It not every day, year, or even decade that a legitimately new, independent, and master-planned theme park opens in the United States. It makes sense. In the eyes of many industry enthusiasts, the North American market is, for all intents and purposes, saturated with theme parks; they say that – like a sponge that can hold not one more drop of water – the industry is “mature”; that every metropolitan area that can support a theme park already has one, and that the future of the industry lies in the boundless markets of Asia and the Middle East.
But right here in this country, a new park has risen to challenge that. Look – Lost Island Theme Park in Waterloo, Iowa isn’t exactly in a bustling metropolis. It’s also far from the tourist centers of New York, Orlando, and Los Angeles. And to be fully transparent, this new-for-2022 park is also not quite complete. With a few (major) rides’ openings postponed, attendance lower than owners had hoped, and more freshly-set soil than full-grown trees, it’s clear that Lost Island has some settling and growing to do.
But let’s be clear: no true fan of themed entertainment or amusement parks would point at Lost Island’s shortcomings and laugh. Rather, this is a park every single one of us should be rooting for. Unimaginably, Lost Island has dared to transform the vast soybean fields of Iowa into the makings of something more interesting, ambitious, and original than Disney or Universal would attempt at their respective scales. Lost Island is an underdog the likes of which we should admire and support; a surprising hidden gem of the industry; and a clever example of just how far a little storytelling can go…
Legend of Lost Island
To understand how we got here, you have to know that for Iowans, “Lost Island” has been a getaway since long before the idea of a theme park in Waterloo was born. Inspired by a visit to the Wisconsin Dells (the infamous “Waterpark Capital of the World”), the local Bertch family decided to add a unique side business to their existing cabinetry company: a waterpark.
Okay, okay, when you hear “Iowa,” waterslides and roller coasters may not be the first thing that come to mind. (Rather, you probably picture corn, wheat fields, and the expansive flatness of America’s heartland.) But think about it: waterparks have a relatively low start-up cost, relatively stable staffing models thanks to their short summer season, and relatively straightforward paths to profitability. Unlike amusement parks, waterparks generally don’t need continuous annual expansion or $20 million capital coaster investments. Instead, they can quickly settle into local economies and communities, supported by reliable season pass sales.
Opened in 2001 (coincidentally, just before the post-9/11 “staycation” would become industry standard), the Bertch’s Lost Island Waterpark was arguably of a pretty sensational scale and caliber. Obviously there was the sizable slide collection, meeting and exceeding the scales of many Cedar Fair and Six Flags waterparks.
But baked into Lost Island was also an ambition unusual for the genre and era… Designed by the BDR Design Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Bertch’s waterpark bothered to invest in a theme long before it was industry standard. From scenic concrete rockwork to thatch roofed structures; vibrant South Seas colors to Polynesian-inspired ride names that neither SeaWorld’s Aquatia nor Universal’s Volcano Bay would emulate until decades later, Lost Island was an escape from the ordinary, even in its 67,000 person town.
Actually, Lost Island Waterpark has spent two decades garnering a reputation as one of the nation’s best waterparks; a Travel Channel-caliber experience and a regional landmark reportedly drawing several thousand customers a day without breaking a sweat. So you can imagine that the Bertch family began to imagine what could be next…
According to an interview with In Park Magazine, possibilities floated for expanding Lost Island included an indoor waterpark, a high ropes course, or a family entertainment center – all practical next steps for a successful waterpark venture. But with their design partners at Cincinnati’s BDR, a bold idea came into focus: what if Lost Island’s transformation into a multi-day, regional destination came in the form of an entire theme park?
In 2019, ground was broken on Lost Island Theme Park… But you have to understand that in this case, the Bertches and BDR really meant it: a theme park.
That makes sense. Think about how the amusement industry has changed over even the last few decades! From escape rooms to pop-up art exhibits; “experiential museums” to Meow Wolf… We’ve entered an age of entertainment shaped by the generation who grew up on Legends of the Hidden Temple, and an era of designers inspired by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “Rides” have been supplanted by “experiences” as young people flock to themed dining; immersive entertainment; hyper-real fantasy experiences that can beat YouTube POVs.
