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HISTORY 4

William Reynolds

The spectacular success of LUNA PARK did not go unnoticed by the fourth main force involved in shaping Coney Island history, former Senator William Reynolds, who built a larger-scale ripoff of LUNA PARK entitled DREAMLAND. The new park tried unsuccessfully to out-Luna LUNA PARK.

Dreamland Chutes

There was a SHOOT THE CHUTES ride, and a bigger signature tower than Luna's, both of which can be seen in these two DREAMLAND postcards. The top view looks down the Chutes at the lagoon and tower on the far side. The bottom looks across the lagoon and towards the Chutes. This pattern of "Chutes-Lagoon-Tower" is an exact repeat of the pattern previously established at LUNA. Oh, well - they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Dreamland Chutes

But, despite the bigger budget, the creators of DREAMLAND didn't have the imaginative finesse of Thompson and Dundy, and the smaller LUNA remained a more magical and beloved attraction.

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