There's an old roller coaster in San Diego that has been incorporated into a shopping mall (or somesuch).

Tell me ev-er-y-thing: have you seen it? have you ridden it? what do people think about it?

It's for a *ahem* project.

Giant Dipper Roller Coaster


A local landmark for 70 years, the Giant Dipper is one of two surviving fixtures from the original Belmont Amusement Park (the other is the Plunge swimming pool). After sitting dormant for 15 years, the vintage wooden roller coaster, with more than 2,600 feet of track and 13 hills, underwent extensive restoration and reopened in 1991. If you're in the neighborhood (especially with older kids), it's worth a stop. You must be 50 inches tall to ride the roller coaster. You can also ride on the Giant Dipper's neighbor, the Liberty Carousel ($1).

http://www.giantdipper.com/virtualgd.html

http://home.san.rr.com/martha/fun_page.html

That is from the internet.

From me, the ride kicks your butt. Depending on where you sit, from what I hear, the slamming is light to hard.

The Coaster used to be a part of the Original Belmont Amusement Park. When I was a kid {I dunno, mid to late 70's?} you could pay a flat fee and go in and ride a handful of rides.

Know it is a little area with some shops but the main thing to me is the Coaster. {no mall, just a cluster and a kids place called Pirates Cove}They have a couple of more rides, can't recall them quite so well. It is in the same 'block' as the Plunge but I heard it might close? Don't know. It is right at the edge of the beach. The coaster is to the east of the 'block', the stores to the west and then the sidewalk that runs all along the beach area. Might be called the boardwalk but I am no frequent visitor so I am not sure.

All around {heading north} are shops and homes. To the south mostly homes and advertised weekly rentals than a couple of beach parks.

I hope these sites are more helpful than I am. :)

I have a rep as being no Barbara Walters. :rolleyes:

It's one of the best roller coasters I've ridden. It's very old style and pretty rough. But it's fun!!!! There is a lot of history behind the Giant Dipper. It's run by San Diego Coaster Co. and most of the rest of Belmont (The Plunge) is run a a local surfer/lawyer who aqquired the lease from the city. The land under the Giant Dipper is actually owned by the City of San Diego and leased out for managing.
On a more super-natural note. The Dipper is supposed to be haunted by an older man that worked as the night watchman for the park. Story has it that he was hit by one of the trains late at night during ride testing. He thought he saw a bunch of teens messing around on the track and went to investigate. They say he walks the track at night still watching over the Dipper.
Many of my freinds grew up with Belmont Park and say the ghost story is true. (I live about 5 or 6 miles from the dipper) If you would like real pics I can go take them with digi cam and e-mail them to you.

Thank you, MouseWife and socabch! Is the atmosphere like a boardwalk? What kind of business are around the Giant Dipper?

It's changing so much around there. I am going to that end of town later today and I can let you know. I haven't been since the beginning of summer. I tend to stay away during the summer because parking is bad near the beach unless you get there about 7 a.m.

It is kind of Boardwalk type atmosphere but not like Santa Cruz. I love Santa Cruz's Boardwalk.

I'll post back after noon or so.

Originally posted by 3894
What kind of business are around the Giant Dipper?

Two years ago I got my belly button pierced across the street from it. :D

I've only ridden the Giant Dipper a couple times. I only remember that i liked it a lot, but it's wooden roller coaster, so it's pretty rough.

Don't forget, Seaport Village is just a hop on the freeway away. Shops, view of the Coronado Bridge, Merry-go-round, restaurants, horse drawn carriages. A night at the opera at the Civic Theatre. Or a rock concert at 4th & B.

But, right across the street is a store, someone help me, very famous, agh! Sells t's, surfboards,rents things, HAMMELS {sp}!! It is still there, isn't it?


Does anyone know if the Rusty Pelican is still there on the boardwalk, more towards Pacific Beach?

But, right across the street is a store, someone help me, very famous, agh! Sells t's, surfboards,rents things, HAMMELS {sp}!! It is still there, isn't it?
It's still there! I just saw it about 30 mins ago. The Rusty Pelican sounds so familar. I'm not sure if it's there.

They moved the bumper cars from the north end of the Plunge and put it in the South end near Mission Blvd. They are new bumper cars, no more stearing wheels.

3894,
Here's my trip report: Weather= overcast and low clouds. Then some sun when I was leaving. They have a surf and skate board shop there, mostly locals go there to have their skateboards worked on. Most of the shops are the tourist beachwear shops with some jewelry places here and there. There are snadwiches shops, ice cream store, ect. They also still have an family amusement center with video games and such. The other rides are carousel, tilt a whirl, and other carnival type rides. The Plunge (indoor swimming pool) was open and they let me take pics. I love the ornate entrance ways with 1925 on them. They are original. The guy at the Dipper let me take a picture of the train while it was empty. It's pretty slow until about 3 o'clock. I have pics so if you want pm me your email address and I'll send them to you.

