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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Here's my two pence for what it's worth.

Am I angry about it because they decided to take down all the theming, just two weeks before open season was due to begin, leaving the park with its highest and third highest throughput rides closed for the whole of easter after 5 months of these parts of the park being closed.

Or am I angry because after 26 years of unlove and neglect, it has come to drastic action to get these rides back to their original glory. It should have never have come to this and it is the fault of Tussauds, Pearson, DIC and Merlin that it has come to this.

I am passionate about the park, I grew up fearing falling into the Dragons mouth and speeding through the rocky mountains of runaway. I want more then anything to believe that the park will get these theming elements back. Falls in particular, features heavily in the parks advertising with the imagery of the dragon being particularly key.

Fury and Vampire are going to really struggle this easter, thats for sure.
 
Now that the shelling of complaints is over ;) and everyone has become open minded again let me give my thoughts on the restorations:

Dragon Falls: I understand the worry that this ride will be ruined after what happend to Loggers Leap (I actually kinda like the changes to Loggers Leap) but I very much doubt this ride will be ruined. I do hope they get rid of that temporary wall at the top of the second lift hill and replace it with something more permanent. (You know like an actual great wall of China) I also hope that the Elephant's squirting malfunctions and never works again :)

Rattlesnake: I'm hoping the minimum height for this is dropped to 1.2m, so that it can get more attention by families. It is a really good ride in my opinion, and the theming and landscaping is fantastic.

Runaway Train: As long as this dosen't end up looking like Flying Fish I can't complain.

Peeking Heights: Meh.

I think Chessington will get by this easter. We still have all the dark rides, the flat rides, the two major rollercoasters, the entire zoo, plenty of shows and Zufari to suck up the crowds.

On another note is anyone going to be around for Zufari opening?
 
Can I just say, this season the theming is being stripped off, next season the new theming goes up.
 
So we get a whole season of Runaway Train looking like Flying Fish, and Dragon Falls looking like something I don't even want to imagine? O.O
 
Considering queue times for Fury and Vampire are normally over an hour with Falls and Runaway open anyway, they won't cope that well. I worked there long enough to know that if you are unable to spread the guests around then people will stay with the big two longer. Luckily Zufari will be open by easter so the stress on Vampire and Fury's queue time won't be as bad as it could have been.

It still isn't acceptable for a park to decide to close its rides for even longer when the park has had a 4 and a half month closed season. Just my viewpoint.
 
Surely the dragon cave on Dragon's Falls does not need to be completely demolished? If that is removed it is unlikely we will ever see anything of such quality replace it.
 
I really don't know what to expect from the refurbishments. Im treating all the fibreglass stuff being taken down as a rumor. Even if it comes from a staff member dosent mean its the truth. When I go next Wednesday, I will try and find out whats going on and hopefully get some photos
 
I can assure you, it is no rumour. I can't link to the photos as I'm on my phone (could a mod assist please?), but there are photos on Chessington Buzz's Facebook that shows it all gone.

576189_10151497913124800_33538055_n.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/ChessingtonBuzz
(image added by team)
 
My guess is the theming has been condemned as un-safe hence the sudden need to remove it and the wait until next closed season to get anything back up.

(Jared i have added the only image i could find on Chessie buzz FB, hope its the right one)
 
HaydenCR said:
I really don't know what to expect from the refurbishments. Im treating all the fibreglass stuff being taken down as a rumor. Even if it comes from a staff member dosent mean its the truth. When I go next Wednesday, I will try and find out whats going on and hopefully get some photos
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Thank you for your trust.
 
Dave said:
My guess is the theming has been condemned as un-safe hence the sudden need to remove it and the wait until next closed season to get anything back up.

(Jared i have added the only image i could find on Chessie buzz FB, hope its the right one)
Click to expand...

I've got a funny feeling that's right, as that is why the tunnel on loggers is gone. Just seems that since this is a bigger deal at Chessington, that Merlin need to put money into getting it fixed.

That's the one, thanks Dave. :)
 
What.....so they have demolished the stone faces??!!!

OH DEAR GOD.

This is a very sad day for any Chessington fan. This park is being destroyed bit by bit.
 
mark9 said:
HaydenCR said:
I really don't know what to expect from the refurbishments. Im treating all the fibreglass stuff being taken down as a rumor. Even if it comes from a staff member dosent mean its the truth. When I go next Wednesday, I will try and find out whats going on and hopefully get some photos
Click to expand...

Thank you for your trust.
Click to expand...

