Previously known as Chessington Zoo, Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Chessington World of Adventures Resort | |
| Location | Leatherhead Road,Chessington KT9 2NE,Greater London, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°20′55″N0°19′00″W / 51.34861°N 0.31667°W /51.34861; -0.31667 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened |
|
| Owner | Merlin Entertainments |
| General manager | Nick Bevan |
| Slogan | We've got it! |
| Operating season | Theme Park: February – December (Full park offering between March - November) Zoo & SeaLife Centre: Year-round Safari Hotel Year-round Azteca Hotel Year-round ' |
| Attendance | 2022: 1,500,000 ( 3%) |
| Area | 128 acres (0.52 km2; 52 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 34 |
| Roller coasters | 4 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | www.chessington.com |
Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a 128 acres (52 hectares)theme park,zoo andhotel complex inChessington,Greater London,England, around 12 miles (19 km) southwest ofCentral London. The complex originally opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931; the theme park aspect was developed byThe Tussauds Group, debuting on 7 July 1987 as one of the first combined animal-amusement parks in the UK.[1] The theme park, which features over 40 rides, is owned byMerlin Entertainments,[2] following its merger with The Tussauds Group in 2007.[3] Under Merlin, Chessington has been increasingly developed into a resort and tourist destination, including two on-site hotels, swimming pools, a spa, and fitness facilities.
TheChessington Zoo has over 1,000 animals, includingwestern lowland gorillas andsea lions. It is split up into several areas; Trail of the Kings, Sea Lion Bay, Children's Zoo, Amazu, Penguin Bay, aSea Life Centre and Wanyama Village and Reserve.
Chessington World of Adventures was ranked in 2022 as the twentieth most-visited park in the UK, with an attendance of roughly 1.5 million guests, behindAlton Towers,Thorpe Park andLegoland Windsor.[4] In 2020, due to restrictions associated with theCOVID-19 pandemic, the park experienced an unexpectedly short operating season and temporarily closed its gates. Despite a significant drop in attendance during the pandemic, Chessington actually ranked as the third most-visited park in the UK for 2020 with .51 million visitors, behind Alton Towers and Thorpe Park.[5]
Chessington World of Adventures features different themed areas, loosely inspired by a range of world cultures, with 'Adventure Point' at its centre. 'Shipwreck Coast' is a nautical harbour town, 'Wild Woods' is a Central European-styled area, 'Forbidden Kingdom' mirrors the ancient Middle East, and 'Land of the Tiger' reflects theFar East.[6] Major attractions include:Vampire,Dragon's Fury,KOBRA,Tiger Rock,The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure andMandrill Mayhem.
The mansion at Chessington World of Adventures Resort known today as the Burnt Stub was originally built in 1348, inChessington,Surrey.[7] In theEnglish Civil War it became a royalist stronghold, andOliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces razed it to the ground. The Burnt Stub site was rebuilt as an inn, until the 18th century, when the Vere Barker family rebuilt it in neo-gothic Victorian style.[1]
Chessington Zoo opened in 1931 and was founded by Reginald Stuart Goddard, who had bought the estate to showcase his private collection of animals.[7] It was once the largest private zoo in England.[8] After Goddard died in 1946, thePearson Publishing Company took over the zoo and managed it until 1978, whenThe Tussauds Group, a new subsidiary of the Pearson Group,[9] took over its management.[10]
In 1984, due to the zoo's declining attendance, Tussauds commissioned a team includingJohn Wardley to redevelop the park as atheme park.[11] On 7 July 1987 Chessington World of Adventures opened to the public in a ceremony including Prince Edward.[12]
In its first year, the park opened with theroller coasterRunaway Mine Train, thelog flumeDragon River, themonorailSafari Skyway, thedark rideThe 5th Dimension, and theChessington Railroad as the main attractions (all supplied by the German ride manufacturerHeinrich Mack GmbH & Co). Smuggler's Galleon (a swinging ride) reached heights of 20 meters; it was later renamed Black Buccaneer.[13]
The new park development adopted a pay-once price structure as opposed to the fairground's former pay-per-ride format. Other support rides were also opened and the park opened five themed areas: Calamity Canyon, Mystic East, Market Square, Toy Town and Circus World. The park was built on a relatively small budget of around £12 million.[citation needed]
In 1988,Smugglers' Galleon was opened in a small new area named Smugglers' Cove.
The 1990 season saw the park expand with the new Transylvania area, featuringThe Vampire (opening and still operating as the only suspended rollercoaster outside of America) andProf. Burp's Bubble Works.[14]
In 1994, the Forbidden Kingdom area was opened, including the newTerror Tomb dark ride replacing The 5th Dimension. The area was expanded the following season withRameses Revenge, the park's first inverting ride.[7] Also new for 1995 was an expansion of theToy Town area,Seastorm in Pirates' Cove and theCarousel.[14][7] By 1997, the park had a maximum capacity of 15,000 guests.[15]
In 1998, theRattlesnake wild mouse coaster opened in Calamity Canyon. In 1999, Chessington opened the thrill rideSamurai in the Mystic East.
