Belmont Park
Associated parks:
None
Trip Report: Belmont Park
Mission Beach, CA
March 10, 2001
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"Now that's my kind of mission"
Guess what? Eric and I are at it once again. This time our goal is to seek out and explore coasters in the Southern California region. As you may recall from my SFKK TR this makes my 129th day since riding a coaster. We decided to get the year off to a great start on the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park.
Prior email sent to the Giant Dipper indicated that it would operate from 11am -10pm, with the notation that the Giant Dipper does not operate in the rain. After having some breakfast we headed out on the 5 from LA to San Diego, and at about the 70 mile point, yep, rain. Much frustration and worrying started to take place in our car. Yet, we continued to drive the last 30 miles, I mean we could at least LOOK at it. Then a brilliant thing happened as we neared the park, the skies opened up, bright sunshine shone through, and the ground looked drier than Death Valley. Yes the coaster gods of Prior and Church were shining upon us as we pulled into the Belmont Park parking area. After parking and taking a nice walk thought he Belmont Park shopping area, we came upon the Roller coaster Museum, after spending a few minutes enjoying the museum, we purchased Ride-All-Day wristbands for $11.95 apiece. (What a deal, especially when the Giant Dipper itself is $3.50/ride)
we proceeded to walk across the midway and into an empty loading station, and took our seats in 1.1. As the operators were securing our lap bars they noted our video cameras and extended an open invitation to videotape the Giant Dipper. But in the interest of safety and wanting to enjoy the ride, we decided to take a couple laps around the Giant Dipper first.
Giant Dipper - Coaster #158
Prior&Church Twister, 1925
Restored 1990
Trains by Morgan.
First comment is that the Morgans do NOT suck. I found the Morgans to track well, and with the luxury of being able to ride solo, nice and roomy.
Giant Dipper starts our with a twisting tunnel meant to disorient the rider, the tunnel is very dark and with the turns you quickly loose sense of direction, then you start up the chain lift, and hear the unique noise as the Giant Dippers lift sounds different than most. The lift is your time to prepare for the exhilarating ride you are about to receive. The Giant Dipper is all about curves, sharp curves, while it keeps the track plan of a double out and back, the turns are wilder than most. While the Dipper only has a few minor hints of airtime, the laterals as you are thrown into the corners are quite interesting.
A couple rides later and I was in the back seat doing the "Robb Alvey Waterville Cannonball Empty Train POV" style of POV. I kinda like that method of pov when you can get it, showing an empty train ahead of you negotiating the course. I'd like to note that both myself and my camcorder survived the Giant Dipper. In retrospect, "Noo, you couldn't practice videotaping coasters on a tame kiddie coaster, nooo you went straight for the brutal turns of the Giant Dipper"
After the video ride we took several more rides, despite the sign that said the Dipper only runs every 10 minutes unless full, the operators were willing to give us as many rides as we wanted.
We then took a walking tour of Belmont looking at the Plunge, the carousel which is was completely stripped waiting for annual rehab, and the other classic rides in the parks rides lineup. We proceeded to walk all the way around the Giant Dipper, filming the coaster and other things. After making a lap of the Giant Dipper on foot, we decided to take a few more rides, by this time a small crowd had built up, but never more than a one train wait. Queue gates? We don't need no steenking gates, or even seat queues. Just place your feet on the footprints on the hardwood floor.
Also by this time the Giant Dipper was smoking, making our earlier rides seem tame by comparison, kudos to Prior and Church, they just don't make em like this anymore.
But it is time to move on to our next park, but on our way out our attention was captured by Bumps. What is Bumps, an indoor bumper car arena, with shiny mirrored walls, a disco ball, and music. This we had to experience. After a short wait for the group currently riding to exit, we were soon admitted to the Majestic cars with lap bars. (Lap bars are the greatest thing to happen to bumper cars.) But WAIT A MINUTE. "Where are the STINGER POLES!" these cars do not have poles coming out of the top connecting to a mesh grid on the ceiling. My attention was diverted to the floor of the arena, "Maybe these are floor pickup" But alas the floor seemed to be no different than a normal bumper car arena floor EXCEPT that it was in 'stripes' There was a metallic panel that stretched from one end of the arena to the other, periodically these metallic panels were divided by thin rubber strips. Cool.
After a ride on Bumps, and a stop past a cold drinks stand it was off on our way to our next park: Adventure City.
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----
David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville *** This post was edited by beanieboy2099 on 3/17/2001. ***
Mission Beach, CA
March 10, 2001
-------------------------
"Now that's my kind of mission"
Guess what? Eric and I are at it once again. This time our goal is to seek out and explore coasters in the Southern California region. As you may recall from my SFKK TR this makes my 129th day since riding a coaster. We decided to get the year off to a great start on the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park.
Prior email sent to the Giant Dipper indicated that it would operate from 11am -10pm, with the notation that the Giant Dipper does not operate in the rain. After having some breakfast we headed out on the 5 from LA to San Diego, and at about the 70 mile point, yep, rain. Much frustration and worrying started to take place in our car. Yet, we continued to drive the last 30 miles, I mean we could at least LOOK at it. Then a brilliant thing happened as we neared the park, the skies opened up, bright sunshine shone through, and the ground looked drier than Death Valley. Yes the coaster gods of Prior and Church were shining upon us as we pulled into the Belmont Park parking area. After parking and taking a nice walk thought he Belmont Park shopping area, we came upon the Roller coaster Museum, after spending a few minutes enjoying the museum, we purchased Ride-All-Day wristbands for $11.95 apiece. (What a deal, especially when the Giant Dipper itself is $3.50/ride)
we proceeded to walk across the midway and into an empty loading station, and took our seats in 1.1. As the operators were securing our lap bars they noted our video cameras and extended an open invitation to videotape the Giant Dipper. But in the interest of safety and wanting to enjoy the ride, we decided to take a couple laps around the Giant Dipper first.
