originally posted on 7/8/2022 1:08:00 AM
All photos by Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
On June 18, to not much fanfare, America’s newest theme park opened to the public. In Waterloo, Iowa, on the site of a former corn field, Lost Island Theme Park now welcomes guests. The park is 42 acres of a pure theming experience. This theme park has a manmade lake, complete with waterfalls, rock formations and beaches to give it a true island feel.
The theme park has five lands, all with original intellectual properties and their own themes that all tie into one another. The lands of Air, Water, Fire and Earth are tied together by the Tamariki (the spirit land). The legend says that the theme park is protected by a mystical golden idol. As guests walk through the five lands, they see rides that not only fit that area but also tell the story of the land. Some examples are in the Udara realm (Air). There is a Gerstlauer Sky Fly (only the second in the United States). There is an S&S drop tower, complete with a show building. The suspended looping coaster was formerly located in South Africa. Here it is called Nopuko Air Coaster.
The visionaries behind Lost Island have done a wonderful job on theming.
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Nopuko Air Coaster.
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The Gerstlauer Sky Fly is a rarity among flat rides in the United States.
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In the Awa realm (Water), there is a River Battle ride, a swinging ship and a couple of rides with fish designs and themes. There are also two restaurants, The Whale Bone Grill and the Thirsty Voyager. All along the walking paths, visitors will see seashells and fish fossils. Everything is blue, and from the moment one walks in, it is clear that Awa is a water setting.
The Yuta realm (Earth) will be home to Matugani, the Intamin launch coaster relocated from Sweden. There is also a sand pit with hidden items buried under earth and a dinner in a tree called the Tortara market. Everything in this land is green and brown, symbolizing the trees and leaves. This realm is currently the most underdeveloped in the park. Matugani is still waiting for some new parts and being commissioned. The park hopes to have this ride open sometime in July. Yuta is also home to Yuta Falls, the log flume ride. This ride suffered a fire this past winter during construction. Unfortunately, that delay pushed its opening back to 2023.
Another effective example of theming is in the Mura realm (Fire). This section is home to the soon-to-be-famous Volkanu — Quest for the Golden Idol from Sally Dark Rides. This four-minute dark ride is state of the art. It features fire, three-dimensional screens, animatronics and more. Inside this ride, the story of the park comes full circle. Riders discover that Volkanu, the fire god, has been causing problems in all the other realms and must be stopped.
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The Fire Realm boasts an impressive dark ride — Volkanu.
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When guests come to visit, they will be blown away with the attention to detail at this park. The owners strive to have Disney- or Universal-style theming — in the middle of Iowa! There are many reasons for the lack of fanfare. This park has been in the works for over three years now. In those three years there was a pandemic, rising building costs, inflation and supply chain issues. Staffing has been a problem as well, including difficulties navigating the J1- C visa program. High gas prices didn’t help, as this park is located two hours from Des Moines, five hours from Chicago and three hours from Minneapolis. All of that combined led to an uncertain opening date. Nonetheless, on June 18, the Lost Island Theme Park opened its doors. America’s newest theme park is ready to give guests a great, immersive themed family experience.
Lokolo is a Wacky Worm supplied by SBF-Visa.
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The attention to detail is impressive considering the size of the theme park.
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ACE North Central is hosting an informal meetup at the park on July 23. Lost Island is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through September 30 (operation times and schedule subject to change).
— Tom Nickerson, ACE North Central Regional Representative
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