The eleventh and final full day of the Adventures by Disney New Zealand itinerary started at 8:30 am with a 40-minute coach ride to Arrowtown, a preserved gold rush community. Its historic main street is lined with quaint shops and cafes, and the excursion began with some free time to explore. I found the Greenstone jewelry stores here to be among the nicest, and most reasonably priced, of the entire trip.
The advertised activity in Arrow Town was the E-Bike Ride Along Arrow River. Earlier in the trip, our Adventure Guides, Dusty and Danny, took a headcount for this activity, as there was a backup option for those who weren’t confident in their bike riding skills. There was a last chance to back out today, with a practice ride around a park to get the feel of an E-Bike, which came in handy for some of the uphill portions of the Arrow River Bridges Trail.
Outfitted with safety helmets, those who made it past the trial run were in for a treat. It was a breathtaking ride along the river, through forests, and past farms. There were a few stops for photos, as well as points to wait for our large group to catch back up again. The E-Bike made getting over large hills a breeze, but there were some difficult moments, including some tight turn switchbacks. The path also features several bridges. For safety, we would walk our bikes across them.
One of the farms along the trail also encourages riders to stop and interact with their goats, with food pellets available for purchase (which Adventures by Disney included in the trip).
The 90-minute E-Bike ride ended at the Kawarau Suspension Bridge, also known as Bungy Bridge, the birthplace of bungy jumping. This is where we reunited with those who opted for the alternate experience.
By the way, that alternate experience was the Lakes District Museum, which showcases what life was like in Arrowtown during the gold rush. Most of my party chose this more relaxed adventure and had a great time.
Boarding our coach, the bus ride from Kawarau Suspension Bridge to Gibbston Valley Winery was five minutes, if that. Adults could choose from one of four wines to accompany lunch, which was a harissa roasted chicken breast, side salad, and french fries, finished with a dessert of apple panna cotta.
Earlier in the trip, Danny and Dusty introduced a photo competition. The categories were nature, wildlife, funny, and Hidden Mickey. During lunch, they came around to see everyone’s submissions, taking notes and deliberating before choosing winners, who had to go around the room showing their photos. They also gathered some uniquely New Zealand prices for the winners.
After lunch, the Junior Adventurers stayed in the dining hall for a juice and soda tasting experience while the adults went to the Private Wine Cave Tour & Tasting.
This manmade cave is where all of the wines are stored before bottling. We got to try three wines – a white, a red, and a rosé.
Since all of these adventures occurred around Lake Wakatipu, the day’s theme was “Wakatipu Wonders.” We were given our pin of the day during the wine cave tour, which fittingly features Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who seems to have struck gold instead of diamonds.
Returning to Queenstown, we had two hours of free time before our final excursion. We met in the hotel lobby at 4:45 for a short walk to the lake to board the TSS Earnslaw for a historic ride to Walter Peak Station.
This historic vessel has been sailing since 1912. An interior sitting room had a reserved section just for our group, who were guaranteed a place to sit. But there was also reason to roam around.
A room at the front of the ship hosts a historical gallery about the TSS Earnslaw, with fun photos of the ship’s various uses throughout its century of sailing.
You can also visit the engine room via a catwalk, a great place to warm up. Other highlights include the open air front of the ship, and a bar that also sells souvenirs.
Having arrived at Walter Peak Farm, it was a short and scenic walk to the outdoor theater for our private dog herding presentation.
We got to meet Kim, a New Zealand Collie (also known as a New Zealand Eye Dog and a New Zealand Heading Dog). These dogs are naturals at herding sheep, and at Walter Peak Farm, sheep are raised for their wool.
We got to see Kim in action, corraling sheep on a hillside and getting them to move where she wants with just eye movements. Unlike other sheep herding dogs, New Zealand Collies “pull” the sheep to where they’re told to bring them, as opposed to the typical “push” method.
Since Kim is a working dog, her reward for a job well done is the type of love and affection typical house pets receive. Since Kim is so active, her meals are bountiful, so food payments aren’t as motivating to her. And while the demonstrator talked, Kim was free to roam around the group to get some pets from adventurers.
We’re used to just one pin of the day, so it was a surprise and delight when the demonstrator bestowed upon us a bonus pin. It reads “Sheep Thrills” and features Mickey Mouse herding two sheep, which are from the classic Disney short, Lambert the Sheepish Lion.
Another short walk led to our farewell dinner at Walter Peak Station, a beautiful Edwardian Era home surrounded by lush floral gardens.
Adventures by Disney reserved the library, where a banquet table was set up for this final gathering. Dinner was a buffet style, with a grill and carving station serving premium meats and incredible sauces. Danny and Dusty worked their magic, passing out celebration cards to anyone who was celebrating a birthday or anniversary with this trip. And out of nowhere, a projector and screen were set up to view our slideshow of the trip, reminding us of all the incredible adventures we had experienced together.
Back on the TSS Earnslaw, we sailed back to Queenstown under a blanket of stars. With so little light pollution, it was possible to see Crux, aka the Southern Cross, a constellation at the southern end of the Milky Way that can’t be seen from the United States. It was a crystal clear night, the perfect kind for making a wish.
Bonus: Day 12 – Departure
Our South Island bus driver, Jason, provided our coach transportation to the Queenstown Airport (Guests staying an extra day will be transported by chartered shuttle). Timing worked out in such a way that there only needed to be two departures. Since this was the final Adventures by Disney New Zealand trip of the season, Dusty left with the 9:00 am Adventurers for his trip back to the United States. We had the later departure at 12:30 pm with Danny.
As we arrived at the airport, Jason and Danny passed out the final pin of the day. Since this is Queenstown, it features the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.
Disney doesn’t say “goodbye,” they say “see ya real soon.” The Maori phrase “Haere Rā” can mean “goodbye,” but it can also mean “until we meet again.” So, until our next visit to New Zealand, Haere Rā!
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