Giant Dipper Review, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Classic Wood Coaster | Best Boardwalk Coaster? 

I adore this coaster. To me, this and Cyclone are the definitive classic wooden coasters. The prelift section in the dark is really fun and exciting. The airtime is legitimate. And its absolutely one of the best looking wooden coasters out there from a visual standpoint. I first rode this as a kid on a California coast trip and have loved it ever since.

This was the first coaster I ever rode. I think I was 4 or 5, so at least 55 years ago. To this day it's my 2nd favorite wooden coaster, after GhostRider at Knott's. ❤️

This coaster is a classic. The tunnel drop out of the station, while small, is a great start to a great woodie.

I’ve ridden this before and I can say every drop sent me flying

So exciting to see this review, I worked the Giant Dipper and even ran the manual breaks as a lead one summer back in 2002. Great ride, great fun 👍

Classic, beautiful and so much FUN. My favorite roller coaster of all. The seaside ambiance adds to the whole experience.

Happy to see you review this. I need a Cali coaster trip bad and I feel like these old boardwalk Dippers are must rides. I love boardwalk parks and old coasters. That whole atmosphere just tickles my fancy.

This is such an interesting ride! Was definitely surprised to hear about all the crazy forces especially with the small stature of this ride

What an absolutely insane airtime and lateral machine, well more laterals than anything. As someone who is skinny to normal sized, I should be able to get decent room with the lap bars. I would definitely try both front and back on this thing.

I will never forget my first ride on this classic.

I grew up in Aptos and have ridden this more than I care to admit. These days my back has a hard time on it, but I'll do it once if I'm ever visiting. Being able to a'la cart this ride has always been an easy win for me. I'll buy enough "points" for the Dipper and the Carousel and go nosh on something deep fried then spend the rest of the time watching the tourists. Good memories. Lots of good rides at the boardwalk. Their 2 long standing dark rides the Cave train and haunted caste are solid performers.

I love when two trains run😊

Been waiting for this review for a while!

Heck YEAH! One of the BEST classics! Prior & Church turned out some really noteworthy coaster in their day. Yep while they got the under friction wheels (Traver used a bar) banking wasn't a THING still for a while. They still liked your gal almost in your lap. LOL! That coral and white paint scheme + Blue Streak's are the best looking wooden coasters (painted).

The first time I went to the boardwalk as a kid, half of it (including Giant Dipper) was closed while they were scooping out the foundations for Haunted Mansion, but it's still my favorite of the older wood coasters. It's interesting how this one is waaaaaaaaaay older than Grizzly at CGA, but is both a more interesting ride, and far smoother (It should be noted that this one was built during the same era as monstrosities like the Crystal Beach Cyclone). I suppose that goes to show how significant historic-landmark-level maintenance budgets can keep a wood coaster running smooth for aeons.

It’s up in the air between Swamp Fox, and Giant Dipper for the title of best boardwalk coaster. I love this ride, and it’s so beautiful to watch as well

This ride is seriously underrated. It at least holds its own with the big 3 at CGA, which really surprised me considering that it runs Morgan wooden coaster trains. While I can appreciate the history of Jack Rabbit at Seabreeze that ride was neutered by Morgan trains, Grizzley at GCA is just boring, certainly a good RMC candidate. How is Giant Dipper so good? I mean it's so good I feel safe saying the best coaster of the 1920s is still in operation, and being that not many coasters from that era are still around that's a bold statement. Given the forces the ride has I don't believe the official stats but in a different way than you brought up. I think the ride is actually taller than it's marketed to be, and it does reach advertised speeds. I'll just say if you do a northern CA coaster trip, do not skip Santa Cruz. You've seen me rave about how awesome Giant Dipper is, they've also got the world's best caroucel in my opinion with the ring game they have (especially the throwing element) and the best mini golf I have done, loaded with animatronics, glow sections, and canons. I know people rave about the dark rides but those were actually closed because I went in December, I guess it's just a reason to go back during the summer at some point.

Amazing that this old coaster is still running. Fantastic. I'd love to ride this one. I know I would enjoy it.

I agree with your definition of pacing. I haven't ridden this Giant Dipper, but I've heard plenty of great things.

