For over 50 years Adventureland has been every Iowan’s go-to regional theme park. Featuring rides for all ages, consistent themes and a water park that comes free with admission, the park has cemented itself as a summer destination for everyone in the state.
However, around the start of the decade, things would began to change. In 2021, an 11-year-old boy drowned in the Raging River. This prompted the Krantz family to sell it to the national chain Palace Entertainment. It was sold again in 2025 to Herschend Family Entertainment. Notably, while Adventureland Resort has been changing hands, a new Iowa themed park has been on the rise.
Lost Island Theme Park began construction in 2019 in Waterloo, Iowa and opened for its first season in 2022. It was built by the Bertch family next to the existing Lost Island Waterpark, which had already been a popular summer destination for decades.
The park is split into four main realms, with each representing the element of fire, earth, water and air.
Lost Island seeks to bring immersive theming elements to Iowa that cannot be found at any other park in the Midwest.
“You’d actually have to go to like, Disney parks or Universal to find the theming and story that we have put behind the park,” Amy Hummel said, Digital Strategist for Lost Island. “I mean, what Midwest park have you gone to where there’s actual characters that go around and interact with you?”
The park also has a strong ride lineup to back up its theming. The Mura (fire) realm opened with the only themed dark ride of its kind in the Midwest, “Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol.” The Mura realm also opened “Fire Runner,” in 2025, one of only a few single rail roller coasters in America and the only one with 12 car trains. The Yuta (earth) realm also has “Matugani,” the only launch coaster in the state.
“We like to have rides that are unique to our park that you really can’t get other places in the Midwest,” Hummel said.
While Lost Island continues to expand and add new rides, Adventureland has removed many rides over the past decade.
The park’s premier steel coaster, “The Dragon,” was removed in 2019. “The Raging River” has also been closed and abandoned since the accident in 2021. Many flat rides such as the “Splash Over” and “Falling Star” have also been removed in this period.
“Lost Island is like a very advanced Adventureland,” said Deshawn Smith, a Grand View Universitystudent who has visited both parks, and has been going to Adventureland every summer since he was young. “Adventureland reminds me of the 80’s… Lost Island is more of a modern day kind of thing.”
However, despite the ownership changes, Adventureland is still keeping up. Many of the removed rides have been replaced with new ones. The intertwining family steel coaster and log flume, “Flying Viking” and “Draken Falls” opened in 2023. “The Dragon Slayer” replaced “The Dragon” in 2021 as the only 4D free spin coaster in the state. “The Phoenix” also opened in 2019 as another family steel coaster.
Adventureland’s existing ride lineup is also strong. “The Monster” opened in 2016 and stood for years as a popular steel coaster in Iowa, only potentially rivaled by Lost Island’s recent steel coasters. Adventureland also has “The Tornado,” a classic 1978 wooden coaster designated as a coaster landmark by the American Coaster Enthusiasts in 2024. For the 2024 season, Adventureland also refreshed “The Underground Railroad,” a unique ride that combines dark ride and coaster elements together.
“I’d probably say go to Adventureland first. Everyone should have their first Adventureland day… and then go to Lost Island, and see the difference between the two,” Smith said.
Hummel echoed a similar sentiment.
“While you could technically say Adventureland is our competition, most people who are going to amusement parks, they want to experience it all. And Adventureland doesn’t have everything, and we don’t have everything,” Hummel said. “If they’re doing well, we’re doing well.”
In the end, it seems that declaring one park as better than the other may not be so black and white. The only way for Iowans to fully experience all the theme park offerings of their state is to visit both parks and enjoy the unique experiences that each of them provide.