In 2000, Beanoland opened on the former site of Circus World, with the new ridesBilly's Whizzer andRodger the Dodger's Dodgems.[14]
From this point, Chessington's development changed direction to focus exclusively on younger families, following nearby Thorpe Park being acquired by the Tussauds Group in 1998 and its future development planned as a park for older families and teenagers.[7][16] Both parks are located 20 miles from each other.
In 2004, the Land of the Dragons area opened, with the new family coaster Dragon's Fury. Also that year, Samurai was relocated to Thorpe Park and swapped for the Eclipse Ferris wheel, renamedPeeking Heights.
In 2007, The Tussauds Group was merged withMerlin Entertainments Ltd, which owned other brands such asSea Life Centres. 2008 saw the opening of the ChessingtonSea Life Centre.
The Wild Asia area was opened in 2010, featuring the new Kobra ride, as a revamp to the Beanoland area.[12] Also in 2010, the Wanyama reserve was opened, giving the Safari hotel guests a view of animals.[17] In 2011 the Ocean Tunnel and surrounding rooms in the Sea Life Centre were re-themed to Azteca. In 2012 a small new land named Africa replaced the ToyTown area.[18]
In 2013, Chessington introducedZufari: Ride Into Africa, with visitors touring a new zoo area in a safari truck.[18]
Park developments for 2014 included the revamp of the Runaway Train asScorpion Express andAmazu Treetop Adventure, a children's raised play area within the zoo. The park's annual Halloween event was rebrandedHowl'O'Ween. Over the festive period Chessington launched the newWinter's Tail event, featuring a new seasonal showA Christmas Gift, as well as market stalls and a 60 ft Christmas tree. Attendance rose to 2.05 million guests in 2014, the second highest figure in the park's history, which previously peaked in 1995.
2015 introduced an updatedPenguins of Madagascar Live: Operation Cheezy Dibbles show on the Madagascar stage, a rethemed "Jungle Bouncers" as "Penguins of Madagascar Mission: Treetop Hoppers" and "Penguin Bay", and a refurbished enclosure for the Zoo'sHumboldt penguins, together advertised as "Year of the Penguins". Chessington's attendance fell in 2015 to 1.65 million. The long-runningSafari Skyway monorail closed midway through the year, after 29 years of service.
Little was changed during the 2016 season, a small live show namedPandamonium opened near the zoo, aGo Ape high ropes course opened, and Trail of the Kings received some new decoration.Tomb Blaster was refurbished with allLEDUV lighting and newlaser gun system.
In 2017,The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure opened, replacingBubbleworks, as well as the original Carousel being replaced with a newer, themed carousel named "The Chessington Adventure Tree". In 2018, the Mystic East area was rethemed as Land of the Tiger, with three new tiger enclosures, four tigers fromKolmården Wildlife Park, Dragon Falls rethemed asTiger Rock and Peeking Heights removed.
In 2019, the3D walkthrough attraction,Hocus Pocus Hall, was replaced by Room on the Broom – A Magical Journey. During the year, Chessington announced that Black Buccaneer would not open for 2019, and later that Rameses Revenge would close at the end of the season.
2020 saw the opening of a small new area named The Rainforest, with three attractions: a kids track ride, Jungle Rangers, a relocated mini log flume fromWeymouthSealife named River Rafts, and the rethemed Treetop Hoppers ride. The Flying Jumbos Ride was also relocated and rethemed into Elmers Flying Jumbos based on thechildren's book. 2021 saw a new family drop tower 'Croc Drop' open, replacing Rameses Revenge.Blue Barnacle also opened to replace Black Buccaneer.
2022 saw a retheme and refresh of the Pirates' Cove themed area as Shipwreck Coast, with the addition of two new rides. These are 'Barrel Bail Out', a Watermania ride, and 'Trawler Trouble', a Rockin' Tug relocated from Thorpe Park. Jungle Bus in Wild Asia was removed during this season and reopened in 2023.[19] 2022 saw a new carnival event 'Mardi Grrra!' running from 27 May to 26 June.[20]
2023 saw the opening of a new land on 15 May, 'World ofJumanji'. The new area features aB&M Shuttle Launched Wing coaster, and twoSBF Visa Group attractions.[21]
The Scorpion Express section of Mexicana and the adjacent Children's Zoo were closed for redevelopment during the 2024 season to make way for a newPaw Patrol-themed area. The revamped section is scheduled to open in the spring of 2026, and will feature a newZierer Force roller coaster designed specifically for younger riders. This new attraction will replace the now-defunct Scorpion Express, which was removed as part of the ongoing redevelopment project.
The Wild Asia-themed area was closed during the 2025 season in preparation for its transformation into aMinecraft-themed area, slated to open in the 2027 season. As part of this redevelopment, theKOBRA attraction will be relocated and rethemed, while a new indoor roller coaster byIntamin will be introduced.
