| Giant Dipper | |
| Track overview from skyglider | |
| Location | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 17, 1924 |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Arthur Looff |
| Designer | Frank Prior, Fredrick Church |
| Track layout | Double Out and Back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Drop | 65 ft (20 m) |
| Length | 2,640 ft (800 m) |
| Max speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:52 |
| Height restriction | 4 ft 2 in (127 cm) |
| Giant Dipper at RCDB | |
| Pictures of Giant Dipper at RCDB | |
| Amusement Parks Portal | |
The Giant Dipper is a historic wooden roller coaster located at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, an amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. It opened on May 17, 1924. It is the fifth-oldest roller coaster in the United States; over 55 million riders have ridden it since its opening.[1] The United States National Park Service recognized the Giant Dipper as part of a National Historic Landmark also covering the nearby Looff carousel in 1987. It was named an American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Landmark on May 5, 2007.[2] The ride appeared in many television commercials and movies, including The Lost Boys, Sudden Impact and Dangerous Minds.
The Giant Dipper, which is located between walkways 3 and 4 at 400 Beach Street in Santa Cruz, California, was designed by Frank Prior and Fredrick Church (1878–1938), with a double out and back layout similar to the Mission Beach Roller Coaster built in 1925 in San Diego, California. The Giant Dipper was built by Arthur Looff (1888–1970) in 1924 in just 47 days at a cost of $50,000. It replaced the much tamer miniature railway ride designed by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. Looff described his plans for the coaster as a, "combination earthquake, balloon ascension, and aeroplane drop."[2] Looff's father, Charles I. D. Looff, built the carousel on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1911; both attractions continue to operate today.
The ride originally cost riders 15 cents per ride. As of 2010[update] it costs $5.00 (5 tickets) for riders who do not have an all-day wristband.[1] It also originally had an outdoor station; the indoor station and the tunnel at the beginning of the ride were added later. The trains have been repainted several times from the original green. For example, in February 2007 the fronts of the trains were covered with a "100 Years" sign and the sides were painted red and blue. The signage remains, despite the anniversary being four years ago.
Contents |
The Giant Dipper is referred to in the song 'Big Dipper', from the 1996 album 'The Golden Age' by David Lowery's band Cracker.
| Preceded by Unknown |
World's Fastest Roller Coaster May 1924–June 1927 |
Succeeded by Cyclone |