It’s really no surprise that one of the first truly from-scratch theme parks of the 21st century would lean into the idea, providing guests not just a midway with rides, but a world to explore. And that’s exactly what Lost Island was designed to do.
This new park in Iowa wasn’t just created with blueprints and schematics, but with a mythology; a literal world of characters and architecture and terms that together create a lost, mythical world of elemental realms, all set down in the midst of soybean fields. A perfect fusion of a regional amusement park and a LARP-friendly experience like Utah’s Evermore or a fantasy-infused Renaissance Faire, Lost Island invites you into fantastical, colorful, clever realms you’d never expect.
Reportedly at a cost topping $100 million (and enduring countless delays due to an unfortunate pandemic-era construction), Lost Island opened June 2022. We won’t tell you that this new park is worth abandoning your plans to visit a destination resort… But frankly, as the Oz at the end of a midwestern coaster road trip? Or a long weekend flight? Lost Island will leave you enchanted, intrigued, and rooting for this park that took big risks in punching above its weight..
Lost Island is divided into five “realms,” each imbued with a mythology, story, characters, and symbology all its own. Four of the park’s realms represent elements – Yuta (earth), Udara (air), Awa (water), and Mura (fire). The fifth realm – Tamariki (spirit) – represents the playful, pervasive force that holds them in balance. As for what awaits in each? If anything, our little tour of Lost Island will doubtlessly leave you stunned at how colorful, customized, and thoughtful this little park is… Ready to set of?
Ara Matua
It all begins in Ara Matua – the park’s entry gates. Obviously, this park is fresh. Like, seriously fresh. You probably won’t have seen such vibrant colors anywhere else on Earth; an absolutely beautifully saturated, tropical portal into adventure. Lost Island “guides” will also welcome you to the island, and encourage you to download the park’s official app. (It’s worth trying even if you aren’t visiting… The app allows you to create a character inhabiting one of Lost Island’s five elemental “realms,” exploring the story behind the experience. In-park guests unlock further mythology and badges.)
In short, Lost Island’s five realms were threatened with utter destruction when, centuries ago, the molten demon Volkanu was formed from the fires of the island’s peak. Volkanu’s destruction tore through the floating air kingdom of Udara, the nomadic seaside villages of the Awa, the sacred earth ruins of the Yuta tribe, and the temples of the fiery Mura clan. Only by uniting together and with the island’s spirit guardians – the Tamariki – did their civilization create the legendary golden idol, the Ora-Tika, trapping Volkanu deep beneath the fire temple.
Today, the five realms – Udara, Awa, Yuta, Mura, and Tamariki live in harmony as they rebuild from the devestation of Volkanu… and seek to keep the fire demon trapped in the earth’s core. In fact, as you enter Lost Island, you may even notice that the totem poles at its gates represent those realms – on the left, the ancient stone and serpants of Yuta and the fiery fury of Mura; on the right, the low-key island life of Awa, and the aerial inventors of Udara.
Quite literally everything at Lost Island in new, including its plantings. Unlike Disney and Universal, who can truck in full-grown trees, Lost Island is starting from scratch. So sure, on a blazing hot day, you’ll be seeing refuge in the park’s restaurants, dark ride (which we’ll get to), and the Awa realm of water attractions.
But half the fun is seeing something so ambitious – the rockwork, the colors, the patterns, the mythology, the thatched roofs, the lagoons and waterfalls – so pristine and new untouched. Each realm has its own flavor; its own architecture; even its own lighting! (The central Ara Matua has light-up pineapples, above.)
There’s so much to discover in this incredibly creative must-visit of a park. So if you’re ready, step through the gates of Ara Matua and we’ll take a tour of the sights and sounds of Lost Island… Ready?