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In June 2007, the park opened theSafari Hotel, initially operated by Holiday Inn.[16]
In 2014, "nearly £15 million" was invested in the resort as the whole, with an extension built to the existing hotel, advertised as the "Azteca Hotel".[17] The Safari Hotel also received a second pool.[12]
Explorer Glamping was launched in May 2016, on the field behind Wild Asia. In 2025, the area was closed as part of the future redevelopment of Wild Asia.
In 2023, at the fourth annual UK Theme Park Awards, Chessington World of Adventures won a number of gold, silver and bronze awards.[22] It managed to win the gold Awards in the following categories: Theme Park of the Year, Best New Attraction, Best Theme Park with Animals and Best Marketing Campaign.[22]
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon's Fury |  | Steelspinning coaster | 2004 | Land Of The Dragons | Maurer Söhne | Family spinning rollercoaster. 1771 ft long track (540m);[23] Xtended CS 3000 model.[23] It also has a sister coaster atAlton Towers namedSpinball Whizzer. |
| Mandrill Mayhem |  | Shuttlelaunchwing coaster | 2023 | World of Jumanji | Bolliger & Mabillard | Alaunched,shuttleWing Coaster designed bySwiss roller coaster manufacturerBolliger & Mabillard. The ride is located within the new for 2023, World of Jumanji themed area, themed to theJumanji franchise. The 1,247-foot-long (380 m) ride stands 66 feet (20 m) tall and features one inversion – an inline twist, two LSM launches, a junior scorpion tail spike and a 405° spiral rollback. Riders experience speeds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h).[24] |
| Rattlesnake |  | Steelwild mouse | 1998 | Mexicana | Maurer Söhne | Wild mouse (car 2+2) that reaches a speed of 28 mph (45 km) on a 1213 ft long track (370 m) and a height of 49 ft (15 m).[25] |
| Vampire |  | Suspended floorless coaster | 1990 | Wild Woods | Arrow Dynamics /Vekoma | Originally anArrow suspended swinging coaster, but refurbished with floorlessVekoma trains in 2002. Reaches a speed of 45 mph (73 km) on a 2200 ft long track (670 m).[26] |
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOBRA |  | Disk'O Coaster | 2010 | Wild Asia | Zamperla | Riders sit in a motorcycle-like position in outward-facing seats at the edge of the circular ride platform.[27] Closed for the 2025 season to be relocated as part of a future area development. |
| Mamba Strike |  | Miami | 2023 | World of Jumanji | SBF Visa Group | AnSBF Visa Group Top Dancer ride located on the east of the World of Jumanji. 9.75m wide, reaching heights of 6.4m. 1.2m height restriction.[28] |
| Ostrich Stampede | N/a | Frog jump | 2023 | World of Jumanji | SBF Visa Group | AnSBF Visa Group Super Jumper ride located on the west of the World of Jumanji. 1.2m height restriction.[28] |
| Seastorm |  | Sea Storm | 1995 | Shipwreck Coast | Mack Rides | A Mack SeaStorm ride.[29] Riders sit in a boat that rises up and down, simulating a sea storm. As the platform spins, the boat also slowly spins on its own axis. |
| Blue Barnacle |  | Swinging ship | 2021 | Shipwreck Coast | Metallbau Emmeln | A replacement swinging pirate ship for the now defunctBlack Buccaneer. Opened Spring 2021. Has 10 rows, seating a total of 42 passengers per ride. |
| Croc Drop |  | Drop tower | 2021 | Forbidden Kingdom | SBF Visa Group | A family drop tower replacing the now closedRameses Revenge. The ride is themed around theEgyptian crocodile God calledSobek. |
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure |  | Dark ride | 1990 | Wild Woods | Merlin Magic Making / Leisuretec | Rethemed to The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure in 2017, the attraction is a slow-moving boat water ride based onThe Gruffalo series of children's books. Guests follow Mouse into the woods, meeting some other Gruffalo characters along the way. Replaced theBubbleworks. |
| Tomb Blaster |  | Dark ride | 1987 | Forbidden Kingdom | Tussauds Studios /Mack Rides | Rethemed to Tomb Blaster in 2002, the dark ride is themed around destroying an ancient curse, where riders shootlaser guns at targets for points, which are displayed on the cart. Originally opened asThe Fifth Dimension, thenTerror Tomb.[30] |
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Rock |  | Flume ride | 1987 | Land Of The Tiger | Mack Rides | Rethemed to Tiger Rock in 2018, the log flume features two drops, one into a tunnel and one through a tiger mouth. The ride is oriental themed, originally namedDragon River, and opened with the original theme park development in 1987.[31] |
| River Rafts | Flume ride | 2020 | The Rainforest | ABC Engineering | A mini log flume ride around the Rainforest area. Designed with younger children in mind as a good alternative for those too small to ride the park's main, much larger log flume,Tiger Rock. The ride was originally located atWeymouthSealife. | |
| Barrel Bail Out |  | Watermania ride | 2022 | Shipwreck Coast | Zamperla | A Zamperla Watermania ride, with nautical theming including a lighthouse operating console. Opening alongside 'Trawler Trouble', in the newly refreshed Shipwreck Coast area, for the 2022 season. |
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room on the Broom — A Magical Journey |  | House of mirrors | 2003 | Chessington Zoo | Merlin Magic Making | A walkaround attraction based on the children's book byJulia Donaldson.[1] Visitors to the walk-in mansion under 1.1 meter must be accompanied by an adult.[32] Originally opened asHocus Pocus Hall in 2003. |
