Have you been to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

If you have, what did you like and dislike about the park?

I like the 1924 Giant Dipper, and the great atmosphere with the beach and nice weather.

I dont like that it only has 3 coasters, something like a boomerang or a launched would be a great addition to the park.

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X is the best and it beats all da rest!...Coasterlicius!

I have been there and I agree with your likes. Giant Dipper is fantastic. It is very beautifful to look at. The atmosphere is great and the weather is great. Hurricane is a cool little coaster and the new ghost ride is fun. I like the caveman ride too. The beach is awesome. The food is pretty good and the prices are good. I think the park could use anoter coaster or two, but there isn't much room. Maybe they could fit an impule somewhere, but now that SFMW has one, they probably won't get one. It is a cool little park.

Edit: Fixed that Coasterman J. I always say the wrong name. There are so many Big Dippers, but only on Giant Dipper.

*** This post was edited by SFGA2001 on 11/12/2001. ***

I never thought about it getting an impulse, it would fit perfect along the sand, but in the winter that waves come all the way up to the wall, and SFMW has one... :(
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X is da best and it beats all da rest!...Coasterlicius!

An impulse is not SCBB's style.

I loved the park. It has everything that a great park should have - a great coaster (Giant Dipper should not be missed), a good assortment of flat rides (with plenty of lights), a beautiful carousel (where you can still grab the brass ring), decent food, and a huge arcade. Plus having the beach and Pacific Ocean right there is a big bonus too.

To me, that's the real California.

X Factor

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SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com

It is my second favorite park! (Behind SFMW ;)). It is an excellent example that you don't need a lot of the newest coasters to be the best. The Giant Dipper is wild with great airtime. I love the tunnel before the lift, it's misleading. Hurricane is a nice coaster with an insane 80 degree drop. It has very nice flat rides. The log flume maybe short but it's a really nice view of the ocean.

If you don't like the rides there's always the arcade, lazer tag, or the beach. You could easily spend a weekend there. :)

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"I’m more than a bird..I’m more than a plane...More than some pretty face beside a train...It’s not easy to be me"-Five for Fighting "Superman" dedicated to all of the hardworking rescuers of the WTC...

Yeah i've been there and it was great..back when i was a kid.. but the whole time i was there i didnt ride any rides whatsoever you know why?

cause i stayed at the beach and played all day in the sand and the water Hahaha :)

I used to live 'over the hill' from SCBB. It was the highlight of my summer to go there. And I too frolicked in the sand and water...then went up and rode the Giant Dipper over and over...... :)

Wonderful park!

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Yeeee Haaawwww!

SFGA2001 said:
Big Dipper is fantastic. It is very beautifful to look at.

Um, it's Giant Dipper, not Big Dipper. Get it right! ;) :) SCBB is awesome, it's one of my favorite places to go, and the only place in Nor Cal that actually stays open pretty much year round. Sure, they are on limited operation, but Giant Dipper rides are abundant during this time of the year. :) They have a great collection of rides, the Dipper is truly one of the best wooden coasters around, the location is awesome, and "fog rides" on the Dipper just can't be beat! ;) Oh yeah, and their polish corn dogs are just amazing. You can't go to SCBB and not have one of the polish corn dogs.

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I lived in Santa Cruz from 1988 to 1995... I went to the SCBB all the time and knew lots of people who worked there. The coolest time was right after the earthquake in '89, they opened SCBB up a few days after the quake (school was still out for weeks) and of course no one showed up. They had to shut down half of the park but I remember they charged $5 for an all day pass. I rode the Giant Dipper so many times it was insanity, back then they didn't have the computer brake yet, still the hand one so they'd let us ride again without stopping the train a few times. You really fly into the tunnel if they don't stop the train!

They will never expand the SCBB too much, to answer any questions. Since it is a public park (there is no admission price) the residents pay some taxes on it, and they want it to have a 1920's feel. So they will usually only get rides with an old-fashioned midway feeling to them. They have replaced the coaster that is currently the Hurricane twice. A long time ago it was a wild mouse coaster (I don't remember the manufacturer, I was 11, there was no internet back then) then it was a Jet Star I (curses to whoever decided to replace a Schwarzkopf!)

-djansi

i don't think that santa cruz boardwalk needs another coaster. there is not enough land and the giant dipper is the best coaster on the west coast. ghostrider and the other giant dipper in san diego are second and third

Got to SEE the park last October, the day after closing...it was PGA (Stealth), SFMW, or SCBB, and you can guess who won out. Had a great time there anyway, played around the arcade a bit. Getting pics of the Looff carousel (thanks to maintenance) and the Big Dipper made for a great stop in Santa Cruz - shame we didn't get to ride...and I second djansi, "curses to whoever decided to replace a Schwarzkopf"!!!
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you

No,I haven't but I very much want to go there some day.The Schwartzkopf Jet Star still exists as Ripper at Thrillville,USA in Turner,Oregon just a few miles south of Salem on 1-5.I rode it a few months ago.

The Giant Dipper is awesome, as is the Hurricane. I also love the atmosphere and the fact that it's right on the ocean. If I could change something it would be the poor quality of the other attractions I.E. Log Flume, Haunted House... I think the number of coasters is actually large for a beach theme park, and asking for another one, while I wouldn't mind it, would be kind of unnecessary.

I have been going there my whole life, generally about once a year. I usually just get a couple rides on the Giant Dipper and that's it. Last time I went on the new Cave Train to see what changes the made, but that was it. If I'm going with non-enthusiast friends I'll go on other stuff like the Haunted House and the Carousel.

I think they could use another thrilling ride. They were supposed to get a Big Shot a few years back but the neighbors didn't want it so it wasn't approved. Something like an Impulse Coaster would be nice, but SFMW already has that so I don't think it would be a good decision.

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http://www.bolliger-mabillard.com

A used shuttle loop under the boardwalk with the loop and ramps popping up would be really cool...dontcha think?

By the way, if any of you plan to visit, I highly recommend taking the Roaring Camp train from Felton down to the Boardwalk. It's a really neat ride through the redwoods and then through the back streets of Santa Cruz. It's not too expensive, and saves trying to rustle up parking. You have a few hours to enjoy the rides before heading back to Felton (1 hour 1-way).

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Yeeee Haaawwww!

That would be a great addition to the SCBB, It needs something really thrilling, and thats a step.
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