Reviews of Weta Cave. (Museum) in Wellington (Wellington).
Weta Cave
1 Weka Street, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand
Description
Information of Weta Cave, Museum in Wellington (Wellington)
Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.
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Map
Open hours of Weta Cave
Sunday
9:30am–4:30pm
Monday
9:30am–4:30pm
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9:30am–4:30pm
Thursday
9:30am–4:30pm
Friday
9:30am–4:30pm
Saturday
9:30am–4:30pm
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Reviews of Weta Cave
J.
Do you like movies? Fantasy? Lord of the rings? Then add this spot to your must visit places because you'll love it! Lots of great stuff to see and buy, the staff is super friendly and they'll love to tell you the story of every item!
L.
Loved the experience and their creations. I'd highly recommend this tour. Look forward to coming back again and doing the full tour. Bring good walking shoes
k.
Love it. Spend money & time there, few times now. Disable parking you have to be quick. Easy wheelchair and walker entrance and getting & around. Lovely staff especially Mark.
Z.
Lovely experience! Glad that I’ve booked a tour last night. It was quite amazing to see what happens in the backgrounds for all those movies!
M.
Absolutely AMAZING! The amount of time
And passion that go into costumes, weapons etc is insane! So much talent! We also had a awesome tour guide - Becky! She was so friendly and answered all questions, topped with a lovely
Manner! Definitely worth it!
A.
Such a cool place to visit! You do not have to be a hobbit or lord of the rings fan to still love the tours and merchandise. The tour guide is so friendly and has an endless amount of Information about anything you may ask him. It was really cool seeing how the props get created
M.
Awesome! Must see if you love movies. Interesting to see all the movie props they have created, especially Lord of the Rings, and many others.
B.
This is an awesome time for movie nuts, seeing the amazing skills and thinking these incredible people have at Weta designing all sorts of things for film and movies. Mind blowing and worth the tour. Emily our guide was so bubbly and knowledgeable. Great time looking around the facilities
B.
The Weta Experience is excellent. If you are a fan, it is a must-do. The items for sale in the Weta Cave cover most of their output. We were too late to get their small Snowy statuette (found out they sold out very quickly on release). Having a chance to view costumes up close, and be stunned again at the attention to detail was great. Thanks for the great experience 😀
L.
You’ll love visiting here, it’s a wonderful addition to Lord of the Rings and many other movies. The space of full of treasures, figurines, books and creative activities. The people working here are fabulous and the next best thing to meeting a Hobbit. The trolls outside are amazing. Enjoy your visit to Middle Earth!
C.
Enter the magical kingdom of the Weta Cave. A highly instructive tour and a must do for fans of the Rings and Thunderbirds. A big thank you to Ani, our guide.
B.
Pretty interesting for someone who isn't a BIG fan. Interacting with the employees artists was pretty cool! The thunderbirds exhibit was cool. I grew up watching it and wasn't really interested back then so the last hour of our tour sort of dragged on and our group of 4 were getting pretty tired.
D.
Booked the combo tour, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable! A really cool tour that shows you the props, costumes , sets and digital effects! Would highly recommend if you’re into lord of the rings or just the film industry !
A.
The creativity, craftsmanship, engineering, thoughtfulness, depth and intricate detail of every single prop, costume and characters is absolutely mind blowing. Even if you are not a movie buff, there will be something amazing that you will learn from many different perspectives. I could have spent weeks inside learning and simply absorbing information. Thank you to a very passionate, friendly and informative guide; Emily. Her passion shines from her. Thank you also to Kim, for sharing your passion of creativity and inspiring me further 💙
D.
What an amazing experience seeing is believing something I won't forget would definitely recommend a look see fantastic tour guide who was very professional 😀
E.
Our guide Dan, was the kindest person I think I've meet.
The tour was very informative and very fun, I had a wonderful time.
Even if you are not a fan, the props, detail and skill that go into this exhibit and the things you get to see and learn about is fantastic.
Dan was a very fun interactive guide, while giving time and attention to every guest.
Thank you for taking us around and good luck for your future. : )
T.
Hubby and I visited in November and this place just blew my mind! The incredible talent at Weta was on show in every nook and cranny, and our tour guide was not only a mine of information, but also a huge fan himself and very funny. We had no idea of the vast range of works Weta have been involved with over the years - this place is definitely worth a visit!
K.
Pretty cool stuff to see here, also great prices on props and figurines.
H.
Great time at Weta. Had the best tour guide yesterday; she knew a lot about everything there -think her name was Mel. Would recommend going as it is outstanding for people who love movies.😀😃
l.
Amazing! 100% recommended...not only you get to see all the amazing creations they made, they will also explain to you how they actually do it. If you are lucky enough, your tour will be with Daniel who was very very informative and passionate, he will tell you every detail!
Don't think twice, just book your tour with Weta!
R.
Such an amazing place! Worth every penny my partner spend on me to take me there! You should do the clay activities.
h.
Good educational tour but the shop/store is in a very small space. Such great work needs a bigger space to showcase its wonderful work done across decades
S.
Amazing place. We really enjoyed our visit. The tour was amazing. Only disappointment was I wasn't allowed to photograph the amazing Thunderbird sets, but the awesome guide explained why, which was completely understandable.
L.
Great experience! Staff was very friendly and enthusiastic! Had a great time. A must see for every LOTR fan, artist and movie enthusiast
B.
Just WOW! Was an amazing experience, and so glad I went. A must do in Welly. Very inspiring, and a great tour guide that knew the answer to every question and kept us engaged. Didn't realise how many movies Weta worked on. Love! We did both tours
P.
Definitely a place to visit when in Wellington. Amazing place, and so much cool stuff there! Especially the swords used in the Lord of the Rings movies.
H.
Amazing place. Staff were great would love to do thd tour next visit
M.
Really cool to see the trolls out front and some of the LOTR props in real life. The Tour was cool, interesting learning about the films they’ve worked on and their process but felt like it could be infused with some new life.
Definitely worth it if you’re down in Wellington, not necessarily worth coming to Wellington just to see it.
s.
basically, you have to pay to enjoy full on experience. Entry is free, but you will only have access to a tiny shop and some mini museums. The shop itself is pretty amusing. Good for windowshopping or to buy sone stuffs. Had multiple merchs for movies that worked with weta such as Tintin, LotR, some robots, and Alita (and more).
There are some ogre-like-giants (sorry, i havent watched the whole LotR movies) where you can take a picture with.
R.
Weta Cave is a not-to-be missed opportunity to view some of the actual costumes and weaponry used in the Peter Jackson LOTR movies.
I could have spent hours in there!
It will 'wetta' your appetite to know there are detailed models of the movies monsters and Hobbit homes to purchase.
More! We want more!
A.
Visit. Worth your time. Appreciate the hard work and effort put into making amazing CGI, models and character development by watching their 25min documentary. Free of cost, and pick up original souvenirs from LoTR and such.
F.
Loved this place. First time going here. Will definitely recommend it
S.
Friendly staff, tour guide was very informative and she made the tour interesting 😍👍, definitely recommend when you visit welly❤
K.
Such an amazing tour, as an artise I was in awe of all the incredible behind the scenes work that goes on, absolutely amazing a must for everyone to come see , especially movie fanatics, and lord of the ring fans!!!
T.
Great tour at the weta caves! Had a good time learning what goes on behind the scenes in filmmaking. Our tour guide, Anthony, was very friendly and informative. Would recommend coming out to visit the studio!
M.
Fantastic experience, even if you aren't a complete Peter Jackson / LOTR geek.
We bought the "There and back inc lunch" tour and had a complete blast. The driver (Craig) was a great was informative and generally a really nice guy and out tour guy was fun, happy and really knew his stuff. There is so much cool stuff along the tour (they have a real Warthog from the Halo franchise), but photos aren't allowed so you really have to go and see it for yourself!
A.
An experience like no other, great guide (Emily) absolutely loved it.
G.
Absolutely fantastic especially if you are a Lord of the Rings fan and love the director Peter Jackson's work. It is a fantastic tour and well worth the money as you see so much of the work that went into the making of the films. The Orcs are so life like from a short distance you do think that they are real. I will never forget the experience. So if you are in Wellington New Zealand then head for the Weta Cave tour as you won't be disappointed.
Q.
I heart this place many years ago when the Lord of Ring III movie came out. Also it’s the few must do list in Wellington. It’s really nice to take photos with the trolls outside and tour inside to see how they make them. I would say it’s a must do if you are Lord of Ring fan! Plenty to see inside and great gift shop! Highly recommended!
K.
Awesome experience to learn about movie making. There is of course a bit emphasis on Lord of the Rings, but the tours also highlight other films which Weta worked on. The tours are fun and interactive. It's most interesting having the opportunity to watch the artists work while learning about the craft. We did the extra tour including a sound stage miniature tour of Thunderbirds, while not knowing the TV show, I learned a ton about TV production and model miniatures which was extremely interesting. Highly recommended for those interested in film.
D.
The Weta Cave tour was really cool for learning about the different ways props were made, used, and displayed in several different movies. Being of an engineering background, my personal favorite was the miniatures tour we took, however the main tour of the workshop was cool too. My biggest complaint for the main tour was that pictures were not allowed except in one room. For the miniatures tour, my biggest complaint was that it focused extremely heavily on the Thunderbird's Are Go show they did. A little more diversity would have been nice.
S.
Absolutely fantastic experience!! Expect to go broke buying things as they are all very pricey!
Worth the visit if you're a LOTR fan though
E.
An absolute MUST for film fans, cinematography fans, or just fans of Lord of the Rings/anything Weta related in general. We did the extended tour and can't recommend enough! Our tour guide (so sorry we missed your name:( but he was from Upstate New York) was educational, professional, funny, and all around a great tour guide. The passion engrained in the staff is evident. Vibrant atmosphere across the board from the cave to the workshops. Our tour guide answered all the questions and was just a fountain of knowledge to feed off. We had opportunities to see pieces from Lord of the Rings films which was the highlight of our trip. A really cool inside scope on how armor, weaponry, and costume is made. You also get to see some of the sets for the Thunderbirds. The mini museum in the cave was a treat for the eyes as well.
I can absolutely understand why the staff love their jobs. Beautiful place, you must see! Don't regret missing it
L.
