Chessington World of Adventures Resort

[Rick]

I think Chessington began its journey (or descent, depending on your point of view) to where it is now the day Tussauds bought Thorpe.

 

[Ted]

Also there was an earlier Bubbleworks last ride event in Autumn 2005 before the shower gel retheme, I'd pinpoint that day as to when CWOA died.

I fully agree with this. 2006 was the first year I went to the park and at the end of the day leaving unsatisfied. However I think the cracks started appearing when Vampire when under it's refurb. I get why they did it at the time, but in hindsight it just seems like it was a bad decision as it operates so poorly nowadays, especially when you compare to the other 4 Arrow Suspended. Still, in 2002 to 2005 the park was a great to be, just not as good as it was in the 90s. I say in 2000 that despite Tussauds sorting out Thorpe, Chessie was on top of the world as it had all of the brilliant stuff from the 90s and new things like Beanoland and fairly new Samurai.

I think Chessington began its journey (or descent, depending on your point of view) to where it is now the day Tussauds bought Thorpe.

I've always assumed Tussauds wanted to "split" ride categories which is why Chessie became the family park and Thorpe became the thrill park. I must admit I've never liked this approach for parks (not just what happens with Merlin), I think a good theme park should have something for everyone which going back to the point I made replying to @RicketyCricket made, Chessie was turning into a family park but still had a lot of thrilling stuff until it was gradually removed, and I think it was a pretty decent balance. Thorpe was fun with all its new thrill rides, but it changed a demographic and eventually gave a bad reputation on the park.

Put it short, I honestly like theme parks when they cater to everyone. You see a nice mixture of crowds and variety with the rides themselves.

 

[Hairobics]

For me, Chessington died when they decided that, rather than a theme park and a zoo, they would be an animal themed park, starting with Africa, which is a bit rubbish for a theme imo.

It sucks because places like Transylvania used to be so well themed. I loved that the area had a story behind it with original characters to bolster it.

It used to be a Bavarian village, complete with a themed castle and was home to an enigmatic and unseen vampire (though whose presence was felt), which contrasted jovially with the quirkyness of Professor Burp and his Bubbleworks.

What is it supposed to be now? It’s suppsedly a wild wood, a sort of town that’s oddly painted and has a forest inside a building and also a vampire nearby? I guess it is pretty wild...???

Chessington just seems to lack any charm these days. I’m sure many kids have wonderful days out here, but I feel like the experience used to be so much richer.

I’d probably say it’s hay days were around 1998 - 2002

 

[rob666]

Mr Pedantic here Hairy...
Hay Days are often around the end of May and September.
Chessies heydays however, were around 1998 to 2002.
I went when it was merely a zoo, wanted to do Vampire when it opened, but sadly, never got round to it, as it never got a second decent coaster.
My workmates went and we tried to get the kids I worked with to go, but they always picked the Towers instead, God bless 'em.

 

[ChristmasPud]

I agree that Chessington died when Tussauds got Thorpe Park (although Thorpe got a new lease of life instead). Chessington's on the up now but doing everything so patchy that.. what is the park's real identity anymore? The rides area all a bit thin and frankenstein.

It sucks because places like Transylvania used to be so well themed. I loved that the area had a story behind it with original characters to bolster it.

It used to be a Bavarian village, complete with a themed castle and was home to an enigmatic and unseen vampire (though whose presence was felt), which contrasted jovially with the quirkyness of Professor Burp and his Bubbleworks.

I mean nobody ever thought this in their heads, but you're right, it just worked.

A jolly village with a brass band and colours and what have you, spoopy gates hidden around the corner to the Vampire. With the coaster coming over the village now and then. Lots of fun, it was easy to get. I wouldnt say there was any story.

I remember the area really declining long before Merlin got the park though to be fair. Just got worn out and fiddled with so much with nothing colourful feeling about it at all. Like most of Chessington it's just a has-been white elephant sadly, instead of being kept alive or embellished.

 

[shawnoc]

I think the biggest problem with Merlin as a whole and to a more obvious degree with Chessington, is that they are not interested in back story to the degree of what was originally built. They seem to think a new paint job is ok to market as a great product.

Transilvania has become a sham due to no care in back story anymore. This is what made Chessington so much more special back when first envisaged.

Merlin do a great job......ish of individual ride themes but not a cohesive story area.

 

[Matt N]

I think the thing to remember with Merlin is that I don't really think they aim to immerse you into areas as such. I think they very much aim to immerse you into rides, and I think they do this very well.

