Once to the top of the lift hill you find yourself diving down into a deep high banked corner rounding to head across to the other side which has another corner and just an all around fun ride to the end!
This coaster really is the best attraction at Belmont Park’s Boardwalk Midway on the Beach may it live on for many more years to thrill all those who ride it including myself the only question is when will I get to ride it again? As those who know me know that I’m always at parks riding coasters!

This ride is awesome, albeit a little expensive. I came here with a couple of friends of mine. I had never been on this ride before, I’ve always considered it but never went through with it. Well, last Thursday I finally went through with it and rode the coaster and it was epic.
Great views, you can see the entire boardwalk up here. It’s super cool to ride at night, which is when I did it. It’s a little scary at first when your going up and hear the wood screeching, I was thinking «Is this ride about to break down on me?» lol. I’m a bit scared of roller coasters so a lot of things go through my mind when I am riding.
Overall it was a great ride and worth the 6.00, you get great scenic views and an intense ride.

Paid $ 6 only for this ride, since this ride takes 6 tokens, and its $ 1/​token! What a great ride though, you get the scenic view as you ride the wooden roller coaster. I went 2x, because my last ride, I just had to enjoy the sunset setting on the Pacific Ocean soaking in the fresh air high above on the roller coaster ride as the Delta Breeze gently tickles my nose hair passionately. Oh MY!
Sitting at the front or at the back of the coaster, is the best place to enjoy and get your moneys worth! No joke…
The moment you go up slowly with every clink/​knock you hear on the wooden trails, be ready and raise your hands up in the air and scream! But scream with caution, as you may swallow/​choke all shapes and sizes of bugs during dusk! **cough cough**
Oh, one last thing, keep hand held devices to a minimum and enjoy the ride. ;) Or else, people behind you will not be so happy and be like, «WTF! Does he have a selfie stick for in the roller coaster.!?» LOL! Saw that one time when I was sitting all the way in the back of the roller coaster. And I couldn’t stop laughing the whole entire time, because it reminds me of someone back in Sacramento. Not naming who on one of our Elite Get Together Events in Sacramento!
BTW, one last thing again that I forget to mention, dont forget to stop by the fortune teller ‘Zoltar’, he’s such a darling. :) And hopefully his fortune is right about you that you may not receive a headache, neck pain, or something awful after your roller coaster ride.
And please, dont ride if you know you had several drinks! No one wants to swallow your vomit on mid air of the roller coaster ride. Namm sayinn.

Bottom Line: A $ 6 ride on this circa 1925 wooden roller coaster offers sweeping views of the Pacific and non-​stop laughs.
After living in San Diego for 12 years I finally rode the Giant Dipper and it was absolutely worth the trip to Belmont Park and the $ 6 admission price. Originally built 90 years ago, this wooden roller coaster has earned a place on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It has survived storms and contests and reinvented itself after natural disaster. But enough History Class, let’s move on to recess.
This roller coaster is pure fun! Clink, clink, clink, clink is the classic sound this roller coaster makes as your train summits the first hill. Then, the breaks release and you and 20ish fellow fun seekers are plummeting down hill and laughing all the way — with a few screams mixed in. Being an old wooden roller coaster there are not any death spirals or loops to contend with so the ride is fun even for those who are a little hesitant about coasters. The nature of old coasters is that they can be a little jerky but my 36 year old body found it manageable and I walked away without a headache, nausea or any weird pains. In fact, I was ready to ride again!

ha ha ha aaahhhhahahaha!!1This is what you call a blast from the past!
I love old woodies, there’s something about the sound, rough vibrations and, over all uncomfortable nature of these antiques. one more time please!

So its like $ 6 a person and worth every cent. Its a well-​maintained vestige of a by-​gone roller coaster era. Sure, todays coasters are better, and provide better thrills, but this is from the era where it all started, where we learned it could be done.
You get a couple of good, old, wooden drops where you feel that crushing upwards push at the bottom you don’t feel in iron coasters so you get a jump on the next rise instead of the newer floating feeling. Entirely different, beautifully executed.

Looks like an easy ride, but that’s not the case for those raised on slick steel roller coasters. And isn’t that just about everyone at this point? Vintage wooden roller coasters are different animals and the Giant Dipper is no exception. It’s exceptional. It can be a bit rough, although it seems to me to be much smoother than some other vintage coasters. Think twice, however, if you have spine issues or dental work that might be jarred free. It can definitely loosen your fillings! But the ride is well worth it for the sound of body. It’s a ride into the past and a thrilling one at that. You can feel the years in every bump.
Bigger and faster roller coasters are plentiful, even within the world of the vintage and the wooden. You can go elsewhere if you want big, fast, smooth and boring, but wouldn’t you rather take a wild ride into history?