| Zufari: Ride into Africa! |  | Guided safari | 2013 | Wanyama | Merlin Magic Making | An off-road safari truck tour that takes riders into the plains of Zufari.[33] Increased annual park attendance by 15.4%. |
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canopy Capers |  | Tree house | 2004 | Land Of The Dragons | Tussauds Studios | Children's tree house climbing attraction that interlocks withDragon's Fury[31] |
| Dragon's Playhouse |  | Playhouse | 2004 | Land Of The Dragons | Tussauds Studios | Soft play area, height limit 1.4m max. |
| Griffin's Galleon |  | Kontiki | 2004 | Land Of The Dragons | Zierer | Small spinning pirate ship for children, the ride has a track length of about fifty feet, and 21 feet of height.[34] |
| Sea Dragons |  | Boat Ride | 2004 | Land Of The Dragons | Mack Rides | Small children's boat ride.[31] |
| The Chessington Adventure Tree |  | Carousel | 2017 | Adventure Point | Bertazzon | A themed carousel. |
| Elmer's Flying Jumbos |  | Mini Jet Red Baron | 1987 | Adventure Point | Preston & Barbieri | A spinning children's ride in which riders control how high they go, with elephant-themed cabs.[35] Rethemed and moved as Elmer's Flying Jumbos for 2020. |
| Tiny Truckers |  | Convoy ride | 1994 | Adventure Point | Zamperla | Small driving attraction that usually makes two laps of its course.[32] |
| Temple of Mayhem |  | Playhouse | 2002 | Wild Asia | Merlin Entertainments Studios | Play area with three floors, guests fire foam balls at one another. Height limit 1.4m max. Originally opened asDennis's Madhouse. Closed for the 2025 season as part of the parks preparations for a rumouredMinecraft themed land. |
| Treetop Hoppers |  | Mini drop tower | 2001 | The Rainforest | Zamperla | Junior drop towers for younger children. Previously known as Berry Bouncers, "Jungle Bouncers" and Penguins of Madagascar Mission: Treetop Hoppers. Located in The New Area for 2020 The Rainforest. |
| Jungle Rangers | Convoy ride | 2020 | The Rainforest | Garmendale | Driving attraction. All ages, children under 1.1 meters must be accompanied by an adult.[36] Replaced Toadies Crazy Cars which closed in 2019. | |
| Amazu Treetop Adventure |  | Tree house | 2014 | Amazu | Merlin Entertainments Studios | Climbing frame with incorporated animals. No maximum height limit. |
| Trawler Trouble |  | Rockin' Tug | 2022 | Shipwreck Coast | Zamperla | A Zamperla Rockin' Tug, that previously operated as 'Timber Tug Boat' at Thorpe Park. Opened alongside 'Barrel Bail Out', in the newly refreshed Shipwreck Coast area, for the 2022 season. |
Many of the rides and areas at the park have been re-themed over the years, while others have moved to other theme parks and been replaced.[29]
In recent years, several investments have taken place in the resort in an attempt to recover from the visitor numbers lost from theCOVID-19 pandemic and to remain competitive with other theme parks, includingUniversal's planned park in Bedford.[45]
In December 2024, the park submitted plans for a new themed land to replace theScorpion Express rollercoaster. The land is designed to cater to pre-school children and is suspected to feature aPaw Patrol theme. The park aim for an early 2026 opening.[46] Announced as the World of Paw Patrol and attractions' names revealed in February 2026.[47]
| Name | Type | Opened | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase's Mountain Mission | Children'sroller coaster | 2026 | Zierer | A children's rollercoaster, featuring a helix. Will feature a mirrored layout to that of Famyard Flyer atPaultons Park, which is aZierer Force coaster. |
| Zuma's Hovercraft Adventure | Drifter | 2026 | Zierer | AZierer Drifter ride. Reminiscent of a classicWhip ride, each car will feature a lever, which when pulled allows the car to drift out as the ride spins. |
| Skye's Helicopter Heroes | Samba tower | 2026 | Zamperla | AZamperla Samba tower, standing at 10.93m tall. |
| Marshall's Firetruck Rescue | Crazy bus | 2026 | Zamperla | AZamperla Crazy bus relocated from the Wild Asia area where it operated as Jungle Bus. |
In November 2024, the park submitted plans for an immersive new land to replace the Wild Asia themed area. The area will feature 3 rides including an indoor rollercoaster, restaurant and shop. The land is to be themed toMinecraft.[48]
| Name | Type | Opened | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rollercoaster | Multi dimension coaster | 2027 | Intamin | A predominantly indoor, Multi dimensionroller coaster manufactured byIntamin. |
| Immersive Flat Ride | Spinning ride | 2027 | unknown | An 'immersive indoor' secondary attraction. |
| RelocatedKobra Flat Ride | Disk'O | 2027 | Zamperla | The existingKobra ride will be relocated and rethemed as part of this land. |
In line with Merlin Entertainments' ambition to invest in short break offerings, there are plans to develop 34 Safari Lodges in the Wanyama Village.[49]
On 16 November 2022, Chessington held a public consultation regarding plans to create an indoor water park as an extension to the Safari Hotel. A public consultation closed on 30 November and plans were submitted on 30 June 2023.[50]
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Over the years, Chessington held a variety of events to enhance the guest experience. Themed park-wide takeovers through means of new shows, soundtracks, custom food and retail items, and additional theming were seen largely between 2022-2024 with Eggsplorers, Mardi Grrra, Wilderfest, and Summer Festival.
