Rainbow's End Review | New Zealand's Only Amusement Park | Auckland
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- This is the only theme park in the entire country of New Zealand...and it's pretty okay. They're only home to 3 roller coasters, the most thrilling of which is an Arrow corkscrew from the 80's. For a country as incredible as New Zealand, they certainly deserve better.
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every business down here in NZ is struggling HARD atm, everything is too expensive and everyone's broke, so i really highly doubt we will see a high class theme park built here.
oh ffs its not just nz
@@arrivingone I never said it was 😅
@arrivinglotus1 Yeah, but we had six years of a government that destroyed our economy and decided to reduce the prisoner population by 30%.
Last time I was at rainbows end it was full of mongrel mob guys with ankle bracelets.
@@arrivingonebro you good?
Actually you asshat if you did some research youd know auckland is one of the most expensive cities to live in in the world. @@arrivingone
As an Aucklander and someone who joined Coaster Studios when there was only 1000 subscribers I never imagined you doing a Rainbow's End review... But here it is! You were very kind in your assessment. Gold Rush is fun and the Enchanted Forest log flume is a long and eventful ride. The rest are 👎👎. FUN FACT though... the Netflix series Sweet Tooth (which was made in Auckland) uses Rainbow's End. The long shot is a CGI, post apocalyptic version of the park. The most obvious scene is the one filmed with the dodgem cars.
Just started watching Sweet Tooth because of this comment, the first episode is very good.
@@Abcdefgx-u9g try again, it’s worth it.
noice fact
@@Tarokona1Also Waiwera Pools which has been dilapidated for over a decade was used as a location.
Cowboy Bebop and One Of Us Is Lying also shot there.
Where in akl are you from?
The log flume has always been the staple of raindbows end, i haven't been there since before the renovation but the new work done to the log flume look amazing.
And the Pirate Ship! Such a shame they took it down
@@Ezra_Malfoy97 Such a simple ride but the Pirate Ship was always a blast. Sad to hear that it has been taken down as well as the Gold Rush ride.
@MrSnrSquishy it was my go-to every time I went there! Have they taken the Gold Rush ride down, too? Bloody hell, it's been years since I last went there, but I'm still sad to hear of all the changes. It'll end up going the same way as Waiwera if they keep this up.
@@Ixxlostinabox gold rush is still there, I took my niece and nephew in January and they loved it.
I think there's still a picture of me as a kid on the log flume at Rainbow's End
I live in Auckland and I remember when they built the Corkscrew Coaster. The queue to ride it went back to the front entrance. Back then, there was a lot of farmland around.
@KarlAfterBurnett yep I remember that too. It was called Cannonball Run. Built by SDC. I went to Footrot Flats not long before it closed down, and it was very run down with half the rides not operating and weeds growing everywhere.
still quite a lot of farmland when I visited in the late 90s, not so much now.
I wanna mention there was one ride that's definitely still there that wasn't mentioned called Power Surge. Its one of those large spinning "wind turbine" ones, where you get spun in 3 different directions. Its always been one of my favourites. You get to it on the path next to the queue for Invader
Dear God, I used to love it as a child but last time I went on it I thought I was gonna die 😆 Definitely a thriller hahaha
Its beyond the manufacturers life expectancy, so are many more
I was waiting in line and I saw someone vomit during their ride on the power surge it went everywhere including on some of the other people on the ride 😂 it had to be temporarily shut down.
Oh my God power surge was pants shitting lmak
@@NineEyes97- yeah given you spend a reasonable amount of time looking at people on that ride - between all the spinning, and all the type of food that is generally accessible at a theme park - that is a huge risk.
RIP Dragon's Flight. My brother cried his eyes out on that when he was 5 xD
that was my first (and still to this day) fav rollercoaster. i didn't they kept one of the carts from it!
We don't get enough tourists and have a big enough population to justify having a massive theme park, I wish we did though
we get a lot of tourists, they just come here for nature and not theme parks
Most of the tourism is in the south island
Not true
@@stephentitus7137 They should totally build one in christchurch or queenstown
@@LilyPillow agree. I think the view from a roller coaster in Queenstown would be astonishing
They sent out a survey about two years ago asking what we wanted to see next at Rainbow's End, and of the options, there was one for a new 'Big Dipper Roller Coaster'. sadly the next upgrade they made was a different option, an upgrade to the Gold Rush queue and surrounding area, but I think there could be plans for a Mack Rides Big Dipper. It's short, and compact, and Mack Rides is trusted over in Australia so it would make sense to build one here.
"Upgrade" to the gold rush queue? At least with the old one we had something to read/look at while we waited. :(
Was never going to happen ,it was all pr ,they are happy with staying complacent ,they do however have an agreement with counsel to spend 3 million every 3 years till when the lease runs out in 2034
As a New Zealander; one thing I would visit USA for... is the Theme Parks.. theme parks in NZ are like non existent.
Read my reply at the top .
