Iowa’s Unlikely Immersive Theme Park: Lost Island

Wahaari te Auk Modu! Welcome to Lost Island!

It’s time to discover the wonders of Lost Island—or Auk Modu as it’s known in the island’s ancient language. Yes, this park even has its own original language; there’s a lot to unpack! Auk Modu, which has mysteriously appeared in the Iowan plains, welcomes travelers to explore its many secrets.

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Exploring the Realms

When visitors arrive at Lost Island Themepark, they are welcomed by a beautifully intricate entryway. The structure is complete with totem carvings from the park’s themed lands. The entrance’s bright colors and expressive pathway are only the beginning of Lost Island’s charm and creativity.

Lost Island’s Main Street: Ara Matua

Beyond the park’s front gate, Lost Island has a memorable grand reveal with the perfectly centered Ferris wheel overlooking the lagoon. Standing in Ara Matua—the park’s Main Street—visitors are shown a world of possibilities across the wide-open oasis of a park.

Pathways branch off from the Main Street plaza to the park’s five distinctly themed lands, known as realms, which each symbolize elements of nature. Each realm has its own culture like unique societies, but all with connecting lore.

As Lost Island’s Main Street, Ara Matua, continues, it leads to a picturesque waterfront area. This is where the park’s characters gather in the morning and afternoon to share the story of Lost Island. The show is headed by Dr. Marion Galavant, an islandologist who studies and shares the island’s mysteries. They’re joined by characters from the different realms to retell Auk Modu’s fascinating tale.

The Lore of Lost Island

As the story goes: Long ago, the island’s realms lived in conflict. That was until an unexplainable event created a powerful, fiery evil. That demon—known as Volkanu—sought to destroy the island, Auk Modu. All the realms were in danger. However, the spirit guardians of Lost Island—creatures known as Tamarikis—united the realms to defeat the fire demon. The realms put aside their differences and teamed up to save the island. They combined their elemental powers of fire, earth, water, and air to create a golden idol—known as the Ora Tika—to trap the demon in the Temple of Fire beneath the volcano. The realms then safely lived in harmony for years.

The story continues in the first themed land on the left: the fire realm, known as Mura.