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 Adventureland
305 34th Ave NW
Altoona, IA. 50009
www.adventureland-usa.com
A quick look at the park and how the rides rank in the eyes of Jason and Jenni. Adventureland is just a few miles East of Des Moines, IA. We consider this to be a small park and it can easily be conquered in one day. Most of the rides fall into the fun category but nothing really stands out as being extreme or ultra thrilling. The park is laid out on a flat piece of land and it has a bit of a state fair feel to it. A lot of the flat rides are lined up on one side of the park and have little theming. The latest coaster addition was back in 1996 and this leaves the park feeling a bit dated. We had a couple of snacks while at the park and each item was above average. If we see a corndog stand at a park you know that we’re going to eat one and the Adventureland corndogs didn’t disappoint. The park was clean and the staff was professional.
Coaster Ratings
Tornado: 6 out of 10
This is the parks top coaster. It’s the first of 3 wood coasters at the park. It’s 93’ tall and hits a top speed of 58 mph. It’s a classic out and back design.
Outlaw: 5 out of 10
The Outlaw is a compact wooden coaster that stands 67’ high. It features a top speed of 48 mph and a lot of abrupt turns.
Dragon: 3 out of 10
The parks lone steel coaster. It drops, it loops and it does everything else that you would expect out of a coaster but it’s a bit rough.
The Underground: 2 out of 10
This is an indoor coaster that doesn’t provide much of a thrill but just like any other coaster everyone should give it a shot.
Non-coaster Highlights
Keep in mind that these are rated on a scale that is separate from the coaster list
Saw Mill Splash: 7 out of 10
We consider this to be the best ride in the park. There isn’t a whole lot to it. Riders gather in a large inflatable raft that seats 6 people total. The raft is then taken up a 60’ lift hill and begins it’s trek down a spiraling water slide with a small air time bump just before splash down. We ride this one several times whenever we visit.
Sky Ride: 5 out of 10
One of the best sky rides out there. The seats are a ski lift style and the ride takes you through trees and over the log ride. We were tempted to walk past it but I’m glad that we didn’t.
Space Shot: 5 out of 10
This is your standard small park space shot ride. It’s a 235 foot tower that shoots riders up and then bounces them back down the ground. The forces are a little weak but the height of the tower adds a little to the experience. G-Force: 4 out of 10
It’s comparable to a scrambler except the cars a free to spin as well. If you don’t like spinning then keep walking. Side Winder: 4 out of 10
This ride is similar to the revolution rides that are popping up everywhere. The thing that we like about the revolution rides is the combination of spinning and swinging. On Side Winder the spinning is so intense that you forget that you’re swinging. Raging River: 4 out of 10
This is more of standard white water raft ride. The boats have an inflatable tube but ridged plastic seats. The ride features rapids and getting wet is part of the game.
River Rapids: 4 out of 10
Most parks have a log ride and Adventureland has River Rapids. If you like log rides then you’re probably going to like this one.
Falling Star: 3 out of 10
I’m not sure how to describe this ride. Riders sit in rows and everyone faces forward. The ride then swings back and forth (sideways for riders) and eventually completes a 360o loop. You’re never upside down. Tea Cups: 2 out of 10
The cups didn’t spin nearly as much as everyone had hoped and it went on a little longer than everyone had anticipated.
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