The pirate ship ride that shut down in 2017 was so fun as a kid. The power surge is also a pretty alright ride and the improvements to the log flume recently with new animatronics are great. There’s a small haunted house that opens around October that’s pretty cool aswell.
Cant really afford many amusement parks in NZ sadly, they are just unsustainable. However there is the amusement/water park called Splash Planet out at Hawkes Bay area that I'd recommend. They reopen mid November for the Spring/Summer seasons. Compared to other countries, naturally this park doesnt come close, but its all we got
Fantasy Land back in the day
Again , not true , the population is there , the type of investment inst ,Rainbows would be closing their doors if another was built in Auckland ,its about the lack of investment not sustainability , it couldn't be a huge one but it could be a better one ,bringing in bigger numbers.
Back in the day there also used to be Footrot Flats amusement park in Te Atatu, it was bigger than Rainbows End and had more attractions, the cannonball run rollercoaster there was my go to and friends and I always had a mean game of paintball too.
Growing up during the 70's - 80's Rainbows End and Manukau Center were more or less the only structures in the area surrounded mostly by farmland and farm animals.
It went through a couple of transitions where it used to be a skateboard park called Skatetopia, my friends and I hung out there a lot, then it turned into a BMX track.
The owner of the arcade almost banned my friend and I because he accused us of tampering with the "Defenders" arcade machine when we clocked it, so we showed him of which was impressed so he offered both of us jobs collecting rubbish, emptying bins and cleaning windows for free rides and game tokens, my friend and I practically lived there.
I also remember they closed the park in 1990 because someone died from the bungy jump.
Cool memories!
Fun fact , the bumper boats pool and tall light poles are part of the skate park ,the rest of the ramps a buried under the center stage up to the sideshow galleries area .The hungry miner food outlet is built around the old farmhouse on the farm that was on the skate parks boarder ,the farm house opened a lift up window and served food and drink to the skate boarders .That very same lift up window was still there and used at the old food outlet ,before it was changed to the hungry miner ,the western facades are on the farmhouse roof edge , the farmhouse had a green corrugated roof ,still there today but hidden .Behind the scenes ,the back of the weatherboard farmhouse still exists .
There was never any death at Footrot Flats in Te Atatu. There was also a Footrot Flats in Rotorua which lasted several years later closing around 1995.
@@Iron-guy-fly I didn't get the chance to visit Rotorua park, probably drove passed it on my way to camp at Rotoma.
As someone who grew up in Auckland, Rainbows End has such a special place in my heart. It was the best day of my entire life if I was going to Rainbows End. And even now, at 19 years old, I still love going. The log flume especially is so magical nowadays. Not the best, but I will always love it.
As someone who's originally from the USA, and has been to Mall of America, Valleyfair etc - i've yet to go to Rainbows End (because most pople tell me it isn't worth it -- because i live in the south island and people just talk it up like it's some american copycat XD) - -but to hear someone who Grew up in Auckland say this about Rainbows End is QUITE NICE - you're dead honest it's not perfect, but it's a warm nostalgia..
AND HEY: MoA has a log flume or did in the 90s xD Ours was based on Paul Bunyan :)
Thanks ,i was part of that .
I went to New Zealand last year and the thrills are everywhere. If you're a thrill seeker you'd be sure to love Rotorua and some other places like Waitomo. New Zealand is all about its natural beauty and the country has embraced that. We drove past this park on my visit and it was really more of an eyesore than anything to have high expectations about. New Zealand could benefit from a better park, but the country already has so much to offer that I think it would detract tourism from its other features. I wouldn't want a theme park to detract away from the rich culture, history, and beauty of New Zealand. Great video!
Thanks for sharing your opinion! I see what you’re getting at by saying the park looked like an eyesore compared to everything else, but I don’t think that’d be true for every park. I believe if done well, a theme park that embraces the theming and is quality over quantity would be a welcome fit here. Imagine if a park with the level of detail in Phantasialand existed here- I think it’d fit in very well! A place like that would only enhance the tourism market, without detracting from all the other amazing things to do here.
@@CoasterStudios Well said. Those parks can be rare, but I agree that in the long run it would boost tourism.
@@connorsmith8752 I hear they have glow worms in Waitomo caves
@@Marty_NZ There sure are. It's well worth the visit!
As An Aucklander and a coaster enthusiast, I have to say my visit to Parc Astérix was absolutely eye opening compared to my limited experience when I was younger!😢I hope the rainbows end has the budget, but rumours are they are struggling 😢
They've been in debt for the longest time, definitely not expecting them to expand/upgrade ever.
Rainbows End is mainly for Aucklanders. The rest of NZ go hunting, fishing, skiing or whatever outdoor activities or sports we can at the time.
In other words, real NZers doing real NZ things in what is real NZ. Because Auckland is anything but. It's just another bland, crime-ridden sprawl.
Not many Aucklanders go to Rainbows End on a regular basis. Look around on a Saturday afternoon, you will see people playing rugby/league/cricket etc in their DROVES all throughout Auckland. My Jafa mates go hunting and fishing all the time. You two are out to lunch.
