Seriously it's only two hours from Des Moines, I just came back from a trip there and it's one of the best theme parks I've ever been to! Matugani + Fire Runner is an amazing 1,2 punch for rollercoasters (avoid nopuko) the theming is better than most in the Midwest and overall it's just one of the best theme parks out there and it's so sad seeing almost no one there when the waterpark is packed.

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I visited Lost Island this week, and I don't understand why this park isn't more popular. The tickets were a great value for what we were able to do. Plus they clearly put a lot of thought into theming. I'm gonna be honest food and snacks we tried were just ok, BUT the low/no wait times made up for it.

And I was already excited for it! As a valleyfair native, I have grown major resentment for my home park due to renegade being the last coaster built in 2007 and plus its gotten almost unbearably rough now.

They recently also just announced that they won't be doing a new coaster for the 50th anniversary, it will only be a water park add on.

So I'm done with valleyfair after experiencing lost island this past weekend.

We went on this Holiday weekend and all the coasters were walk ons literally all day, no waits.

Fire runner is a top 5 coaster for me. Only rides like Steve and Maverick beat it for me. The first drop in the back rivals El toros just a bit shorter. And it's breakneck speed the whole way, even on that mini turnaround before the drop Midway through the ride has speed and intensity to it. Not having a line and being able to stay in my seat to lap this thing is literally an enthusiast's dream come true.

Then you have montugami right next to it. I was a bit skeptical of how forceful it would be but wow, that launch really slams your head back and the airtime hills were downright violent, especially in the front. It honestly feels like a mini maverick but with a punchier launch.

All the employees were extremely nice, the park was the cleanest I've ever seen, and I just love this place.

The 4 hour drive is MORE than worth it. And it honestly feels good to spend my money at an independent park. I'll definitely be coming back at least once per season if not more going forward.

My weekend trip to Iowa started in Altoona for Adventureland. I was aware of Monster and Dragon Slayer’s existence, and had probably heard the name Adventureland passively within the community, but not in any capacity that it stayed with me— that is, until my boss who lives in Iowa discussed Adventureland as a means of connecting with me. It was then that this park really hit my radar and was a place I wanted to try and hit this year as I’ve started to get more serious with my hobby; finally being old enough and having just enough money to do so.

I arrived at rope drop, as I often have this year, and immediately made my way to Monster to get the second ride of the day. Something about me is that as an enthusiast I mainly prefer floater airtime, and speed, hangtime just hasn’t really done it for me; I was underwhelmed by Copperhead strike, the el Loco model didn’t do it for me, and the hangtime elements on RMCs were never the highlights. Monster’s hangtime made me a believer. The ride expertly balances fast whippy transitions, with drawn out moments of hangtime that give such a wild sensation. Each element was so weird in the best way, the finnish loop is fantastic, the immelman is profiled so sharply that it doesn’t feel real, and the trim before the wave makes the wave (the element just before the corkscrew finale) the best part of the ride for me, the way you take it slow enough that it gives sideways airtime has to be what I imagine west coast racers first element feels like. Nowhere to go but down from here but that was A- OK because how can you beat near perfection.

Next on my to-do was Flying Vik- 45 minute wait for a kiddie coaster? Yah I think I’ll skip for now and check out phoe- phoenix is not operating yet… oh boy, but it wasn’t a long wait before it was operational… yeah this is basically laff trakk but outside. I am not a big fan of the Maurer spinners I much prefer Gertslauer, I don’t know why but they just don’t hit for me? This one continued that pattern. They aren’t terrible but they just… I don’t know don’t hit.

After Phoenix was underground. I was actually really looking forward to this one, expecting a classic dark ride coaster like Blazing Fury or the old fire in the hole— I KIND OF got that experience. I will start by saying it has a lot of charm and definitely hits the same nostalgia spot as the previously mentioned rides… but it was definitely missing something. Using gravity to take you through the whole ride, you reach two decently tall chain lifts on your journey and then it slowly sloowwwwly desceneds down it to traverse the experience. There is no real drop, and yes I get it, it’s not going to be some big crazy ride, it’s not skull mountain or Mummy, but I was expecting at least one medium drop LIKE Blazing Fury or Fire in the Hole, and it did make the layout a bit underwhelming. For a dark ride very classic, very fun; as a coaster? Much to be desired.

