When was the giant dipper built

As the coaster and entirety of Belmont Park, including its other main attraction the large saltwater pool named "The Plunge", began their decent into disarray and a large transient population moved into the area, the popularity of this quaint San Diego theme park began to plummet.

What was once a acre park filled with visitors and lively energy became a run-down location with the dilapidated Giant Dipper at the epicenter. It eventually closed in and a demolition date had been set to destroy the old coaster that was once a source of laughter and pride for the San Diego community.

The charm of this seaside theme park would have disappeared and faded into the past had it not been for a group of citizens who loved the charming coaster and formed the "Save The Coaster Committee". These individuals fought hard to get the iconic Giant Dipper designated as a National Landmark and took over ownership of this great wooden structure.

Although they did what they could by donating time and raising funds, the "Save The Coaster Committee" was unable to restore the coaster fully and it inevitably stood dormant for nearly 14 years. What was once a point of pride for the Mission Beach community became a constant reminder of times long ago, until when the new developer of Belmont Park worked together with the owner of its sister roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, to form the San Diego Seaside Company.

And as a result, on August 11, , the Giant Dipper became triumphant once again and reopened to the public! The reopening was a huge success with local residents who had grown up riding the Giant Dipper coming out in droves to share their memories of the coaster with friends, family and children. No one could have expected the large public response as the Giant Dipper became even more popular than it had been in its hay day of the 's and 40's.

Ready to ride? Minimum Height. Today, the Giant Dipper stands as an icon of the San Diego beachfront. Ways to Ride. Get the latest news and special offers! Playland at the Beach was previously known as Chutes at the Beach because its premiere attraction was the Shoot the Chutes water ride.

Chutes at the Beach was the brainchild of Arthur Looff and John Friedle who organized the various concessions near the beach into an amusement park. Although the Chutes was the star, the park built some roller coaster rides to complement it.

However, these rides were about to be eclipsed by a new feature attraction. View of the Big Dipper construction, circa Smith Collection. Across the Bay in Oakland, Idora Park opened a rollercoaster with large dips of up to feet that they called the Big Dipper.

Although the Figure 8 Coaster was only a few years old, they decided to demolish it and build their own Big Dipper. Big Dipper under construction, circa Long line of people at Big Dipper entrance, circa