I don't get it?! Why TF does everyone hate Aucklanders? We just happen to live in a large city but you can still drive like a few kilometres and get to rural areas. We just like any other city. I simply don't understand why we specifically get a bad rep.
@@WeAreStillLaughing Because they're mad that Auckland is basically the only 'relevant' city in NZ
Who hurt you
As an Aucklander I appreciate how well this was reviewed. Awesome video team
As someone that has lived in Auckland my whole life, I never knew there was an escape room in rainbows end bruh
that's a fairly new thing and it's in a separate building next to the cafe near the bumper boats
@@jamiem5529 ahhh I see, I thought it was there for years after he talked about it
the funny thing is the "powersurge" ride (which is essentially a simulation of a rollercoaster on a little spinny thing) is literally better than the actual rollercoaster
Kiwi here, I was lucky enough to visit Fuji Q early this year and it made me realize what New Zealand is missing out on, I really hope that rainbows end is able to build a new thrill coaster one day... Best of luck to them.
Most kiwis go to the gold coast these days anyhow. The cost of flights and accommodation are cheaper than flights to Auckland, and you get way better rides on the gold coast
my friends spat on my face when they were going over me on the corkscrew
As a Kiwi coaster enthusiast, I can confirm that it's not great. Don't get me wrong, there's nowhere else on earth I'd rather live, but I do wish we could get a better park. I just have to settle for visits to the Gold Coast in Aus and occasional trips to the US.
The Gold Coast theme parks are amazing. That said i went with a few friends to Rainbows End in 2010 and had a great time. NZ tends to focus on things like bungy jumping and zorbing etc which IMO is prob better suited to the NZ way of doing things and is different which is a big plus for NZ thrill seeking
@@boomertuxx yeah, I don't disagree. I could see an alpine coaster in Queenstown or one of the other ski areas doing really well, though
I think you forgot the other extreme ride here, the Zamperla Power Surge. It's called 'Power Surge' (I know, not the most creative name). You can spot it at 2:42 next to the Zamperla Disk'O ride.
How do you even get to that? I was staring at it wondering how to get to it
@@NobodyisAnybodythere's an entrance underneath the invader ride
Always been my favourite ride at that entire park, usually has the smallest queues as well
@@yasthemann thx
I was worried it was gone for a sec lol. I realised like 6 minutes in that he didn't mention it yet :')
Even something like a small Gerstlauer Eurofighter would be a major asset to this park, and not take up a lot of space.
I worked there for 10 years trying to drag it out of the swamp, was never going to happen
Rainbows End used to be Skatopia skate park then briefly Motogard BMX race track. I used to race my BMX there in 81 and 82. Where the bumper boats are now is actually the skate bowls filled in (I used to love doing jumps on my bike on those!), and where the dodgem cars are is where BMX track entrance was with the space invader machines.
I'm now 43, have lived in Auckland all my life and been to rainbows end about 3 times. last time i went was about 20 years ago. there is no way I would ever pay to go there again. Mainly for the price you pay to get in, there would be SOMETHING that gets the heart pumping. There would have to be some serious changes and a real rollercoaster at least for me to ever go back.
Over priced because they can ,i worked for 10 years there and trust me , i know
You briefly touched on why it's not all the things you imagined, being budget. New Zealand has around 5 and s half million people total! There is no amount of tourists that will ever be enough to ever be in a position financially to build any of the coasters you mentioned, nor get people through the gate to pay for it. The park is already over priced and somewhat embarrassing, I'm surprised it didn't close its doors years ago. I also can't imagine the Cork Screw has many more years left in it before it must be retired due to the increasing cost of maintaining it as it ages. New Zealand has so many more unique fun attractions than wasting the coin on Rainbows end, especially if you're a tourist used to American or British theme parks.
Thanks for being sensible.
@Iron-guy-fly I think those into theme parks that have traveled abroad and been to the likes of Alton towers in the UK and Magic Mountain in CA etc I think those Kiwis always wished Rainbows End might get bigger, even the size of Movie World on the Gold coast which isnt large but does tightly pack a heap of great rides, I think locals world love that but once you understand basic economics NZ couldn't pay for it, or atleast the price of entry due to limited gate sales, the entry price wiukd be rediculously high to pay for new international level Coaster. The Stratosphere and drop tower are achievable but a new coaster that would have to be twice the size to even bother, I can't see anyone willing to pay for it, or atleast the return would be slower than its increasing maintenance costs for it to be remotely economically viable, sadly.
if anyone is looking for a theme park experience in this part of the world they might as well head over the gold coast and make a holiday of it
@Feasco My 16yo son and I did exactly that a year ago. We each got week long unlimited entry passes for Dreamworld, Movieworld, WetnWild and SeaWorld, although didnt go to SeaWorld. Who knew after a week of coasters , 5 days in a row, it was possible to not want to ride another again for the foreseeable future ! It was fun but I had no idea we'd both be exhausted and over it come Friday night the way we both were.