Having passed through the gates of Ara Matua, we can at last gaze across the water at the five realms of Lost Island: Tamariki, Udara, Awa, Yuta, and Mura. Lost Island is relatively small compared to many destination parks, so it really is almost like a park with attractions; one that you can easily stroll from side to side, crossing bridges over an inland lagoon whose waterfalls feel a much larger bay beyond. Even in its small space, there’s a whole lot to explore…
Tamariki (Spirit)
A trip around Lost Island begins in the playful realm of the Tamariki – the guardian spirits who serve to unite and safeguard the four elemental tribes. The Tamariki – curious creatures with unseen faces, glowing eyes, raccoon-like tails, and curved goat horns – aren’t just the core of the park’s mythology. They also serve as its mascot. Walkaround Tamariki meet-and-greet throughout the realms, and of course, plush Tamariki are the must-have souvenir of this ambitious park’s storytelling. (You can also purchase Tamariki horns – a sort of Mouse Ear equivalent.)
As the playful, mischievious, and spirited civilization of Lost Island, it’s not surprising that the Tamariki realm serves as the park’s kids area. The land is essentially a bright, kinetic plaza of incredibly-decorated family flat rides, all built around the TAMIKOA GROTTO playground (above). Throughout the land, curved flowers serve as lampposts and swirling pastel patterns cover the ground.
Narratively, there’s something really sweet about the Tamariki in general. But even more clever, since the Tamariki hold the rest of the Island’s realms in balance, you’ll find nods to each in wonderfully customized designs… And while you’ve probably seen many of the ride models in Tamariki elsewhere, what’s absolutely jaw-dropping about Lost Island is how incredibly customized each ride has been to fit the style and lore of the park.
From the realm of water comes TUKA TUMBLER – a mini Ferris wheel made of tortoise (or in the Tamariki language, “tukas”) shells, and MAMA PEZAKI – a wonderfully customized “swinging bus” ride placing guests in a giant fish.
From the world of air comes KAPULELE GLIDERS (with riders suspended beneath butterflies, pedaling to power spinning fans on the back of their seats), while the land of earth contributes GOLAPA SPROUTS (with rising wicker baskets that swirl like fallen seeds). The land also contains the MURA FIRE DANCER – a family drop tower decked out in stylized tiki torches, representing a kid-sized version of the thrill rides that await in Mura.
It makes sense for Tamariki to be the last guests first encounter when traveling counterclockwise around the park, as it serves as a stylistic prologue for the worlds to follow. But the path continues around the park into a very different land…
Udara (Air)
In Lost Island’s mythology, Udara, was the air kingdom; a realm of levitating cities built among the clouds. A race of erudite inventors and tinkerers, the Udarans are knowledge-seekers, always on a quest to harness the power of the wind. Of course, when Volkanu’s destruction saw their magnificent floating cities crashed back to Earth, the Udarans set out to invent new technologies that would lead them skyward once more…
Even in the park’s infancy, this land is a beautiful example of how far simple placemaking can go in telling a story and communicating something spatially. The realm of Udara is united in stark whites and purples, its rides all grafted with matching gears and levers as if designed by Lost Island’s airy kingdom of inventors. Grasses blow in the wind and purple pinwheels spin as unusual white rocks jut from the ground, as if clouds have been made geologic.
Each of Lost Island’s realms is built around a central gathering place for its people. In Udara, it’s the AVIARIUM, a living playground of wind. Here, guests can pedal to turn propellors; use paddles to activate wind instruments; twist gears and wheels to send turbines spinning.
There are rolling white mounds with grass atop, perfect for reclining and looking skyward – as if this land was meant to keep Udarans focused on their return to the clouds. This is a musical, kinetic land with an airy soundtrack. It’s lightweight and soft. And more to the point, it’s got a number of rides designed as the Udarans experiments in flight.
The most obvious is SKYBORNE – the park’s S&S drop tower. Far exceeding what you might expect for an “off-the-shelf” attraction, the queue for Skyborne actually passes through the Udarans’ labs, allowing you to get up close to their inventions and flight technologies. (See me, above, trying out an Udaran glider in the queue!) Passing blueprints on the walls, guests actually can learn the story of the Udaran kingdom and how Volkanu’s attack send them plummeting back down to Earth.
