Discovering Lost Island – An Opening Year Expedition into the Country’s Newest Major, From-Scratch Theme Park

It’s 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…

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VOLKANU: The Quest for the Golden Idol – Behind the Legend of Lost Island’s Mythic Adventure Dark Ride

Long ago, the realms of Lost Island lived in harmony – the floating air kingdom of Udara; the water nomads of Awa; the wise earth protectors of Yuta, the fierce fiery warriors of Mura... All was at peace.

Until Volkanu emerged. A molten demon forged in the fiery depths, Volkanu’s roiling rage threatned to shatter the realms and destory Lost Island forever. Only one hope remained. Guided by the Tamariki spirit guardians, the realms united to forge a golden idol imbued with the strength of all four elements: the Ora-Tika. Placed on the altar of the Fire Temple, the Ora-Tika sealed Volkanu away…

And so long as the Ora-Tika remains, Volkanu awaits… his rage growing stronger with each passing day…

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