The log flume ride used to be about Gold mining and such it looks like all that stuff got repurposed for Gold Rush. There used to be a pirate ship ride too, but it looks like that got replaced by the spinning disk thing.
Rides have use by dates and some burn down ,and creative discussions were never NZs strong point.
Kiwi here, who thought Rainbow’s End was the best of the best growing up. I completely agree with almost everything you said.
Love the Pirate Ship mention, that’ll always be a favourite for the memories alone. Also love all the facts about NZ’s best (and only) park, most of which I had no clue of. If I could remove anything, it’d be that damn “driving course” and replace it with a real ride.
There used to be a theme park called "Footrot flats theme park" aswell as a cool waterpark out in Waiwera. Also I recall a roller coaster at a place called "Crystal mountain". I guess nz has tried but its probably not sustaniable enough
Thanks for reviewing our only themepark! You are right NZ deserves a much better themepark. After living in Asia and seeing some of the potential, we are really lacking. Even just a couple more rollercoasters could greatly enhance this park. Thanks for the video! Was so interesting seeing the other coasters you were predicting could fit in the park.
As an aucklander whose only visited rainbows end once, I can confirm that it's in the flight path as everyone in the park stopped and looked up every time a plane flew over
To be honest, if it was not for the motorway extension beside rainbows end - I think they could have extended the park and made it bigger. but sadly that didn't happen, I have not been to rainbows end in years.
Rainbows End used to have a large wooden 3D maze, which young me thought was awesome. Sadly it was taken down many decades ago.
The thing with Rainbow's End is the government doesn't fund theme parks, most of our tourism money is, as you mentioned, to the natural areas of the country. Rainbow's End exists for Aucklanders and isn't attempting to appeal to international audiences, possibly because if you want theme parks there's a cluster in the Gold Coast in Australia. Conceding that our neighbour has that covered probably. It's sad, I would like our city to have a bigger and better theme park given it's the only one in the country, even if just for our local population :(
Last time I went to Rainbow's End, there was only Gold Rush iirc! I haven't been on Enchanted Forest. I appreciate you making this video as it echoes a lot of the sentiments I have about the park. I love New Zealand very much and love living here and am aware we are a smaller country, but seeing as so many studios use Weta Workshop to make their films makes me wonder why we don't have a grander more state of the art theme park. It would make sense, considering the amazing visual effects and practical innovation NZ is known for. I think something building on Hobbiton or other Weta projects would be amazing (an indoor park, perhaps?) I say this as someone who believes that NZ could create a unique theme park experience and has the talent to do so, regardless of population and space. I've been to other theme parks in America and AUS and NZ could be making great strides if they utilized the digital and prop talent, etc.
@alanjames6236
53 minutes ago (edited)
I worked as theme artist from 2008 to 2019 .History of the park is long and complex as from 1982 they had a 7 year lease from year to year and would not invest due to half the local council wanting to develope the land ,worth billions now .
I in 2008 approached the then CEO ,who at the time had got an agreement with council to extend the land lease to 2034 providing they spend 3 million every 3 years on infrastructure.
There was no job ,I just sent a letter to the then CEO talking about reinvestment etc ,and my abilities coming from the movie tv industry.
After 10 years i had a workshop and 2 other artists working with me .
I am an all rounder prop set model maker inspired by Disney parks .
look at past photos before 2008 and things are pretty dismal ,just look at the castle and rides and queue area all designed by myself and my team under (rediculas budgets) then and around 2019 , now changed to simple again in 2024, they have the money ..
I tried to help, working directly under the CEO ,to create better experiences and was involved with helping make million dollar decisions .
I was the designer of kids kingdom layout and the look ,but it has since been simplified due to a hostile takeover.
The CEO ,me and 30 odd managers were forced to leave ,followed by half the maintenance men just walking ,putting the parks safety at risk , with new management not taking on the past vast experiences of those they forced out .
The current CEO, knowing nothing about theme parks made for a dangerous situation .
We were getting that park up to world class standards and then the take over ,from a CEO that was too scared to invest in any new major attractions hence VR experiences etc was all she could offer.
The parks early history of just making money and not reinvesting, was the result of not owning the land combined with no direction or idea what an amusement or theme park should be .
In the old days moistly run by managers that had family members as maintenance men, causing to this day, a type of control by or resistance by maintenance to except new or creative ideas .
The park changed hands many times over the years but always turned a profit ,even though many thought it was going broke back in the late 80s .
The yearly attendance when i left was around 3 to 400. 00 people ,grown from 200.00 in 2008 and would require 900.00+ at least before any large coaster could be invested in .
To sum it up , the park never had any long term direction to be an amusement park nor theme park ,people at the top would go to IAPA twice a year but still never come back with any degree of where the park should be headed.
Full of political agenders from year to year ,it will never become anything more than an overseas knockoff.
Think of an old episode of star trek , when Kirk and the team landed on a planet where aliens put them in an earth like environment , the aliens observed earths history but translated wrong !.