I went on this roller coaster once and it was terrifying. I am not afraid of many «thrill seeking» things, so when I saw this roller coaster I thought «EASY!» This coaster is super old. It’s so old that it is a California monument. How old does something have to be to become a monument. 50 years old? 100? Would you trust a 100 year old chair that’s been sat in all day by thousands of people? And then would you trust that chair to hurl you along a track constructed from steel by a guy from 1920? Of course not! Either way, this thing is old and rickety and I thought I was gonna die Devon Sawa Final Destination style. I actually thought it was my time to go. Anyways, I looked how old this beast is, built in 1925. That’s pretty damn old. And I’m sure that building codes were top notch back then. Also, when googling this «Big Dipper roller coaster accident» was suggested before «Big Dipper San Diego.» Sooooo…

So much fun!!! Came here with my sorority last week and we all had a blast. The lines move really quickly which was great! The only downside is that the ride is so short): I wish theme park rides could last longer!

Great old school roller coaster with lots of air. Loved it but prob wouldn’t pay $ 6 to ride. Arcade was fun… Digital tickets are a convenient touch but there’s something more rewarding about seeing those rickets fall to the floor. Decent prices for games. AND THEY HAVE DEAL OR NO DEAL!!!

I was pleasantly surprised at how fast and fun this coaster was. I grabbed the front row and honestly wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. Then I found myself laughing and in tears by the end of the ride. Definitely worth riding once for $ 6.

$ 6 for 90 seconds of headache-​inducing, scream-​filled roller coaster riding bliss. I can’t decide whether I like this coaster better at night or during the day. Either way is awesome!!! A summertime must!

I love this roller coaster! I’ve been riding it 17 years, ever since it was renovated. Now my kids enjoy riding it. The lines aren’t usually long when we go, and if you have a preferred seat you will be accommodated! The ride itself is very fun! The view is beautiful!

One minute, forty-​five seconds. According to the facts printed inside the Giant Dipper museum/​gift store/​ticket booth, that’s how long the ride lasts… and during that entire time, you may be thinking the following:
«OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING AHHHHHH…»
Let’s back up a bit: this past weekend, we were celebrating my lady’s birthday. Kathy loves roller coasters, and so I surprised her with an unlimited ride pass for the Giant Dipper and the surrounding rides. After getting our ride bracelets and perusing the gift store/​museum/​ticket booth — worth checking out for the coaster replica, photos, and one of the original coaster cars, by the way; who knew that the Giant Dipper was a historical landmark? — we got in line to take our seats.
Now, this wooden roller coaster may be over 80 years old (and looks it at times)… but it looks deceptive from the outside. Sure, you may be thinking that it doesn’t look so bad — but once you’re on it and you get over the peak, prepare to be jostled left and right and all around as gravity takes effect and pulls the coaster to its eventual stop at 45 mph. That, plus the wooden track jostling us the entire time, had both Kathy and I holding on to the railing for dear life until the ride was over. Small wonder that I yelled «WE’RE ALIVE!» when we pulled into the station… and that Kathy had gotten seriously scared during the ride (something that NEVER happens on every roller coaster we’ve been on up to that point).
However, for the historical value and the thrills, the Giant Dipper is the one Belmont Park attraction that has to be experienced. Check it out sometime… and be sure to have a chiropractic visit lined up afterwards!

I was really scared at first seeing that I haven’t ridden a roller coaster in over five years. It is 6 bucks if you just buy tickets for this ride. It goes fast and is fun!!! Not super bumpy like other wooden roller coaster I have ride before.

This wooden roller coaster has been around for 80+ years. I love the thrills of roller coasters so the only ride I rode at the park was this roller coaster. Since it’s a wooden roller coaster, you’ll have that feeling of «Omg is this gonna break down on me?»
it’s short but it’s jammed pack. The $ 12 for my gf and I was totally worth it!

This ride was so fun! It was only 6 $ to ride and worth it. It was short but did not make me feel sick or scared. It was so much fun and made me feel like a child again! I was also able to take a very quick video from my phone at the beginning before it started going very fast!

Ow ow ow ow ow, in the words of Tupac Shakur, I need to remember to always keep my head up.
After a 10+ year hiatus, I finally rode the Giant Dipper to relive some of the highlights of my younger days. Maybe it was the lightning speed, sheer fear or the excitement of it all, but on this day I somehow was unable to remember to keep my neck straight. I find that as I get older, I’m becoming more of a pansy.
Even though little 10 year olds were giggling while riding this roller coaster, I was doing by best to conquer my fears. If little kids have no fear, then neither should I! Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, I win this time!