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Belmont Park
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
19 reviews for Belmont Park
This rating based on being a cheesy old fashion amusement park-
I love Belmont Park! Yeah it's not Disneyland, but if you need a place to take the young'uns on a Tuesday nite, this is it. Tuesday is family night so all of the rides are half price - making the barf inspiring ones about $3 bucks a ride, to 50 cents for doing nothing in a submarine.
It's not particularly clean, but the food is greasy and authentic (except for pre-made cotton candy, what's with that?) and it's great people watching. There's about 4 vomit rides for the older kids, 3 or 4 so-so rides and a handful of kiddie ones. Also a mirror room, laser room, video games, old fashion knock down the clown game and climb the coconut tree. My family loooves the bumper cars, a great place to get out those family aggressions.
Warning: if you are over 25 skip the rollercoaster. This is not one of your slick upside- down- but- smooth riding coasters. It's the real thing, rickety wood, noisy and all, causing whiplash to both me and my brother. My 12 year nieces absolutely loved it and would have ridden it all night if they hadn't been distracted by the cute boys at Chaos.
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We went on a Thursday nite, so there wasn't much of a crowd.
+On the plus side, they do have the big roller coaster reminiscent of the Grizzly @ Great America or The Giant Dipper @ the boardwalk.
-Other than that, pretty small area and parking can be kinda tight during peak hrs and weekends.
Games and food make it a good stop to keep kids occupied to get their cotton candy/funnel cake fix. But for college kids and adults, stick to the beach and bars like Sandbar.
In the end, it just made me appreciate Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk much more.
When I was younger I would always beg to come to Belmont and ride the coaster, and eat ice cream, and spend all day running around playing games.
Now that I'm older these things aren't really as cool as they used to be, but my friends and I will come here during summer, and walk around.
It's just a short trip up to PB where we go shopping and there are a few places to eat up there, so its always an adventure.
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Crowded, full or rude, drunk, stupid people that have no control of their kids. Their kids are just as rude but not drunk. People yelling random rudeness for no reason. Vendors were ok but over priced of course. Guess I should know better than to hang out in a tourist/east county-people area. LAME.
HATE it.
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I worked in Mission Beach over the summer a few summers back.
Probably the most horrible experience of my life.
It was hot, and there were tons of kids, which I despise walking around, "acting cute". Gag.
I've been on the coaster a few times, but not recently. I always thought that I could totally do that thing where you sit in the booth for the longest and win a prize. Next one, I'm in.
Other than that, I do not like the crowd here. I also hate the beach, so there.
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I used to come here alot whenever I wanted to get out of Kearny Mesa. Just to walk around and check out babes and ride the coaster.
I saw that Carson Daly a**hole when they were taping that show for MTV. Man it was packed here when that was happening.
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I like Mission Beach!!!
It's not so much for the waves but I always find that the vibe there is pretty good.
It's got bars, a roller coaster and pretty girls! There isn't else much that I need. Sure there are a few hi-jinks here and there but don't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch...
Go there. Relax. Have a good time. The sun is smilin' so why can't you...!?
Don't get on the coaster unless you want to take a huge risk at death, I say this because it's been there for decades and it's freakin old and loud. I used to love going here for everything else as a kid, like the tilt-a-whirl and bumper cars. Now this place is pretty lame games, rides and crowd wise. However they do still have that amazing little ice cream shop and the best funnel cakes!!! It's ok for now dessert wise, but it could be better hang out wise.
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If you want to become the second coolest, bestest aunt in the whole wide world here's what you need to do:
1. On a Thursday between now and 08/29/08 grab two or three of your favorite nieces and/or nephews
2. Go to http://www.belmontpark.../
3. Click on the Thursday TV Coupon
4. Print coupon
5. Drive to Belmont Park
6. Turn coupon in and buy Unlimited Ride wrist band for yourself and those you brought with you.
7. Ride the rides!
The coupon is good for Thursdays only and for $12.95 you can buy the Unlimited Ride wrist band, which when you consider the Giant Dipper is $6.00 for one ride it's a pretty sweet deal. My nephews road all the crazy rides two and three times and loved every second of it and I loved watching them enjoy themselves while I still ranked as the coolest bestest aunt in the whole wide world in their eyes.
The funniest thing to me about Belmont Park is after 15 years it's still filled with the same thuggish looking people I use to hang out with here years ago, something's never change.
Now go print your coupon and grab the kids and get ready to take them there tomorrow!
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Wow, a miniaturized version of the Wildwood, NJ boardwalk in San Diego.
Pass.
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I used to go there when I was a kid. It was like a real, but miniature amusement park. Of course the Giant Dipper roller coaster was the main attraction.
At least one thing has remained the same and that is the Giant Dipper. Still thrashes your head around and is as fun now as it was then. As far as everything else, some were fun, some weren't very interesting. It depends on your age and such.
Unlike then, it is not fenced off so you don't necessarily have to be there for family fun. That was a drawback because people riding skate boards through or crowds of teens wander through. People walking their dogs or even just loud punks pass through. It is a tight area to begin with so you really have to keep your child close by.
I took my 12 y/o daughter there on a Saturday right at opening. After reviewing the prices and checking the crowd we opted for the all access pass. I think it was like $21.00. That worked best for us because there was hardly any people there and just 3 trips each on the coaster would have almost ran us up over that amount anyway.
We definitely got the best value because we rode most rides and did them several times each. It wasn't until about 1:00 PM that the crowds started to arrive.
As far as the what there is to do, it was not bad. An arcade, rides, bumper cars and some laser tag thing, I think.
