NZ | Amusement Park and Resorts

[ItalicSiciliano]

Hopes, aspirations, ideas, improvements and creations of amusement parks and resorts in New Zealand.

Amusement Park and Theme Park are terms for a group of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining large numbers of people. An amusement park is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground, usually providing attractions meant to cater to children, teenagers, and adults.
The field of amusement parks annually attracts a large slice of the tourism market. There are different types of amusement park: water, wildlife, educational and theme parks.

The resort is a structure that offers the customer various services: hotels, restaurants, casinos, convention center, sports facilities, swimming pools and spa, theaters, amusement parks, shops ...
Over the past decades have spread all over the world, inspired by a different theme.

[Svartmetall]

Theme parks don't really exist in NZ compared to other countries. We do have one in the form of Rainbows End down in Manukau, but it's a little embarrassing.

As for hotels and resorts, now that's another story. I know we have an awful lot of top quality resorts and hotels here - Mr KF and Sydney would be the best people to answer this given they have toured the country using hotels and resorts more than the rest of us.

[ItalicSiciliano]

Ok, but what kind of theme park would be built there?
For example, a theme park based on the film "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed as ch in NZ ... inspired by that of Harry Potter in Orlando in the USA.

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by ItalicSiciliano

Ok, but what kind of theme park would be built there?
For example, a theme park based on the film "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed as ch in NZ ... inspired by that of Harry Potter in Orlando in the USA.

That would be a very good idea. Also, since NZ has the world-wide reputation for it's huge, beautiful nature-oriented outdoor recreational activities, then why not a themed park that revolved around that concept? I know that in Dubai there is a building that is at over 25 stories tall. It is an indoor snow skiing facility. Why not have a bigger and better one in NZ Make it at least twice as large/tall. Every day of the year anyone would be able to ski, snow board or whatever all in one huge facility. There would also be dining and shopping.
then have another indoor facility that was the world's largest indoor and outdoor skate park. It would contain every extreme sporting activity imaginable. Then you could have a very tall hotel with an indoor climbing wall. Maybe it's the tallest in the world? That would be cool. Incorporate other popular outdoor activity-based events, regardless if the event or individual activity is relaxing or strenuous or anything in between. Add some gaming, some amusement park rides, some shows and maybe even a museum or gallery or two and you could have a very cool themed park. I know Queenstown is noted for it's natural beauty and it's outdoor attractions and activities. Maybe placing a theme park like I just mentioned near Queenstown might be a great complimentary attraction? Well, that's my two cents.

[IThomas]

Originally Posted by StevenW

That would be a very good idea. Also, since NZ has the world-wide reputation for it's huge, beautiful nature-oriented outdoor recreational activities, then why not a themed park that revolved around that concept? I know that in Dubai there is a building that is at over 25 stories tall. It is an indoor snow skiing facility. Why not have a bigger and better one in NZ Make it at least twice as large/tall. Every day of the year anyone would be able to ski, snow board or whatever all in one huge facility. There would also be dining and shopping.
then have another indoor facility that was the world's largest indoor and outdoor skate park. It would contain every extreme sporting activity imaginable. Then you could have a very tall hotel with an indoor climbing wall. Maybe it's the tallest in the world? That would be cool. Incorporate other popular outdoor activity-based events, regardless if the event or individual activity is relaxing or strenuous or anything in between. Add some gaming, some amusement park rides, some shows and maybe even a museum or gallery or two and you could have a very cool themed park. I know Queenstown is noted for it's natural beauty and it's outdoor attractions and activities. Maybe placing a theme park like I just mentioned near Queenstown might be a great complimentary attraction? Well, that's my two cents.

Exactly! To give you another three diverse example from which we could take inspiration are some amusement parks in Italy, I do not know if you know them.


* Gardaland, in northern Italy, is the largest in the country, opened in 1975 over the years, it has expanded and improved. It also has a structure called Gardaland Sea Life, and a resort hotel.
http://www.gardaland.it/resort/index-en.php


* Rainbow Magic Land, near Rome, will be inaugurated in the coming months of 2011. The park will also be featured in the cartoon of the Winx, in the future is destined to grow, more and more to compete with Disneyland Paris.
http://www.rainbowmagicland.it/
and here put the website of the Winx http://www.rbw.it/winx.asp


* Etnaland, in Sicily, started as a zoo, water park has been transformed in recent years and is adding other attractions to become a theme park.
http://www.etnaland.eu/

Other big parks is:
Mirabilandia http://www.mirabilandia.it/
Zoo Marine http://www.zoomarine.it/Default.aspx?l=en&r=965409165
Canevaworld - Movieland and Studios Aqua - http://www.canevaworld.it/
Oltremare http://www.oltremare.org/eng/
Miragica http://www.miragica.com/

[IThomas]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

Theme parks don't really exist in NZ compared to other countries. We do have one in the form of Rainbows End down in Manukau, but it's a little embarrassing.

As for hotels and resorts, now that's another story. I know we have an awful lot of top quality resorts and hotels here - Mr KF and Sydney would be the best people to answer this given they have toured the country using hotels and resorts more than the rest of us.