A fantastic tour. The displays were outstanding and the guide was very informative. We'll worth a visit.
c.
I love coming here, I've done the tour which I'd highly recommend but I also like coming to see the free stuff like the small museum and 20minute film! The shop is also interesting,and the statues inside and out.
s.
We took a Weta Workshop tour. Tour guide Emily made it well worth it as she was clearly passionate about the product. Highly recommended.
A.
What an absolutely amazing place! You get to see where the costumes, props, creatures, special effects make up and digital effects of some great movies from the last two decades were made eg Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, King Kong, Avatar, TinTin, I am Mother, Thor:Ragnarok, etc. The gift shop is full of memorabilia, collectables, books, games and clothes. You could spend hours here!
F.
I came to the Weta Cave expecting a somewhat standard guided tour.
I was wrong.
The tour is amazing for any movie fans! You get a lot of information about many different films, how they are made and of course, you get to see some actual props from the many movies they have made! Especially exciting for me was the chance to see many props used in the lord of the Rings production!
A.
We had a wonderful time definitely worth the money. You see allot more then you can photograph. If you go to Wellington this is a must.
A.
Second visit, did the Combo tour both times. Loved it both times. Highlight of any Wellington trip. The Windy Wellington giant sign is on the way for a photo op. A heads up that it is a working studio in a residential/industrial area, so no you are not going the wrong way. Don't expect the Universal Studios gate. Lots to see in the entrance area/shop with many photo opportunities. Weta have been behind an astonishing number of films and games - not just Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, I wont say anymore and will let you discover. There is no cafe on site. Go to the loo before the tour.
F.
The tours were all fully booked when we came, so we just take pictures with the life-sized sculptures and looking at Weta Cave shops and wander through the mini-museum which are all interesting!
M.
Excellent space for children to see the work that is in the cinema and show them stories of different professions. All this in addition to enjoying our favorite movies in a different way.
J.
The trip was interesting. Learned a lot about the behind the scenes on movies. The guide did a great job.
R.
Wow. What a place, was surprisingly good and great tour. Not just lord of the rings, a short tour goes into the workshop where you see real movie props from an array of movies, and can chat to staff creating new projects. No photos at all. . You can also opt for the miniatures tour of Thunderbirds are go, the new series of Thunderbird's. . I'm a huge fan so had to do it. On my tour I was the only one who went at that time so a one on one was superb. No photos.
G.
These guys get all the attention for their work on LOTR, which was awesome, but I was so surprised to find out on the tour that their work goes back way further.
From making a single prop for a movie, to making full on sets at various scales for the new Thunderbirds series, they've done and do so much.
As a kid growing up, the old Thunderbirds show was on every afternoon.. Watching TB2 come out of the mountain, roll down the runway as the trees move out of the way, and then blast off was a daily ritual.. Getting to pull the lever that makes that happen, was pretty awesome! No TB2 on the set that day unfortunately, but still a buzz.
The tour is pretty amazing, and even allow you to get hands on in some parts. We tried on LOTR helmets, and others, and played with swords, blasters, and eyeballs !!
S.
If film special effects and enjoying films is your thing then I would highly recommend you go and check out the Weta Workshop.
I did the full works with the bus pick up from the CBD. Loved it all. I would even consider going again if a different exhibit is on other than the "Thunderbirds are go" tour.
B.
The gift shop and free documentary are definitely worth a visit to the Cave, but the Weta Tour and Thunderbirds Tour are 100% a must-do if you're into movies or model-making or anything vaguely related. So interesting!
g.
Just walk in into the middle earth....
need some.extra cash for collectibles.
The whooping 29,000nzd worth of 1 sword is mindblowing.
L.
Very interesting place to learn how the Lord of the rings movie has been made. I recommend you guys to join the tour.
A.
A stunning trip for a cinephile like me. Highly recommend a combo tour to get close to every aspect of making a great movie. Definitely a “must-do” in Welly. And thank you, Weta studio and all the studios, production companies, for bringing us so many memorable movies!
j.
Worth a visit, very interesting
M.
This was such a great visit. Well worth it. The guides are amazing. They really bring you into the tour and you really end up feeling part of it.
江.
Love the tour and can really appreciate the work behind the movie. However, likely once only experience.
K.
Big clap to the production team in making this incredible things happen. I bought a tour which took 45 minutes. Our guide Isaac told us many interesting stories about how to become the world leading character creator and filmaker. I can take a closer look at the stuff and touch some of them. Amazing experience! Buy some souvenirs and take a picture with the two giants in front of the gate.
L.
NZ should be very proud of Weta. This is one amazing tour and a must do when in Wellington. I am a huge LOTR myself and was quite emotional to see the care and craft they put into the movies and everything they do. Amazing! I did both the guided tour to the workshop and the Thunderbirds Are Go miniature set. I already want to come back!
S.
A bit pricey and the main tours have not changed in the last 4 years, but still an awesome place to visit. Especially the shop.
J.
Weta Cave is a nice place where you can see a lot of things from Lord Of The Rings. They have action figures, statues, replicas and even costumes from the movies. There are many kinds of souvenirs to buy but most of them are a little bit expensive, so you better have extra money to get something cool.
H.
Amazing!!! Everyone with any interest in the film industry or any of the amazing films produced in Wellington (Wellywood). Along with the cave itself, which includes many cool exhibits, you can go on a tour of the workshops themselves. The tour is definitely worth it, informative, interesting, enlightening. The Weta Cave is found in Miramar where all the magic happens. It is worth going a bit out of your way. No visit to Wellington is complete without a visit!!
R.
We were to late to do the tour but they had some really cool things to look at which were from films.
C.
This is a must visit for Wellington. Even if you're not doing one of the tours (which you should), there's a free documentary that runs several times throughout the day, as well as a chance to see all the different models and miniatures. The documentary is also fun as it gives you an awesome back story on Weta and their history. With each new film that comes out, there's always more stuff to see. As I said, a must visit when you're in Wellington.
E.
Even if you care nothing about the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbitt, you MUST go see the Wet Cave! My boyfriend is a sci-fi nerd and I'm not, but I still loved the tour! Absolutely worth the price. Arrive with spare time before or after your tour so you can check out their gift shop and mini-museum. This place ignites the imagination!
C.
Mel was a fantastic tour guide. She was passionate, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Had some wonderful anecdotes to share. Great tour.
s.
Detail introduction on movie and TV production. From molding to 3D print. Most areas are no photos but there's always a room with photo opportunities in each tour. Thunderbird behind the scene is incredible, how they preserve the antique feel if the show is also attention to detailed.
K.
Went on the combo tour and both the Weta Workshop Tour and the Thunderbirds Tour were excellent, awesome to see the attention to detail in all the models and the miniature set of Thunderbirds was so interesting to look at. Even just looking through the gift store and mini museum (both free) is enjoyable.
L.
Excellent visit for movie buffs! The obvious attraction is of course the Lord of the rings and Hobbit movies, but the Weta cave contains fun stuff for all movie fans, given the large amount of movies they have done work for.
If you are nearby you could take a stop just to see the merchandise, but I would actually recommend you go on the workshop tour at least.
The workshop tour gives insight into how they develop the props for the movies, and you get a good chance to look at then up close. You will walk through some three rooms filled with props on the walls, in one of the rooms you are allowed to touch some of them. No photos or videos allowed though.
S.
Very interesting, guide was friendly and informative. Cool displays and Warren (the tinfoil guy) was everything I wished for in a crazy creative! Definitely recommend doing the longer 4 hour tour.
J.
It need to buy the ticket if you want to experience what they are doing. However, if you just want to take a look around the shop, experience the mini museum in the shop or take some pictures outside, it's free. Also, there has free parking just at the side of the building.
C.
A nice little souvenir shop, although the souvenirs I wanted cost more then I was presently ready to pay.
However I had the guided tour, which was really great, the tour guide was excellent, great that is actually someone working with the suff doing the tour.
A.
One of a kind experience. For fans of movies, especially Peter Jackson films, this is a must-do in Wellington. Do the behind the scenes tours and experience some real movie magic. Great place to buy swag you can't get anywhere else. Try on the One Ring and recreate battle scenes with your favorite trolls (sort of). Always something new at Weta Workshop.
S.
Having been to Hobbiton, it was a must see to go to Weta cave. We booked up two tours, the first to see the props for the making of the Hobbit films. Unfortunately no filming is allowed in the area. The story and production was really interesting.
The next tour was in an area where there were artefacts we could photograph, and see the making of the new Thunderbirds films. The beautifully intricate models which were being used inspite of CGI.
Parking in the street was easy. The reception to the area was busy. Still we were able to book the tours when we turned up.
W.
Great little behind the scenes look at how all the digital effects and props were created for lord of the rings, the hobbit and a lot of other movies Weta has worked on over the years. If you're visiting Wellington then you must see this place.
A.
If you enjoy any of the movies they've been a part of, you'll enjoy the tour. Really enjoyed seeing their blacksmith at work as well as movie-used props.
J.
Amazing movie props and it was so interesting how they make them. Combo tours are amazing and I sincerely recommend them both.
E.
Amazing place to go even if you havnt seen many of the films they have worked on
J.
We had a fabulous experience at the cave, however, we found everything very expensive, the merchandise is very expensive and to get any memorabilia pinches the pocket. A must visit, I would highly recommend anyone in the vicinity to visit.
c.
Because mathieu was thinking was bigger and the pin are too expensive
k.
for LOTR fan like me, a trip to WETA cave is a must! You'll never regret coming here. They have all sorts of memorabilia and souvenir at a very reasonable price. Its a book haven as well with wide collections of tolkien books even those hard to find copies like silmarillion.they even have singed copies of the books. Whatever you do stay for the free film showing of WETA cave, you'll learn a lot of their early beginnings. and if you have time and money, go tour inside their studios, no pictures or selfies though, they need to keep their works secret.
A.
Great tour for spending early morning before fly out to Australia in afternoon. There is enough time to see the Weta Cave workshop.
R.
Cool tour both for the enthusiast and the interested on how sets are made. There is a good amount of being allowed to touch the props and connect with the movies
R.
