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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Finally visited Chessington on Friday. Obviously I can't comment on what it was like in previous years but I really enjoyed it, a good selection of rides and some nicely themed areas. Social distancing seemed to be being adhered to by most guests and masks were being enforced on rides and when indoors.

Biggest issue was the food offering, I'd heard plenty of good things about the Smoke House only to find it shut, the app talked about visiting the hotel restaurant only to find the gates connecting to the hotel restaurant were locked. Another group said they were open the day before.
Even the nitrogenie outlet was shut and it was the hottest day of the year.
 
When I visited on the 1st August I found it bizarre that the Smokehouse was closed. Aside from the lack of anywhere to get food, there was also nowhere to get a beer. Considering it was 26°c and scorching sunshine, that made absolutely no sense and they must have missed out on a lot of potential trade. They didn't even bother opening the hatch near to Adventure Point.

The hotel bars and restaurants are not accessible to non-hotel guests at the moment, I believe.
 
Alsty said:
The hotel bars and restaurants are not accessible to non-hotel guests at the moment, I believe.
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They need to be updating information on their app to advise of these things and food outlets not opening.

I mean for the Smoke House it's peak season and they know from prebookings that the park is going to be at nigh on 100% of the allowed capacity each day.

Felt like I'd walked the full length of the park twice to find something to eat before setting for the Just Chicken place.
 
When I was there a couple of weeks ago, the only food outlets open seemed to be the vampire burger kitchen and the pizza pasta restaurant... and the queues for both of them were ridiculous.

It was pretty horrific. And indoor seating for the burger kitchen was closed so people were eating their food out on the steps next to Gruffalo and on top of arcade machines, leaning against ledges and sitting on walls and fences, the whole area was complete chaos and impossible to social distance, because of such limited food options being available.
 
TPJames said:
When I was there a couple of weeks ago, the only food outlets open seemed to be the vampire burger kitchen and the pizza pasta restaurant... and the queues for both of them were ridiculous.

It was pretty horrific. And indoor seating for the burger kitchen was closed so people were eating their food out on the steps next to Gruffalo and on top of arcade machines, leaning against ledges and sitting on walls and fences, the whole area was complete chaos and impossible to social distance, because of such limited food options being available.
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That's presumably what Alton were trying to avoid in hiring a burger van, surely Chessington could get some external food options in to help spread things out.
 
imanautie said:
That's presumably what Alton were trying to avoid in hiring a burger van, surely Chessington could get some external food options in to help spread things out.
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Alton has also added some additional picnic tables on the lawn. This is something all the parks should have thought of sooner, add more outdoor seating to improve capacity.
I can understand Smokehouse being closed as distancing may mean they can't fill enough tables to make it worth operating at all.
But they really should have all the takeout places open and some additional outdoor seating.
 
The rides are listed, but they haven’t bothered to update the actual map - it still shows Toadies Cars, Rameses etc.
 
So Chessington have now officially extended their season until 29th November.

The park will be open 10-4 Fri-Mon during November. Tiger Rock and River Rafts won’t operate but all other rides are planned to open.

I wonder if other Merlin parks will follow.
 
TPJames said:
It’s worth adding the amount of 1* reviews chessington are getting on TripAdvisor at the moment is insane. This is not going to help in the slightest. Especially as they are doing it for low throughput rides.
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Although a majority of reviews are complaining about 60-80 minutes queues, but surely that is just normal for this time of year?

There seems to be an expectation that its going to be quiet at theme parks this summer due to "limited capacity", so people aren't happy when the park is just as busy as normal. But an hour/s queue on a good weather day in the school holidays to me sounds "normal", not something that is worthy of a one or two start review.
 
It doesn't help that Chessington is massively run-down. The park has had virtually no investment for 7 years and it is showing. Vampire, Zufari and Tomb Blaster had atrocious throughputs before Covid and they are even worse now.
 
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