The shops are nothing to brag about. Seaport Village is much, much nicer. The dance clubs and bars are not as "cool" as they used to be. Not a hip, young, snooty crowd anymore. They're all downtown. The people here are laid back, they dine in the area with shoes off, dogs at their feet, a Corona in one hand and a fish taco in the other. Love it!!!

BUT the coaster is one of my favorites. I laugh and scream the entire time, which I don't generally do anymore. It's rough and fast and just seems to get better with age. I've been going on it every so often (I try to make it to SD every two-three years) since I was 5. The height and weight requirements were pretty loose when I was little. I remember being hurt once or twice, but I didn't say anything for fear I wouldn't be able to go on it again.

I also like the carousel. :)

Yep, we have gotten off bruised!!!

My mother in law told us that when her mother was young and rode the coaster, she broke her nose!!!!

It is a rough coaster. Lovely, though. I liked the museum that showed the original construction, post-fire and reconstruction. They did a nice job restoring the coaster. We went to Belmont Park mid-week, for about an hour, kind of off-season. It was very close to Sea World and our resort.

here are a couple of pics...
http://pixiedustinn.com/photos/paradisepoint/Dcp_0013.jpg
http://pixiedustinn.com/photos/paradisepoint/Dcp_0015.jpg
http://pixiedustinn.com/photos/paradisepoint/Dcp_0029.jpg

The wooden floor that is used as the platform is the original floor from what the guy told me today. It's is a beautiful floor, good enough to be in someones home.

As I mentioned to 3894 in my email with the pics. There are sections of the coaster that have about 8 layers of wooden slats supporting the metal rails. I have never really examined a wooden coaster upclose until today, (I just get on and ride), and it is truely amazing how they are built.

Like stinkerbell said "the shops are nothing to brag about" typical beachwear touristy type shops. There is a million of them in the Mission Beach/Pacific Beach area. I do love the atmosphere there on weekend nights. Very laid back, very traditional for this area of San Diego.

San Diego came up with such a good solution for saving the Giant Dipper. I wish other communities would look to that as cities grow and consume old amusement parks.

Again, thanks for all the help. Every last bit of what you've put down is important to me.

I've ridden the Giant Dipper and it's one of the best woodies around, better than either of SFMM's woodies, probably the third best woodie in the state, after KBF's GhostRider and SFMW's Roar.

A great coaster website is the Roller Coaster Data Base: http://www.rcdb.com You can find statistics on nearly every coaster in the world and photos of most of them.

Oh, I don't know... I think the Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a better ride, myself. :) Lots of air time, not as rough.

I agree with the Santa Cruz Dipper (altho it's been years) and SFMW's Roar, but I also like Colossus and (one of the few, I think) Psyclone at SFMM. But GhostRider has gotten pretty rough. Gone way down the ladder in my estimation. I've ridden them all this year w/the exception of the northern Giant Dipper.

As far as Belmont being laid back, don't forget the south end houses Canes. It rocks pretty well.

this has been a fun thread:D
growing up in SD, almost in sight of belmont park from on top of the hill overlooking mission bay (claremont area) we spent a lot of time down there. I still remember paying $3.95 for a wrist band for all day rides at the park. the fun house area was always cool. then there was the "spoof safari" it sat right next to the coaster in the location of the little museum/office for the coster now. at the time I didn't see what was so big about that rather boring ride. not until 1972 when my first girl friend took me on the ride;) . they also had a great wild mouse ride there, but I don't remember the name.

last time I was home we took our oldest daughter there as she was finally big enough. that is the first time in years I look at the old cars that used to run there. wow I thought I can't believe I was dumb enough to ride that coaster without even a lap bar:eek: I would never let my kids on that thing the way it was then. now I can't wait to go back again, thanks

I grew up in San Diego, and my parents had a condo right on the border of Pacific Beach and La Jolla, by the Tourmaline Surf Park. We used to go to the Jack in the Box across the street from Belmont Park and watch the coaster. It was awesome. I really miss that thing. Jack in the Box, too, I really miss that. [no jitb here in Minnesota]

Boy will I get flamed...but after a lifetime of coasters this is the absolute BOTTOM of my list. (Actually it's not on my list at all.)

Zero thrills...Maximum jarring of the liver. Only worthwhile for historical reasons...as a thrill ride?...not a single one.

Just IMHO of course.
I ride it a couple of times a year, just because. I always re-ride it the next year thinking I must have been 'not in the mood'...but every year it gets re-affirmed...bone shaking kiddie coaster. Santa Cruz is the ancient pleasure to look forward to and Ghost Rider, the Holy Grail.

Geez, an opinion is an opinion. I haven't ridden the Big Dipper real recently, but my daughter tells me it's gotten really rough. Rode it last year (or early this year - I don't remember) and it jarred pretty well. I rode it the year before in the front - excellent! In the back, same! In the middle, well,...

Did, however, ride GR in August. All I can say is, well, it's not a kiddie coaster, and I'm glad I still have my teeth. Lucky for me that it was the last ride of the night and I was staying at the Radisson. Gotten real ruff for a Holy Grail.

Can't comment on the other Dipper - been too long, but Roar, also ridden in August, was a really pleasant surprise.