Cool tour of the magic behind movie making (LOTR, district 9 etc). The shop has plenty of LOTR merchandise too. If you attend the additional miniature thunderbirds tour, you can get to see all the cool set pieces used to film the thunderbird tv series.
T.
Omg i love this. We bought a combo tour and it is worth it. Their artwork is pretty amazing. It is not just 'lord of the ring' fan but you should see their artwork with your own eyes then you will know what i mean.
D.
Very cool and lots of fun to see and learn how some of the movies sets and props are created:)
Very friendly staff and tour guides
J.
Awesome experience. Annie was super friendly and tonnes of fun. She made the tour really personal. Kids really enjoyed it.
R.
Of course it's great some of the monsters and all of the exhibits are so well done l'd love a job there
..Wow
H.
Hmm I don’t know what to say about it... I think I was expecting more... I mean... probably it’s just a little shop to sell tickets for their tours... that are not expensive... we didn’t do any because we didn’t have the time. There was not much to see at the cave, if you think about it... so many huge and important movies this guys made and they just have a few things to see here... all the rest is just merchandising... it was cool though
D.
Weta workshops was absolutely wonderful. The amount of detail they have gone into creating the movies they have worked on beggars belief and it is all on display. If you visit just one cave in New Zealand make it the Weta cave
E.
The workshop tour is amazing i which you can touch some of the props and talk to the artists. Thank you for the lovely guide Sammy. We have a great afternoon. Don’t forget to explore the theater, lovely story of Weta
M.
Great experience, we had a lovely guide who, even after doing that tour for I'm assuming the millionth time, made it feel like she hadn't. Engaging and friendly. Get to see some cool things on tour, I want a job there now ;-)
P.
Terran was our tour guide and he was so friendly and knowledgeable! If you love movies, sfx, Tolkien or just incredible art and creativity, do yourself a favour and visit the Weta Cave. It has been the highlight of our entire cruise! Absolutely amazing. Great job guys and keep up the amazing work!
B.
Awesome place to visit. We have so much talent here in New Zealand. Check out the Gallipoli display in Te Papa as well. We went two days before Christmas but had no issues with parking. The guides were very knowledgable and had an obvious passion for what they were doing. We had the privilege of having Richard Taylor stop and talk to us for a few minutes
A.
Great tour. Only downside was the gift shop was shut after our tour and wasn't really much time before the tour to look at things
D.
Small unassuming building on the corner of what could be any street is the jewel of Weta studios "The Weta Cave". Always popular with tourists and locals alike. Worth a look you will no doubt be surprised by what's inside. Entry is made by passing two giant unworldly beast. Staff are both friendly and inviting and available to assist where they can. Tours of Weta studios can be arranged from here and the tour starts out front. There are numerous models from a number of movies Weta has been associated with.
J.
Loved this place! An amazing little shop with extremely good quality goods and movie replicas. The workshop tour is a must do for everyone as it gives a great insight of how much weta workshop has been involved with some of the biggest movies in the world and how they go about making props and scenery.
L.
We loved it. The staff are all awesome. From the gift shop all the way through to the American guy that tours us around. Funny guy and clearly passionate about Weta and enjoys his job. Also the tour driver is awesome. He went above and beyond. Giving information and interesting insight to wellington. Again, a very passionate and happy guy that clearly loves his work.
It made the trip so much better. Thanks.
E.
This place is awesome!
You can visit part of the museum completely for free and you can also see a short documentary about how everything started and you can actually see that the people there work so much and the result is magically amazing! I didn't know much about these kind of things but now I totally want to see more!
The statues look so real and that's amazing.
This place is absolutely a must if you're into The Lord of the Ring!
B.
Place is ok for pictures. Not much for any activities. But movie fans can surely get some good pictures with their favorite characters and add a new spot for visit while killing sometime on a free day
O.
So worth it going here, it was very fascinating seeing a bunch of movie props (lots of lots of the rings props) and how they were made. Way more time and effort goes into making the props we take for granted while watching a movie. Another plus was the guy giving us the tour of the workshop, he was incredible and the tour would not be the same without him.
M.
I did 45 min tour for $28. Best to book before you go. I had a kiwi tour guide take us around, who'd been employed there 9 years so knew his stuff about all the movies. Worth a go if your a Peter Jackson fan or just want to know what happens behind the scenes of a major film production!
J.
Great place to visit, our guide was exceptional with her knowledge and willingness to answer questions from the young folk. Highly recommend this place for a visit.
D.
We enjoyed seeing the statues, props, and replicas. We also quite enjoyed the shopping. I had no idea some of these things were available. I couldn't help buying The Gates of Argonath diorama. The staff are always friendly here which I can't imagine being difficult. The best thing is that it's free to see.
h.
If u travel to Wellington its really important to visit the Wets cave really amazing place for movie maker
C.
Cool way to see behind the scenes of New Zealand film making. Worth doing both tours to see what makes the industry tick. Gift shop has some cool collectibles if you've got the coin.
P.
What an amazing place! As a big fan of Lord of the Rings, I was taken away to heaven on the tour. Seeing things like Sauron's costume, Aragorn's sword and hundreds of other items was an incredible experience. We also enjoyed the knowledge of our guide who described how a lot of the props were constructed as well as being able to handle a few examples. Note, you can't take photos on the tour itself, there's a few items in the shop you can photograph like Aragorn's armour. Our kids had a blast and the hardest part was deciding what to buy at the shop!
M.
Very cool! Great guide, with a good vibe. Highly recommended. Only reason I held back the 5th star was there were too many people on the tour. We were crammed into every area with people at the back unable to see.
J.
Thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Weta, just a pity we didn't have time to do/see more but would recommend especially for kids, their eyes opened with wonder.
W.
Went here with my granddaughter just over a month ago. She is a LOTR fanatic but we had never gone.
Absolutely awesome place to visit. My only regret is not coming sooner. Definitely worth going if you are in Wellington.
R.
Amazing place to visit in Wellington, a must go for every one that would like to know more about the movie scenery in Wellington
A.
Went on workshop tour for 45 min. The guide was very enthusiastic and seemed like he really likes what he does! Was a bit disappointed that it was only a short tour and we didn’t really see how the team works in workshop but obviously 45 min is too short to show everything :)
Weta cave shop is also nice, with different range of souvenirs and JRR Tolkien’s books!
Must see is free 25 min documentary- complete gem!
M.
Such a cool place to geek out on behind the scenes features of some cult classic films.
A.
Always a fun and interesting tour, and the knowledgeable guides are so friendly and helpful. Definitely coming back 👌
K.
Amazing tour -- we especially loved the Thunderbirds tour as my kids are obsessed with the show. Matt Hopkins was a PHENOMENAL tour guide - very informative and really good at tailoring the tour to our specific interests. Thank you very much WETA!!!!!!
D.
Very cool props and great tour guide!
Thanks Greg for an amazing tour!
And very cool shop with alot of awesome creations!
S.
Very fun and enjoyable! The tour was amazing and our tour guild was amazing too! Definately recommend you to visit the workshop. They helped make lots of movies like Lord of the Ring, the Hobbit and many more!
P.
I love some Weta films and was very excited to do the workshop tour. You don't actually see the workshop, just a guided tour of a museum within the workshop showing stuff they've made and the process of making them. It's good, but not what I expected. They do make amazing stuff but it's not really a workshop tour.
C.
Being able to go back in time and be a child again it's something that all of us should be doing from time to time anyway. I know it's hard! But being here, at the Weta Cave, helped a lot! Thank you guys so much for the amazing experience!
M.
We visited Weta Cave this morning and did the workshop tour which took us behind the scenes of some of the hugest movies made over the past 20 years.
As massive Lord of the Rings fans we thoroughly enjoyed seeing how all the weapons and costumes were made, and how all the special effects were done.
R.
I loved everything about this workshop. The giftshop was beautiful as was the tour that we went on. Sadly i forgot my tour guides name (she was french with dark hair) and was highly informative and clearly passionate. We saw some truly amazing sights and learned amazing things. I encourage everyone to visit this location if interested in special effects and/or LOTR.
B.
Fun and informative!
Such a cool tour.
M.
I'm a huge fan of Weta Productions. Mel was our tour guide and let me tell you....best tour ever...not only was Mel knowledgeable and amazing but it was her passion for the company that made it incredible. If you want something to do in Wellington, I highly recommend the guided tour...5 stars is not enough. Very talented people. Very proud to be a New Zealander.
A.
Amazing selection of props and some information. Great if you want to drop in but would highly recommend the tour
s.
If you are ever in Wellington - book and complete this tour. Your appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into movie props and production will be changed forever. Weta really are at the top of their game.
G.
Great tour if you are interested in movies, was great to see how things are made and the time it takes to complete the props. We also did the Thunderbird tour so was great to revisit my childhood!
R.
I love Lord of the Rings. This was a definite place to visit when I came to Wellington. I'm a little sad that I was only able to see one troll. But the rest of it was awesome. I bought my gold-plated tungsten version of the One Ring here. But the manufacture is the Jens Hansen out of Nelson. The only reason I did not give this place a five star is because I only did part of the tour. I did not plan it correctly, so I will need to go back and do the other tour they offer. I did not realize how many movies Weta has worked on and they have the XBox Halo Warthog!
J.
Loved it, such a great tour giving a behind the scenes look at what they do.
m.
It's a warehouse of awesomeness or a small shop, iconic for memorabilia attributed to our great Director Peter Jackson and all Weta workshop productions/films etc...
There are tours here for the entire warehouse and a priced dependent on the tour you choose.
Fans and critics alike, this place is great and shows off masters of their art and craft of make up and effects.
Do the warehouse tour or tour the free memorabilia shop.
G.
Very interesting Visual Techniques and Special Effects in lots of the Best Movies worldwide
C.
Managed to make our way to this amazing studio and shop and left very satisfied with our tour and overall experience. A great place to visit.
A.
All LOTR fans here's your money worth
C.
Awesome tour with heaps cool stuff and our guide Tarin was very knowledgeable about it all .... highly recommend
E.
What can I say? Top class studio,filming stage property workshop,wanan be one of the craftmen. Just Amazing
G.
This place was a blast and had a great time in the workshop tour! Had no idea all of the ppl involved in these projects.
C.
Tour is $28 and they fill up! Great tour! Note that you can't take any photos on the tour.
