Ancol Dreamland

Before Ancol Dreamland, Ancol was a mosquito-infested swamp and fish pond, and the source of a century-old malaria outbreak in Batavia. The idea to convert the marshy area of Ancol into Jakarta's largest entertainment center, with housing and industrial estates adjoining it, was proposed by President Sukarno in the early 1960s. The idea opposed the initial plan to convert the area of Ancol into a purely industrial area.

The development of Ancol was started during the tenure of Ali Sadikin, the governor of Jakarta in 1966. The entertainment complex was named Taman Impian Jaya Ancol or Ancol Dreamland. The first facility was the Bina Ria Ancol beach, best known for its drive-in theater especially during the 1970s, then followed with a golf course, swimming pool, oceanarium, Putri Duyung cottage, Hotel Horison and its casino. The Dunia Fantasi (Fantasy World) theme park was built in 1984 and first opened in 1985.

Accidents

A cement-based decorative wall of a water slide of the Atlantis Water Adventure Park collapsed due to corrosion and made a part of the wall of water slide also collapse on September 25, 2011 injuring four visitors, including a child. The Jakarta Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency said, "There will be an audit by a consultant before the management is allowed to rebuild the collapsed structure." Less than 3 months previously, there was another cement structure that collapsed and in July 2011, fifteen passengers panicked when they were stuck on their seats when the Tornado thrill ride stalled.