Sorry but, I have been given false information in the past in another thread. I dont jump to conclusions no matter what anyone tells me until I have proof. And now that proof is here. It is indeed a shame the rockwork is gone. Hopefully its replaced ASAP. Now it will just look like Alton Towers flume, and NO flume should look like Alton Towers flume.
 
They will never be able to rebuild those stone faces to the same level of quality and attention to detail as they were originally.

Such a massive shame.
 
Anyone who thinks Merlin need to be applauded for theme need look no further than the most recent uniform shots from the smiler, the awful over priced food at Burger Kitchen, and the diabolical "refurbishment" of the burger place in near Vampire (apologies can't recall the name off hand).

Endless cattle pen queues, price increases all over the place, zero continuity of themes, the opening time debacles with numerous attractions, the list building against them is getting colossal.

I did not start out anti Merlin believe me - in fact at first, they were a real breath of air after DIC etc and made instant improvements to their credit.

It seems to be some people know what they are doing, and then others are going about making it their business to undo any good work going on!

Organisationally? They are frankly a laughing stock, except it isn't funny now.

If I was Nick Varney right now, I'd be embarrassed by this!

The numerous ride closures at Chessington, the ruining of the theme and just astonishingly late The Smiler, The Crash Pad "Hotels" - and you expect these people to get the replacement themes anything like the original that made this park so special?

Apologists for this debacle, bother to defend it and I am only going to laugh at you. I am neither pro/anti Merlin or any park etc - if it is good, I praise, crap and I critique, and both simply as an enthusiast that really cares, and is very passionate for our parks and industry.

The things that made Chessington great are being destroyed.
 
I know it's only one thing, but you mention over-priced food at Burger Kitchen. Shock horror, theme park food is over-priced! It's the same in most places, just like all service station food is over-priced. There is no competition so prices can be higher.

I'm not going to try and defend Merlin, but they do sometimes get more flack than they deserve. All I'll say though is that it's not only Merlin that are 'bad' as it were. I can assure you that Cedar Fair for example are nowhere near as good as Merlin when it comes to running theme parks. I think I saw earlier that Cedar Point does not open for the main season for another 50 odd days. SeaWorld Parks, BGW is closed mid-week apart from in the peak holiday season. I think the main reason we criticise Merlin so much is because we don't have much experience of other major theme park operators. Forget about Disney and Universal, they are in a league of their own really. But when you compare say Merlin, Six Flags, Cedar Fair, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainments etc, Merlin probably don't seem quite so bad. And just to point out, I'm not stating this as fact. Just an idea of mine. It's something that would need to be researched in more detail.

Sorry, that was way off topic!

:)
 
Rob said:
Forget about Disney and Universal, they are in a league of their own really. But when you compare say Merlin, Six Flags, Cedar Fair, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainments etc, Merlin probably don't seem quite so bad. And just to point out, I'm not stating this as fact. Just an idea of mine. It's something that would need to be researched in more detail.

Sorry, that was way off topic!

:)
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They do quote Disney though, that's their own stupid fault. Anyway as you say off topic, and in other points you made there, I have to agree. I also say though, others having poor standards is not an excuse to run your business that way.

And we wonder why the world is in such a state lol!! "We aren't quite as crap as they are" ;)

Do take the points though Rob, some fair ones made there. Nowt wrong with balance to a discussion.
 
Oh no it's not an excuse for the bad things they do! But if lots of operators do the same bad things there is clearly an underlying reason for it, otherwise they wouldn't do it. I agree they should stop the whole second only to Disney thing though, it doesn't really help them even if it is true in terms of guest numbers.

Anyway, Chessie! I don't think I've had my say on Zufari yet. I don't think it's the type of ride you can properly judge from a video so I'll save my full judgement until I've ridden it. Though from what I've seen so far it does feel like it is slightly lacking in a few aspects.

:)
 
Rob said:
Anyway, Chessie! I don't think I've had my say on Zufari yet. I don't think it's the type of ride you can properly judge from a video so I'll save my full judgement until I've ridden it. Though from what I've seen so far it does feel like it is slightly lacking in a few aspects.

:)
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It concerns me Rob, but the points being made about fauna needing time to develop etc, and trying to build Africa in London cannot be easy lol!

Not keen on the animals being so close to those cars, are they proper engines etc too, what about maintenance and break downs etc? I genuinely don't know enough to make a comment though, my opinions on this are probably not worth a great deal on the whole.

All I do hope is it is a great attraction and helps give Chessie some much needed credibility and attention back. Surprising how few people really know what is there, even people who have passes and visit Legoland etc.

It's weird as it is a brilliant, brilliant park.
 
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