K.
Mini museum and shop for the Weta studios. Free film documentary available. Definitely a must visit for movie enthusiasts.
A.
Very interesting seeing how movie magic is made and the detail and effort that goes into things.
N.
Fabulous Place! The tour was so Cool!! and the Store has amazing things ♥
M.
Good guide and a lot of insights. The first part of the tour about the creation of requisites was my favourite, however not many fotos from that bc copyright
M.
Amazing behind the scenes tour. The Weta Workshop and model your are both worth a trip. From Lord of the Rings to the Thunderbirds remake they've been involved in more than you realise. Just out of this world
H.
Great tour but don't bother with the Combo unless you're a huge Thunderbirds fan.
M.
Great guide, interesting information, not too expensive for the tours! I had a great time here and did the workshop tour.
O.
Tour was great! Lead by someone who actually works in the studio and had interesting info to share. Rooms where you can touch the props and take pics. Reasonably priced. Learned a lot. Recommended!
M.
Accidentally came across it today and took a quick look inside and watched the free 25 minute documentary which was amazing!👍
Will definitely be going back to do the 2 tours, 1 of the miniature sets they build and the other the props-makeup dept.
Around $25 each for adults. Less for kids.
A must do for anyone at all interested in movies in general but a mecca for sci-fy fans! 💗
C.
Great customer service and an amazing tour and shop. A must visit for all.
K.
Very interesting amazing things and tour guy very knowledgeable thankyou
E.
If you love Peter Jackson's Middle Earth saga, this place is a must visit! As you enter, you will be greeted by the three trolls who were turned to stone while arguing the method to cook Bilbo. Inside you can feast your eyes with the figures and props that were used in the films. You can also watch a short film about the company and their history. Make sure you take the tour to their workshop next door! No photos allowed, though.
A.
The "Cave" is more of a shop with a few bits and pieces from some movie (mostly LOTR) and a short documentary. Not really worth just going for that. It's the tours you want to find out about, and book, before going.
The tours are great, up to a point. Great stories, great props and costumes, and miniatures if you do that tour. But, rushed (not enough time in the "touching" section) and the "you can take photos here" section was disappointing on both tours.
But did learn about using tin foil for ... you'll have to go to find out.
s.
Worth visiting this place if you are a Lord of the Rings admirer. It is located 10minutes from Wellington cbd. There are few tour options available deoending on your interest. They show you a free short movie as well about the workshop.
K.
A must see for anyone who is a fan of TV and Cinema. You get a close up view of how the magic is made by the best in the business. They stock some fantastic merchandise as well for those who want to take something home to remember the experience.
N.
Amazing place. It really brings up all the emotions of your favourite movies to life. It was incredible to get an in depth experience and a behind the scenes tour. The amount of work and passion that goes into every project is mind blowing. They have even provided a complete exposition on the Gallipoli War and the realistic models of the war hero's is out of this world.
R.
Are you a LOTR or a Hobbit fan and have not visited this place yet? What have you been doing?!?!?!?!?
I was in the same boat until the start of this year. It was a very fun experience. This place is not only for Peter Jackson fans. Weta studios have worked on plenty of movies and this place is a good representation of their work. Guides are a fun lot and the aluminium foil sculptor lady (I'm sorry I don't remember her name) is a ray of sunshine!
Make sure you have some pocket money saved for buying souvenirs. There is a big collection in there.
C.
The tour was so cool ! I absolutely enjoyed every part of it. Our tour guide was so nice and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend, interesting to see and experience. Some if it is so amazing, great place to nerd out. Giftshop was great too. Shame we couldn't take photos inside but we understand that its because of copyrights etc. Make sure you go!
M.
It really pays to book for the guided tours as this place is very popular. A great day out for hubby & myself when we ventured there.
G.
Amazing experience. The staff is awesome and funny.
Greta place to see a lot of hand made props that we're used in movies.
K.
If you are a fan of the Lord of The Rings movies, it is a no brainer to make the decision to visit this place. Fell in love with it.
S.
Great experience if u are a movie fan. Lots of fun works done in here.
D.
I'm in the process of converting my misso to becoming a LOTR fan, and this tour has helped enormously! Our tour guide, Mel, was exceptional, even hanging around afterwards for a chat and to share her inside knowledge. Would recommend and will be back
H.
Amazing, definitely must do if and when in Wellington!
Guides were friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful.
Excellent value for the money and tons of fon and an amazing way to spend a couple of hours in the windy city
C.
Had a great time learning about the behind the scenes info and tricks Weta use.
N.
Fantastic experience made even more incredible by the funny, knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide, Austin. We have left feeling inspired and want to move to Wellington so we can become part of the team.
E.
Awesome place where you get to see where they make Lott stuff and the number of films they collaborate on is amazing.
I.
Interesting place for Lord of The Ring and The Hobbit fans. The place is smaller than I thought before. There's a free screening on their mini theater.
B.
2016-The Tour through Weta was awesome....but we were not aloud to take photos, which is understand able. So proud of Wellywood😊
L.
Great experience for those interested in movie production. They have such cool props. They even have the original sword sting from lotr. Or so they say. And you can see it. They have a mini museum. And a guided tour that you must pay about 22 dollars to do. And of course its a great place to take a picture with a giant troll. So you can go back to your home country being able you saw some lord of the rings related stuff.
B.
Awesome place, it's stunning how perfectly done are some items there 😊
D.
Amazing tour guides that are knowledgeable and funny.
Got the Full Experience tour (Combo Tour + shuttle with commentary), the cost difference vs the combo tour is well worth it as it's only a few dollars more than an Uber both ways (if you're staying in the city) and the commentary is brilliant. The shuttle driver was very nice, had some good conversation, shared fun facts about Weta, LotR, and Wellington while showing us around the buildings where filming and post production happens.
Wyeth at Weta was fantastic, best guide I've had in the 3 times I've been.
K.
Friendly people, store is filled with beautiful things but it can be very crowded.
The miniatures tour was fascinating! So cool to see all the thunderbirds props and sets. Well worthwhile.
K.
A wonderful experience. Matt is an amazing and friendly tour guide with a great sense of humour.. Delighted to know the immense love and effort being put into truly magnificient art and design..
Their work inspired me during my childhood, and I am sure it will continue to inspire many more in the years to come.. Grateful.. 😁
C.
For fans of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, this place is like heaven. Go and see it if you love the movies :)
G.
What an amazingly unexpected journey of pure delight and adventure! So many cool things WETA does, we as creatives just want to live there and work for WETA - please hire us :) ... We love that the area is so residential and doesn't feel like Hollywood, until you step into the studios. The area is so well maintained and the people are just the best. I love everything about WETA and Wellington in general ... we will be back, and we don't expect that we will return to Australia ... xx
A.
We loved it! I'm not a big fantasy, sci-fi or horror movie fan but to see how all these amazing costumes are created - incredible!
A.
Such an amazing place to visit especially if, like me, you are a LOTR or Hobbit fan. The tour was a great insight to the industry. Highly recommend a visit-
B.
Fantastic place to visit, learnt so much and our quide Annie was brilliant. Well worth a visit.
E.
Pretty neat place if you love to see what happens behind the scenes. WARNING: You can't take pictures inside! Don't even ask!
R.
Great tour (combo tour), really enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide (thanks Rebecca!), and the props are incredible. I learned so much and had a solid dose of eye candy. One thing to note, no pics on the inside of the workshop, but it's not an issue at all because you'll be too busy taking it all in
A.
Absolutely awesome.. can't wait to go back and take the tour.
V.
Highly recomanded! Really interesting place even for people who are not fan of Lotr. We find out so many things about making costumes for movies.
Its really worth a visit!
k.
You get to learn & see what's behind the screens and what is actually produced here in new Zealand
C.
Good tour and great selection of merchandise in the store, especially for Lord of the Rings Fans ... however it's not exactly cheap. Entirely worth the visit ...!!!
A.
Amazing tour. The guide (Austin) did an amazing job explaining everything and moving the tour along naturally. Definately worth going through both tours and there is so much to learn and see throughout.
J.
Great place to go see especially if you love the lord of the rings films or just to see how they create movies like kong. Staff are really nice and like to share knowledge with you
P.
Great, I loved the tour, the store, the trolls at the door.. awesome
S.
Just amazing, have a better appreciation for those films.
Want to watch those movies again.
R.
Grandchildren and husband did this as I would not have been able to walk non stop for 2 hours. Just recently had a full knee replacement and a right hip replacement. They all loved it but I thought I would hold them up so didn't go
L.
Worth a visit for anyone - even if you are not a super fan (which I am certainly not). Staff are lovely and there are lots to look at. Great shop with wide range of things from stick on tattoos for under a dollar to huge figirines for (quite few) more dollars. Easy to get to on public transport or by car. Not much else to see in the area but if you go by car you can drive around the area for some pretty views.
M.
10 year anniversary of Weta Cave today.
So happy to work / be a part of the the Weta family at Pukeko Pictures working with for this extremely talented couple. Tania and Richard Taylor.
If you ever wondered how did they do that and how did they build that. For those who have never walked on set or worked in the industry this is a great little tour to take the family / friends when visiting Wellington New Zealand. Great props and back ground information for all those Lord of the Rings fans along with models from other movies that Weta Workshop have done amazing work on. Check out their Gallipoli exhibition Te Papa Museum Wellington, it is mind blowing work.
s.
My grandson and I went on a tour of Weta workshop Saturday 13th March. Our tour guide Dan, made the experience a spectacular one. His enthusiasm and passion for his job rubbed off on us, as we learned and discussed the intricacies of the art of special effects, robotics and imagination. When we reached the domain of Professor, technician Warren, the experience stepped up a notch with knowledge, learning, fun and participation in creating a face made from tin foil. We could have stayed for hours discussing the fascinating world these artists inhabit. My grandson was gifted the photo opportunity to have a sword to slay the rather large Troll outside the cave. I asked him to rate the experience out of 10. He said, Oh Nannan, its a 100.
M.
Had a fabulous time, our tour guide Reece was great, very knowledgeable,funny and passionate about what he does highly recommend this experience.
A.