Walking through the line, you’ll see continued redevelopments of new aerial ideas, culminating in one that will no doubt look familiar (left). Yes, the Udaran’s most recent prototype is the ride you’re about to climb onto.
Guests actually enter a full, playful pre-show beneath a sky dome before loading onto the tower itself. It’s just one example of how a little story can go a long way… and why, if you’re the kind of person who appreciates that over a standard S&S tower in an amusement park, Lost Island should be on your bucket list…
Udara also contains what must be one of the park’s unexpected signature attractions – a unique flat ride called AMARA AVIATORS. It’s one of just two rides of this type in operation in the country. Basically, guests climb aboard their own suspended seat, complete with two wings that can be tipped foward and backward independently. As the ride begins, riders seats are unlocked, able to rotate freely.
As a mechanical arm spins the collection of 12 riders in sweeping circles, guests can manipulate their wings to fly steadily, rock back and forth, or even flip. Whether you’re flapping, rocking, tumbling, or even inverting, it’s incredibly graceful and joyful. More to the point, though, it’s about experimentation. You’ll hear riders shouting back and forth about what works, and how to flip, and laughing and shouting, then racing to go again. This is a sensational ride, perfect for the park, and absolutely iconic for how it matches the spirit of the air kingdom.
For a tamer version, you might instead opt for the classic DREAM SPINNER – a yoyo swing beautifully decked out in the Asian-inspired art style of Udara, with swirling clouds, airy patterns, and mirrors that reflect the sky.
But of course, the land’s anchor attraction must be NOPUKO: AIR COASTER. For roller coaster aficianados, it’ll look familiar considering its one of dozens of identical Vekoma SLCs (that’s Suspended Looping Coasters) that can be found across the country. Actually, Nopuko is one of just two adult roller coasters at the park, and like the other, it’s “used.” (The ride originally operated at the now-closed Ratanga Junction in South Africa. The park’s other major coaster was similarly purchased, transported, and re-installed at the park after having a “first life” elsewhere.)
Vekoma SLCs certainly aren’t enough to get coaster enthusiasts to book a road trip, and as far as SLCs go, Nopuko is par for the course… that is, the nickname “hang and bang” sticks.
However, it should definitely be noted that Lost Island did also purchase new Vekoma trains with vest restraints rather than the harder, thicker over-the-shoulder restraints that cause the head-banging so many inverted coasters suffer from. So yeah, okay, Nopuko is an anchor attraction, but probably not enough to get you hyped. But hopefully you can already see that a day at Lost Island isn’t just about rides, and certainly not just about coasters. But there’s a whole lot more to see…
With two of Lost Island’s five realms revealed, you probably already have found something you’d be excited to see. And hopefully, you’ve also found yourself surprised by the ambition built into this little regional park in Iowa. On the last page, we’ll explore the park’s signature coaster and a truly world-class dark ride you won’t find anywhere else… Read on…!
Lost Island’s first two realms serve as a sampler, setting up the design aesthetic, detail, and ride count of this unique theme park in Iowa. But our tour around the park will reveal still more incredible places and ultra-ambitious experiences that really do make this into something more than you might expect from a regional, seasonal park.
Awa (Water)
Set on two bridged islands on the edge of the bay is the realm of Awa – the easy-going, laid-back water nomads of Lost Island. Vibrant and colorfu, the land of Awa is packed with family flat rides, all swirling to the tune of steel drum renditions of beachy songs. Sunlit and tropical, this realm is the perfect place for the park’s themed midway games, all stylized as the island trials of the Awa people.
Just as the Aviarium serves as an interactive, wind-focused centerpiece of Udura, the central space of Awa is the AKUA MAZE, with guests navigating water jets and misters to reach the mystical water orb at the center. (This interactive feature, it’s certain, plays a role in the larger interactive gameplay of the park.) Like the Mystic Fountain at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, this playscape is mysterious and risky, but ultimately rewards those who don’t mind getting wet.
(A secondary central play area, the SAND CASTLE, is a legitimate sand playground right on the expansive bay beyond the park, set beneath the popcorn lights of the Thirsty Voyager restaurant at the park’s center.)