A funny comparison , but actually sums it up .
Since there are so many New Zealanders commenting on this video, PLEASE tell me someone remembers the giant frog on a lillypad that would be floating around the log flume! I used to be terrified of it as a child, I wish I could find some photos or videos of it online
YES LMFAO 😭😭 it freaked me out
As a Kiwi, I appreciate this so much lol Rainbows end needs a big upgrade! Their prices are so expensive for what it is. The roller coaster is so outdated and is such a small and quick ride, and I agree about the Gold rush, it’s just too short! And I hate how rough the force stops are 😂 The invader is my favourite ride, but there’s something about Rainbows end which is crummy compared to what the rest of the world has to offer….NEW ZEALAND DOES DESERVE BETTER !
@alanjames6236
53 minutes ago (edited)
I worked as theme artist from 2008 to 2019 .History of the park is long and complex as from 1982 they had a 7 year lease from year to year and would not invest due to half the local council wanting to develope the land ,worth billions now .
I in 2008 approached the then CEO ,who at the time had got an agreement with council to extend the land lease to 2034 providing they spend 3 million every 3 years on infrastructure.
There was no job ,I just sent a letter to the then CEO talking about reinvestment etc ,and my abilities coming from the movie tv industry.
After 10 years i had a workshop and 2 other artists working with me .
I am an all rounder prop set model maker inspired by Disney parks .
look at past photos before 2008 and things are pretty dismal ,just look at the castle and rides and queue area all designed by myself and my team under (rediculas budgets) then and around 2019 , now changed to simple again in 2024, they have the money ..
I tried to help, working directly under the CEO ,to create better experiences and was involved with helping make million dollar decisions .
I was the designer of kids kingdom layout and the look ,but it has since been simplified due to a hostile takeover.
The CEO ,me and 30 odd managers were forced to leave ,followed by half the maintenance men just walking ,putting the parks safety at risk , with new management not taking on the past vast experiences of those they forced out .
The current CEO, knowing nothing about theme parks made for a dangerous situation .
We were getting that park up to world class standards and then the take over ,from a CEO that was too scared to invest in any new major attractions hence VR experiences etc was all she could offer.
The parks early history of just making money and not reinvesting, was the result of not owning the land combined with no direction or idea what an amusement or theme park should be .
In the old days moistly run by managers that had family members as maintenance men, causing to this day, a type of control by or resistance by maintenance to except new or creative ideas .
The park changed hands many times over the years but always turned a profit ,even though many thought it was going broke back in the late 80s .
The yearly attendance when i left was around 3 to 400. 00 people ,grown from 200.00 in 2008 and would require 900.00+ at least before any large coaster could be invested in .
To sum it up , the park never had any long term direction to be an amusement park nor theme park ,people at the top would go to IAPA twice a year but still never come back with any degree of where the park should be headed.
Full of political agenders from year to year ,it will never become anything more than an overseas knockoff.
Think of an old episode of star trek , when Kirk and the team landed on a planet where aliens put them in an earth like environment , the aliens observed earths history but translated wrong !.
A funny comparison , but actually sums it up .
Old local here! Just found your channel, I'm happy to hear people discover somethinig so close to my heart. I love coasters, I very often talk to a coaster fan from the states about being envious of wooden ones all the time. I went to Rainbow's End in the early 90s as a kid, it was a lovely exciting experience for me but really had no reason to go back there. I really wish we had something more, not just coasters, but theme parks in general. We have the land, but there are a lot of things relating to gentrification that will prevent Auckland from likely ever seeing another theme park.
They have minigolf though. What else could you possibly want? Those mushrooms are a blast to put around! And dont get me started on the 45° angled block of wood! Best years of anyones life!
The minigolf (and Cinema180, the old dome showing 70s first person movies) was removed probably seven or eight years ago.
The coaster they need is something from Mack so we can get marty to start accepting how great ride to happiness is. 😂. Hals-Uber-kopf would be a great choice all kidding aside. Thrilling, smooth, and a reasonable price option. Don’t know why we don’t have more of these.
The only country where Ride to Happiness has the chance to be the best coaster is in NZ. Belgium it doesn't. Also, i'd take a clone of either Hals-Uber-kopf or Karacho and count the credit again.
@@Marty_NZ you really need to reride ride to happiness
As a kiwi, I agree with this. I'd really like to see us get a good theme park and given Tourism is one of our top exports (was #1 post covid), its viable for us.
Auckland used to have a 2nd themepark too, Footrot flats theme park. Was out Te Atatu North and was fairly okay from what I've been told.
Besides that Rotorua zoo used to have a log flume, no clue if its still there
The one in Rotorua closed sometime ago. It was Rainbow springs and was directly next door to the gondola. It went under about two years ago I think. Only the kiwi sanctuary and hatching operation still works on that site
Nice presentation on the Arrow loop-screw, I have to admit.
4:26 wait... TARDIS ESCAPE ROOM??? That is awesome.