Of course, Merlin have created some fantastic themed areas, but when they create a new ride, it definitely does seem as though the immersion of the ride is the most important element to them. When you visit a Merlin theme park and explore one of their themed areas, it does often seem to be a group of heavily-themed rides with similar themes as opposed to a heavily-themed area like you see at the likes of Disney parks, Universal parks and many European parks, but I think this works perfectly well, personally.

 

[ChristmasPud]

Transilvania has become a sham due to no care in back story anymore. This is what made Chessington so much more special back when first envisaged.

Transylvania never had a backstory, it was just a fun themed area. Areas dont need backstories to be good. Actually nowhere in Chessington had a backstory, it was just fun to be in and explore.

I think the thing to remember with Merlin is that I don't really think they aim to immerse you into areas as such.

If you cut budgets this much then a tin of paint and a new sign is all you're going to get. Theres no scheme behind when and where guests will be immersed, unless they’re going to put up a sign saying “Remember we only entertain you indoors”

 

[Jb85]

Chessington is in desperate need of being brought out more than any of the other pros. The issue now is you have Thorpe Chessington and legoland in a relatively close area. One of them has to give and I feel that will be Chessington.

it’s a great setting for a park and could have been amazing

 

[Rick]

I think on the face of it, the decision to aim each park at a segment of the market (rather than both at the entire market) makes sense, but neither owner has really managed to unlock how to do that fully, in the way it was intended. They need to be bolder - at both parks they have backtracked on the plan.

Families kept going to Thorpe and thrillseekers kept going to Chessington. Where they did manage to make it work, the huge teenage groups that descended on Thorpe didn't spend much and young families who turned up to Chessington didn't buy the "we're an animal and ride park" - many just wanted the rides as the animal component is served better elsewhere.

The addition of Legoland to the same portfolio seemed to create even more confusion.

I think it'll work out in time. Maybe.

 

[Hairobics]

Perhaps backstory was a poor choice of words. What I was trying to imply was that the themed areas had a sense of cohesion.

On paper, the Vampire and Bubbleworks should clash, but due to the care taken with the Transylvania area, it made something delightful, like you were visiting something that had a history and story beyond just being a themed area.

 

[Dave]

I think on the face of it, the decision to aim each park at a segment of the market (rather than both at the entire market) makes sense, but neither owner has really managed to unlock how to do that fully, in the way it was intended. They need to be bolder - at both parks they have backtracked on the plan.

Families kept going to Thorpe and thrillseekers kept going to Chessington. Where they did manage to make it work, the huge teenage groups that descended on Thorpe didn't spend much and young families who turned up to Chessington didn't buy the "we're an animal and ride park" - many just wanted the rides as the animal component is served better elsewhere.

The addition of Legoland to the same portfolio seemed to create even more confusion.

I think it'll work out in time. Maybe.

They have been trying the strategy for over a decade, I think that time may not be the problem.

I think it’s telling that the two best performing RTP’s Merlin own are more “all round” than either Thorpe or Chessington.

As for Rameses going, Merlin seem to care little about support attractions, I get that they might not be the most marketable part of a parks portfolio but if you cull all flat rides don’t cry when guests moan they paid to get in and only got on 4 rides. Guest capacity for any theme park in part relies on ride capacity and not all of that can be roller coasters.

 

[Matt N]

I think on the face of it, the decision to aim each park at a segment of the market (rather than both at the entire market) makes sense, but neither owner has really managed to unlock how to do that fully, in the way it was intended. They need to be bolder - at both parks they have backtracked on the plan.

Families kept going to Thorpe and thrillseekers kept going to Chessington. Where they did manage to make it work, the huge teenage groups that descended on Thorpe didn't spend much and young families who turned up to Chessington didn't buy the "we're an animal and ride park" - many just wanted the rides as the animal component is served better elsewhere.

The addition of Legoland to the same portfolio seemed to create even more confusion.

I think it'll work out in time. Maybe.

Out of interest, what sort of things do you think they could do to unlock this fully? Both seem to be making great additions for their particular market, and Chessington does seem to be shaping their lineup more towards the younger family/animal lover market.

As for the point about Chessington becoming more of an animal themed park; I think that that's the direction most theme parks with integrated zoos seem to have gone, to be fair. Busch Gardens Tampa has gone down this direction. Even Disney's Animal Kingdom has gone down this direction to an extent.

