Giant Dipper

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz CA

The Santa Cruz Giant Dipper is one of only two coasters left that were designed by the team of Prior and Church. The other one is also in California, on the beach in San Diego (at Belmont Park), and is also called "Giant Dipper". Both begin with a dark, disorienting tunnel.

Both have beautiful, intricately-supported fan turns.

Both feature Traver drops in the layout.

Both are historic, well-maintained, and popular.

Both are set among fantastic scenery on the California coastline.

The similarities are all cosmetic, though. The rides themselves are unique and as different as night and day. The San Diego version seems to be a bit more temperamental, with lazy spots here and violent spots there. Not so with the Santa Cruz. From the first drop (straight and steep here, while Belmont's is twisted and doubled back into a horseshoe turn), you know that these two rides are more distant cousins than identical twins. Cruz's Dipper is more about drops and airtime, with a few laterals thrown in for good measure. It's enough of a thrill to keep even jaded teens coming back again and again, but not so treacherous that coaster novices will be scared away after one ride. This is one for the whole family, and it's been just like that for more than 80 years. May she run for 80 more.