I used to live really near Rainbow's End and would go every once in a while, haven't been in many years though. I love the place but tbf it's the only amusement park ive ever been to considering I've never left the country so idk how it compares to larger ones, but it's a super nostalgic place to me and I love it so much
Thank you for saying New Zealanders deserve better, but Rainbows End is pretty much why everyone visits Australia's Gold Coast instead, lol. For a small kid who's never been to a theme park, it's special, but everything else blows it out of the water. I had no idea they removed things until this video.
New Zealand doesn’t need a theme park because the entire country is a theme park
Facts
I LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND AND LIVING HERE LONG ENOUGH THAT ISN'T TRUE TO MEEEEE
Ahaha there u go. You just don't appreciate it coz you see it everyday @Fox_potato
@@3xtasy777 I do appreciate it its just.... why no new things?!!?!? (rainbow's end)
@@Fox_potatoit's more like a gang haven and breeding ground
I totally agree with you. As a New zealander, Rainbows end is the only amusement park in nz and the amount of times ive been there on a school trip, ive always been left wanting more. I get so Sad when i see the big roller coasters overseas, wondering if i'll ever get to go on one. Ive never left new zealand and im 30 years old. i just cant afford to travel overseas, and neither could my family afford to take us overseas when i was younger. I would love for rainbows end to have a bigger roller coaster ride. Even if theres not much attraction for tourist, i think us Kiwi's deserve to experience being on the big rides! especially for some of us that cant afford to travel overseas and might never be able to afford to travel overseas.
In the 80's there were severial amusement parks/ events, Footrot Flats, Lion Safari Park and Microworld come to mind.
Pity the Corkscrew in Rainbows End is exactly the same as the one in Seaworld, Surfers Paradise
Yes Microworld! Down at the viaduct where the tank farm used to be.
Lol I'm old enough to remember the rainbows end bunji jump and how that all ended....
Gold rush is my fav ride. Every time i go to Rainbows End, i ride it like 3 times
I remember the log flume used to have a rock monster sort of thing that would pop out in front of you before one of the slide things. It absolutely terrified me as a kid. I like the new redesign much better.
Another amazing review!
Explained everything very well
I remember paying the $20 entry fee in the 90s. I used to save my money over the month, bike from Manurewa and spend the day there. Growing up only seeing theme parks in the movies, it was big deal having one a bike ride from home.
The roller coaster was the feature of the park. With My first experience, I was disappointed at how short lived it was and how it didn't even compare to the ones on tv. Now, I only ride it if my kids want to.
I still enjoy the stratosphere, I love that ride.
I live in Auckland and although it lacked thrill, I still had a good amount of fun when I visited with my friends.
Aucklander here. Yeah Rainbow's End is pretty small and the day can be over fairly quick there. I always found it weird that they never made another Rainbow's End down in the South Island, because that's where most of the tourism is
As a new zealander, it can be annoying having to go to australia for a good thrill coaster, but I still love my home park for what it is! lots of good childhood memories!
I love on new Zealand and I've been there twice (going again soon) But did he talk about the power surge or was that built after the video!! I also think hobbit is cool to!! Here are some places I recommend:Rainbows end, hobbiton, goat island, Queenstown and rotorua luge,the Kai kiwi lakes and Splash planet. That's all from me so if your looking for places to visit then I recommend 100% going there
My Wife and I have visited a few theme parks across the states and from what we experienced Rainbow's end does have some advantages and good points depending on what you are after. The lines tend to be shorter and quicker and you do get a solid 1 - 2 hours of amusement on the rides available. We find the night opening to be best, specially after work/school etc. Nothing flash but it's OK.
I think some tycoon should invest in a waterfront amusement park in Auckland. It would be a cultural epicenter. Not only for casual amusement, rides, games, food, but events too like imagine Diwali, Pride, and New Year parties congregating on these public grounds! It would do so much for our largest city.
I'd love to see a suspended coaster. My fav rides are the stratosfear, log flume, bumper boats, and power surge. The pirate ship was also one, but they shut that ride down years ago. NZ is a poor country with a population of only 5 million, which currently faces the high cost of living crisis. I'd also like to see the Volare and Big Dipper rides which Sydney Australia's Luna Park has.
Not "poor" so much as "strip mined by the rich-" including the rich circlejerk currently posing as people running the country.
Rainbows end used to have a ride called the 'Pirate Ship'. That was the best ride but it closed after an accident. There used to be another theme park in New Zealand in the 1980s in Te Atetu which is in west Auckland. It was called 'Leisure Land' and then it changed its name to 'Foot Rott Flats'. It had a roller coster. I think it shut in the late 1980s. There was also another theme park called 'Heritage Park' in Mt Wellington during the 1980s but also shut in the late 80s. We had an economic decline after 1987.
There wasn’t an accident. How do all these absurd rumours get started? Someone else said someone died at Footrot Flats. Never happened either.
