There are two certainties when it comes to Halloween in Aotearoa this year: Firstly, Auckland won't be taking part; secondly, pretty much everyone will be dressed as someone from Squid Game.
If you are in an area of the country where COVID-19 Delta restrictions allow you to take part in this most morbid of traditions, then there are some exciting attractions that you may want to check out.
Below is a collection of some of New Zealand's best hidden Halloween experiences.
Fear Factory - Wellington and Queenstown
From $30
Fear Factory is an ideal spot to get spooked this Halloween. The company promises an intense, fun, frightening, thrilling experience, featuring live actors and impressive special effects.
Guests are invited to dare walking the dark hallways of the old Lockhart Hotel in Queenstown, or venture below deck of the Lost Ship - The HMS Wayfarer in Wellington to discover a nautical nightmare.
Troll Cave - Waitomo
From $15
If the COVID-19 alert level 3 restrictions on the Waitomo District lift before Halloween, you'll be able to head to what is described as the ultimate escape room for kids. The Troll Cave is the world's first underground eco-sanctuary for the preservation of Cave Trolls and home to Tom, the troll.
Visitors must use their survival instincts to navigate Tom's underground lair and complete their mission. They'll discover Tom's little pranks and have to solve his riddles, or could end up staying in the cave for a long time - worse still, they could end up being Tom's dinner.
It's always a challenge to take on the beast in his own lair, especially as there's no magical wizard to help out.
Weta Workshop Unleashed - Auckland (when Alert Levels allow)
From $45
When COVID-19 alert levels allow, one of Auckland's newest attractions is a great spot for those looking for a spook.
Part film set, part creative workshop - but all is not what it seems. Customers are invited to experience a world where the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred. The fantastical film effects workshop is said to be a chance to explore the worlds of horror, sci-fi and fantasy in-the-making.
It's a journey through Weta Workshop's creative process that will soon become an international attraction.
Hydro Attack - Queenstown
From $135
This high-speed shark ride with hydro attack is sure to get the heart racing. Customers are invited to jump inside what feels like a cross between a fighter jet and a torpedo, then skim and dive across the lake at 80km/h on the water and 40km/h diving under the water.
The shark-like vessel will then point to the sky and blast back out of the water, straight up into the air before crashing back down onto the lake surface. This shark experience will leave you with a tale to tell.
Steam Punk - Oamaru
$10 for adults, $5 for children or a family pass for $20 (2 adults, 2 children)
This quirky and fun science fiction subgenre is often set in an alternate, futuristic version of 19th century Victorian England where absolutely everything is made of steam powered devices. It's the 'world gone mad' as Victorian people may have imagined it.
This interactive museum invites visitors to explore and discover a collection of retro-futuristic sci-fi art, movies, sculpture and sound.
Ghost Town at Forgotten World - Tangarakau Gorge
From $265 for adults
Here you can self-drive your rail cart along a decommissioned railway line, through tunnels, over bridges and rivers steeped in history and stories of the past.
Customers are invited to explore back-country ghost towns and discover untouched New Zealand landscapes by air, boat and rail on the Forgotten World's guided tours, or step off the grid and travel the length of the Whanganui River, connecting with the past and the present with stories of our indigenous people and colonial tales.
If all of those options feel like too much effort, you can always stay home and watch Squid Game, or even scarier than that: Home Sweet Home Alone.