Okay now that I hit those two time for Flying Viki- 60 Minutes!??? Okay let’s just head to Tornado, Dragon slayer, and Outlaw, then hit Flying Viking after dinner time when most families will have left. So Tornado was next. I got back row and I saw there was Buzz Bars! Yes! If only this could have saved the experience for me. As the Train dispatched the ride operator, who I since learned is a legend, would yell excitedly “TORNADO!” And it really hyped up the experience. The ride itself was… another story. As Cobb coasters do, the second hill was almost too tall for the coaster to traverse and required anti rollbacks, so the first drop was fun and then it lost momentum; after this everything went to hell in a hand-basket for me. Every valley slammed me violently back into my seat, every slight angle change sent me slamming into the side of the car, and the return trip ohhhh the return trip. I don’t expect classic wooden coasters to be smooth, and I feel like saying the word rattle gives the wrong image of what happens. This isn’t like a B&M rattle, and it isn’t like shaking side to side on the track? More like the way the wheels rode on the track made it feel like your butt was smacking against every crossbeam lightly and literally made a rattle sound. Not rough per say, but slowing the ride down and felt like a somewhat uncomfortable massage chair.

I was told that Dragon Slayer was the best of the 4D free-spins, and outside of the Joker clone at my home park of Six Flags Great America, these never did much for me so I was excited to see them at their full potential. I started with Squire side and already this was a wild and fun experience. Rocking side to side before one big flip it just kind of worked for me. But knight side is easily where this shines. Once I got off the knight side I knew it was my second favourite free-spin, not a high bar but it reached it.

Outlaw was next. Tucked away in the back of the park near the entrance to the water park is a small wooden coaster that looks like it wants to be a GCI so bad. I got front row on this one and whoa! I don’t know if I just got lucky with my experience on Outlaw but I found it fast, smooth, and fun. Good airtime pops, great laterals, and Buzzbars yet again! Outlaw quickly cemented itself as number 2 in the park for me.

After Outlaw I returned to ride Monster again and it was even better the second time! At this point it was roughly around 2:20 PM, I wanted to stay to experience Monster at night because I knew it had a crazy light package so I has 6 more hours before sundown. I stopped to get lunch, and then did something I haven’t really done in a long time, I rode the flat rides. Adventureland’s flatrides were descent, nothing mind blowing but fun, and I forgot how much I loved the tilt-a-whirl.

Finally the line for Flying Viking was short and I reached Coaster Completion for the day on a descent but not mind blowing family coaster. After that I rode Monster a third time and while I loved it even more, I knew I was starting to feel dehydrated and losing vision on the ride. I asked for a water cup and they gave me a full cup, with water, and ice, for free. Oh man that water hit the spot. Two cups later and it was starting to get darker.

I decided to ride Dragon Slayer a second time, not yet satisfied with my number of flips. This was the move because on my third time I flipped so much more than I ever have. It was insane and finally, as I experienced the full potential, I understood. The new king of 4D free-spins for me had appeared and I just couldn’t stop smiling.

Once I got off Dragon Slayer it was starting to get dark enough that by the time I got through Monster’s line it would be a night ride. Front row, night ride on Monster was the stuff of legends. Each time I got to ride this coaster was better than the last, and the night time experience was so magical it has to be experienced. Easily my number three night ride behind Beast and Outlaw Run.

Overall, this park has a lot going for it, some good charm, a classic theme park vibe, and a descent top three with a standout in Monster. I think this and Kennywood have the most potential with the new ownership at Herschend and can’t wait to see what they add. No Herschend park before the merger didn’t have an RMC so I’m hoping that both Adventureland and Kennywood get one because it would really round out both the parks lineup. A must-do experience in the midwest and please check out Lost Island an hour away in Waterloo while you are there!

To me, both of Iowa’s biggest parks- Lost Island and Adventureland deserve way more attention than they get considering their charm, quality, and a couple of standout coasters in Matugani and Monster.

I’d love to hear of some other parks that don’t get the hype they deserve

My wife and I are recent transplants to Meridian, and we will soon be looking for a place to rent. I was hoping for opinion on the best parks around, especially for small kids. I think my wife and I need to do a driving tour around the area, so I'd also be interested in places worth checking out. Thanks in advance!

My fiancé and I did a sweep through Iowa during Memorial Day weekend, visiting Adventureland and Arnolds Park. Both were first time visits for us, and we were fortunate enough to ride all ten coasters across the two parks and collect our 100th shared credit as a couple. We enjoyed excellent weather throughout the weekend—a little cloudy on Saturday in Des Moines and too cold for waterslides, but sunny with summer temps along Lake Okoboji the next day. We even found time to participate in a half-marathon on the morning between parks! Really love this late spring/early summer sweet spot when it comes to being on your feet all day.

