Chessington World of Adventures Review
Reviewed by Debbie Talbot and family
Three generations of my family recently visited Chessington World of Adventures. The park was well signposted from the Chessington South train station. After a 10-15 minute walk we arrived at the park having eyed up the wonderful Chessington Resort Hotel for a future visit. From the time we arrived to the time we left the staff could not be more helpful or polite and there were plenty of staff stationed throughout the park to ask if we needed directions or had any questions.
When the main gates opened at 9.30am we went to see the Sealion bay. My daughter was delighted to watch one of the sea lions waving at us. We then visited the Creepy Caves which had a fantastic selection of creatures. The childrens’ favourite were the snakes, although my mum, sister and myself hurried past them. At 10am the gates to the rest of the park were opened.
My niece headed straight for the Vampire ride which she and one of the other adults in our party of 6 thoroughly enjoyed. My mum, sister, daughter and myself opted for the Bubbleworks ride. My daughter was delighted that mummy, nanny and her auntie got wet and queued straight up for another go upon getting off the ride. My niece then braved the Dragon’s Fury with one of the adults. This was a hit as there was the excitement of going backwards into the unknown. They then went on the Kobra and she screamed in delight waving her hands in the air. The less adventurous in our party chose the carousel and Tiny Truckers which were great fun. My niece was disappointed to not be tall enough to go on Rameses Revenge but one of the adults had a go and loved it. He did opt for the section of the ride where you get least wet. The Bubbleworks was a popular choice with both adults and children alike and was revisited throughout the day. My sister and niece then went on Dragon Falls and came off soaked but delighted. Both children had a wail of a time on the Climbing Wall and then went on the Runaway Train a couple of times.
In between rides we had a lovely lunch at the Fried Chicken Co. It was hard to choose where to eat due to their being so much choice. Many people were taking advantage of the £6 offer for a refillable container containing soft drink and unlimited refills. After lunch I visited SEA LIFE and some of the other zoo animals. The SEA LIFE centre had a large selection of interesting creatures. My favourite part was the sharks swimming above my head as I walked through the tunnel.
We did not go to see any displays but I did notice how much variety was available with over a dozen feeding sessions, shows or presentations.
The queuing time was better than expected for a peak weekend visit, ranging from between immediate access to rides through to 40-50 minutes for the Little Truckers and Kobra rides. I do recommend that anyone wanting to get on rides faster buys a Fastrack ticket. Another recommendation if several visits to Merlin venues are planned is to buy a standard Merlin Annual Pass which if purchased online costs just £384.48 for a family of four or £427.20 if purchased on the gate. This is subject to restrictions. There is also a premium Annual Pass which if purchased online costs just £492.48 for a family of four or £547.20 if purchased on the gate. This gives you free standard parking and has no exclusion dates. A lot of people were upgrading their entry tickets to annual passes whilst at Chessington however annual passes can also be purchased on www.chessington.com.
My niece’s favourite ride was Dragons Fury whilst my daughter, mum and sister preferred the Runaway Train. Being less courageous than the rest of my family The Bubbleworks was my firm favourite. The children have been begging to go back as soon as possible. We may go on a Roar & Snore short break as they cost from just £131 for a family of four including park tickets. This is subject to availability and specific dates. Visit www.chessington.com for more information and the latest deals and offers.