From secret doorways, to a mini house of horrors, to getting miniaturized in “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” fashion, Wētā Workshop’s new-in-2021 attraction is 90-minutes of non-stop interactive fun. The special effects company is best known for the Lord of the Rings franchise, but its Auckland Wētā Cave is largely Gollum-free. Instead, visitors learn the secrets of movie making through the lens of fictional horror, sci-fi and fantasy films, as though they were really in production. (Once you hear the storylines, you’ll be disappointed that they’re not real movies!) There virtual makeup mirrors, stations where you can practice your own costume and character-making skills and more. If you’re weighing-up between visiting Wētā in Wellington or Auckland, it ultimately depends on your interests and group. The Auckland site is more of a Universal Studios-style attraction, which I’d argue is better value for money, more fun for kids (although there are some bits that may scare smaller children; these can be bypassed upon request) and way more interactive. But it doesn’t feature any Lord of the Rings content, and no movies are actually made here.