The iconic log flume ride at Auckland's Rainbow's End Theme Park has closed this week, ahead of a $1.5 million splash of cash to improve the ride.
The ride has remained a visitor favourite since the park first opened in the 1980s, but will be closed for four weeks in May while the Rainbow's End team build the infrastructure to host upgrades which are scheduled to roll-out over the next 18 months.
The log flume ride has scheduled daily, weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance, but it has been many years since the theming was upgraded.
"The ride takes more than nine minutes to complete as it takes guests through its winding streams and enchanted forest. The improvement features will deliver exciting new changes while staying loyal to the original charm of the ride," a spokesperson for the theme park said.
The current stage of work is mainly infrastructure, which will lay the foundation for more creative elements to be implemented in later phases.
The infrastructure work will be completed by the end of May and the ride will be re-opened to guests from June 2021.
Phase two is scheduled to be revealed in November, when guests can expect to be introduced to more immersive theming that will really show-off the transformation of the ride with a re-imagination of the enchanted forest and friends.
The work will continue in 2022 with phase three and extensions to the entry and exit of the ride.
Currently Rainbow's End is open Friday to Monday. The Park is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in term 2 and 3 to enable the maintenance, construction, and theming teams to undertake the ride upgrades.
Rainbow's End will be open every day during the summer.