I want to make a special note about the arcade manager. In there, you can play for tickets to redeem for prizes. My daughter had like 300 tickets and when she went to redeem them she chose this particular item. She didn't see the amount so I told her she was like 300 tickets shy. The manager was nearby and told her it was no problem. If she wanted it she could have it. Now, for a guy that has to deal with snotty, aggressive, smart-ass punks all day, he still can separate good from bad. I can't tell you how much I appreciated his gesture.
To summarize.... for a small group that would like to spend a half day out, I would recommend they make their way down to Belmont Park. They should not forget about the largest recreation area in the world just 100 yards from the park. Of course it is the Pacific Ocean.
Ahh, those were the days. I'm feeling nostalgic.
Going back as an adult after growing out of that adolescent "Belmont Park is so cool" stage has brought back some interesting memories. I realize how distorted my teenage judgement was back then. Some of these include:
* Being 15 and getting hit on constantly by guys twice my age. Hence the reason I never took my little sister to Belmont Park.
* Riding the Giant Dipper as a teen and thinking it was actually fun. Now I ride it, and I must be getting old, because all I got out of it was my body hurting a lot.
* The arcade, mainly honing my unsurpassable air hockey skills. Actually, not a bad memory, and I'll challenge anyone to a game now as an adult.
* The crowded parking lots. Nuff said.
*Taking pictures in those damn photo booths for 30 minutes straight. How innocent I was, and yet, so vain.
* Horrible, Horrible, Horrible music that would play on the speakers throughout the park. I don't notice it so much now.
Have you seen my childhood? No, really.
Every prepubescent kid has gotta go to Belmont Park, maybe not because it's the coolest thing to do in San Diego, but it's just a phase every SD kid should go through. It'll be fun for awhile, and then you'll get over it and move on. Eventually, you'll go back, though.
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I don't do it enough, but I love riding the "Giant Dipper." Six Flags could learn a thing or two from Belmont Park: that rollercoasters don't need to do backwards upside down summersaults to be scary, for instance. All they need are a few "giant" dips and an old, almost-broken wood foundation that gives riders a god-help-us-all fear of death slash serious injury.
AV
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I took some friends there and we wanted to get some cool pictures of the place with all the crazy cool colors, and we were asked not to take photos! I was like, "why?" And their response was that you can't have a "BIG" camera anywehre in the park to take pictures. beause it's private property they get to tell you that they don't want you to take pictures of thier property or have ANY private property as background in any picture. But they don't pic on people who don't have a DSLR. LAME! Anyone can buy a DSLR and Belmont Park chose to pick me out. They wouldn't even let me bring it on the Coaster. STUPID!
Is this considered a pier? Amusement park? Boardwalk? Well if its any of the above, it is sorely lacking. I've seen parking lot carnivals throw up more interesting "amusements" -actually, that is probably the best description of this place.
It can't hurt to visit and walk through - say you've been there, however it doesn't warrant a return. Ride the coaster, get whiplash, and go home.
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What a creepy, old, run-down amusement park. It's funny, it's just so old, but we call it "historic" and pretend everything is okay. I personally love Belmont Park. The rickety, wooden "Giant Dipper" roller coaster is scary only because it seems to be on the verge of breaking into pieces.
I think junior high students are the only the peeps who understand my love for Belmont. Why is that?
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I went to this park because it was on my Go Card. It was great to get unlimited rides but man this place is so tiny. Its about a minute walk from one end to the other and not to mention being harassed and annoyed by people trying to advertise at their game stands throughout the minute walk. I'm from San Jose and live about an hour away from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and I never really appreciated it until I visited Belmont. It's not worth the trip.
Belmont Park is a nice clean mix of many of the best you'd find on a boardwalk, pier, mall, amusement park, piazza, etc but on a much smaller more intimate way. First off Canes is there, a great venue and bar right off the beach with roof top seating and there a couple other eateries/bars within the Park. There are a lot of more seemingly upscale beachy shopping type of stores there. There is also your run of the mill cafe/snowcone/ice cream parlor you might find at an old school boardwalk from the 30s. And of course you have the Giant Dipper and the smaller rides and old school carny games that give you that old school amusement park, carnival, boardwalk pier vibe. The Giant Dipper itself is not the only one of its kind and has lasted ages. It's made of wood, and the rickety sounds it makes just adds to the thrill of this very simple coaster. Granted not as giant as what most are used to at a Six Flags and far more old fashioned than that, it is a nice ride. The Giant Dipper at the SC Beach Boardwalk is far better maintained and used much more. They do need to take care of this relic much better. The park itself on most days is very empty and ghost town like, which is a shame. If it got more attention and maybe had more activities for all ages that stay open longer, maybe a few cafes and restaurants, it might be much better. There is a nice huge lot which fills up quick with beach goers, but plenty of parking across the street. But you know what this place is missing? An old school carosel! And not the tinier ones you might find, a honking huge one like at the Santa Monica Pier. This place also looks dark at night and isn't very decorated. They also need to upgrade some kind of security here to make everyone feel safe. I'm glad its historic, but upset they didn't go to far with the look of the place as well as what you can accomplish there - it's lacking. For that it doesn't make a fan out of me, it's a-ok. I want to love it more, honestly, cause I miss old boardwalks that keep that small town feel, but Belmont just misses the mark and gets boring.
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when i walk through here in the summer, i'm frightened i'm going to be stabbed by thugs. then i get to the coaster saloon, buy a $2 pint of lagunitas IPA and relax.
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