On select days in October and November, Chessington hosts its biggest event – Howl'o'ween, previously known as Halloween Hocus Pocus. During the event the park is decorated for Halloween with various large theming elements.[51] During the event, several shows run on different stages, and walkthrough scare attractions are available. On some event days, rides operate in the dark due to extended opening hours.
| Year | Attractions (number of seasons) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Original Event | ||||
| 2004 | Scooby-Doo Event | ||||
| 2005 | |||||
| 2006 | Star Wars Event | ||||
| 2007 | Hocus Pocus Hall: Bewitched (6) | ||||
| 2008 | |||||
| 2009 | Black Forest Haunt (3) | ||||
| 2010 | |||||
| 2011 | The Krypt (1) | ||||
| 2012 | Vampire: The Haunting in the Hollows (3) | ||||
| 2013 | The Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall (2) | ||||
| 2014 | |||||
| 2015 | Curse of the Lost Tomb (4) | Trick or Treat Wood (5) | |||
| 2016 | |||||
| 2017 | Creepy Caves Unearthed (3) | ||||
| 2018 | |||||
| 2019 | Spyders (1) | ||||
| 2020 | The Forgotten Forest (2) | Creepy Caves: Resurgence (2) | |||
| 2021 | Vile Villagers (4) | ||||
| 2022 | Creepy Caves: Elimination (1) | ||||
| 2023 | Enchanted Hollow: Trick or Treat (3) | ||||
| 2024 | |||||
| 2025 | Stone Watchers: Vampire's Lair (1) | ||||
– Previous Howl'o'ween attraction. – Current Howl'o'ween attraction.
Winter's Tail is Chessington's Christmas event which runs from late November through to the new year. The resort opens with Christmas decorations and the 'Christmas Village' next to Sea Lion Bay, where children can meet Santa Claus in his Grotto and explore the 'Enchanted Hollow: Toy Workshop'. Some rides are open, including, but not limited to, the entire World of Jumanji, andThe Gruffalo River Ride Adventure. The majority of the zoo is also available.[52] A pantomime show on the 'Mane Stage' runs daily as well as singing from Christmas carollers in Adventure Point.
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Chessington World of Adventures opened on 6 July 1987. Its main ethos centres around the idea of bringing together a collection of the different cultures and experiences from around the world; a considerable amount of the park is built on the stereotypical setting of each area it is focused on. Major attractions include:Vampire,Dragon's Fury,KOBRA,Zufari: Ride into Africa,Mandrill Mayhem andCroc Drop.[38]
The theme park comprises 11 themed lands, each with a cultural setting.[7] The central area of the park, Adventure Point, resembles an old English market town, whereas Land of the Tiger is themed around China with the water rideTiger Rock being there since 1987, but being rethemed to Tiger Rock (and the surrounding area) in 2018. Mexicana is inspired by a small town inAmerica's old far-west.[14] Shipwreck Coast is a nautical adventure land.[54] Wild Woods is modeled on a central European high street withBavaria in Germany and theTransylvania region of Romania as its key influences.[26] Forbidden Kingdom is based onAncient Egypt with hieroglyphics carved onto its surroundings.[7] Wanyama Village and Reserve is based on anAfrican Safari, and the Rainforest is based on theAmazon. Land of the Dragons is one of the two "fantasy" themed area of the theme park and is a self-contained dragon-themed land with rides mostly for young children except forDragons Fury, a big spinning rollercoaster that surrounds the area.[14] The other one is World of Jumanji, which is based on themovies of the same name, with mostly thrill rides in the area.