@@Iron-guy-fly it was an accident, someone got their head cut off
@@cameraop8210 lol. Never happened.
@@Iron-guy-fly yes, u heard about the rape in the log flume as well yeah?
@@cameraop8210 Next you’re going to tell me the one about the Vegemite jar right? You’re just regurgitating schoolyard garbage.
Rainbow's end finally shows us what we can find at the end of a rainbow. It's a lot of waiting in lines.
whoa they updated the log flume? that was DRASTICALLY needed. Aucklander here, I think I last visited in 2015. the "stratosFEAR" is probably my favourite ride there.
Something they missed in this is the power surge. It is a kind of big windmill with three different spinning parts. It is Soo fun and sad it wasn'tin this review.
Log flume >>>>>>>>
Literally best ride 💪💪💪💪
When its the only the park youve been to, its a good time lol. Havent been since i was a kid though.
I still remember the place being in middle of nowhere 30 years ago. That said, I also remember being pretty disappointed when I immigrated here when I was about 10 from South Korea.
What is really cool, is the park, specifically this Coaster and a couple of other “thrill” rides are right next to the courthouse.
Not only does NZ need more theme parks, but they need a bigger space to add more. The lot they’re on is quite small compared to other theme parks around the world.
You forgot the infamous power surge! It's so dumb and funny but most people get sick on it because of how you just get flung around which means the line is always empty so you can just run in with your friends over and over. My sister got stuck on it once for 2 hours because it randomly shut down while she and our cousin was on it. Super sketchy but super fun. Thanks for checking out our silly little park
as an auckland i am personally a big fan of the stratosfear and the power surge, everything else to me is not great
most kids i knew back in the early 2000s only knew of rainbows end including me. so imagine the stories i had when i came home after spending a few days at disneyland and universal studios, you couldnt compare!
Strangely enough the one thing I get excited for when I visit, is the candy floss bucket. Idk why it just hits different to any other candy floss I’ve had in NZ 🤷🏻♀️
Rainbows End is owned Rangatira Investments and have made a commitment to a major addition / attraction / improvement to the park every 4 years,
So i reckon we need RMC to come and do a 'Reprofile' on the 'Corkscrew' or build us a new 'Raptor Coaster' in the park
WE DESERVE IT !!
I've actually been on worst coasters than our 'Arrow Coaster'...
p.s - off to ride one the best coasters in the world soon 'Steel Vengeance' ... And do any of you Kiwis wanna come !!
'Karen C' your doing a great job with a great vision and I support you 100%
The Stratosphere is N.Z best ride (especially @ Night Rides)
Rainbow's End recently decreased the days they're open so that says a lot!
if you only visited in the 2020s you also missed out on the swinging Pirate Ship ride which closed down in 2017. Huge loss i know, i happened to be there on the last day it was operating.
When I was a kid on a school trip there once, they just let us go around and around on the roller coaster for what seemed like forever because it was the end of the day and no one else was in line 😂😂😂
It's hard to find news articles relating to it, but back around 2010 or so they were looking to sell Rainbows End. Both Ardent Leisure and Warner Bros were tipped to be bidders, but in the end all partied walked away from the table. Some assumed that the owners of Rainbows End having attracted this attention just got greedy and asked too much. It's a shame as it is very outdated and could use a backing company with deeper pockets to bring it up to a more modern standard, especially for the high price of entry.
Haha! Just fly from anywhere into Wellington on a windy day. Far more exciting, and truly a white knuckle experience!
I was never a Theme Park guy...& ive been skateboarding most of my life here in South Auckland & before it was Rainbows End....it was a Skateboarding bowl called Skate-Topia....those were the days
As a New Zealander, I have no experience other than rainbows end so it is still the coolest one for me lol :')
I went a while back, while it may not be the best, but it's good for memories for young children which this park WAS made for, it still is a good park, while outdated it's still a decent ride.
scotland also definitely deserves better aswell
Wow I had no idea that Dragons Flight was no longer there. I got to ride it back in 2010 when I went for the first time. I’m not a huge roller coaster person, purely for the fact that I have a weak stomach. I can barely handle some of the windy roads here. I got dragged onto the corkscrew coaster once every trip I made to Rainbows End. Apparently I have a weak stomach doesn’t compute with friends.
I think one of the issues with if they would try and build another amusement park here in NZ, there’s not really anywhere to put it that isn’t invasive or wouldn’t be on a fault line and could be at risk if an earthquake happened nearby. The Christchurch earthquake was a big one but there was also Kaikōura in 2016 that could be felt halfway up the North Island. Heck I felt it.