Iowa is easy to overlook when it comes to coasters, but I’m happy to report that it has a lot to offer. Here are some thoughts on the Hawkeye State.

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ADVENTURELAND

Tornado – We’ll start with the park’s oldest coaster and an ACE landmark. A lot of people criticize this ride for being rough, sluggish, or lacking airtime, and while it isn’t beating any of those allegations entirely, I do think it’s got the “good” kind of rough that you’d hope for in such an ancient looking woodie. It’s rickety in a fun way. I felt it kept its speed well enough, even through the far turnaround, and considering what an absolute panorama of a layout this thing has that’s not a small feat. I only counted two small moments of airtime but they were good! The buzz bars don’t hurt either. I rode American Eagle last month and genuinely preferred Tornado. It’s not amazing but it’s the heart of Adventureland and if you love old woodies as much as I do then you’ll appreciate it. The ride op who shouts TORNADO! TORNADO! is a king.

Flying Viking – Aesthetically pleasant and well-integrated with the shoot-the-chute next door. It doesn’t actually do much, but I’d imagine simply being this high off the ground is a thrill for its target age group. It’s cute. It’s fine. It exists.

Phoenix –I’ve never rode a Maurer spinner before so I was surprised by how hard the first half of the ride went before the spinning even unlocked. That first drop was strong and followed by an intense banked turn. It had some force to it. We didn’t get much spinning but we saw some other cars get extreme amounts of spin. I can imagine this is an excellent little ride with the right weight distribution. It’s a decent one even without it.

The Underground – This received a major theming overhaul last season and it shines throughout the ride. I’m a sucker for this style of kitsch so I was delighted the whole way through. The less said here the better because you really don’t want spoilers, just know that it’s a silly dark ride married to CCI track and a PTC train. I would have loved for just one moment of action, even a gentle pop of airtime, but even with zero traditional coaster forces it still had me laughing the whole way through. I just loved it. Make sure you ride this first though! The lines get ugly fast.

Outlaw – I’m a big GCI fan so I was very curious to try this supposed 1993 “prototype” ride, though I wondered how it would operate in the absence of Millennium Flyer trains. I had heard some mixed things but oh man, I really enjoyed this. It may not run as fast as Renegade or Prowler, but it still has that classic out-of-control twister feeling to it. We rode in the front and the back and much preferred the back for its whip. We also loved how quickly you can get re-rides given Outlaw’s short queue times. This was an unexpected hit for us. Also, if anyone here knows a ride op named Michael please tell him we think he’s great.

Dragon Slayer – For years I have been hearing about how this is the best 4D Free-Spin, and how it puts all the Six Flags Jokers to shame. Neither my fiancé nor I are big fans of the Joker installations, so we went into Dragon Slayer with some guarded optimism. I didn’t want to get too hopeful though. Well, it turns out the hype was real. Guys. Guys. Holy moly. This thing SHREDS. We rode the Knight side and it was one of the most unhinged experiences I have ever had. I counted eight full flips with two incomplete flips that somewhat painfully slammed my head into the seatback (I consider this a good thing because I am insane). It was just constant, chaotic spinning. I couldn’t believe it. Monster is a better ride, but I think this was my favorite ride of the day and it absolutely showcases just how good a Free-Spin can be when you really let it cook. Unfortunately, the mild Squire side lived up to its promise. It didn’t flip us once.

Monster – Yup, it rules. The ejector on the first drop is immense. The hangtime is exquisite. The airtime is solid and the positives plus up the ride without becoming overwhelming (I have a low tolerance for super high Gs). It offers a little something for everyone and is just a terrifically complete layout. Smooth all the way through as well. I haven’t been on Hangtime at Knott’s, but I suspect this stacks up favorably against it.

Thoughts on the Park – Adventureland is a nice little family park that clearly caters to a local audience. I appreciated the emphasis on that local quality in some of the gift shop offerings, which highlighted the connection between past attractions and the Des Moines community. There are parts of the park that are exceptionally well put together, such as the Disneyland inspired entrance, Outlaw Gulch, and the Dragon Slayer queue, but other sections look drab, empty, or even dilapidated. The area around Phoenix is so vacant that it almost looks like you’ve wandered outside of the park altogether. They have yet to clean up the cement footers left behind from Dragon, their defunct Hopkins looper, and the gazebo near where it once stood looks condemned. There’s a big empty plot of land right in front of Monster that provides great views of the ride, but also makes it look like someone plopped a Gerstlauer down in a random field somewhere. It’s a very inconsistent feeling park that could use some TLC. I think Herschend’s ownership will do them a lot of good, but touching this place up probably won’t be cheap. Still, it’s a cute park with very quality offerings and the locals turn out for it. I suspect it is worth the investment.