Rather than a roller coaster or dark ride, this land’s centerpiece attraction is AWAATI BATTLE. It’s a Splash Battle attraction where guests board stylized reed boats emblazoned with otter insignias, then are set loose in a concrete channel. Cranking grip wheels at each seat funnels water from the pool, allowing guests to aim sprayers at other boats or onlookers. These Splash Battle attractions came into vogue big time in the 2000s, with many parks slowly (or sometimes quickly) removing them for one reason or another.
Awaati Battle actually has the making of a really nice ride, fitting in beautifully with Awa’s water theme and the chance to get wet. However, it suffers from having nothing to do along the ride’s course but wait until another ship (or a wayward pedestrian you don’t mind angering) happens to wade into the slow-moving boat’s course. Many Splash Battles have ornate sets and targets and interactives to populate the sluggish ride’s course, and even a few simple, static sets of Awa people setting sail could give guests something to do rather than just meander around the basin. It strikes me as a very “Phase I” ride whose embellishments and decor just got moved to a second round of funding.
The realm of Awa also includes a number of highly-decorated flat rides, like the classic SEA SWELL rocking ship (here, swinging out over the open water of the park’s central lagoon), the WAKANI WHIRL whirlpool-stylized teacups, and the ZULAWA WAVE spinning Himalaya, all decked out in a matching Awa design motif. A sea creature-themed carousel called NIKA’S GIFT is on the short list for 2023 additions. (Seriously, the customization of these rides’ skin is just unbelievably ambitious.)
Another favorite is the EEKI EEKI ESCAPE (above) – the park’s Dumbo-style spinner where guests board tropical fish as they’re terrorized by a central squid-like creature. (This ride, too, is set right on the water’s edge, and like Dumbo, the fish revolve over a pool of water. Nozzles conspicuously hidden in the ride’s central support structure seem to indicate that on hot days, guests could get splashed while on board, similar to “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” at Islands of Adventure.)
The land also includes the WHALEBONE GRILL – one of two quick service restaurants in the park. The Whalebone’s canopy really does resemble a whale leaping out of the water to breech, and a towering whale sculpture and fountain on the building’s exterior are photo opportunities in their own right. But I was particularly taken by the unique, inverted umbrellas, which at least appear capable of collecting rainwater like funnels, channeling it down their central structures. Huh!
And again, just look at that building and remember that this isn’t at Universal’s Volcano Bay… This is at a family-owned theme park in Iowa. If you’re not impressed, you’re not paying attention!
Finally, at the heart of Awa (and all of Lost Island) is ALZANU’S EYE, a 100 foot-tall Ferris wheel presiding over the park. Alzanu’s Eye aligns with the park’s gates, serving as a sort of “icon” and symbol across the lagoon from Ara Matua.
Basically, the land of Awa is an absolutely great little area; after Tamariki, probably the park’s most colorful. It’s vibrant and coastal and relaxing and easy-going, with pathways stamped with shells and painted in rich blue water bursts. This is probably the park’s most family-friendly land, too, with no less than five flat rides built for everyone. But winding through the land, bridges lead onward to a very different realm…
Yuta (Earth)
The realm of Yuta is (or at least, will someday be) a lush, dense tropical jungle built around ancient stone ruins. Yutans are nature’s protectors, who set out to protect our world. Unsurprisingly, the central interactive area for Yuta is the PENGALI RUINS – a double-sided dig pit where guests can unearth Yutan treasures… including pieces allegedly important to the park-wide interactive app-based exploration game…
Beyond the Ruins lies the ancient tree at the center of Yuta, Totara, which itself grows atop the TOTARA MARKET (the second of the park’s two quick service eateries). Aside from the restaurant, the dig pit, and the waterside KOKUI STATION bumper cars, that’s all that you’ll find in Yuta for now… Obviously, that makes Yuta feel the most incomplete of the park’s five realms. But that’s for two very big reasons…
First, the land’s YUTA FALLS is meant to be one of the park’s signature rides – a log flume that carries guests to the rocky spring serving as a source of Lost Island’s magic. Unfortunately, a fire at the ride’s station during the park’s construction has stalled that project, with an expected opening in 2023. (It’ll be even more of a signature experience if and when a “jungle” grows in around it several years down the line…)
Equally as headlining will be MATUGANI, an Intamin launched coaster that’ll theoretically be the park’s signature thrill ride. Matugani’s first life was Liseberg in Sweden, so we know what the ride experience is like, and it definitely is a headliner…
Or at least, it will be. Unfortunately, Matugani also missed the park’s June 2022 opening. In this case, it’s because the ride is awaiting an essential part. Given that Lost Island plans to call it a wrap on its first season even before Labor Day, it’s unlikely that Matugani will make it in time for the park’s inaugural year… But when Lost Island re-opens in summer 2023 from its off-season slumber, this serpantine coaster will theoretically put the park on the map for coaster enthusiasts in a serious way… Custom Intamin Accelerators, after all, aren’t nearly as common as Vekoma SLCs. Launching out of the mouth of a stone snake temple is just a bonus.
