Dreaming of Coney Island's Dreamland

Imaginary Worlds

Eric Molinsky

Arts, Science Fiction, Fiction, Society & Culture

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Coney Island still has the classic amusements you’d expect today like roller coasters, water slides, and carnival games. But over a century ago, it looked more like a proto–Disney World, with multiple theme parks, colossal buildings, and wildly imaginative rides. The most extravagant park along the boardwalk was Dreamland. At Dreamland, you could take a trip to Hell, experience the end of the world, ride through fake Venetian canals, or visit a city built to scale for little people. I talk with historian and novelist Kevin Baker about why Dreamland remains so intriguing and deeply problematic. We also hear voice actor Lofty Fulton read a passage from Kevin’s novel “Dreamland.” Plus, I talk with visual artist Zoe Beloff. She was fascinated that Sigmund Freud visited Dreamland in 1909. So she invented an alternative history where Freud’s disciples in Brooklyn tried to rebuild the park with overtly Freudian rides and exhibits. This week’s episode is sponsored by Hims, ShipStation and ButcherBox. For your free online visit, Hims.com/IMAGINARY Go to shipstation.com and use code IMAGINARY to sign up for your FREE trial. ButcherBox is offering our listeners $20 off their first box and free protein for a year. Go to ButcherBox.com/imaginary to get this limited time offer and free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Imaginary Worlds, a show about how we create them and why we suspend our disbelief.
0:10.5	I'm Eric Malinski.
0:12.6	I am standing in a giant parking lot, which may not sound very exciting, but to my left is the New York Aquarium.
0:20.0	And to my right is Coney Island. I'm standing
0:23.3	practically right below the cyclone, the roller coaster. I can see the Ferris wheel. I can
0:28.5	hear the seagulls from the beach. And that's cool. I mean, I like Coney Island. But if I was
0:33.9	standing here on this spot 120 years ago, I would be seeing something incredible.
0:40.3	I would be walking into Dreamland.
0:44.3	Dreamland was this massive theme park that was built in 1904.
0:50.3	The entrance to Dreamland was a gigantic arch,
0:53.3	and standing in the middle of the arch was an angel
0:56.7	who was 40 feet high, and her wings spanned 80 feet across. Inside Dreamland, there were Venetian
1:04.7	canals, a recreation of the destruction of Pompeii, a simulation of a submarine ride with a giant squid, a trip to hell
1:14.3	which included a 50-foot whirlpool and a statue of Satan with giant bat wings, and they kept
1:20.9	adding attractions too. There was a show that depicted the end of the world in a theater that
1:26.2	seated 1,200 people.
1:28.3	And I haven't even gotten to the really weird aspects of Dreamland.
1:33.3	We will get there.
1:35.3	A lot of modern theme parks are designed for comfort, reassurance, and family-friendly fun.
1:43.3	In the early 20th century, people definitely thought Dreamland was fun,
1:48.0	but it was not reassuring or comforting.
1:51.0	It was not quaint or old-timey.
	...

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