A must do, especially if you're a movie buff and/or into lord of the rings/the Hobbit. Recommend the workshop tour, although the combined tour includes this and miniatures too. The tour guides are very knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do. Photo ops outside the weta cave with the trolls. The shop is also well worth a look.
J.
Really interesting, was great to meet one on the artisians.
A.
Great experience, saw the black and white tv shows of the Thunderbirds, the newer series is now up there.
Great use of the juice squeezers etc.👍🤩
S.
Loved it, great movie memorabilia
P.
Fantastic Place
Highly recommend the tour
M.
Been here several times and always enjoy learning about the talented people who create works of art & props for movies!
In the past it's been difficult to find a park however this visit we got one right outside, & after asking the staff why they were so quiet they said 90% of there vistors were international tourists!... so come on NZ come to beautiful Wellington & check out west's creations at the airport, te'papa & weta workshop just to name a few, we need to support NEW ZEALAND!!
C.
We did the workshop tour, well worth it to see how film props and costumes are designed and made, and the huge amount of effort that goes into creating things by hand. Our guide was friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Even just the shop and little museum that you can see for free is fun to look around if you're in the area. Make sure you book ahead if you want the tour, especially in school holidays.
R.
A massive thanks to Mel our tour guide. She was friendly informed and contagiously passionate about her job. She was an absolute pleasure
T.
An absolute must visit if you want to understand how the movies of today are being created. All those artists and how much of hard work goes into creating those unimaginable strange creatures, gadgets and objects we see in the movies..
J.
Highly recommend the combo tour so that you can see the Thunderbirds Are Go sets as well as the basic cave tour. Best two hours I've ever spent!
A.
Weta workshops is amazing. Doc Tinfoil (who makes incredible sculptures from a tinfoil base) is both entertaining and inspirational.
A.
Beautiful gardens ....would liketo return as thereisso much to see
E.
Awesome tour and well worth the visit. There was lots to see and do and it was really informative. I'd highly recommend for any tv or movie fan. I was surprised at how many films WETA has been involved in!
J.
Truly an amazing mind blowing exhibition. The tour was an hour and a half. then another hour and a half in the Thunder Birds exhibition. It is amazing what they can make out of rubbish that they collect from the rubbish dump and dumpster diving. The shop sell souvenirs from small dollars to thousands of dollars.
K.
Great tour. Facinating place
M.
Great place to visit if you are a Peter Jackson fan. Lots of memorabilia for LOTR, Hobbit, District 9, Tin Tin and Thunderbird fans. Recommend booking tours in advance. We visit everytime we are in Wellington to see any new additions.
S.
Learnt some good stuff about movies and also so many movies amazing
R.
Awesome place. 100% recommend going to have a visit.
W.
A very good tour although I would have liked to have seen the craftsmen and women actually making the props. You got to see and hold a lot of the props although there are areas where no touching and no photography is allowed. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly.
T.
Great little shop featuring a free documentary, a free micro museum (2 minutes visit) and two paid tours.
I did one of those tour, the workshop tour. It was expensive and rather short (1h) but I thoroughly enjoyed it, the guide was really great and it was really nice to see and learn a bit more about the productions of this lovely studio.
C.
Love the visit and tour! however you need to be careful with covid-19 restrictions, they have sanitizers yes, but they put us in a tour with chinese families who were ovbiously sick, coughing and sneezing inside the exhibitions in close areas, and no one did anything about...
D.
We did the miniatures tour, it was awesome. My only complaint woukd be that they were running a little late to start so we were rushed at the end when you get the opportunity to take photos.
E.
I personally expected a little but more from the tour and for the price. It was interesting and I did enjoy it but like I said I just expected a bit more. The combo package for us included the tour of Thunderbirds are go and I was never a fan of this show so maybe if it had been a different tour of a show I was a fan of maybe it would've changed my experience. Very informative guides.
c.
We did the Weta workshop tour as other tours were fully booked on the 12 Sept 2020. Tour was fun and interactive, no photo's allowed except in last area, tourguide was knowledgeable and upbeat. I would loved a proper colour scene printed paper ticket to keep as a souvenir of this iconic the Weta production company the thermal printed black and white offering underwhelming considering the wealth of subject matter available and designer's excellence. Otherwise tour was good value. 😊
P.
Tour was great, got hands on some props, and insight on how they are made. Loved it
S.
Great experience and wonderful guides who are very knowledgeable.
J.
It is a worthy place to visit, but I might have high expectations. Here are a few things to know for enjoying the tour.
- Book ahead : All tours has a limited spot. It is required me to wait about an hour and there's no space to wait in the shop.
- Workshop tour : The tour space is small, but interesting pieces of works.
- Studio tour : It shows the miniature sized studios for the animation, Thunderbird Are Go. If you are not interested in this animation, it would be better to skip.
C.
Great place for movie buffs, especially LoTR fans. The intricate detail on the props, and behind the scenes tours make it worthwhile!
H.
Had an amazing experience, very thrilling and exciting seeing how things are made backstage while on tour.
I also think it’s a nice change out of your ordinary life, & definitely recommend checking this place out!
T.
Wonderful tour, Emily was helpful, informative as we as entertaining
O.
Amazing! If you are a lover of the Lord of the Rings or of any sort of fantasy creation you must
Go! The shop and small museum are enjoyable on their own but booking a tour into the back where they have tons of props from their many films and talk to you about the process is truly wonderful. Great first stop on our way up to Hobbiton.
b.
Absolutely fantastic ! An amazing tour of concepts and ideas by wonderfully creative people. The staff are incredible and the 'guides', (thanks Mike), understanding, approachable and empathetic a really wonderful vibe... from people who really care. A great experience don't miss the opportunity to visit the dream machine.
c.
Although a short tour in the grander scheme of the life and achievements of the Weta story, I found it to be very enjoyable! We were given an expert tour by our guide that knew everything and more. He was obviously very passionate about the company and what it aims to achieve.
A brief history and a viewing of thousands of iconic props was topped by a brief demonstration and chat with a prop builder/sculptor. A very enthusiastic man with a fantastic sense of humour. Worth every penny.
T.
If you love anything that WETA does you're going to love this place
M.
Oh. My. Gosh! A definite must see and tour. Absolutely brilliant
W.
Nice stopover to get some LOTR memorabilia and tour on how the movies were filmed
M.
What A Fantastic tour #1 Tour guide Dan 😀😊😍
Thankyou so much
A.
Good tour and great guide. Also, hire more women. They don't all have to be musical theatre grads but it's OK if they are.
R.
Great site for Tolkien lovers. I loved the three huge trolls just outside turned to stone. Plenty of stuff inside to excite the imagination. Didn't have time for a tour - more's the pity.
D.
Awesome place I can't recommend it enough ,really informative and has wow factor😁👍
A.
Lots of fun, even for none LOTR fans. Book in advanced.
B.
Great experience to see the "behind the scenes" workings of some great movies. Our guide was so informative and kept our group engaged with facts and cool stuff the whole time. Do the combo and see the thunderbirds tour it was really cool!
T.
What a great place, who knew they were involved with so many films. A great place to visit.
E.
I love movies. I love Peter Jackson. I love the art and special effects of movies. The Weta cave and Weta tours are very expensive. However, the guide I had was absolutely amazing. You font get much time, but they make the most of it. Thus sounds like a negative review, but Weta is so special and the guide so good it must get 5 stars anyway.
T.
Great tour with a excellent, knowledgeable guide. If you are going to go, I would suggest at least the combo tour and if you want to see them working on stuff, go during the week. Weekend was still really good though!
T.
Make sure you pre book tickets, very limited tickets left when we turned up so we were unable to do the tour. The shop is really good though, could have spent a small fortune.
If there isn't any tickets there is a free cinema that will show you the history of Weta which is extremely interesting, I would suggest anyone who goes to watch this just to see what Weta have worked on over the years
B.
Awesome works from so many movies on display. Must do if you're in Wellington
D.
The tour did feel a little short, but it is a shop, not a museum. It was amazing to see the actual props and the tools that made them. I would highly recommend anyone with a creative spark visit as it's nothing but inspirational!
M.
It was great the tour was amazin would go again
T.
The Combo Tour was a great experience. Issac was a great host and brought the artistry and creativity to life. It was great to see the amazing-ness of how magic is made on screen. Highly recommend.
M.
If you like film, you'll enjoy the behind the scenes look at how some things are done. The list of movies Weta has been involved in is much bigger than I anticipated, and I have been watching them again with a new appreciation for what is going on to create them. The tour guide was wonderful and knowledgeable, and I even got a solo tour of the miniatures sets. The gift shop was full of great stuff too.
S.
Did the combo tour before heading back home. An amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Wellington. Our guide, Matt, was fantastic.
Can’t wait to come back and check out the full tour!
S.
Thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Weta Cave and doing the combo tour! The staff are obviously very passionate about their work and it shows in their service - if you are a movie buff or film nerd this place is a must visit!
A.
Absolutely loved it. Tours were very informative and a lot of fun. The gift shop also has a really wide variety of souvenirs and knickknacks. Would love to visit again in the future.
A.
Great starting point to see behind the scenes to weta workshop. Great gift shop and mini museum
M.
We especially loved the big trolls outside to take photos with. There was a great range of things on display inside which you can see for free in their museum. They also had tours which you could pay for to view the workshops. The shop also had insignia for sale, including models, pins, posters etc.
P.
Definitely had an awesome time. Bought the combo ticket, including the Thunerbirds are go! tour. Our tour guide Isaac was an amazing person, enthusiastic and did a great job bringing the tour even more alive. If you are even slightly interested in movies, not only TLOTR(!) you should consider this tour. Very worthwhile and enjoyable. It was super interesting as well thanks for the awesome time!
B.
Really interesting tour, especially if you love movies and Lord of the rings. Lots to look at in the store as well. Great to have this company in NZ!
J.
Love love love this 2.5 hr tour. Didn’t know which one to pick but this was the perfect time/length. Sue the driver was so amazing and incredible at driving. And the toot tooting in the tunnel cracked me up. I was so embarrassed but it’s a wellingtonian tradition apparently! Glad I made this tour as it really made my trip to Wellington memorable and well worth the effort!
S.
My essential visit every time I am in NZ! Awesome place, great stuff, lovely people and defenitely worth a visit!
M.