 

[Dave]

As for the point about Chessington becoming more of an animal themed park; I think that that's the direction most theme parks with integrated zoos seem to have gone, to be fair. Busch Gardens Tampa has gone down this direction. Even Disney's Animal Kingdom has gone down this direction to an extent.

To an extent?

It’s called Animal Kingdom!!!

 

[Tim]

This is a slightly controversial view and even I'm not certain of it but...

I think Chessington has struggled from the moment Tussauds bought Alton Towers. Truth is Chessington is not the ideal place for a theme park. It's small and heavily restricted. John Wardley knew this, which is why all of his attention moved over to Alton. The purchasing of the other London parks forced them into a smaller market, but even if this hadn't happened Chessington would have still been sidlined compared to the investment at Alton.

That's not to say I don't see a place for Chessington. It just needs to work with the limitations and try something new!

 

[Rick]

However I think the cracks started appearing when Vampire when under it's refurb. I get why they did it at the time, but in hindsight it just seems like it was a bad decision as it operates so poorly nowadays

At the time it was very much talked about that it was essentially through necessity, rather than them wanting to do it. The whole project was fairly ramshackle, particularly given the season long closure - it certainly felt like they had been caught by surprise and had to make a decision what their options were from calling it a day to doing what they did.

The other five having been scrapped are perhaps more telling than what the other four are doing now.

Chessington is in desperate need of being brought out more than any of the other pros. The issue now is you have Thorpe Chessington and legoland in a relatively close area. One of them has to give and I feel that will be Chessington.

If the planned model worked as intended all three parks could compliment, rather than compete. The geographic market will always overlap, but the product doesn't have to. That said, changing the product offered is difficult because there are certain perceptions associated with each park that you may never shift.

I think it’s telling that the two best performing RTP’s Merlin own are more “all round” than either Thorpe or Chessington.

I'm not sure if it's that telling when you consider where those parks are located relative to other Merlin properties. Tussauds made the decision they didn't want to compete with themselves when it came to Chessington and Thorpe, Merlin have continued that strategy with some tweaks.

If you tried to provide two all round experiences at Thorpe and Chessington, the latter is always going to lose at the thrill end of the market because of the site.

Out of interest, what sort of things do you think they could do to unlock this fully? Both seem to be making great additions for their particular market, and Chessington does seem to be shaping their lineup more towards the younger family/animal lover market.

That's what they are trying to do but the approach at Thorpe for a long time was to remove all kids and family rides which they largely did but then got cold feet and readded bits in Canada Creek.

When you have two parks in the same company in a shared market that offer a similar product it rarely ends well. Cedar Point and Geauga Lake, Silver Dollar City and Celebration City etc.

Look at the Gold Coast in Australia. Village Roadshow own three parks a stone's throw away from each other but each offer a different visit. Movie World is what it says on the tin, ride based with a movie theme, Wet n' Wild is primarily a water park with some ride hardware and Sea World is an aquatic attraction with rides. Therefore people visit them all, rather than picking and choosing.

 

[Doublethink]

They have been trying the strategy for over a decade, I think that time may not be the problem.

I think it’s telling that the two best performing RTP’s Merlin own are more “all round” than either Thorpe or Chessington.

As for Rameses going, Merlin seem to care little about support attractions, I get that they might not be the most marketable part of a parks portfolio but if you cull all flat rides don’t cry when guests moan they paid to get in and only got on 4 rides. Guest capacity for any theme park in part relies on ride capacity and not all of that can be roller coasters.

I'm honestly shocked merlin have botherd putting in a flat ride replacement for ramasies revenge, I was expecting with their indifference to support that we would either get a HB Leisure game or Bouncezilla in its place

 

[Hairobics]

Plenty of time to renege yet @Doublethink

 

[MattyH]

Just a though the rethemed toad ride mentions new ride vehicles. What happened to the cars from Dino Safari at Legoland Windsor, could these be used on the ride next year?

 

[Matt N]

Out of interest, why is it that they actually needed to refurbish Vampire, as many other older Arrow suspended coasters still operate with the old trains (or at least they operated for much longer amounts of time with the old trains before being removed)?

I must admit, I do think the old trains looked particularly good, and I would have liked to have experienced the ride with them on (despite having not even been born when they were removed!). The reason I say this is because I must admit that when I rode Vampire for the first time in 2014, I was quite underwhelmed by it after hearing that it was one of the most highly regarded UK coasters. Admittedly, it did have some exciting moments for a family coaster, but there were also quite a few dead spots, and I also remember it being pretty rough. Admittedly, I haven't ridden in over 5 years, so I may well like it more if I reride it.