Sally Dark Rides, a leading creator of immersive attractions, has opened its latest dark ride experience at Lost Island Themepark in Iowa, US.
VOLKANU: Quest for the Golden Idol is a unique attraction which has been designed to seamlessly integrate with the park’s mythical island theme. The ride debuted alongside other major attractions during the park’s grand opening on 18 June 2022.
The custom interactive dark ride is considered the park’s signature attraction, with a storyline inspired by the element of fire, a core component of the park’s overall theme.
Lost Island owner Eric Bertch says: “It is an impressive, incredible ride for a park our size – it is also specially themed around our parks and completely unique.”
“It’s really incredible”
Found in the park’s statement volcano, riders undertake a thrill-packed adventure to find the sacred ‘Ora-Tika’ statue, responsible for keeping the great god of fire, Volkanu, dormant and return it to the altar to restore peace to the island.
Guests are equipped with an interactive “Thermal Equalizer” device as they battle with the creatures of Volkanu, heading to the Temple of Fire to return the statue to the sacred altar.
The ride comprises state-of-the-art, multi-level gameplay technology for re-ridability, ideal for fans and season pass holders.
Not a one hit wonder
Guest feedback shows that the ride has been well received, with one customer saying: “The Volkanu ride is blowing everyone away. No one expected this level of a dark ride to be at a park like Lost Island. Amazing scenery, really unique effects, and you cannot help but pick up a blaster. You feel like you are on an adventure, protecting yourself from the Volkanu monster, rather than playing a game. It’s really incredible.”
Bertch comments on the system: “We are very happy that the ride incorporates the blasters that we see on a lot of the newer dark rides. This increases replayability. I have ridden it half a dozen times, and there is always something new that I didn’t notice before. People will want to ride it over and over.”
A perfect fit for the park
Lasting five minutes, the VOLKANU: Quest for the Golden Idol experience also utilises interactive 3D imagery, detailed scenery, animatronic figures and high-tech special effects.
Sally Dark Rides chairman and CEO John Wood says: “At Sally, we believe in creating immersive, engaging experiences for families. That’s what made our partnership with Lost Island Themepark a perfect fit.
“There is incredible thematic storytelling in this park. It is truly going to transport families into a magical land. Volkanu will help bring the park’s unique story to life for guests to enjoy for years to come.”
The Bertchs have long been developing expansion plans to transform their regional family-run water park into a destination resort, converting ninety acres of farmland into a whole new theme park.
With a masterplan developed by BDR Design Group, the park is split into five different realms – areas of the park with backstories and elements that tie together. Each realm features a variety of attractions designed to immerse guests into the stories of those lands.
Lost Island Themepark owner Gary Bertch concludes: “The team at Sally has created a thrill-packed adventure that’s sure to become a fan favourite at Lost Island. The new theme park builds on the magic we created with our waterpark for an all-new, immersive experience. With rides like Volkanu, we can’t wait to see the excitement on families’ faces on opening day, and for years to come.”
Volcanu was just one concept to be announced by Sally Dark Rides at the most recent IAAPA Expo to be held in Orlando, Florida, US. The manufacturer has also entered into a collaboration with Daniels Wood Land to create a new experience entitled Treasure Hunt: The Ride.
