Kia Ora from Auckland! The third day of the Adventures by Disney New Zealand itinerary had us meeting in the hotel lobby at 8:30 am. Boarding our coach, it was a short ride to the harbor to catch the ferry to Waiheke Island. The 40-minute voyage was calm and peaceful, and those of us who passed on breakfast (there was so much food yesterday) had the opportunity to purchase coffee on board.
When we reached the island, we boarded a smaller bus for a ride up into the hills for our EcoZip Adventures Zip Lining & Bush Walk.
There will be another zip line adventure later in the trip, but this was the perfect starter course. There are three zip lines above the jungle of Waiheke Island, each progressively longer, higher, and faster. The nice thing about this experience is that if you try the first line and don’t enjoy it, you can back out. After being harnessed up and given a safety demonstration, it was time to start zipping.
Although each line was bigger and faster than the last, but the third line, we were soaring above the tree canopies, which at that speed, looks like ground.
The experience ends with a lovely forest hike, which showcases how New Zealand looked before even the Māori arrived. And every so often, another group would go zipping above the tree tops as we hiked back to base.
Our EcoZip hosts pointed out some of the unique plants along the way, including the silver fern, aka ponga, which is a prominent symbol throughout New Zealand. It’s called the silver fern because when the leaves are turned upside down, they refract light, yielding a metallic shine.
Zip lining isn’t for everyone. Guests under the age of 10 aren’t allowed to do it. There’s also a weight maximum, and the hike back requires a lot of mobility, so some members of our group opted for an alternative experience. One of our Adventure Guides took that group on the bus to Onetangi Beach, a part of the island with the highest real estate prices. It included some shopping opportunities in addition to restaurants and cafes for a relaxing wait while the rest of the group finished the zip line experience.
Back together again, it was time for lunch, which is advertised as a “Local Winery.” There are over 30 wineries on the island, and during our tour, we stopped at one called Mudbrick. The restaurant within was called The Archive, with an Italian menu that began with focaccia and fresh butter. For entrees, Guests could choose between salmon, gnocchi, or steak (Junior Adventurers had different options, the most popular of which was spaghetti). The meal also included one of three desserts, and wine was available for purchase.
The ferry back to Auckland departed at 4:00, and we had about an hour to explore Oneroa, the main shopping and dining area of the island. There are lots of locally owned shops, art galleries, cafes, and bars on this stretch of land, including the ability to purchase local wines and honey. A lot of artists also call the island home, so the streets are lined with sculptures and art galleries. Having seen the Little Penguins yesterday, this waddling family seemed like a fitting inclusion for this post.
As we boarded our ferry back to Auckland, the ticket agent surprised the group as the honorary distributor of our pin of the day. It features the title of the day’s itinerary, “Zip Me To Waiheke,” with one of Disney’s most fearless characters zipping through the jungle – Stitch.
Back in Auckland, Guests had the evening free for dinner on their own. Dusty and Danny had a list of recommendations based on each family’s interests and tastes. They also passed along information about tomorrow, which finds us saying goodbye to Auckland as we continue our tour of the North Island.
It was a lovely, cool autumn night in Auckland. We chose to skip dinner and go straight for dessert, as all anyone seems to talk about here is a flavor of ice cream called Hokey Pokey – vanilla with lumps of honeycomb toffee.
Our Adventure Guides told us the best place to get it is Giapo, a walk-up counter that redefines your expectations of an ice cream parlor. It did not disappoint, and now I can join the Kiwis in saying that hokey pokey ice cream is worth the hype.
And now it’s time for bed, with visions of honeycomb toffee lumps dancing in our heads. Check back each day to follow along on our Adventures by Disney trip to New Zealand.