The pirate ship ride at Rainbow's End first set sail in 1983.
The pirate ship ride at Rainbow's End first set sail in 1983.
Good news for anyone who remembers holding onto their just-eaten lunch while riding the Pirate Ship at Rainbow’s End theme park – the high-swinging vessel is making its grand return in 2025.
Out of action since 2017, it’s been a long eight years for all those who found joy inriding the stomach-churning attraction. Launched in 1983, it remained a guest favourite for almost 40 years before it was decommissioned due to the limited availability of replacement parts.
Herald journalist Michael Burgess remembers the ship fondly: “It was a big deal”, he confirms, “in the days of school trips to Rainbow’s End in the late 1980s, it was certainly a hit with the entire Avondale Intermediate group.”
Fortunately for fans like Burgess, Huss Rides has stepped in to secure the ship’s future.
The Germany-based manufacturer has been assembling new parts since 2023, most of which will arrive on NZ soil early next year, ready for the ship’s reinstatement in late 2025.
Rainbow’s End CEO Susan Mudie said: “The Pirate Ship was a Park favourite for decades and our guests were vocal about missing it. We couldn’t walk past that kind of feedback so started investigating how to bring it back, better than ever.”
If you’re a stickler for consistency, fear not, the updated Pirate Ship will feature a new design but will remain true to the original structure – the one that saw pint-sized guests and their wide-eyed parents swinging up to 75 degrees each side – while also featuring upgrades to theming and enhanced guest care features.
The latter will no doubt please anyone who spent their younger years with a white-knuckle grip on the ship’s safety bars.
When the Herald asked staff about their experiences aboard the original ride, many came back with memories of fearful delight.
“I remember the first time I went on that ship and holding on for dear life as it rocked higher and higher,” said news director and journalist Lynley Ward.
The new ship will seat up to 50 passengers per ride and will be 13m in length. Photo / Supplied
Similarly, senior writer Simon Wilson described his experience from a parent’s vantage point. Speaking of his young son, he said: “He rode the pirate ship, sitting in the middle because he was little. Then he realised it was more thrilling to sit right down the back. You soared higher and swooped down lower and it felt altogether more dangerous.”
And while this all sounds like a rollicking good time for a fearless 7-year-old, Wilson likely speaks for countless parents when saying: “He had such a good time, which is more than you could say for his horrified parents.”
Of course, like all theme park rides, the thrill of danger is all part of the fun. Impending doom, or the illusion of such, is what made the ride such a longstanding hit.
The new ship will be equally enthralling, seating up to 50 passengers per ride – set to be the biggest capacity ride in the park – and 13m in length.
Susan Mudie is certain the 2025 version will be as popular as its predecessor: “We are confident the new ride will offer heaps of enjoyment for all ages, with some exciting twists to the original.”
Get ready for a new and improved Pirate Ship ride at rainbow's End. Photo / Supplied
Like any ship, Rainbow End’s Pirate Ship was notorious for inducing motion sickness. When you’re already giddy on theme park excitement and full to the brim on hot dogs, the last thing anyone needs is a swaying, near-vertical pirate ship – less so for anyone standing beneath the attraction.
“And yes, the stories of people vomiting on others below them ... they’re all true”, remarks Burgess.
It’s not even an issue that the park’s CEO skirts around. “It was beloved by Kiwi kids, despite the dubious distinction of being the most thrown-up-on ride in the entire park!” says Mudie.
Is it really a day out at Rainbow’s End without the risk of a mid-ride spew?