None of the coasters here are elite, S-tier standouts. Monster is the only consistent A-tier. Dragon Slayer is a variable experience but for me was exceptional. The rest are a mix of old, unusual, unexpectedly solid, or acquired tastes. I enjoyed visiting Adventureland, but I can’t say it’s a must-do unless you’re already in the area. That said, I doubt any enthusiast would have a bad time here.

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ARNOLDS PARK

Thoughts on the Park – I want to start with an assessment of the park itself here. Arnolds Park, in case you’ve not heard of it, is a very small funfair-style attraction along the shores of Lake Okoboji in northwest Iowa. This might seem like a remote location to outsiders, but for Iowans and people from this corner of Minnesota it’s more like a quintessential vacation spot. This park only offers a small list of rides, mostly vintage flats like the Roll-o-Plane that you might expect to see at a place like Knoebels. As such, you might think they’ve got little to offer enthusiasts, but if you’re someone interested in amusement park history like me you’re going to love it here. They do such a great job both preserving and presenting their history, complete with historical signboards, while at the same time keeping everything spotlessly clean and modern. This has to be one of the best managed parks I’ve been to in a while. It’s remarkable how well they thread the needle between old and new.

The lakeside half of this park looks like a cleaner version of Indiana Beach, while the back half looks like a more fully developed take on Little Amerricka in Wisconsin. So, there’s your vibe: very Midwestern, very small town, very Americana. Super charming.

Mad Mouse – Speaking of Little Amerricka, we’ve previously rode the Allan Herschell Wild Mouse at that park and this is its exact clone. The only difference is that the Arnolds Park version has seatbelts, whereas at Little Amerricka they rather shockingly offer no restraints whatsoever. The upside of this is that it seems the Arnolds Park Mad Mouse does run a bit faster, taking turns more aggressively and hitting that dip at the end a little harder. As such, I’d say I preferred this installation. These are good Wild Mouse coasters overall, though I’ll always favor spinning mice over static ones.

Kiddie Coaster – This was a funny experience. We had heard from others that adult enthusiasts are allowed to ride, provided they contact the park in advance. We reached out to management by email and sure enough, we were permitted to ride the Kiddie Coaster. But the actual experience was beyond silly. The ops had to radio the park manager over for confirmation, and he then had to explain to all the children why two grown-ass adults were allowed to hog their ride for a few minutes. I felt so bad about it! We even saw a little girl get rejected for being an inch or two over the height limit. When she said “Aren’t THEY too tall?” the manager actually told her, word for word, “Yes, but they’re special. They go all over the world and ride everything.”

Please don’t judge us too harshly. We didn’t know it was going to be like that. If you think we’re cringe or horrible or whatever, I hear you. I probably wouldn’t have done it if I had known going in that it would be that awkward. We got the credit but at the cost of our dignity.

Pretty good kiddie ride though. Lot of zip coming off the lift, really sharp jolts that throw you across the car if you’re sitting alone. It does a whole lot more than Flying Viking.

The Legend – The best coaster in Iowa, at least until Fire Runner opens and probably even still after that. Yeah, better than Monster. I stand by this take. The Legend is goated. While it is sadly quite short and I was disappointed by how little airtime the first drop gives, the following hills are excellent and the second to last camelback alongside the lake delivers absurd and sustained floater. The amount of care put into this ride over the past few years is unreal. It rides like a brand-new coaster, not a century-old classic, and its integration with the newly refurbished Tipsy House is legit magical. Look, I’m a woodie apologist. The Voyage and Shivering Timbers are my favorites of all-time. I’m that weirdo who prefers five-second waves of floater over RMC-style explosive ejector. My opinion on this was always going to be strange. But I’ll give it to you anyway: The Legend is a bucket list coaster. 10/10.

Also, this was credit #100 for me and my fiancé as a couple. Really good selection for that honor! This is now my new favorite thoosie fashionista apparel as well.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Iowa might not have a mega-park with a conventionally corporate vibe to it, but it’s not lacking for great coasters. If you’ve got a car and a willingness to drive long distances through corn country then there’s a lot to discover here—and that’s without even checking out Lost Island! We certainly intend to stop by there at some point soon, after Fire Runner is completed. Matugani seems right up our alley. Adventureland is the bigger, full-day experience, but we much preferred Arnolds Park. I truly cannot recommend that place enough. The Legend, the Tipsy House, and the park as a whole all deserve their flowers.