Giant Dipper - Coaster #158
Prior&Church Twister, 1925
Restored 1990
Trains by Morgan.
First comment is that the Morgans do NOT suck. I found the Morgans to track well, and with the luxury of being able to ride solo, nice and roomy.
Giant Dipper starts our with a twisting tunnel meant to disorient the rider, the tunnel is very dark and with the turns you quickly loose sense of direction, then you start up the chain lift, and hear the unique noise as the Giant Dippers lift sounds different than most. The lift is your time to prepare for the exhilarating ride you are about to receive. The Giant Dipper is all about curves, sharp curves, while it keeps the track plan of a double out and back, the turns are wilder than most. While the Dipper only has a few minor hints of airtime, the laterals as you are thrown into the corners are quite interesting.
A couple rides later and I was in the back seat doing the "Robb Alvey Waterville Cannonball Empty Train POV" style of POV. I kinda like that method of pov when you can get it, showing an empty train ahead of you negotiating the course. I'd like to note that both myself and my camcorder survived the Giant Dipper. In retrospect, "Noo, you couldn't practice videotaping coasters on a tame kiddie coaster, nooo you went straight for the brutal turns of the Giant Dipper"
After the video ride we took several more rides, despite the sign that said the Dipper only runs every 10 minutes unless full, the operators were willing to give us as many rides as we wanted.
We then took a walking tour of Belmont looking at the Plunge, the carousel which is was completely stripped waiting for annual rehab, and the other classic rides in the parks rides lineup. We proceeded to walk all the way around the Giant Dipper, filming the coaster and other things. After making a lap of the Giant Dipper on foot, we decided to take a few more rides, by this time a small crowd had built up, but never more than a one train wait. Queue gates? We don't need no steenking gates, or even seat queues. Just place your feet on the footprints on the hardwood floor.
Also by this time the Giant Dipper was smoking, making our earlier rides seem tame by comparison, kudos to Prior and Church, they just don't make em like this anymore.
But it is time to move on to our next park, but on our way out our attention was captured by Bumps. What is Bumps, an indoor bumper car arena, with shiny mirrored walls, a disco ball, and music. This we had to experience. After a short wait for the group currently riding to exit, we were soon admitted to the Majestic cars with lap bars. (Lap bars are the greatest thing to happen to bumper cars.) But WAIT A MINUTE. "Where are the STINGER POLES!" these cars do not have poles coming out of the top connecting to a mesh grid on the ceiling. My attention was diverted to the floor of the arena, "Maybe these are floor pickup" But alas the floor seemed to be no different than a normal bumper car arena floor EXCEPT that it was in 'stripes' There was a metallic panel that stretched from one end of the arena to the other, periodically these metallic panels were divided by thin rubber strips. Cool.
After a ride on Bumps, and a stop past a cold drinks stand it was off on our way to our next park: Adventure City.
-------------
----
David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville *** This post was edited by beanieboy2099 on 3/17/2001. ***
Great report. Makes me wish I didn't live in Ohio (where it's snowing again). Sigh.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
LOL, Jeff. I think that's the first time I have heard a quote like that. A coaster nut wishing he didn't live in Ohio. We'll see how you feel once the parks in your area are open for business ;)!
BTW that was a great TR on a truly great coaster. I look forward to reading more TR's from you, Coasterville Dave!
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"X" marks the spot in 2001!
BTW that was a great TR on a truly great coaster. I look forward to reading more TR's from you, Coasterville Dave!
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"X" marks the spot in 2001!
One sometimes has to ask himself if the long off-season in Ohio is worth enduring for summer's roller coaster Mecca.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
The weather here is nice, albeit monotonous....and although we have a great selection, I think I'd prefer Ohio for riding...;)
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
Coasterville Dave I have ridden the Giant Dipper with the original Prior and Church trains. There is no comparison. It's a completely different ride with the new trains. The old ones had considerably more mass to them. You also sat much higher. The restored lead car in the museum gives you a good idea what it was like. It's still a great ride though.
How long did they run the old P&Cs? Man! I'd always wanted to ride on those guys.
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
The P & C trains were used right up until the park closed at the end of 1976. They were a little road weary by that time,but they still gave one h*** of a ride!
Does anyone know how the Belmont Giant Dipper compares to the Sant Cruz Boardwalk Giant Dipper?
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-- Harley
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-- Harley
Jeff- While the Belmont Park Giant Dipper is truely great- the coaster that convinced me to get off my butt & join ACE way back when, be glad you live in Ohio. My brother lives in San Diego, and he can't wait to come home every summer to get to God's Country, a.k.a., Cedar Point!
Kool tr!! I am planning to go there in the summer. I can't wait!!
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Excuse Me!! I am eating here.
Glad to hear that you had a good time in my hometown of San Diego :)
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2001 THE WORLD MEETS THE X-TREME PARK...SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN
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2001 THE WORLD MEETS THE X-TREME PARK...SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN
I am truly ashamed . . . I would have loved to meet with you on trip here for the Dipper (I extend a standing invitation to all Buzzers to let me know when yu're coming; first ride is (usually, assuming I'm working) my treat! Unfortunately, I have been lax in checking out the meeting calendar -- I will try to do better!
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Whatever goes up, must come down, preferably at a speed over 60 mph and leaning into a flying turn
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Whatever goes up, must come down, preferably at a speed over 60 mph and leaning into a flying turn
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