Heaps of really interesting stuff to see but it's quite the tourist spot so you don't get a great chance to really look on the tour. You're constantly being moved into the next section. It's worth a visit but be aware it's not really a place to browse and take a good look at the props etc.
G.
Our tour guide was amazing. Friendly and loved the minatures. Knowledgeable and very excited to show us around. He was happy about the prop department but his sheer joy showed through as he guided 4 of us through the Thunderbirds
L.
Absolutely amazing work done at Weka.Mind blowing attention to detail
M.
Always a fun visit. Try the tour.
T.
Great guides and a wealth of detail for any movie fan. This is not to be missed. Just did not know how many productions owe Weta so much for their design, production values and CGI. Worth thee12000 mile trip to NZ alone!
J.
Absolutely the best place, ever. We paid for the lowest price tour but I would definitely recommend trying to spend as much time there as possible. Great gift shop too. A lot more than LOTR and Hobbit on the tour
J.
Excellent tour for the whole family. Our tour was led by Reece, one of the armour makers for various films. He was extremely knowledgeable about the whole enterprise and breadth of topics. We went during the winter (August) so the tour size was very small, leading to an intimate experience. Highly enjoyed the second tour (Thunderbirds Are Go set) as well as the primary cave tour. Neat stuff!
P.
Awesome experience. It's mind blowing to see the props from movies you love. Although, after having watched all the behind the scenes from all the LOTR and Hobbit DVDs, the actual limited experience at the cave seems a bit underwhelming. We want more!!
E.
What an incredible experience 🤩 The tour guide made it so much fun to enter the cosmic creations of WETA 🧚🏼♀️🧝🏻♂️🧙🏾♀️🦸🏼♀️✨ MUST do!!!
J.
It is a small scale. We seen it in Auckland December 2020. I'm not a fan of this.But glad to see it created by nz. And it good to give the world known what kiwi can do.
T.
Great tour on how they make special effects and on-screen monsters. Gift shop has everything you would like to have regarding Hobbits, Lord of The Rings, and many other Weta characters that appear in films. Also will ship to your home if you like.
R.
Tour guides great quality here. Heaps more behind the scenes stuff that I though I'd learn. Amazing creations!
V.
Went on a tour of the workshop which was fantastic. Really cool to see all the hard work that goes into making movies. I wish we could have seen more of the artists actively working on their props, but I understand that is a copyright thing.
D.
Very cool and highly reccomended. Our tour guide was full of fun facts about all the items on display. Lots of very interesting pieces of movie memorabilia.
P.
Cool. I'll do it again sometime. Or take a friend
A.
Awesome place to visit for those keen to find out what goes into making those movies and TV series. Make sure you book in advance if you want to go on one of the tours. The shorter movie intro to Weta you often don't have to book for.
C.
You will learn that simple thing can become great ,if your mind is creative.
P.
This is an awesome place and a must see for Wellingtonians and tourists alike. Don't bypass this place, its small but great for something to do for the afternoon.
S.
All tour guides were very knowledgeable. Loved it. Highly recommend.
Gift shop was amazing.
M.
We did the combo tour and the guide was fantastic as well as the tour, great to learn about all the props and the effects and recommended to everyone to do .
A.
A must do for a Lord of a the Rings fan. The shop is amazing with a huge display of props and figurines. The staff knows a lot of things too. The tour is really nice and even if you can take pictures it's amazing they will show you how they work and how they make props (not only for LOTR)
I.
Exhibition of movie making, very interesting, a must go if going to Wellington.
A.
As someone who rarely watches movies and hasn’t seen LOTR, I enjoyed this tour. I attended both the Weta Cave Workshop tour and the Miniature Effects Tour for 48 NZD. The workshop tour included lots of information about prop making for movie sets and even included a live demonstration. They discuss how many iterations it takes to make a helmet as well as different materials used to make swords. The miniatures workshop was about a TV series called Thunderbirds are Go. Honestly, I have never seen this show, but I thought this tour was fantastic. It shows how they create these miniature sets where they film the entire show and projected digitized characters. Our tour guide was so passionate about movie and set making - his excitement was contagious. I learned a lot and felt that it really encouraged me to think creatively!
B.
Great chance to see how movie props and effects are done.
A.
Absolutely love this place! Unique experience
R.
We really loved our visit to the Weta workshop. We did the combo tour, which also covered the Thunderbirds set. Our guide was excellent and interesting, and we were amazed to discover how many artists and specialised artisans and craftsmen are involved. The enthusiasm, skills and expertise of those involved in Weta is most impressive and inspiring. Highly recommended activity!
P.
Interesting. Most of the stuff is for lord of the rings. The tour was shorter than i expected but the guide was cool and it was very interesting. Would have liked to see more behind the scenes stuff but i guess it is too popular for that
G.
Thoroughly recommend the paid tour of the workshop, the "cave" is OK for a 30 min peruse but quite small and very busy, some props but mostly souvenirs. Tours are run by staff of the workshop who are very knowledgeable and passionate. Cool range of props, not just from Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit films, also able to see some of the guys at work. Out of the way from the city centre but easy to get to by bus. Had a fun visit!
J.
Thoroughly enjoyed the Weta Studios tour. I am a film critic and this was an absolute thrill for me - growing up, it was the behind-the-scenes stuff that made me love movies, the magic, craftsmanship and hard work of special effects, props and costumes. Weta Workshop is something of a mecca in that regard. As someone who loves making things, it was really affirming to witness the work of some of the most talented makers in the world. Reece Dixon, a chainmail armour specialist who joined Weta when the Hobbit films were being made, was our guide and is one of the coolest people I have ever met. We were not allowed to take photos during certain sectiond of the tour for copyright reasons, but I wish I could have captured my brother's pure joy when he saw the full-scale working Warthog from Halo that Weta had built. This was an enthralling experience.
R.
For the price, you only walk through 3/4 rooms with props. That's all... and no photos!!!
K.
Amazing art and workshop tour was really informative. Austin was a super guide.
T.
The workshop tour is recommended & early booking is essential. Sure, the tour is over a 20 x 20 foot display workshop, so movie and props fans will appreciate. Our guide Daisy was passionate and knowledgeable since she works there as an effects technician. The shop, museum and "behind the scenes" video are free and cameras are allowed. Some items in the shop are on sale or can only be bought there, so worth picking up gifts there. It's true that they will need to expand the shop and tour since demand will grow as one of the famous attractions of Wellington.
K.
Nice place to visit in Wellington, but quite small shop.
L.
Loads to see here! The cave is a free entry mini museum with film props and costumes. Theres loads of collectibles and souvenirs to buy too. I did both the paid tours too which I thought were awesome! As a creative person I got a lot out of the few hours I spent here. Defo worth a visit!
L.
Not a huge LOTR fan but we dropped by since it was really near the airport. They offer studio tours if you are interested. Otherwise, still a good place to pop by from photo taking or souvenir shopping. There is a little museum within the shop that showcases the other work the studio does too.
W.
Weta workshop and Thunderbirds are go. Awesome. A must do
K.
Looking at the models was very cool to a lord of the rings enthusiast but it is boring at some stages of the park. I definitely recommend going to the thunderbird section aswell as the models there are pretty awesome. I also appreciate that they use recycled materials to make some of there bigger models. Overall 4/5
H.
The tours are good, although there's not a lot to see at the cave itself. On the Thunderbirds Are Go tour you get to see the actual miniature sets they use to make the show. Plus we had a good explanation of how they're made. The tours were almost all booked out when we arrived, so I'd recommend booking ahead, particularly over the summer holidays.
A.
So, there are many types of tours here, you can match it with your available time. Props and authentic gears from your favorite movies are here to see and awe. No pictures allowed to be taken along the tour, except (spoiler) at the end of the tour you can take a picture of this gandalf and orc from lotr.
R.
Did the combo tour. In the Workshop, see a few props and costumes and hear how some physical effects are made and used (cannot touch or photo/video majority of the displays), spend a few minutes touching non-studio pieces, and if lucky see an artist at work. On the Miniatures tour, see and learn how the Thunderbirds Are Go sets are made and filmed.
z.
The Cave itself is pretty small, but if you are a fan or someone aspiring to work in the industry, it is worth it to do the tours. You will learn alot and the tour guides are industry professionals who can answer all your questions.
Y.
Recommend visiting here to see some props which were used in movies! There is also a free video you can watch about the history of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital which is fascinating. It’s rather amazing how big the company has grown and how successful it has become after starting off in little old Wellington!
T.
An awesome tour with enthusiastic guide. A must do for Thunderbird watchers. Really enjoyed interactions with behind the scenes workers too
R.
Great place to learn about how the props are made. The workshop tour for $25 is very interesting, you get to touch many of the props and can talk to different staff members and ask questions. The fanshop is very nice as well and there are a mini museum and a free 15 min video to watch.
D.
If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies or just interested in the whole process of modern movie making - this is a must. Fun and informative from start to finish - it's worth taking the longer tour if you have time.
b.
Excellent tour. Our guide Stephanie was funny, knew the material and was a lot of fun. The props and insights into effects and film were great.
B.
Beautiful but small place for visit
S.
The famous Weta Cave.
There are certainly some wonderful sights to behold here, and the tour offers a great insight into what is done behind-the-scenes.
The tour however, is quite short, and doesn't offer a REAL lot of variety.
You're really only going to see about 4 or so rooms/areas, so don't expect a journey through a large workshop.
It's more of a display area, the actual workplaces are not accessible.
The shop was fairly disappointing.
it was small, and offered little variety.
Also, I assumed it was going to be over-priced, but my god.
be careful here, 90% of the stuff you find here, you'll easily be able to find for a fraction of the price online. Often, for the exact same product.
Worth seeing if you're in Wellington for a while, but don't go out of your way on a short stay.
D.
Weta caves speaks to the hearts of all fantasy lovers, the store is filled with amazing works of art. I also love that you can take some of the art home with you, for a reasonable price.😋
J.
The tour was interesting but you didn't see as much as I expected and it was definitely overpriced. I hoped to see the creative artists at work but ony 2 small windows to view (one man sharpening a sword on a grinder)
The tour (there and back again) was advertised as 2.5 hours but barely took 2.
The Hobbiton tour was much better.