I've ridden the Giant Dipper in San Diego, as it's only a 10 min drive from where I live, but i've yet to ride it's sister in Santa Cruz. It's interesting how the 2 coasters seem to give quite different ride experiences. I admit that the San Diego coaster is very rough and at times genuinely violent (My last ride was a month ago when SoCal was at the peak of an intense heat wave, in the middle of the blazing hot afternoon with temps easily in the mid to high 90s, and the coaster absolutely ripped through the first 2/3rds of the track before bleeding off speed towards the very end. I had my own car towards the back so I was getting thrown all over the place. When I got off I felt like I had been kicked hard in my shin and had a bruise there for a couple days. Don't even know at what point in the ride it happened since it feels like you're getting roughed up for most of the ride, but it was still very fun and the forces were way more intense than I remember from previous rides. The heat def kicked things up a notch or two. Next time Im near Santa Cruz Ill def stop by to experience presumably a smoother version of the coaster.

This was actually the ride that first got me into coasters. I rode it I think 5 times in a row back when I was a kid and loved it. It wasn't until a year later that I went to Cedar Point for the first timen

I went on this yesterday and they were running 2 trains and it was a Saturday they were also open until 10 pm I love the red and blue train both trains was throwing me around during the hills and turns and a happy 99th birthday to the Giant Dipper

My Review: I’m a teen so the restraints are amazing with the few inches you get, and the floater in the back row is amazing. I didn’t find much forces in the other row I rode but the back you really get that floater airtime and it is wonderful! The laterals on the unbanked turns are strong and exciting! I love this classic woodie and can’t wait for its 100th bday

great review! although I do enjoy the front more because of the airtime going up into the turn around as well as the aforementioned latterals, idk maybe I rode in the back on a slow day. I’ll go back and try it again in the back row

I’m glad I get to work at the BW. It’s a lovely place and the dipper takes the cake. If you have questions abt the park feel free to ask me.

Its a great rollercoaster. I ve been on the Giant Dipper multiple Xs It was featured on such movies like Sudden Impact. The Lost Boys Bumblebee Us and some other movies

Giant Dipper is a classic but Cyclone at Coney Island is a strong contender for Best Boardwalk coaster

This coaster seriously ruined me for enjoying other coasters. I grew up on this and have easily ridden it at least a100 times. In the early 70's, we would cut school, drive over the hill to Santa Cruz and pretty much ride this all day. The lucky days for us were really slow ones when the operators would let us just stay in our car and ride over and over again. Even in the rain. 25 years later, having moved to San Diego i was excited to try the Belmont Park one. Many locals had bragged it was identical to the Giant Dipper. I ride it and declare it is not nearly as good. My memory is that we found out in the little museum there at Belmont, that it's a few feet shorter and lower. It proved my point to my friends, but i could tell just by riding it. I'd ridden the Dipper so much i think i have muscle memory for it. To this day i only like wooden coasters and the Giant Dipper my favorite. So that's my little story. Thanks for the well done review, it brought back great memories.

I love how the boardwalk is lit up from when it starts to get dark til when they turn the lights off after it closes The lights make the boardwalk look much more attractive at night Don t get me wrong. I love the daytime. too because you have a lot more time to be there. More hours ahead if you plan to stay until they close at around 11 at night

I still like my idea for the Vin Diesel Family Coaster. Just has on ride audio of him crying and singing "it's been a long day without you my friend and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again"

I'm struggling to decide between this, Coney Island Cyclone, and Kemah Boardwalk Bullet. All three of those are elite.

Will you get to Big Dipper at Luna park Sidney? This old coaster made me think of it since Big Dipper is an older name

Do you like all rows and seats on giant dipper at santa cruz?

What is this, the 1924 version or the 1925 version, of the two similar classic wooden coasters? What do you think?

One time when I rode this in the back, the airtime was so intense it bruised my thighs a little 😂 plus at some points I got standing airtime, was a bit scary

I wonder what this layout would look like if it was given the RMC treatment

Do you plan to return on the giant dipper on may 18th because it is it’s 100th birthday

What was that at 2:25 where it lowered

when will u be at magic montana

Who's here to just be first 👇

This is one of the very best older wooden coasters. Your description of this ride is 100% accurate. Been riding it since the early 60's when the coaster structure color was white, but the track planks were painted a pale green. Both the Giant Dipper and the 1911 Charles Looff carousel are registered landmarks at the SCBB!!!!!! 👍🎢🎠