Maybe the one-two punch of Yuta Falls and Matugani are to blame for the park’s lower-than-expected attendance. We can sure hope so, because as the final realm shows, this park does have a whole lot of ambition…
Mura (Fire)
Stepping into the fiery realm of Mura, the music of Lost Island grows darker, and splashes of black and gray appear on the paths like cooled lava flows. The land’s lighting is provided by lanterns hung from deep red posts, matching the temple village that’s set against the land’s volcano.
The Mura people are fierce and brave, having settled and developed among the terrifying creatures of the volcanic land… Athletic, spiritual warriors, the Mura also have the most important role in protecting Lost Island by guarding the Ora-Tika idol from malevolent forces who would use its power for evil, like the demon Volkanu, trapped in their own Fire Temple.
Built around the craggily rockwork of a volcano, the realm of Mura is also interactive. Guests can step up to the MAKATU SHRINE, where cooperation can activate hidden effects in and around the volcano. Given that Mura is a land of extremes, it makes sense that the park’s most extreme thrill rides reside here.
MURA FURY is a fully-inverting spinning frisbee ride; a giant pendulum that swings higher and higher as riders – seated in an outward-facing circle – continuously spin, flying out over the water.
SHAMAN’S CURSE is a spinning Disk-o coaster, rolling over airtime hills as it rotates.
There’s also ROKAVA – a Mondial top spin-style ride twisting and spinning as it flips before the lava-encased creature Rokava.
But by far, the land’s anchor (and that of the whole park) is VOLKANU: QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN IDOL, an interactive dark ride designed by industry favorite Sally Rides. Volkanu sends guests into the fiery peaks of Mura with “Thermal Equalizers” to gather the power of the four realms and stop the evil Volkanu from finding the idol of Ora-Tika and using its power to destroy Lost Island.
Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol is certainly among the most impressive interactive dark rides in a regional park, and even though Lost Island might indeed be quite a “quest” for most of us, it’s an awesome attraction that should definitely be on your bucket list. Watch a video of Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol below:
And did we mention that the small treasure trove gift shop at the ride’s exit sells small, golden Ora-Tikas to take home? I mean, what other regional park do you know that would commit to such customized merchandise for their dark ride?! For me, it was their easiest sell of the day.
Check back with Theme Park Tourist next month as we dig deeper into Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol in its own feature, discussing the story behind this Lost Island original!
Lost Island Tour
As you can hopefully agree, Lost Island isn’t quite like any other park on Earth. Though it’s built on the scale of the local, regional park it is, this new venture has taken an incredibly powerful stance: that it can be more than just a collection of off-the-shelf thrill rides and instead lead into the experience that today’s theme parks are defined by.
We can’t decide for you if Lost Island – still in its unshaded infancy, with some rides not quite ready to go – is worth a trip from your area… but we can say that this is a park that all of us who call ourselves theme park enthusiasts should be cheering for. Just by being bold and thinking big, they’ve certainly earned our respect. Have they earned yours?
