After a whirlwind first two years of operation, which saw the park’s annual attendance double from year one to year two, people are wondering what’s next at Iowa’s Lost Island Theme Park. We might now have an answer, or we might not. Who knows?
As has become tradition during the American Coaster Enthusiasts’ annual “No-Coaster Con” winter event, ACE members (who braved the frigid winter elements in Chicago this past weekend) were treated to presentations from parks and manufacturers around the United States as a look-ahead for what’s to come in 2024. Often, these presentations are fairly standard — recaps of previous new attraction announcements or talking about infrastructure upgrades for the upcoming season — but it was one presentation in particular that has gotten a lot of the online coaster community talking days after the event, and that’s a “2024 Teaser Video” from Lost Island.
The Waterloo theme park notes that “something hot is coming,” but doesn’t necessarily specify what that means in the video. However, eagle eyed coaster fans were quick to point out something in the bottom right corner, about 40 seconds into the video.
Could there be a (Wild) Moose on the loose at Lost Island in the near future? It certainly looks like the park might want us to think so, as the overhead view from Rocky Mountain Construction’s website, complete with dimensions, can be seen poking out from underneath a stack of papers.
Could Lost Island have tipped their hand? Is the park going to embrace full blown trolling of coaster enthusiasts with their teases, creating a series of red herrings in the process because they know enthusiasts will analyze every minute detail anytime a piece of park content is released? Maybe a little of column A, and a little of column B, perhaps? When we interviewed Lost Island Park Preseident Eric Bertch on the podcast, he mentioned he, even as a former water park-focused amusement professional, was starting to embrace the coaster community, after all.
Well, they got their wish, because here are some other details that we caught, buried in the stack of papers and trinkets at the Lost Island. Do these mean anything? Maybe. Are they all red herrings? Also maybe? That’s the beauty of putting on a tin foil hat and analyzing every detail in January.
Intamin & RWS (0:04)
Tucked away near the bottom of the frame is a piece of paper with Intamin’s logo on it. Intamin is obviously the designer of Matugani, which came to Lost Island via Liseberg in Sweden, where it was known as Kanonen. On top of it is what looks to be a character schedule from RWS, who provide live entertainment services to countless different amusement industry + cruise ship clients.
Site Plan (0:09)
At nine seconds, we get a look at Lost Island’s site plan, which as been color-coded for each of the park’s realms. Oddly enough, there’s also an elongated blacked out section tucked behind the park’s Mura (Fire) section and running along the park’s southern border.
Is That…A Raptor? (0:13)
Look to the bottom right corner again, and you’ll see more RMC schematics, also from the RMC website, but this time, it’s for the 100′ tall 2-train Raptor layout. We’ve got another point for “Potential RMC” at Lost Island! (And I don’t know about the official measurements of “crudely drawn black sharpie” on the site plan, but raptors can definitely feature an elongated layout that could potentially nestle into that space.)
Lost Island Growing & Gerstlauer (0:16)
At first glance, I was convinced that “The Courier” was a fake newspaper and this would be the most direct, albeit generic clue of park expansion. – just because the masthead looked off from any newspaper I’d ever seen. However, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier is indeed a “real” newspaper – and that cover story links to this article written by Andy Millone. (Check it out, fun read!)
Also, we see Gerstlauer operating instructions, presumably for the park’s Amara Aviators, the second-ever Gerstlauer Sky Flyer in the United States.
SBF-Visa Group (0:22)
SBF-Visa were the minds behind Lokolo, the park’s family-friendly “Wacky Worm,” along with the Alanzu’s Eye Ferris Wheel, and Sea Swell swinging pirate ship.
Amusement Products, Inc. (0:25)
We’re not entirely sure, but Amusement Products, Inc. makes Bumper Cars, and while Wikipedia calls them Spin Zone, there’s a chance Kukui Station in the Yuta Earth realm came from Amusement Products, Inc.
Moser Rides, IAAPA Cupcake, Squishmallows (0:34)
Moser’s has two rides – a Top Spin and a Sidewinder – in the park’s Mura Fire realm, so could lend to the “something hot is coming” theory. And maybe…it happened to be purchased at this past November’s IAAPA Expo, which could signify what looks to be a cupcake of some kind? Also, Squishmallows. Everybody loves Squishmallows.
The Moose (o:40)
Seriously, though. How fun would a Wild Moose be?
Whirley Drink Works (0:43)
Whirley doesn’t make rides, but the new for 2024 souvenir cups with a handle look awesome!
Coming Soon (0:46)
Lost Island opens for the season over Memorial Day weekend, which as of this writing is 130 days away. Whatever the park is adding, if anything, we’ll know soon enough!
Our Thoughts
Something hot is coming. Is Lost Island adding another marquee attraction to the park’s Mura realm, joining possibly the best dark ride at a regional park in Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol? Is it a coaster? Is RMC involved? Guess we’ll find out later!
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below or anywhere on social media!
The park could use a family coaster and while I’d rather an Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Clone, I’ll take a Moose