I mean, there's a water park in Hastings called Splash Planet. It's pretty old but it's very fun
Coaster Studios should go to Splash Planet in NZ
Pleassssseeee I really hope that they do! 😊
And yes ,i re themed the log flume ,that suffered terribly ,i built the pirate town and ship , whos nameplate was dedicated to my CEO at the time .I added lighting and sets inside the caves and along the dead areas of the ride, The ride has since been added to due mostly by one artist i left behind that followed the original concept to add more and more to the ride.
you did all that but you can't edit your posts, impressive
I went on that roller coaster 50 times in a row, no one else was there so he just keeped it going till id had enough
The log flume still holds great potential :D
Great overview. I haven't been to Rainbows end in over 15 years. I just don't think we have the population to support the monetary investment for themeparks. Which is sad. I love themeparks. Use to love the gold rush. "Ding Ding Ding. Look out"
I don't see the adding a launch coaster. It adds an entire new branch to maintenance team just for 1 ride.
The two ways I can see it is if it is a Skyrocket 2 like coaster(this includes the Intamin and Zamperla ones) that is compact and cheap enough they can offset the extra maintenance.
The other way I could see it is if it is a tire launched family coaster.
I feel like even in NZ there has to be people who can maintain these launch mechanisms. Like, if they could afford to hire a specialist only when they're needed, and the rest of train and station maintenance can be done by standard park staff, that would be great.
The land Rainbows End is situated on is crippling.
As I understand it doesn’t own it - which just adds to the financial issues the park constantly has.
Due to a cemetery, medical centre and court house - all contained in the same block the shape of land it has available to use is both awkward in general, but financial/budget restraints have also led to further awkward layout of the park and necessary amenities.
The height restrictions as mentioned.
But also access - limited car parking, too narrow roads (once parked cars) for proper on-site transit solutions. Although isn’t a great walking distance from major Bus and Train depots (although for parents of kids arguably too far, with too many major/high use roads to cross).
the fact that it's next to a court house is particularly amusing to me as when I had jury duty the compensated parking was in front of rainbows end
You missed out on the pirate ship bro, best ride in existence !
The Southern Hemisphere is poorly served when it comes to theme parks. So any theme park is taken as a good thing.
I was last there about 15 years ago. It gave me the impression then of being a park for younger families. As you eluded to the parking 🅿️ isn’t great and yes they have a mall and public transport across the street. But when I first went there in the 1980’s, the area wasn’t as built up and it looked like they had room to expand and bring more rides. I think they are trying to move towards more attractions like Goldrush that they can make themselves. As for actual roller coasters. I agree. They need to refresh them more frequently. That today in New Zealand’s Rainbows 🌈 End will be a multi-million kiwi 🥝 dollar expense. I don’t think they have it.
@alanjames6236
53 minutes ago (edited)
I worked as theme artist from 2008 to 2019 .History of the park is long and complex as from 1982 they had a 7 year lease from year to year and would not invest due to half the local council wanting to develope the land ,worth billions now .
I in 2008 approached the then CEO ,who at the time had got an agreement with council to extend the land lease to 2034 providing they spend 3 million every 3 years on infrastructure.
There was no job ,I just sent a letter to the then CEO talking about reinvestment etc ,and my abilities coming from the movie tv industry.
After 10 years i had a workshop and 2 other artists working with me .
I am an all rounder prop set model maker inspired by Disney parks .
look at past photos before 2008 and things are pretty dismal ,just look at the castle and rides and queue area all designed by myself and my team under (rediculas budgets) then and around 2019 , now changed to simple again in 2024, they have the money ..
I tried to help, working directly under the CEO ,to create better experiences and was involved with helping make million dollar decisions .
I was the designer of kids kingdom layout and the look ,but it has since been simplified due to a hostile takeover.
The CEO ,me and 30 odd managers were forced to leave ,followed by half the maintenance men just walking ,putting the parks safety at risk , with new management not taking on the past vast experiences of those they forced out .
The current CEO, knowing nothing about theme parks made for a dangerous situation .
We were getting that park up to world class standards and then the take over ,from a CEO that was too scared to invest in any new major attractions hence VR experiences etc was all she could offer.
The parks early history of just making money and not reinvesting, was the result of not owning the land combined with no direction or idea what an amusement or theme park should be .
In the old days moistly run by managers that had family members as maintenance men, causing to this day, a type of control by or resistance by maintenance to except new or creative ideas .
The park changed hands many times over the years but always turned a profit ,even though many thought it was going broke back in the late 80s .
The yearly attendance when i left was around 3 to 400. 00 people ,grown from 200.00 in 2008 and would require 900.00+ at least before any large coaster could be invested in .
To sum it up , the park never had any long term direction to be an amusement park nor theme park ,people at the top would go to IAPA twice a year but still never come back with any degree of where the park should be headed.
Full of political agenders from year to year ,it will never become anything more than an overseas knockoff.
Think of an old episode of star trek , when Kirk and the team landed on a planet where aliens put them in an earth like environment , the aliens observed earths history but translated wrong !.
A funny comparison , but actually sums it up .
"this park desperately needs... a smooth coaster" couldn't agree more. I can't go on the corkscrew coaster anymore, it rattles my brain too much these days.
One of the most charming parks ever
Never expected to see Rainbows End on CZcams, the Corkscrew is still my favourite ride besides the Gold Rush, ain't nothing changed 😂