| 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Square | Adventure Point | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mystic East | Land of the Tiger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calamity Canyon | Mexicana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Circus World | Beanoland | Wild Asia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toy Town | Africa | Rainforest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smugglers' Cove | Pirates' Cove | Shipwreck Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transylvania | Wild Woods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forbidden Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Land of the Dragons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World of Jumanji | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adventure Point is the central area of the park, it features a selection of shops, restaurants, smaller outlets including hotdog and doughnut units and guest services, as well as the Chessington Adventure Tree carousel, which was added in 2017[32] The area has mostly Tudor and early Georgian architecture, featuring details such as hanging baskets and boxed plants. Rides includeTiny Truckers andElmer's Flying Jumbos. In the centre of Adventure Point is a large compass feature in the ground. The compass points guests in the direction of all the resort locations, it includes: theme park lands, some zoo areas, the Sea Life centre and the hotels. The area was named 'Market Square' until 2017.[check quotation syntax]
Themed as aMexican-inspired square and aFar West town in theAmerican's Old West, the Mexicana area was named 'Calamity Canyon' until 1999.[14]Rattlesnake,[55] a steel sit-downWild Mouse roller coaster, opened in 1998.[25] Also featured,Scorpion Express was a mine train themed roller coaster, originally named theRunaway Train from its opening in 1987. It was designed with an interacting cave feature and an extensively designed queueline above the surrounding buildings, around a lake and down into an underground mine, until a redesign in 2014, when the ride was changed to be completely in the open with new theming and renamed 'Scorpion Express'. It closed in 2022 and was subsequently demolished in 2025 to make way for future development.
Shipwreck Coast is an area adjacent to Adventure Point, originally themed to a Cornish fishing village. Rides include theBlue Barnacle, aswinging pirate ship andSeastorm, a circular family boat ride that simulates a sea storm. The area was previously known as Pirates' Cove until the 2022 season, when it received a nautical retheme and overhaul, with the addition of two new attractions. These areBarrel Bail Out, a watermania ride andTrawler Trouble, a Rockin' Tug relocated from Thorpe Park.[56]
Until the end of the 2017 season named "Mystic East", this is an oriental-themed area built around theTiger Rocklog flume (previouslyDragon River).[57]
In July 2017, Chessington filed for planning permission to partially redesign the area to include new tiger enclosures, including walkways over guests' heads, and a new themed feature for the log flume, to be renamedTiger Rock. The park's ferris wheel Peeking Heights was demolished to make way for the tiger enclosures. The area closed for redevelopment on 10 September 2017, reopened in 2018.[citation needed] The ride has two drops, one with a rock tunnel, the other going through a tiger rock mouth. The area has been re-decorated and re-designed, with a new entrance by Land of the Dragons and Wild Asia.
The area, originally named 'Transylvania', was created in 1990,[14] modeled on a mock Barvarian town street, with tall European Architecture. It opened with two major attractions,The Vampire andProf. Burp's BubbleWorks.Vampire is a steelsuspended floorless coaster.[26] The originalArrow Dynamics trains were replaced withVekoma trains during a closed season in 2001, reopening in 2002.[58][59]Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks was a dark water ride that took guests through an animated fizzy pop factory. For 2006, it was rethemed to anImperial Leather toiletries factory.[29] Bubbleworks closed on 6 September 2016 and was replaced byThe Gruffalo River Ride Adventure in March 2017.
The area was created as a quaint, 'Central-European' town square to one side, where the entrance toProf. Burp's BubbleWorks, shops and eateries were located amongst the town buildings, then a path set back from the town leads to the castle entrance ofThe Vampire. After the park's various changes of management, the area was repeatedly changed in a piecemeal fashion to more of a haunted Halloween style, though most of the fascia remains under various repaints and alterations. Vampire's entrance was moved to an unthemed metal archway in 2001 and the original BubbleWorks entrance recycled as a 'Fastrack' queue in recent years.[citation needed]
In 2017, the park renamed Transylvania to "Wild Woods", in relation to theGruffalo River Ride Adventure attraction opening that year, though the area itself was largely unchanged.[60]
AnAncient Egyptian area, Forbidden Kingdom was created in 1994 originally opening with theTerror Tomb dark ride. Currently, it only contains two rides;Tomb Blaster andCroc Drop.
Opening in 2002Tomb Blaster is adark ride shoot out game where riders shoot laser guns at targets and is a retheme of the 'Terror Tomb' dark ride. One side of Forbidden Kingdom is architecturally designed as anArabic market town, whileTomb Blaster is set in anAncient Egyptian courtyard tomb area, though much detail has been removed throughout the area over the years.[citation needed]
The second attraction located in Forbidden Kingdom is a brand new family drop towerCroc Drop. The ride opened as a replacement toRameses Revenge in March 2021, and is themed around the Egyptian crocodile godSobek. The ride's slogan is, "Brave the drop, release the curse!".