P.
Since we were on a road trip around New Zealand inspired by the Lord of the Rings, it became clear early on that the Weta Workshop Tour and Weta Cave had to be on our list. Luckily (if you can call it that), the day coincided with our one day of rain in Wellington.
The Workshop Tour was great. It was brilliant to see and hold the props, understand the processes, manufacturing, tricks used, etc.
Thoroughly enjoyable!
R.
Great tour and especially tour guide (man from Hawaii sorry forgot your name :( ) learnt so much about all different techniques and history and all explained with passion. Also loved learning about the tinfoil modelling technique at the end
C.
Amazing tour around this studio, so much to see, informative and friendly staff, lots of cool stuff and they're alright with you handling some of the props and getting right in there. Just remember, no pictures inside the workshop, they're serious about that and will call you out on it. Definitely worth the small fee to get the tour
J.
Worth it to drive here for a visit. It's free to visit. The gift shop is better than the one at Hobbiton. Sells LOTR figurines, t-shirts, etc. Remember to catch the short film on the background of Weta caves. Last 20minutes and very informative. Take photos with the giant figurines. One very friendly staff gave us 2 swords, tell us how to pose and help us snap some memorable shots. So nice of him! Gave an extra star for that!
k.
A places that brings our favorite movie stars and scenes to life! The entry to the museum and shop is free. They also screen a documentary on how they use visual effects in movies. Some of their famous ones are Hobbit, Lord of the rings,king kong, avatar..
They have replicas of the props used in the movies as well as huge models and sculptures.
They provide workshop and tour as well.
Do visit.
D.
Decent attraction but lacks interaction and you can't take photos or handle any of the interesting stuff which makes it a little underwhelming.
H.
would keep going there ,wow
J.
Totally awesome... Highly recommend 🤪😎
C.
The WETA cave is beyond our wildest imagination and expectation! Being the LOTR and Hobbit movie trilogy freak, it is simply not to be missed. Staff we met on the guided tour and the sales at the shop, especially a tall pretty lady and Rex are so friendly and helpful which makes the trip even more extraordinary.
M.
Tour was great!! A few rules - don't touch and no photos - but they explain why and there is a section you can touch things and take photos at the end. Even the cave itself without the tour would be worth visiting! They do show a 25min doco that I think would bs more useful to watch before the tour - perhaps you could book this as part of your ticket so you make dire people make the time and font miss out. We chose not to book for the Thunderbirds' exhibit as my kids didn't know thunderbirds but in hindsight we think it would be worth doing this as it shows more about how miniatures are used in movie making and looked really interesting. It looks like all the Tour guides also work there so they all seemed very enthusiastic and informed. The tour and doco were really inspiring too !!!
A.
Has all the souvenirs you could want from the movies, and a tour of the workshop.
Don't forget to get a free selfie with the trolls outside, and the staff are really helpful.
Handy to the #18 & #18e bus terminus.
Most popular item is the one ring.
L.
Must visit place if you wanna take fun photos with movie characters like Lord of the rings, Hobbiton, etc. Mini musuem is free of cost whereas you need to prebook if you want to work shop..
E.
Well worth travelling half way around the world to visit.
l.
Great tour with a lot of interesting information.
A.
Very good experience. We were just two in the group with my mom, so its was like a private tour. Our guide, I dont remember his name but he was come from South Africa, was amazing! He was very passionate about the topic and take all the time was neccessary to answer to our questions! Only 56 $ for two adults, so worth it!
Thanks again, from the two french girls!
Alex
K.
We had a great tour guide (man from the painting area of Weta Cave, and South African), who was funny, great with the kids, and a joy to chat with as we made our way around the studio.
Awesome talks about how they make props, including seeing real costumes from various movies they've worked on.
Really worth making the stop - we caught the bus out, and was very easy to find.
T.
It's a nice your, getting you up close with how some of the most famous modern movies were made. With a visit if you have time. The guides are very knowledgeable and present well. Thank you Stephanie.
E.
If you don't join the tour for 25$, (wich runs every 30 min and takes up to an hour) what you can see for free is a 25min documentary and the mini-museum, wich is really really small with some props they made. We unfortunately didn't have time to get the tour, and I don't recommend this place without it. I guess the tour is good though, but take this to consideration before going there. Staff was very friendly and gave us good information about our options when we got there!
L.
Came up from Christchurch for the day to do one of the creative workshops. The girls loved it and the scars they constructed were so realistic that I didn't want to look at them, let alone photograph them! Would love to do more workshops but would suggest they are longer ....maybe twice as long, or a day experience. The tutor was really entertaining so bring your questions, as well as pictures of any scars you would like to create.
P.
At the end of the day, it's a relatively short tour around a bunch of props and set-piece studio-like things that tries to give you a feel for the way these guys work in their studios and the kind of work they produce, with a fair amount of conversation from whoever guides you through. You can't touch much, and you aren't allowed to take pictures (which is fair - if you could see it all online anyway, why would you pay to go?) But you know what, it was fun and very interesting. We got to see a ton of legacy work from previous, well-known projects, as well as some sneak peaks at some cool things for as-yet-unreleased movies. There was also a section at the end where an employee was working on what I can only hope was a real prop for something, and was quite cool to see it "in action." If you're interested at all in special effects etc. or you're a massive LOTR fan, it's definitely worth it. If you're not sure, read some other reviews.
Don't know if they're still doing the Thunderbirds tour, but we did it and to be honest I wouldn't have done that part if I'd known it would be so lacking. It was cool seeing the props and all. But that might have something to do with only having 3 people on our tour ... or the fact that we haven't even seen the new Thunderbirds yet. We just got the package deal for the sake of it.
B.
Incredible such an amazing place for all people
J.
Parking is difficult. On a corner so cars everywhere. Tourists buses also.. We parked 5 blocks and walked. To be expected with such a large number of people going there too. We didn't buy anything. It was good to visit but didn't think we need to go back.
M.
Fabulous tour of movie production
D.
This place is just great. Lots of cool movie swag. Really interesting tours.
P.
If you like movies , that is the place to visit.
Absolutely amazing
M.
Awesome place to take photos with some of the Lord of the Rings characters. It is a small shop with some trolls outside. Parking could be challenging as this is a very popular destination. Staff is helpful. You can buy tickets for a tour or score yourself a free viewing. Depends on the time and luck. You couldn't be in Wellington without visiting the Weta Cave.
H.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff who took us into the studios and imparted a great deal of knowledge about their work environment while making it really fun. A must do in Wellington.
E.
Lots of things to see and buy. Great for fans of LOTR and The Hobbit - with a few bits and bobs from other franchises too. But bring a lot of spare cash, there isn't much under $20.
M.
Really like the renovation & the one way system. Our guests learn a lot about the industry from the free video film. We go just after 9am to avoid the rush of tourists. Be warned - parking is usually scarce so take the bus if you are visiting in the middle of the day
M.
Another must see venue for visitors. I love the shop and video tour (sometimes need to book if busy). The kids love it too (although the Orcs and Trolls are so life like that the little ones are taken aback). I am looking forward to booking on a Weta Tour around the studios. Haven't done it yet, but friends rave about it, plus the holiday programme for kids looks great too.
F.
Great for those interested in creativity and the behind the scenes aspects of big movie making.
H.
Had a great day here ! It is a must see for people who like lord of the rings ! The tour was great and the guide told us all about how they make props and about the movies.
B.
Fun and interesting to see behind the scenes.
L.
Definitely a must if you enjoy WETA productions. Good range of products to add to a fans collection.
J.
A must do, especially to take out of town visitors
W.
Definitely the place to visit, totally blew my mind. Would like to do a different tour next visit.
J.
Great staff and shop is well set out
M.
A must do when visiting Wellington. I have to say, I though the tour would be a little longer but was fascinating all the same. Amazing stuff here. I would love a bunch of it at home.
J.
Lovely tours with great hands-on interaction with movie props. Enthusiastic tour guides who actually work in the workshop. Nice gift shop with models, t-shirts and other small things.
M.
If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings or movie-making in general, then this is a must-see while you're in Wellington.
C.
If you like special effects, props, Lord of the Rings, and other cool movie related stuff, I would definitely recommend this attraction. I appreciate that they have a mini free exhibit inside The Weta Cave and cool merchandise to look at. They also have a free film in their theatrette which would be around 25mins (we saw a Behind the Scenes clip).
Also would recommend their 45 minute guided tour which starts and finishes in the Weta Cave and provides a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of the Weta Workshop! So much to see in such a nice unique location.
J.
Staff are really nice. Definitely want to bring everything back home
O.
The Weta Cave Tour was absolutely amazing! I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in how they created & how the process goes for making stunning Fantasy & Sci fi movies! The tour guide was very informative and nice, answered every question you could ask.
R.
Learned some interesting things, but I thought the tour was pretty short and the area compact. I was hoping to see larger models and a whole bunch of different movie miniatures like from blade runner, but that wasn’t the case. Still interesting but I wish there was more.
M.
Fun place to see how many of the movies filmed here were made.
p.
I saw a lot of the movies that used the handcrafts of weta cave. is an art museum from my point of view. I wish I could spend more time looking at the art pieces but the time in some showing rooms is limited
S.
Definitely, a top of the list must do on a "Wellywood" short vacation. Absolutely brilliant especially the guided tour which I would highly recommend,
Steve Franklin
Rotorua
g.
Tour recommended for lovers of film or the Lord of the rings. Very informative and a hoot
S.
Awesome experience. Loved seeing each and everything. Great art and skill shown.
K.
If you are a fans of LOTR, Avatar, etc, you have to come here and join the tour which will show you how the weta studio creates the props for the movie.
If you don’t want to join the tour, you can also stop by for couple of photos with the trolls and souvenirs shop.
Ps. There’re 3 trolls in total. Try to spot the other 2!
K.
Cool place to check out for the first time! Get to take some pictures with some Orcs!
S.
Awesome place for your LOTR and other WETA creations appetite. Take the tour for a behind the scenes into their studios and inspire young artist to this amazing form of arts.
J.
Had the most amazing experience with partner on a rainy wet windy Wellington day. Would highly recommend for anyone who is a movie fan to do. Will definitely go back and do tour again as did not get to take it in the first time around.
