Is having a relaxed holiday by the water not quite enough? Are you looking for something to get the blood pumping and hearts racing? Then Spookers might be right for you! This haunted attraction is the only one like it in the country, so don’t miss out while you are in the city!
Location
When opening a haunted theme park, location is crucial, and boy has Spookers set themselves up in prime real estate for strange happenings: The Kingseat Hospital – a former psychiatric ward and New Zealand’s #1 haunted location. The hospital was opened in 1932, it is a large building that housed both patients and staff, had large grounds and gardens and it quickly became one of the country’s most popular psychiatric facilities, at times housing over eight hundred patients. According to many various reports over one hundred people died at the facility which has apparently lead to previous staff and would-be ghost hunters claiming to have experienced varying degrees of “apparitions”, the most popular one being “the grey nurse”.
When the hospital closed in 1999 and there were many questions and ideas about what to do with the site, proposals included an equestrian facility, new residential development, and a new prison. Many members of the public wanted it to be preserved for historical purposes, but this was hindered by reports of abuse throughout the mental health sector, including Kingseat, which blackened the history of the hospital. Spookers started operating their haunted house portion of their attraction in the nurse’s home portion of the old hospital in 2005.
For the Adults (16+)
Obviously, the main nightly scare fest is intended for adults (so bring your I.D) and operates on both Friday and Saturday nights (and Halloween of course). There are a number of attractions to choose from:
The Haunted House: The original and most popular attraction is a haunted house filled with spooky sets that were co-designed by WETA Workshop, jump scares around every corner, and live action actors dressed to part!
The Freaky Forest Of Fear: The title says it all, you are set out into a forest filled with the sounds of buzzing chainsaws and live actors out in character as crazed hillbillies and mutants.
Disturbia: if you have a fear of clowns you might want to avoid this one, three-dimensional effects and black light rooms mixed with psychedelic clowns jumping out from anywhere at any point in a confined space will make any clown lover turn a new leaf.
CornEvil: a maze made of corn filled with actors dressed as every type of terrifying being alive. You might want a group for this one, as you weave your way around tight corners with surprises around each twisted turn.
For Everyone:
Being spooked may not be for everyone, and isn’t really appropriate for the kids, but don’t worry there are some parts of Spookers that everyone can enjoy.
Taste of Terror: for ages eight and up, this toned down tour is operated during the day and takes you on a tour of the facilities with an in-character actor – don’t worry, the scares are minimal.
The Amazing Maze in Maize: The largest corn maze in New Zealand, the whole family can enjoy trying to navigate this huge maze that has been cut into corn, the adventure also includes activities for kids to enjoy.