Lost Island Theme Park in Waterloo, Iowa, has announced Forbidden Lair, a 2027 family coaster that would be Rocky Mountain Construction’s first Wild Moose model. Trade reporting also frames it as RMC’s first family shuttle design, with riders reversing through the station on a boomerang-style path.
If you are planning a 2027 Midwest park hop that already includes Adventureland, Arnolds Park, or a Waterloo overnight, put Forbidden Lair on the future-ride list rather than this week’s ticket product. The coaster is not open yet, so current visits still revolve around the park’s existing lineup and the recently added Fire Runner single-rail coaster.
- What is new: Forbidden Lair, announced for a 2027 opening at Lost Island Theme Park.
- Manufacturer claim: First Rocky Mountain Construction Wild Moose model, also described as RMC’s first family shuttle.
- Layout stats reported: About 910 feet of track, about 79 feet tall, top speed about 38 mph.
- Ride idea: Backward launch-style spike sequence that returns through the station like a family boomerang.
- Traveler action: Watch 2027 park calendars; do not buy a same-week ticket expecting the new coaster to run now.
What specialist reporting says about Forbidden Lair
According to Theme Park Insider’s August 17, 2026 report, Iowa’s Lost Island will host RMC’s first Wild Moose coaster, named Forbidden Lair. The report says the 910-foot-long, 79-foot-tall design follows the ride path of recent Vekoma Family Boomerangs: riders pull backward out of the station and up a lift spike, then fall back through the station toward a second spike before returning backward to the station.
Theme Park Insider also reports a top speed of 38 mph and says Forbidden Lair will open next year as the park’s second family coaster and fifth coaster overall. The story points to an official concept POV video released with the park announcement.
Coaster101’s August 16, 2026 write-up independently restates that Lost Island will open Forbidden Lair in 2027 as the first-ever RMC Family Shuttle coaster based on the Wild Moose concept. That account also places the announcement after RMC’s “moose on the loose” teaser campaign and notes Waterloo, Iowa, as the destination.
Neither report replaces a full park technical manual, and final height, speed, and dispatch rules can still change before opening day. For travelers, the load-bearing product facts are the 2027 target year, the family shuttle concept, and the first-in-line Wild Moose branding.
How a family shuttle changes the Lost Island mix
A reverse-and-return family coaster is usually sold as an intermediate thrill: stronger than a junior oval, softer than a full-height multi-inversion steel. That matters for multi-generational groups who need a shared ride that is not limited to the park’s biggest thrills.
If the reported 910-foot length and 79-foot height hold, Forbidden Lair would sit in the compact footprint class many regional parks use when land and budget do not support a longer out-and-back. Compact does not mean low value for a day trip, but it does mean the queue and cycle will matter as much as the skyline shot.
Lost Island has been adding coaster inventory quickly for a regional park. Theme Park Insider’s note that Forbidden Lair would become the fifth coaster overall is the right way to read the product: the park is building a coaster-forward identity, not a one-ride weekend stop.
Still, a 2027 announcement is not a 2026 operating change. Visitors this season should plan around open attractions and posted hours, then recheck the park site before any 2027 trip for exact open timing, height requirements, and Fast Lane or virtual-queue rules if any appear later.
What Midwest travelers should do with the 2027 horizon
Keep 2026 Waterloo and Cedar Valley day plans on currently open rides and seasonal events. Use Forbidden Lair only when building a 2027 Iowa coaster circuit that already needs overnight lodging near Waterloo or Des Moines-to-Waterloo drive math.
Compare the future Lost Island stop against other Iowa parks that already have planning pages. Deep Arrival’s Adventureland Iowa planning guide remains useful for the larger Altoona coaster mix when you are sequencing multiple parks across a long weekend.
Families who want a classic lakeside park day can also keep Arnolds Park in the same Iowa trip map. That does not replace Forbidden Lair when it opens, but it gives a second bookable park product while Lost Island’s 2027 coaster is still under construction.
If your group needs a non-theme-park buffer day, the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site guide is a short Iowa history stop that can fill a travel day without depending on coaster weather or delayed construction.
Open questions before you lock a 2027 itinerary
Opening windows for regional coasters often land as “spring,” “summer,” or a soft-open weekend rather than a hard national marketing day. Wait for Lost Island to publish a dated 2027 calendar before buying nonrefundable flights solely for the first public weekend.
Height requirement and restraint style will determine whether the coaster truly works as a family centerpiece. Trade reports describe a family shuttle, but exact minimum height and any supervised child rules will only be reliable when the park posts them.
Also watch whether Forbidden Lair arrives with a separate upcharge, a season-pass early window, or standard park admission. Regional parks vary widely on those product choices, and none of that is settled by the first announcement package.
Also remember that first-year coaster operations can include temporary single-train running, delayed evening hours, or short technical holds. A 2027 calendar date is the starting gate for a visit plan, not a guarantee of all-day uninterrupted cycles on opening weekend.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Visit Lost Island in 2026 | Ride the current coaster set; do not expect Forbidden Lair to be open. |
| Build a 2027 Iowa park weekend | Hold a flexible day for Lost Island after a dated open window is posted. |
| Need multi-park comparison now | Use Adventureland and Arnolds Park guides for currently open Iowa inventory. |
| Travel with mixed ages | Treat the family-shuttle concept as promising, but wait for official height rules. |
| Chase first-weekend openings | Delay nonrefundable air and hotel locks until the park names a public start date. |
- Public open date: A dated 2027 window from Lost Island replaces the general next-year target.
- Height and lap-bar rules: Final family eligibility depends on posted requirements, not teaser language alone.
- Ticket packaging: Watch whether the coaster stays in base admission or needs a separate product.
- Construction progress: Track photos and park updates before treating opening weekend as certain.
Forbidden Lair is a real product announcement for Lost Island’s 2027 season, not a same-week operating change. Plan current trips on open rides, and keep the first RMC Wild Moose family shuttle on the 2027 watch list until the park posts a date, height rule, and ticket path you can actually book around.
When is Forbidden Lair expected to open?
Specialist reporting places the opening in 2027. The park has not yet published a more specific public day in the coverage reviewed here.
What is special about the coaster model?
Reports describe it as Rocky Mountain Construction’s first Wild Moose model and first family shuttle design.
How tall and fast is it supposed to be?
Theme Park Insider reports about 79 feet of height, about 910 feet of track, and a top speed around 38 mph.
Can I ride it on a 2026 visit?
No. It is a future addition. Plan this year’s visit around currently open attractions.
Which other Iowa parks should I compare?
Adventureland Iowa and Arnolds Park remain useful currently open comparison stops while Forbidden Lair is still under construction.