B.
Awesome tour, 3rd time there. Highly recommended.
Only negative point is I felt the movie merchandise for other movies they work on was a bit lacking.
S.
Hey to see the work up close and personal, even the trolls outside are a fun photo op
C.
Fantastic place. Must see when visiting Wellington.
M.
In addition to being a souvenir shop they also hold free public events, like artist and craftspeople signings. I was there for a company birthday celebration hosted by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, two of the companies founders, with birthday cake for all! A great place to see some props, figurines, and peruse through "the art of" film books.
That said, it's worth paying for the workshop tour for a more in depth experience and a cursory look at the prop making process.
b.
Love this little piece of movie magic so close to the airport. Tours of Weta workshops and memorabilia from multiple movies LOTR the Hobbit TinTin King Kong....
R.
For all things Tolkien, and for thunderbirds, district 9, and many many other films, that Weta have been involved with. The tour we had was very good and personal. Was just the three of us plus tour guide for a behind the scenes look at their creative process. shame you cannot take photos on the tour, but the memories will last a lifetime.
W.
A real eyeopener to the world and the people behind some of the most memorable films of all-time! Interesting and fun tours with plenty of detail and explanations from fun and friendly guides! A definite must-see for all those who love films as well as those who are looking for fun day out! A trip to Wellington would not be complete without Weta!
C.
That was mind-blowing. The talent, the creativity, the passion. It was also really cool to see props from movies I've watched, and to see how Thunderbirds is made.
A.
The tour was great. 45 minutes may be a little short to fully enjoy all the props and ingest all the information.
o.
Awesome tour. Knowledgeable guy who ran or tour. We did the weta tour and miniature tour. But eye opening to the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Good value for money.
J.
A big souvenir shop with movie memorabilia. For the full tour, book in advance but only recommend for serious Hobbit/LOTR/Thunderbirds/Narnia/District9/movie fans. For a taste of it, the shop is fine. The items offered seemed very pricey.
B.
Fantastic tour, really knowledgeable guide who has worked there for years (along with both his parents)
Some fantastic props. The only downside is you can't take photos during the tour due to weta not owning the rights to them.
J.
It's everything most people would imagine. Loved how unassuming the surroundings were, it's brilliant to see where they started and still build from. Mind blowing that so much can come from this place and just how much Weta has had their hand in that you don't realise. Check out the extended tour for the background. Our guide certainly had a sense of humour, and you get the feeling that they all do.
L.
Amazing insight to the Weta Workshop for close ups of the many props, costumes and more!! And Weta Digital for the visual effects. Well worth doing the popular combo tour which included seeing Thunderbirds Are Go. Just loved the old Thunderbirds show. And who could forget Parker and Lady Penelope!! The documentary on the beginnings of Weta every half hour also a must. Thoroughly enjoyed my well overdue visit.
a.
Was a busy day as would have had to wait 3 hours for next available tour.
R.
Wow. A place you must visit while in Wellington.
E.
This was absolutely awesome, my children and I absolutely loved it. Quite amazing how many movies and programs they where involved in. Highly recommended
G.
I'm not a parent but if you've a creative young child, a visit to weta is a must. A life of building what your imagination can conjure is a worthwhile goal.
If you're a fan of Peter, Fran, Tania and Richard and their team of little geniuses? then this also a must see, if for no other reason than to say thankyou for all the enjoyment they've brought you. All this without even mentioning middle-earth and that's from a Tolkien fan. My only gripe is, I'd wished I could've seen more of the creative process.
Here's hoping Peter eventually gets to build his museum.
P.
We are 2 fans of Middle Earth and P. Jackson movies so we followed the tour. Staff very friendly and passionate. We saw a little part of the workshop but the tour summarizes the multiple facets of the Weta’s productions : props design, swords, armors, costumes and miniatures. There are so many objects on the walls that you have always something to look. The only « negative point » : for us the tour was too fast - we are french so it was hard to understand everything and we had no time to read explanations on the walls (easier to read in English for technical terms). You should print a paper in several languages and give it to visitors after the tour (better understanding and souvenir ;-)) But we recommend the tour. Moreover, the Weta Cave is a must see (it is a little little museum) and the film about Weta is very interesting (and a good complement to the tour).
N.
Was definitely worth doingvthe combo tour. Was very informative and gave you new perspective into movies and tv. So amazing.
F.
We went on the combo tour and loved it. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable. The props for the thunderbirds bought back tons of memories.
J.
Must Go! Well worth it. We also did the Thunderbirds tour as well. Both are very good. Thunderbirds is more on intimate and less people. If the Weta Cave tour is full then take a look at the gift shop because they have a mini museum there at is good as well.
K.
Considering this mainly a working workshop for film production, and not a major tourist attraction, I think they have done quite a reasonable job. Obviously the had limited space for both the cave and had to be careful in the workshop as projects are in production, hence the no recording of any kind.
It was a good brief insight into the development of the props used in film & television. I especially liked that the guide was not a guide but someone who actually worked in the workshop and answered questions that a "normal" guide may not have the knowledge to answer, only what is on the script.
As for the cave, it was bigger than some gift shops in museums and attractions. Also you got to see more props for actual films rather than just a selection of goods to buy as Souvenirs. The film again was quite informative on the history and projects that Weta have been involved with.
For me, it was worth travelling out to Miramar, besides where else can you have a selfie with a 5M troll !!!!
K.
Amazing! You can add different tours on so it pays to check the website carefully. Great to see so many of the props, some you can touch and handle too! Well worth it.
B.
Excellent tour and well worth the effort if you dont know exactly what Weta have done for the film industry you need to go and do the tour, the amount of films this company has worked on is staggering, the film sets for thunderbirds are GO is amazing for kids and adults alike. 5 star!.
A.
I wasn't disappointed when I walked in. There were figurines and other merchandise from everyone's favourite movies. It felt amazing in there and I strongly encourage everyone to go and check it out!
J.
Loved the miniature film sets!
S.
Awesome experience for movie geeks. Amazing how many movie productions this company was a part of. So many pieces of great detail and passionate design displayed. The tour is worth the $25 p.p. cover.
J.
Time and money well spent. An hour filled with interesting information and anecdotes. That and you get to touch some of the props.
C.
Highly recommend the tours. Worth every penny for old and young.
Tour guide was excellent!
A.
Cool behind the scenes tour of the workshop - a guide takes you through all sort of custom movie props that have been made along with the process that they go through to make them. If you're a film buff or love advanced craft making then you'll love it.
W.
Some great tours through the workshops if you have the time and money ( often have to book especially during holidays ). Lots of paraphernalia relating to Hobbits for sale, collectors items expensive but beautifully crafted. About every 30 mins a short free film is shown detailing much of the Weta companies work.
R.
What an awesome tour GUIDE - he certainly has passion for what he does, and great knowledge of every movie made at Weta!
I Loved the unique and unassuming setting of the Weta studio, the workshop and the cave. A highly recommended and very impressive tour - great for all creatives and Sci-fi lovers out there.
D.
Did the tours (Lord of the rings & Thunderbirds) with my family. The Cave gift shop has a pretty amazing range of merchandise for film fans, but bring done money as it's not exactly cheap. The tours are quality though and will worth the money. As a model builder and table top game geek, I found the Thunderbirds tour a lot more rewarding. You got a lot close to the models and terrain and could really see how things were built. Look out for the lemon squeezer... FAB!
M.
My first time there with my family and we were in awe of the place. The tour we did was awesome seeing all the props and listening to how things were made for the movies and a couple of funny stories thrown in as well. Our guide she was lovely. Its a shame but understandable why you can't take pics. My one flaw though is the Weta Cave shop its self. Its way to small. You would think after all these years they would make extensions on the shop to really showcase more products. Have seperate area for waiting for the tours etc.. but thank you Weta now my daughter is inspired to pursue her videography/cinematography as she gets older.
E.
Being at Weta Workshop in Miramar feels like being in the house of God. Cause this is the craddle of creation. We had the There and back again full experience so we were picked up in the center of the city by a wonderful driver named Grant! He showed us various sites on the way to and back from Weta. Like the Embassy, the Roxy and Gandalf. Great guy!The guide on our tour was really nice and obviously knew his stuff. The souvenir shop was also great with a lot of cool stuff.A trip to the Hollywood of New Zealand is definitely obligatory on a trip here.
V.
Geek heaven!!! All the staff there were extremely friendly and informative. A fun tour of the Weta Cave and all the amazing memorabilia you could handle makes this place a must see for any movie fan!
C.
A fantastic mini museum and gift shop. Filled with props and memorabilia and gifts cheap and expensive. You can buy authentic sculptures and jewelry made in Weta Workshop ranging into the thousands. Worth visiting if you are a fan of any of their work, and still worth a visit if you aren't as its free to go in, and there's a free behind the scenes video on show in a separate room.
S.
If you go to Wellington and do not go here, seriously why did you go to Wellington. This place was awesome and we all loved it. The work that goes into make a movie is just amazing and you see it all here.
M.
A good tour and guide was knowledgeable but as I'm not a big LoR fan disappointed at the lack of actual workshop experience as in animation and prop building. A very small museum and lack of time to have a good look and read the signs (one of which had a spelling mistake :-) ) but glad I went.
J.
Quite a small studio. Studio tour cost $45 where universal in LA cost $80 includes all the rides. It's really expensive.
J.
Well worth a visit, the Thunderbirds stages in particular.
A.
Great place, tours show the creation process for props and effects in many films, very knowledgeable guides! Thunderbirds tour going on at the moment lets you get close to the miniature sets used in season 1
B.
Great tour awesome to see how it works behind the scenes.
P.S I know you looked
R.
We debated if we should do this or not and we’re so glad we did. It was fantastic and we loved it. So interesting and fun to see how the magic is made. Don’t climb on the trolls out front (unless you want an awesome photo!!)
S.
Worth every $$ A must do. Well led by Dan and Thunderbirds a standout for this old fan.
M.
Amazing place. Did the There and Back Again tour and the Thunderbirds tour. The LOTR displays were amazing. Absolutely worth the time. Met an Urakai lol. Also was lucky enough to get a private tour of the Thunderbirds set by a set designer there and it was fantastic. Never seen Thunderbirds but he got me psyched!