Wētā Workshop Guided Transfers & Tour
Description
Journey from Wellington to Wētā Workshop—and back again—in our dedicated shuttle. With daily tours departing from Wakefield Street in the city centre, we invite you to sit back and enjoy stunning harbour views, insider stories of film and creativity and even spot the iconic Wellywood sign on the way to our creative home in Miramar. Wētā Workshop has been making cool stuff for film and TV since 1987. Our crew has brought to life beloved characters and epic special effects for iconic blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Avatar. Step into Wētā Workshop Experiences and explore a world of creativity, physical effects and movie magic on a guided tour through our creative home base. You'll learn about the making of props, creatures and costumes created for your favourite films. Get hands-on with unique pieces from our many departments, catch our artists at work and discover how we’ve grown into the award-winning workshop you see today.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your guided transfers depart from the drop-off and pick-up zone at 217 Wakefield Street (located by Tākina) We recommend arriving at the pick-up point 15-min before your booked departure time.
Journey from Wellington to the Wētā Cave in a dedicated shuttle. Here, you'll begin your journey through the movie-magic world of Wētā Workshop! From your favourite films to larger-than-life exhibitions: during our Wētā Workshop Tour learn about the practical effects created for The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, the record-breaking Gallipoli: The scale of our war and more! Wander through Manufacture Alley, interacting with the tools and technology of our creative departments. Hear our tales of filmmaking, see artists at work on our tour stage, and learn secrets of movie magic!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This tour takes place in a functioning workshop, so it can get a little drafty. We recommend bringing an extra warm layer or two.
- There is no luggage storage in the transfer vehicle, Wētā Cave or at in tour space.
- Photography is strictly prohibited in all tour spaces, unless specified by the tour guide.
Reviews(168)
We had absolutely no idea what this tour would be like so had no expectations. On entering the building we were struck by the merchandise on sale...it was mind boggling!!! Our guide was easy to hear most of the time ( It's quite a noisy place.) and considered each question asked carefully before replying. She was like a friend sharing her treasures and we felt extremely relaxed. Thank you, Bianca. You made it very special and fascinating. I now see aluminum foil and scrap plastics in a whole new light thanks to Santa and the mad professor....delightful characters who play there and get paid for it. ( I NEED a job like that.)
Kia ora, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We love hearing from guests who come in not quite knowing what to expect and leave having had such a memorable experience. It’s fantastic to hear Bianca made the tour feel so welcoming and engaging, and we’ll be sure to pass your lovely feedback on to her. We’re also so glad you enjoyed meeting our creatives and discovering the surprising ways everyday materials can be transformed through movie magic. Hearing that you now see aluminium foil and scrap plastics differently is exactly the kind of inspiration we love to spark. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
Awesome experience. Great, friendly, knowledgeable tour guide. Was surprised to learn just how many projects Weta Workshop had been involved in. The cave was great too, again with knowlegeable, charismatic staff. The shop also had a good variety of items available in a wide range of price points. Would definitely highly recommend this tour to anyone. Might look to do one of the hands on workshops in Auckland next.
Kia ora, Thank you so much for your fantastic review. We’re thrilled to hear you had such an awesome experience and that our team made a great impression with their friendliness and knowledge. It’s always a fun surprise discovering just how many projects Wētā Workshop has been involved in, so we’re glad that stood out to you. Wonderful to hear you enjoyed the Cave and the shop as well, and that the range of items worked for you. We’d love to welcome you to one of our hands-on workshops in Auckland in the future. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
Pick up by driver Derek. He was enthusiastic and informative on the way to the Cave. Extra kudos for stopping at the art deco cinema and letting us spend a short time looking around. Ben was a great and equally enthusiastic tour guide at the Cave. A great opportunity to see some of the effects and props and general behind the scenes. The history of Weta was also very good and I was pleased it wasn't Lord of the Rings centric. They have done so much more and it was good to see that represented. Don't worry, still plenty of Lord of the Rings!
