• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Rick said:
Good job they're not building a 1.4m attraction next year.
Click to expand...
Yeah it doesn't really make sense does it. Would have thought there would be at least a couple of bigger slides that the whole family could ride. Heck, even a multi-lane racing slide would be a good option.
 
This looks like it's only a couple of steps up from sticking a couple of Fisher Price slides into the paddling pool in the back garden during the summer to keep the kids happy. How did they come back from a trip to Rulantica of all places 3 years ago and decide to do this?

Mind you, they also thought Crop Drop and a shuttle coaster was a good idea for Chessington World of Queues.
 
I find it interesting that Thorpe and Legoland both have small outdoor 'splash parks' with short operating calendars, I would have thought it would be better in terms of space, usability and quality to just have one proper indoor waterpark at one of the three parks.
 
Thameslink Rail said:
I find it interesting that Thorpe and Legoland both have small outdoor 'splash parks' with short operating calendars, I would have thought it would be better in terms of space, usability and quality to just have one proper indoor waterpark at one of the three parks.
Click to expand...
Thorpe used too, a dry playground is now in its place.
 
The one thing I find interesting about that statement is that by virtue of the fact that waterslide height requirements aren't very high, I'd argue that waterparks are quite family friendly by default. Certainly more so than theme parks, anyway; even most big waterslides have quite wide family appeal.

With that being said, Chessington are a young families' resort, so I can see their rationale behind not whacking up huge drop capsule slides and funnel slides and such.

Perhaps this will be something like the Center Parcs Subtropical Swimming Paradise format prior to the recent installation of the massive water slides across the board? If it were something along those lines, it wouldn't be a huge water park, but it would certainly be a fun supplement to a Chessington hotel stay!
 
Matt N said:
The one thing I find interesting about that statement is that by virtue of the fact that waterslide height requirements aren't very high, I'd argue that waterparks are quite family friendly by default. Certainly more so than theme parks, anyway; even most big waterslides have quite wide family appeal.

With that being said, Chessington are a young families' resort, so I can see their rationale behind not whacking up huge drop capsule slides and funnel slides and such.

Perhaps this will be something like the Center Parcs Subtropical Swimming Paradise format prior to the recent installation of the massive water slides across the board? If it were something along those lines, it wouldn't be a huge water park, but it would certainly be a fun supplement to a Chessington hotel stay!
Click to expand...
I was more talking about regular body slides but with a wider/bigger trough than those in the images, so that people of all ages can ride them.
 
Last edited:
I feel like they are building this as a response to the new centre parcs being built nearby in Crawley, that’s why they have gone for this style of water park to compete with them than a more flume intensive one.
Edit: looking into this more the Crawley centre parcs looks to have been not passed last month.
 
Last edited:
Matt N said:
With that being said, Chessington are a young families' resort, so I can see their rationale behind not whacking up huge drop capsule slides and funnel slides and such.
Click to expand...
No one is asking for drop capsule slides. Just more than two slides in total.
Although I suppose Cariba Creek doesn’t really have much more when you actually think about it, there is master blaster, rush and rampage (the two standard ring slides) and the outdoor body slides.
 
I don't know what you were all expecting when Chessington announced a waterpark, but it was never going to be even close to something like Rulantica. Chessington simply don't have the space. For the size it is I think they've put a fair amount in. I just hope it is a hotel guests only attraction and remains that way as there's no way it can grow big enough to satisfy the demand for a proper waterpark in that area of the country.

A significant proportion of the waterpark also appears to be outside, meaning it'll have a really small capacity during the winter. Definitely would only want hotel guests using it then.

One really cool benefit this waterpark will have is the view over the animal enclosures. Sitting in the outdoor infinity pool watching the giraffe will be a novel experience which I'm not aware you can get anywhere else.
 
I don’t think anyone was expecting Rulantica, just something closer to Cariba Creek. I think the frustration is that it is almost there, the “lazy” river looks good and if the theming is like the artists impression it will look good but it just feels like there is something missing to make it a full waterpark. Just a couple of tube slides in addition to the body slides would be a good start.
 
Can they really expand it though?

One side is the zoo, other is the car park. I reckon they've squeezed it into as much land available as they could.

The artwork looks nice. Beyond that it's hard to say what is going in if its all just concept. But it's strange that they don't seem to be going beyond "expanded hotel swimming pool" compared to places like Plopsaland. Especially since Chessie could become popular over the winter months due to the zoo.
 
Benzin said:
Can they really expand it though?

One side is the zoo, other is the car park. I reckon they've squeezed it into as much land available as they could.

The artwork looks nice. Beyond that it's hard to say what is going in if its all just concept. But it's strange that they don't seem to be going beyond "expanded hotel swimming pool" compared to places like Plopsaland. Especially since Chessie could become popular over the winter months due to the zoo.
Click to expand...
There is the one side to the north that isn't car park, hotel or zoo pasture. Can have slides coming out the side of the building and back in as at most other waterparks and pools.
 
Tim said:
I don't know what you were all expecting when Chessington announced a waterpark, but it was never going to be even close to something like Rulantica.
Click to expand...

There are many points in the chasm between this and Rulantica they could have aimed at!

The comparison I'd like to make is the one people here often make snidley when comparing Merlin offerings... not even as good as Butlins. A couple of years ago Bognor opened their Splash water park, an airy and smart, if basically themed, waterpark. From memory it has:
A wave pool
A swimming pool
A large kids play area with 7 small slides
A helter skelter tube (for kids really, but suitable and fun for adults)
An outdoor rapids (significantly tamer than CP)
4 straight down racing slides
4 bumped racing slides
A tame family raft ride (from launch tower)
An extreme speed flume (from launch tower)

That's a sensible family waterpark lineup. Lots for kids, lots for families to do together, a couple of bits that are (or can be used as) an adult thrill.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top