Weta Workshop Unleashed — Attraction in Waitematā

If you're even remotely a fan of film, fantasy, or the art of movie-making, Wētā Workshop Unleashed in Auckland is an absolute must-visit. I’m a huge fan of behind-the-scenes work—how props are made, creatures are built, and worlds are brought to life—and this place absolutely exceeded all expectations.

Our tour guide, Will, was nothing short of phenomenal. I wasn’t feeling 100% that day, but Will noticed almost instantly, checked in with me, and responded with genuine care and warmth. That kind of personal touch made the whole experience even more unforgettable. Not only was he incredibly kind and attentive, but also hilarious, passionate, knowledgeable, and just a joy to be around. He had us laughing one minute and awestruck the next.

Now, on to the workshop itself—WOW.

This isn't just a museum or a standard tour. It’s an immersive cinematic journey through three original film worlds created just for this experience: a horror film set, a fantasy adventure, and a mind-bending sci-fi epic. Each section brings Wētā’s artistry to life with practical effects, animatronics, miniatures, prosthetics, and behind-the-scenes secrets that feel like they’ve been pulled straight from Hollywood’s vault.

💥 You’ll get up close with:

Epic creature and costume design

Detailed miniature environments

Prop weapons and armor

Life-sized sculptures and animatronics

Visual effects processes and set design insights

The creativity is off the charts. Even though it’s not specifically a Lord of the Rings attraction, fans will absolutely love it because it gives you a deep and awe-inspiring glimpse into how legendary films like LOTR, The Hobbit, Avatar, District 9, and more were brought to life.

You can also try hands-on activities like: 🎨 SFX makeup 🛠️ Prop-making demonstrations 🖌️ Painting miniature sculptures 🎬 Creative storytelling workshops

The staff are not just guides; they’re real industry artists and technicians who know their craft and love sharing it. You feel the passion and magic in every room.

Whether you're a die-hard film geek, a casual fan, or someone who just loves art and imagination, Wētā Workshop Unleashed is pure magic. I left feeling inspired, amazed, and even more in love with the movie-making process.

🚨 Don’t leave Auckland without experiencing this. 🎟️ Book in advance—it’s popular for good reason. 💯 And if you get Will as your guide? You’re in for a legendary time.

Thank you, Wētā. Thank you, Will. You turned a rough day into a memory I’ll...

If I could give it no stars I would

Let me save you some time (and money): if you’re thinking about doing the Weta Workshop Unleashed tour in Auckland… don’t. Unless your idea of fun is walking through three dimly-lit rooms based on made-up movies, awkwardly poking foam props while wondering where your life went wrong.

It all starts with a very dramatic “ID photo” moment - you’ll think, ooh this might be something cool. Nope. It’s just a setup so they can charge you a ridiculous price for the world’s most underwhelming souvenir later.

The tour is 90 minutes long. I only wish it felt that short. Three rooms, three fake movies no one’s ever heard of, and a whole lot of “feel free to walk around and touch things,” as if tapping a rubber alien head is going to justify the price tag.

The tour was made up of about 20 of us and 3 of those were kids but even the kids on the tour looked like they were reconsidering their life choices. The guides were enthusiastic, I ’ll give them that, but after the fourth time they name-dropped Richard Taylor and his wife like we were at an Oscars tribute, I was out. Zero Lord of the Rings, zero Dune, zero actual movie magic. Just dollar-store sci-fi energy and a heavy dose of regret.

And the gift shop? Oh, it gets better. That ID photo from earlier? They try to sell it to you like it's a signed Peter Jackson original.

Final verdict:
Not worth it.
Not entertaining.
Not even ironically fun. Would rather watch The Hobbit trilogy extended editions back to back than...

I’m simply not convinced. Weta workshop seems like a… shrine, for a special effects studio. Like a, look at us! We do great stuff! -trumpeting one’s own work kind of place. Admittedly, there is good art created. Amazing, imaginative works of art, 3D art, costumes, etc. But not to the point of a 1.5 hour tour costing that much. I did not know, for example, that most of the “films” were not real films — LoTR yes, but it wasn’t featured much — and I can see why— because Weta is not a studio, and hence cannot have the rights to use it for their tour. Even Ghost in the Shell, which Weta was involved — only a figurine in one of the rooms and then at the end a life size figure of it. That was all. Most of the art and all, were not real films. It’s like.. special effects people creating special effects for this tour!

As an adult who enjoys films, but not a hardcore sci-fi fan (while I do really appreciate and enjoy films such as Alien/Aliens, I am not a super fan of LoTR etc but nonetheless enjoy watching them) — the tour was … boring. However, my children (age 7 to 12 years old) did enjoy it.

But if I had known what it would be like, I wouldn’t go. Just not quite worth the entry price and time. Eg I have been to Harry Potter WB in London Watford and that was immensely better. Even my husband who is absolutely not a fan (I think he fell asleep watching one of the Harry Potter films) enjoyed...