Update:

As I'm planning the activities in New Zealand, I've learned that the 9 days I want to spend traveling across NZ is NOT enough time especially if I want to drive around the country. I wanted to couple my NZ trip with a 4 night stay in Sydney but have made the really really hard decision to skip Sydney and spend the extra 4 days in NZ.

Now that I've found some extra time...I've made a rough itinerary.

SFO-AKL(Lands at 6am)

1) Auckland - 2 days: Not too sure the activities yet
2) Matamata - 1/2 day: Hobbitton Tour and ???
3) Waitomo - 1/2 day: Glow Worm Cave and ???
4) Rotorua - 2 days: Luge, OGO, Te Puia. There seems to be a lot of activities here.
5) Wellington - 2 days: Cable Car/Mt. Victoria

Ferry to Picton

6) Nelson - 1 day: Abel Tasman National Park
7) Franz Josef - 1 day: Tour the glacier - Ice Explorer Tour?
8) Lake Tekapo - 1/2 day: Star Gazing
9) Queenstown - 3 days: Milford Sound + Coronet Peak and ???

ZQN-AKL-SFO

Am I missing any of the "must sees"? As I'm doing my research...I just realized how much more this trip will cost! It seems like there is a fee for everything I want to see! Hobbitton, Glow worm cave, Te Puia, Ice Explorer tour, etc etc.

Questions:
1) Are there any discounts for the things I want to see/do? Should I book the tours online prior to departing to AKL?
2) Which Ice Explorer tour option do you guys recommend?
3) I've not looked at car rental yet, but I was going to try redeeming my Hertz points...if there is a Hertz in NZ?
4) For Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown, I was going to look to stay at some of the US chains...Hilton? For everywhere else, say Rotorua, Franz Josef area, and Nelson, do you guys have any recommendations. I'm looking for rooms that cost in the low 100s. I would pay for a nice view!

Thank you all for the help in making this a one heck of a trip! I will continue to update my itinerary as I go.