Mission Beach Roller Coaster
| Big Dipper | |
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Wooden roller coaster in Belmont Park
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| Belmont Park (San Diego) | |
| Coordinates |
32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°WCoordinates: 32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W |
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Mission Beach Roller Coaster
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Site in U.S. state of California
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| Location | 3000 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, California |
| Coordinates | 32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W |
| Area | 2.8 acres (1.1 ha) |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Frank Prior, Fredrick Church |
| Architectural style | "Bobs"-type coaster |
| NRHP Reference # | 78000753 |
| CHISL # | 1044 |
| SDHL # | 90 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated SDHL | December 7, 1973 |
| 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 laminated wood strips with 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 bottom of first drop° |
| Height restriction | 50 in (127 cm) |
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Big Dipper at RCDB Pictures of Big Dipper at RCDB |
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32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°WCoordinates: 32°46′18″N 117°15′0″W / 32.77167°N 117.25000°W
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 in Mission Beach in San Diego, California. The Giant Dipper was built in 1925. The roller coaster and its namesake at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are the only remaining wooden roller coasters on the West Coast designed by noted roller coaster designers Frank Prior and Frederick Church.
Threatened with demolition, in 1978 the 2,600-foot coaster was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which afforded it legal protection. Eight years later, in 1986, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
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.
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Wikipedia