New Ride at Rainbows End

[Guest hasslekid]

Rainbows End theme-park has purchased a Modial Power-Surge ride and planned to be open this summer. This is their last major attraction since Fearfall in 2001. More info can be found at their new-look website here.

[joz]

You know thats all nice, but I really think they should get a Huss Rainbow.

[Guest hasslekid]

They couldn't afford that Seriously they had to save money for eight years (they neglected the park during that time, and still do) just to make the 1.8 million for fearfall. I don't know if they have changed owners but they seem to be the updating the park a bit more often as of last year. I wouldn't waste $40 (the amazing low entry fee) just to ride a Modial ride though. The ride will give the chance to raise there already high entry price by another $5 (thanks, Fearfall). Edit: It is a Zamperla Power Surge, more info here.

[joz]

Well, Rainbow's end is on a bit of a knife edge compared to the Australian parks: Source New Zealand Experience release

Despite a reduction in visitation from almost 300,000 visitors in 2003 to 289,000 in the year to 30 June 2004, revenues have been held at similar levels due to an admission price increase in December 2003. The second half of the year was down by only 2,000 people compared to the same period last year. The reduction in the first half visitation (9,000) was in part as a consequence of two significant group functions which occurred in the prior year and boosted reported visitor numbers, and also partly due to some of the traditional peak trading days being impacted by weather conditions. The April 2004 school holidays were very busy with visitor numbers slightly ahead of the corresponding April 2003 period.

289,000 people visited the park? Somehow I thought there'd be more people willing to go there, I mean it isn't THAT bad is it?

[Guest hasslekid]

You'd be suprised. It's not really worth it. Once you've been once you never need to go again.

[Gazza]

Yeah, Id rather just go to WA and ride powersurge at AW.

[GoGoBoy]

Nice to see that the park is actually adding new attractions whenever they can though and they are even making a small profit

[Guest hasslekid]

A profit! That really suprises me! Yes I know this post was reasonbly meaningless.

[GoGoBoy]

Well they should be making a profit because it is the only theme/amusement park in New Zealand - talk about market dominance. There's no competition. If there is not much else around to compare it to then the punters will usually hand over their cash quite happily no matter how dodgy it is. Seems like they are sorta heading in the right direction now. I just hope this Power Surge is a park model and not a dodgy trailer mounted one. By the way I had no idea Rainbow's End was a publicly listed company but found the financial release very interesting so thanks for the link joz

[joz]

I must admit, I'm kinda surprised I found it, but not a worry too pass the info on. Good to see New Zealand Experience setting that huge divedend too. Bet the shareholders couldn't be happier.

[Guest hasslekid]

It has been on the stock exchange since two years after it opened, 1985. I doubt it will be a trailer model, but there most likeley won't be any theming. It's in the middle of a picnic area? What could you theme it to?

[screammachine]

The look looks pretty cool "A different ride everytime" ok... Maybe Lunapark here in Sydney could invest in something like that! Screammachine

[Guest hasslekid]

Sounds like a big robocoaster.

[mark]

The song on their web site would drive any sane person mad, what were they thinking. I think there wont be any arguing when I say that Rainbow's end wold have to be the crappy'st park in the world.

[Slick]

I think it is a great little park. The themeing is very decent on a lot of the rides, just needs a bit of touching up to make it better. And they are doing so, take their new entrance that's being constructed for example, that'll be nice.

[steve$]

Yeah i drove past it one day in wa and it seemed to be a nice little park :cool:

[Guest hasslekid]

Steve I think you are thinking of the wrong place. Mark, they also use that song on there advertising campaign, and yes I agree its annoying. No Rainbows End isn't the crappiest and I don't think you've have been so shut up until you have something useful to say .

[infinix]

I must say that I am looking forward to the new ride, however it will not change my patterns on how often I go. I live 5 minutes away from the park, and make effort to go once a year. Once a year is enough because when your there you get to ride each ride a few times which is quite enough. I love theme parks to death, but for $40 once is enough, considering that there aren't a ton of rides, and they are only average quality. If the park had some more drawcard rides, then yeah I probably would go more often. But the kind of rides I'm talking about probably would never come because NZ is a small place, with a small population, so the park will never get enough revenue to be able to afford the big rides. After all, the Fear Fall is very average compared to the Giant Drop. It was restricted in height due to the park being in the flight path of the airport. Then you take the fact that they don't have a huge amount of land (remembering that the farm land behind it is soon to become a motorway). So yeah, all in all, I like what they are doing, although more focus needs to be on thrills. I don't think we can expect too much from them, but at least we are seeing something new again.

[Guest hasslekid]

5 Minutes from Rainbows End, you must like the sound of the motorway. I hope you work in Manakau .

[infinix]

Thats 5 minutes drive away. I can't see it from my house, but I go past it everyday. No I don't work at Manukau. It's funny to see how some of my friends react when we drive past the park. The ones who don't live around this area all seem fascinated by the Fear Fall. They look out the window, saying "drop now, drop now, yay!!". I guess having been on the Giant Drop and all makes the Fear Fall such a non event. I mean, isn't it just the greatest theming ever! I never knew that Fear had all the colours of the rainbow associated with it.

[Gazza]

LOL yeah, they are associated with another thing........

[Guest hasslekid]

Which we won't :cough : discuss.

[zaneymon]

i live in nz but i havnt ben to rainbows end scince like 1997 hopefuly im going next year if linkin park come to new zealand and play in auckland