Giant Dipper (Belmont Park)

Giant Dipper

Wooden roller coaster in Belmont Park
Belmont Park (San Diego)
Coordinates

32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W / 32.77167; -117.25000Coordinates: 32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W / 32.77167; -117.25000

Mission Beach Roller Coaster
Site in U.S. state of California
Location 3000 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, California
Coordinates 32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W / 32.77167; -117.25000
Area 2.8 acres (1.1 ha)
Built 1925
Architect Thomas Frank Prior, Fredrick A. Church
Architectural style "Bobs"-type coaster
NRHP Reference # 78000753[2]
CHISL # 1044[1]
SDHL # 90
Significant dates
Added to NRHP December 27, 1978[2]
Designated NHL February 27, 1987[3]
Designated SDHL December 7, 1973[4]
Status Operating
Opening date July 4, 1925
General statistics
Type Wood
Manufacturer Frank Prior, Fredrick Church
Designer Frank Prior, Fredrick Church
Model Twister
Track layout 8 layers of laminated wood strips topped with a 1/4" x3" wide steel rail.
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 70 ft (21 m)
Drop 60 ft (18 m)
Length 2,600 ft (790 m)
Speed 55 mph (89 km/h)
Inversions 0
Duration 1:45
Max vertical angle 40 degrees at the bottom of first drop°
Height restriction 50 in (127 cm)
Giant Dipper at RCDB
Pictures of Giant Dipper at RCDB

The Giant Dipper, also known as the "Mission Beach Roller Coaster," is a historical wooden roller coaster located in Belmont Park, a small amusement park on Mission Beach in San Diego, CA. The Giant Dipper was built in 1925. The roller coaster, along with its namesake at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, are the only remaining roller coasters on the West Coast designed by noted roller coaster designers, Frank Prior and Frederick Church.

In 1997, the Giant Dipper held a coaster–riding marathon sponsored by local radio station, Star 100.7. The marathon consisted of eleven consecutive days riding the coaster for more than 12 hours per day. The radio station arranged a second marathon in 1998, which was eventually won by contestants who split a check for $50,000 in cash prize after riding the coaster for 70 days.

References

  1. 1 2 "California Historical Landmark: San Diego County". Office of Historic Preservation. California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  2. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. "Mission Beach Roller Coaster". National Historic Landmarks Quioklinks. National Park Service. Retrieved March 2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. "Historical Landmarks Designated by the San Diego Historical Resources Board" (PDF). City of San Diego.
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