I found this on Rainbows End http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4vME7TMg-o

[IThomas]

Originally Posted by StevenW

That would be a very good idea. Also, since NZ has the world-wide reputation for it's huge, beautiful nature-oriented outdoor recreational activities, then why not a themed park that revolved around that concept? I know that in Dubai there is a building that is at over 25 stories tall. It is an indoor snow skiing facility. Why not have a bigger and better one in NZ Make it at least twice as large/tall. Every day of the year anyone would be able to ski, snow board or whatever all in one huge facility. There would also be dining and shopping.
then have another indoor facility that was the world's largest indoor and outdoor skate park. It would contain every extreme sporting activity imaginable. Then you could have a very tall hotel with an indoor climbing wall. Maybe it's the tallest in the world? That would be cool. Incorporate other popular outdoor activity-based events, regardless if the event or individual activity is relaxing or strenuous or anything in between. Add some gaming, some amusement park rides, some shows and maybe even a museum or gallery or two and you could have a very cool themed park. I know Queenstown is noted for it's natural beauty and it's outdoor attractions and activities. Maybe placing a theme park like I just mentioned near Queenstown might be a great complimentary attraction? Well, that's my two cents.

Yes. It's called Ski Dubai with 22.500 square meters of indoor ski area. Opened in November 2005, the indoor resort features an 60-meter high indoor mountain with five slopes of varying steepness and actual difficulty, Including a 400-meter-long run, the world's first indoor black run, and a 90-meter-long quarter pipe for snowboarders. A quad lift and a tow lift carry skiers and snowboarders up the mountain. Adjoining the slopes is a 3,000-square-meter Snow Park play area comprising sled and toboggan runs, an icy body slides, climbing towers, a snowball shooting gallery, an ice cave and a 3D theater. Other attractions include a mirror maze and a snowman-making area. Winter clothing, ski and snowboard equipment are included in the price of admission.

[Milan Luka]

I wanna see a Jurassic Park type set up in Fjordland!

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by IThomas

Yes. It's called Ski Dubai with 22.500 square meters of indoor ski area. Opened in November 2005, the indoor resort features an 60-meter high indoor mountain with five slopes of varying steepness and actual difficulty, Including a 400-meter-long run, the world's first indoor black run, and a 90-meter-long quarter pipe for snowboarders. A quad lift and a tow lift carry skiers and snowboarders up the mountain. Adjoining the slopes is a 3,000-square-meter Snow Park play area comprising sled and toboggan runs, an icy body slides, climbing towers, a snowball shooting gallery, an ice cave and a 3D theater. Other attractions include a mirror maze and a snowman-making area. Winter clothing, ski and snowboard equipment are included in the price of admission.

Cool! You've been there? Sounds like a great time for sure.

[Svartmetall]

We do have an indoor ski slope/Snowboarding slope. It's a little small, but it's fairly good for beginners - it's called Snowplanet and it's just north of Auckland. I like going there when I can to work on my snowboarding/skiing.

[IThomas]

Originally Posted by StevenW

Cool! You've been there? Sounds like a great time for sure.

no ... but I have heard from my friends. In Italy is under construction an indoor ski in the Alps of Piedmont will be ready for 2012

[StevenW]

Very cool.

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

We do have an indoor ski slope/Snowboarding slope. It's a little small, but it's fairly good for beginners - it's called Snowplanet and it's just north of Auckland. I like going there when I can to work on my snowboarding/skiing.

Did not know that. Any links to it?

[Svartmetall]

There is a link to Snowplanet in the very post you quoted. Click the name "Snowplanet" - I hyperlinked there.

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

There is a link to Snowplanet in the very post you quoted. Click the name "Snowplanet" - I hyperlinked there.

Very nice. Thanks!

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by StevenW

Very nice. Thanks!

Small and overpriced would be my opinion, but it's the only one in NZ and well worth the trip if the mountains are off-season.

[StevenW]

Exactly.

[Richard7666]

Originally Posted by Milan Luka

I wanna see a Jurassic Park type set up in Fjordland!

That could seriously inconvenience a lot of my friends who hunt there. Unless they got bigger guns.

[cle]

A Lord of the Rings something would be a great asset to NZ. Especially with two more Hobbit films coming in the next few years, NZ will be in the spotlight again and need a legacy from it.

I'm not sure the investment of rollercoasters etc... would pay back, and probably wouldn't be in keeping with the films, but surely a permanent exhibit of memorabilia - perhaps a whole museum with rebuilt sets to explore, might be interesting.

The more interactive and tactile the better, so if not rides, certain experiences would be good (Hobbit large/small photos, kids playgrounds, rafting on an Elven boat?)

There could obviously be a big Hobbit style pub again with lots of artefacts from the films - Hard Rock Cafe style I'm imagining. And it should be in Wellington!

[IThomas]

Originally Posted by cle

A Lord of the Rings something would be a great asset to NZ. Especially with two more Hobbit films coming in the next few years, NZ will be in the spotlight again and need a legacy from it.

I'm not sure the investment of rollercoasters etc... would pay back, and probably wouldn't be in keeping with the films, but surely a permanent exhibit of memorabilia - perhaps a whole museum with rebuilt sets to explore, might be interesting.

The more interactive and tactile the better, so if not rides, certain experiences would be good (Hobbit large/small photos, kids playgrounds, rafting on an Elven boat?)

There could obviously be a big Hobbit style pub again with lots of artefacts from the films - Hard Rock Cafe style I'm imagining. And it should be in Wellington!

perfect! also your idea is not bad!
Although it would take something like this http://www.youtube.com/user/gardalan.../0/xitmGHAuzYY
Nightmare! what do you think?