Big Dipper -  Whitney Years

(1930-1955)

1922 saw the opening of a  Prior and Church proto-type coaster. The BIG DIPPER!  Built within the design specs of Prior and Churches NEW Double out and Back style. it was quite a ride! Once again, this was cutting edge coaster concept!  Arthur Loof had all the coasters built by his own team.  

Steeper, faster and longer than the Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz, another Prior and Church design that was Built by Arthur Loof! Must of been a hell of a ride!  Riders left the station at a meandering pace, twisting and turning innocently through a few maneuvers  to the base of the left hill.  Probably gave a false sense of security...  ;-)  A typical steep climb took passengers to the top of the lift track (80ft). The cars then made a major DIP and rose back to almost equivalent height. Then, the coaster through riders into a 200+ degree flat U-turn. This is NEVER done today! The Flat U-turn would give the riders the feeling that they would fly out of the car sideways!  The U-turn would drive the cars into the big drop.... almost 80 feet!  The bottom of the first drop was buried 10 feet under the Playland ground.  The  coaster was then thrown  into steep inclined camel hump that sharply dropped. I'm sure the concept of pulling some "G's" was evident! The rest of the ride was a succession of steep dips and camel humps with wicked sharp turns and some twists. In some ways, it may have been the crowning glory  of Prior and Churches "Bob" and "Double out and Back" design. Big Dipper was dismantled in 1955.

Sounds for ​Prior and Churches Giant Dipper from Belmont Park, San Diego