Land of the Dragons is the park's main children's area.[14] Opening in 2004, it is a self-contained,dragon-themed land containing rides and attractions designed to appeal to very young children apart from one. It is one of the two areas of the park not themed to a time or place from world culture. There are two play areas in the land:Dragon's Playhouse, a large soft play area, and adjacent to this isCanopy Capers, an outdoor treehouserope bridge attraction.Griffin's Galleon is aKontiki rock'n'tug ride andSea Dragons is a spinning boat ride.[61]
Aside from the children's attractions,Dragon's Fury is an intensespinning roller coaster encompassing the area with its layout.[23]
The Rainforest is a small area aimed at families. Its architecture is recycled from the previous "Toytown" theme, with the original caricatured buildings redressed as African huts. Its previous name "Africa" has been home of theMadagascar franchise since opening in 2012. In 2020 it was refurbished as The Rainforest with a new mini log flume, River Rafts, relocated fromWeymouthSea Life Centre.[citation needed]
Wanyama Village & Reserve is Chessington's African area in the form of a large animal reserve. It hasZUFARI – Ride into Africa! as the key attraction, a safari truck adventure through an undiscovered area ofAfrica.[35] Making up part of the ZUFARI landscape is the Wanayama Village and Reserve,[62] an African themed area of the zoo. The ZUFARI field and Wanyama Reserve are used as a backdrop to the Safari Hotel. ZUFARI's total size is 22 acres and has flamingos, giraffe, ostrich, Nile lechwe, white rhino, Grevy's zebra, scimitar horned oryx and sitatungas. Along the pathways of Zufari are various African-style paintings on fences. In the centre of the Wanyama section of ZUFARI is a large faux-stone carving of a lion. A winding waterfall runs along its side. The area's name was changed in 2020 from ZUFARI to Wanyama Village & Reserve.[35]
Chessington's newest themed area, 'The World ofJumanji' opened on 15 May 2023, becoming Chessington's 11th themed area. The area features aB&M Shuttle Launched Wing coaster,Mandrill Mayhem and twoSBF Visa Group attractions, Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede. As well as three rides, the area features extensive theming, immersive 'carnival style' games, themed food and retail experiences, and finally play equipment and a treasure hunt around the area.
The operating season usually starts around 20 March and runs until the start of November. Chessington also opens around Christmas holidays and the February half terms for certain events, which include opening up some selective rides for those events.
In 1931, Reginald Goddard opened the Chessington Zoo. In 1946 when Goddard died, thePearson Publishing Company took over thezoo and managed it until 1978, whenThe Tussauds Group took control of the park.[1] A number of animals were moved to other zoos during the construction of the theme park. In 1990 thepolar bears left the park, as did thehippos andelephants in 1993. In 1994 thesnow leopards were relocated to thelion andtiger area.[14] For a time the attraction was called Animal Land, before returning to Chessington Zoo in 2007.[14]
The zoo is generally open simultaneously with the theme park, but also remains open over the winter when the theme park is closed.[63] Zoo entrance is included with the standard ticket price.
As of 2015 the zoo has over 1,000 animals, many of which are endangered and some beingextinct in the wild.[64] Chessington Zoo is split up into different areas and walkthroughs. Therhea,mara,wallabies,meerkats andagouti were previously the Monkey Walk area. Monkey Walk was replaced by Creatures Features which in turn was later replaced by the Wanyama Village in 2010. There is also a Children's Zoo, where children may feed domestic farm animals.[14]
TheSafari Skyway, an elevated monorail with an entrance in the Market Square theme park area, takes riders around various animal enclosures at the zoo.[32] The ride closed in 2015 due to cost of continued maintenance. An animal presentation in front of the Burnt Stub Mansion hosts the Animal Antics show at different times throughout the day.[65] Near the entrance to the Zoo, there are enclosures forotters andreindeer.[64] Chessington Zoo also has an area called Sealion Bay, which featuressea lion presentations several times a day.
The Trails of the Kings; a walkthrough attraction home to enclosures forwestern lowland gorillas,Asiatic lions,fossa,Carpathian lynx, andbinturong.[64] In 2007 the Trail of the Kings section of the zoo underwent an inspection with the outcome that the gorilla enclosure was too small.[66] A bigger building for the gorillas was completed in 2010.[citation needed] As of 2013, there are 10 gorillas at Chessington, as well as two infants born in 2012.[64][needs update]
The Wanyama Village & Reserve opened in late May 2010, in an area behind the Safari Hotel and houses animals such asGrévy's zebra,sitatunga antelope,ostrich,dorcas gazelle,Nile lechwe,fennec fox,dwarf mongoose,southern ground hornbill,Kirk's dik-dik,Aloatran gentle lemur,black-cheeked lovebird,crested porcupine,meerkats,scimitar horned oryx,common eland andAnkole cattle. It is part of the ZUFARI animal reserve.[14] The area is open to guests staying in the Safari Hotel during the evening.
The AMAZU Treetop Adventure opened in April 2014 on the former site of the Monkey & Bird Garden. The area features adventure trail walkways, play areas and Aztec theming. The area hasspider monkeys,saki monkeys,red-handed tamarins,golden-headed lion tamarins,Bolivian squirrel monkeys,Geoffroy marmosets,capybara,military macaws,Ecuadorian red-lored amazons,giant wood rail,agouti andthree-banded armadillo. The animals in the area can either be viewed on ground or through the Amazu raised walkways, some of which, go through the enclosures.
Penguin Bay is a new area that opened in March 2015 as part of the Year of the Penguins. It features the long time residents of Chessington ZooHumboldt penguins in a beach themed area. Seating for the demonstrations is aboard a shipwreck with a canopy. The new enclosure features glass walls to allow for better public viewing.[citation needed]
In 2008, Chessington Zoo openedChessington Sea Life Centre on the site of the old children's Zoo, as an attempt to both determine if the park had a positive future and also to attract more multi-day visits.[14] The Sea Life Centre, which is part of a franchise operated byMerlin Entertainments, has a number of exhibits including a Ray Pool and atouch pool. The Sea Life Centre is split into four areas: Our Shoreline, The Reef, Amazonia and Azteca which features the signature Ocean Tunnel.
