Splash Planet: Revamped Hastings icon opens on Monday, with a wet start predicted

Splash Planet mascot Squirt on the newly relocated flying fox. Photo / Warren Buckland

A refreshed look and a fair bit of water will greet guests of Splash Planet on Monday when they make their way through the iconic orange arches for the first time in nine months.

Rain is forecast for the start of the week, but that likely won’t stop those committed few who are itching to see how much of the park’s original nostalgia still remains.

Don’t worry - the famous flying fox will still be there, as well as the jungle jeep track, Tiny Town and mini-golf. Don’t expect to be playing on the Pumpkin and Shoe though.

“The whole facility is looking amazing, and we can’t wait to be welcoming the community and visitors back to enjoy all the fun activities – from mini-golf to go-karts, bumper boats, playgrounds and water slides,” Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said.

$2.4 million was allocated this year to help fix up the ageing theme park, which opened as Fantasyland in Easter 1967 before rebranding as Splash Planet in 1998.

Hastings District Council caused an uproar when it closed the facility prematurely this year due to a significant staffing shortage, despite originally intending to keep the park open on a weekend-only basis.

Hastings District Council chief executive Nigel Bickle said in January it was “really disappointing” having to close early, and added that recruiting for Splash Planet had been “particularly hard this season given the shortage of labour across Hawke’s Bay”.

A revamped Tiny Town at Splash Planet in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

Before the summer, Splash Planet had been closed for almost 600 days following the impact of Covid.

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The council decided in May this year to spend the money on urgent Cyclone Gabrielle repairs, and refreshed facilities so that the park could be up and running by November.

HDC said a proportion of the required $2.4m would come from existing operational and capital budgets set aside for the facility, and the rest from loan funding to avoid putting the costs on ratepayers.

“Officers currently have six months to complete the extensive works and source specialist equipment (i.e. electric go-karts from Germany),” council papers stated.

If work was not done and special equipment was not sourced within the next six months, it could have resulted in “timelines for opening not being able to be met, especially in the post-cyclone environment”.

Now that the work has been completed, visitors can expect to be able to wander through the replanted scented gardens and play on the newly designed pirate pool playground.

The newly repaired Pumpkin and Shoe have also been repainted, but they will now be ornamental rather than play features.

New electronic lockers have also been installed in and around the indoor pool building, and the family changing rooms have been repaired, relined and repainted.

Splash Planet has just had a $2.4 million upgrade, and ticket prices have increased to reflect that. Photo / Warren Buckland

HDC said it also wanted to avoid queues this season, hence the introduction of a new online ticket purchase system.

Prices have gone up, but it is cheaper to get tickets online, rather than at the gate, saving $4 per adult or child ticket.

Hawke’s Bay residents will also continue to get a discount, with adults paying $25 and children $15 when tickets have been booked online via a membership (plus the annual fee of $25 to join).

Senior citizens can choose a discounted ticket to access the full park, or opt for a spectator pass, which gives access to the train, mini-golf, merry-go-round and toddler pools.