Kia ora, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great experience from start to finish. It’s fantastic to know Derek made the journey enjoyable and informative, and that you appreciated the extra stop along the way. We’re also so glad Ben made the tour at the Cave just as engaging, we’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to both of them. It’s great to hear you enjoyed learning about the wider history of Wētā and seeing the range of work beyond Lord of the Rings, while still getting a taste of it too. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
This was a fun thing to do! The imagination, skill and passion of Wētā team is clear from the get-go. The mini-bus driver, the tour guide and the specialists displaying the techniques knew their stuff and loved sharing all the nerdy bits in exciting and colourful ways. The exhibition spaces are crammed full and you get a peak of the actual workshops. There is something for everybody. Wētā shared their movie magic - well done!
Kia ora, Thank you so much for your fantastic review. We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fun experience and that the imagination, skill, and passion of the Wētā team really stood out to you. It’s wonderful to know our driver, guide, and specialists helped bring that movie magic to life in such an engaging and colourful way. We’re so glad you enjoyed exploring the exhibition spaces and getting a glimpse into the workshop world, and that there was something for everyone to enjoy. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
Travelled to Wellington with a tour group and I was very happy to be able to book the tour with transport. Booking on line was straight forward and we were picked up on time by Derek. The drive was very informative got to see studios, green screen areas and the wonderful Roxy cinema. Arrived for the tour and we were not disappointed. So much to see so much information and great merchandise to buy. An incredible couple of hours very well orchestrated and being able to handle some of the actual items used on screen. Doc Foil was fascinating to listen to and the foil sculptures have given me a new way to occupy some downtime. The passion these guys have for their work is admirable. Thank you for allowing people in to see everything you do.
Kia ora, Thank you for your wonderful and detailed review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience from start to finish, including the easy booking process and informative journey with the transfer. It’s great to know the drive added extra insight before arriving at the workshop. We’re delighted to hear the tour lived up to expectations, with so much to see and learn, and that being able to handle some of the on-screen items made it even more special. It’s also fantastic to know the creative demonstrations left such a lasting impression and inspired new ideas to take away with you. Thank you for your kind words about the team’s passion and for taking the time to share your experience. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
Great experience and inspire to the world of movie props
Kia ora, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you had a great experience and felt inspired by the world of movie props. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
The tour was excellent. From the shuttle driver who picked us up to our tour guide at Weta Workshop to the exhibis, it was all fantastic. It was so cool to see the props, makeup and special effects and hear the behind the scenes stories. If you are a LOTR fan, this is a must see/ must do experience.
Kia ora, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you had such an excellent experience from start to finish — from the shuttle journey through to the tour itself. It’s great to know you enjoyed seeing the props, makeup, and special effects up close, and hearing the behind-the-scenes stories that bring it all to life. We really appreciate your recommendation and are glad it stood out as a must-do for The Lord of the Rings fans. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
I enjoyed the bus ride to Weta as our driver told us some interesting information about the local area. The Weta tour guide was quite good and it was interesting to find out how the masks and props were made. There were some good photo opportunities outside with different giant characters from Lord of the Rings Movie.
Kia ora, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the journey to the workshop and that the local insights along the way added to your experience. It’s great to know the tour itself was engaging and that learning how masks and props are made was a highlight. We’re also glad you enjoyed the photo opportunities outside — those larger-than-life characters are always a favourite! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
We enjoyed the workshop tour—fun exhibits and good information. There were 7 others in the shared van with my husband and I and, maybe just based on group, very cozy. And not as much commentary/information during ride as I had expected. Driver was polite, professional and on time though. (Just wondered if we should have just taken an Uber or taxi over there). Again, workshop tour was good.
Kia ora, Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the workshop tour and found the exhibits fun and informative. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the transfer experience. While we’re glad the journey was punctual and professional, we understand that group size and the level of commentary can influence the overall experience. Your comments are helpful as we continue reviewing how the service is delivered. Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
This was a unique experience and it was great to see the behind the scenes working of the workshop and get to speak to some of the staff who had worked on projects. The creative minds and ideas were on full display.
Kia ora, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you found the experience unique and enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look at the workshop. It’s great to know speaking with members of the team and seeing their creativity and ideas on display made such an impression. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. Ngā mihi nui, Wētā Workshop Reservations Team