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"Our Shoreline" is the oldest area and has sea creatures found on the coast of Britain, featuringrays,seahorses andstarfish. The area also has smaller exhibits includingclownfish andcrabs. The Touch Pool is also found here, in the centre of the area. The following area is named "The Reef", which featuresclownfish,cleaner shrimp,regal tang,slipper lobster andupside-down jellyfish
Next to this area is Amazonia, which opened in 2009.[14] It is a slightly smaller version of the same exhibit that has appeared at other Sea Life Centres.[14] It includesred-bellied piranhas,common octopus,tetras and other, smaller exhibits.
Azteca opened in 2011,[14] it features a 10-meter Ocean Tunnel, which has sea creatures including:bonnethead sharks,lion fish,starry pufferfish,surgeon fish,angle fish,catshark andepaulette shark. The tunnel existed before the 2011 addition but was redeveloped for the arrival of new fish. Aside from the Ocean Tunnel, Azteca also hasjellyfish,seahorse andnorthern wolffish. The placement of the area has resulted in the division of the Our Shoreline area, which is now separated into two areas.
Currently, Chessington World of Adventures operate two on-site hotels and aGlamping experience.
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The Safari Hotel is a four star hotel themed to appear like a Safari Lodge. It was originally named the Safari Lodge Hotel in 2007, before changing to the Chessington Resort Hotel in 2010. The hotel was then refurbished and relaunched for 2014 and has since been known simply as the Safari Hotel.[67]
The hotel opened in June 2007 and was originally operated byHoliday Inn until it was fully taken over by Merlin Entertainments in May 2014.[16] The hotel features various African elements with giraffe sculptures in the foyer and Zafari Bar & Grill. The hotel's check in area features a reptile enclose, which has a variety of animals housed in it depending on the time of year.
When the hotel was integrated as a resort in 2010, the Wanyama Village & Reserve opened with access from the hotel.
The Azteca Hotel is the newer of the two and opened in 2014. The hotel is four star and themed around an ancientaztec temple. The hotel has three floors, with each floor themed to a different level of the temple. The top floor (named "Temple Summit") is decorated to give the impression that guests are on top of the structure looking out at the wildlife around.[citation needed]
The hotel'sTemple Restaurant has a heavy emphasis on special effects, with a large tower sitting in the centre of the room. Every thirty minutes, it makes a display of water fountains, it also features rapid lighting sequences and ultraviolet markings. Around the perimeter of the restaurant is a trail ofleaf cutter ants which pass the tables. At the entrance to the restaurant is a tank ofred bellied piranha. Due to the hotel being built partly into the side of a hill, the Temple Restaurant has no windows, and instead has a series of screens built into the walls, showing animated videos of the South American wildlife.[citation needed]
The hotel is linked to the Amazu area of Chessington Zoo, which is also aztec themed. Due to the location of the hotel in relation to the car parks, check in is located in the Safari Hotel.
Launched on 27 May 2016, Chessington's Explorer Glamping site comprises a total of 31 standard, and four deluxe tents. The Glamping site is located in the south west of the park, behind Lorikeet Lagoon in the Theme Park. The 'Explorer's Outpost' restaurant is available to residents. In line with the redevelopment of Wild Asia, which closed in 2024, Explorer Glamping was removed to make space for new developments.
In June 2012, a four-year-old girl fell 4.2 metres (nearly 14 feet) while in line waiting for a ride. The park was summoned by Health and Safety Executive which claimed a health and safety breach.[68] In the same month, park owner Merlin Entertainments initiated a court case to seek an injunction against Peter Cave, owner of survey consultancy Peer Egerton Limited. The consultancy firm had been hired by Merlin to prepare a report on the safety of the park, after the 2012 accident. Cave's firm found 2,000 defects and potential safety hazards. This led to a dispute between Cave and Merlin, culminating in court proceedings to prevent the park from reopening after its 2012 winter break. Merlin won this case and the park reopened.[69]
Cave then set up a campaign to warn the public and staff of the findings, including sending out 80,000 emails. Merlin claimed to have spent the £4.6 million on repairs and improvements that Cave had recommended and named the allegations "baseless".[70] ButHigh Court JudgeElisabeth Laing ruled that the campaign was a "matter of public interest" and refused the injunction to silence Cave.[71][72]
Due to the majority of the theme park being located ongreen belt lands the park is subject to several restrictions. Most significant are restrictions in height (no building higher than the tree line), noise (with time restrictions) and traffic management.[citation needed]
Various rides have had to have been built in pits due to these restrictions. It is most noticeable onBlue Barnacle,Croc Drop andRattlesnake. The resort cannot operateVampire past 11pm. The resort was not allowed to build anything higher than thePeeking Heights Ferris Wheel, which has since been removed from the park.[citation needed]
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