Chessington World of Adventures Resort

[_nemesis_]

Not saying its an exact figure, but when trying to book a hotel room, it's quite hard unless you book in advanced, and the majority of people you see in the hotel are families. It is just an estimate.

I will edit my previous post to say it was an estimate. Sorry if I was confusing/frustrating. :-[

 

[Rob]

Not saying its an exact figure, but when trying to book a hotel room, it's quite hard unless you book in advanced, and the majority of people you see in the hotel are families. It is just an estimate.

You can't just state as fact that 85% of the people staying are families when all you've done is made up the figured based on who you've seen at the hotel when you've been there.

In regards to the hotel, I've not stayed there since 2010 but on the occasions I have I've really enjoyed it. And annual pass holders used to get some fantastic money off offers!

 

[Enter Valhalla]

As for the surrounding area, it couldn't be better! It's near/on Green Belt Land, so nothing too major or permanent can be build, making it a nice, peaceful area of Greater London. As it's in that area, and is close to the M25, families or thrill seekers can visit Thorpe of LEGOLAND before/after staying.
The actual current hotel overlooks Wanyama, and has a beautiful setting, especially on an evening sunset in the Summer!

There is also a golf course on Leatherhead road, only a three minute drive down the road.

I don't agree, it's surrounding area is horrible in my opinion and not at all relaxing, the hotel is very close to a big, noisy main road, opposite a massive bussiness park, has big double decker London buses coming through the gates every 20-30 minutes reminding you that you're in greater London and even though Wanyama is nice to look at, you can still see the high metal barbed wire fence at the back of it reminding you that you're in a suburban area. Hardly has a "getaway" or "resort" feel to it if you ask me.

I'd even go as far as to say Thorpe Park is a nicer location (I don't think the area surroounding Thorpe is beautiful by the way, I'm just making the comparison). At Thorpe, you have the lake and the wholearea feels alot more open and less claustrophobic than Chessington, which literally just feels like they've tried to create a nice location when they're surrounded by housing estates and a business park which is its big failure for me.

Have you ever been in the hotel? It's actually a very nice place to be with a surprisingly pleasant surrounding.

I have, several times, it's nice inside and the bar area is nice too, but once you step outside, you're reminded that you're in a very busy, non-resort type area, I just can't fully relax there or feel the imersiveness like I can at Towers.

And as for the park, I struggle to understand why so many families do enjoy staying there and, as I say, I'm really surprised that the hotel is so popular. Even on a busy day you can get round everything at Chessington in one day- Zoo, rides, Sealife and whatever else, so why anyone would stay the night is beyond me.

But there we go, if they enjoy it then good luck to them

 

[Scott]

I think we forget sometimes that a lot of people don't stay at the UK theme parks because there is so much to do that you need extra days (although in some cases this is true) but because they are travelling a fair distance and can't physically do it in one day due to travelling.

The hotels open the parks up to much wider audiences from much further away. Chessington *is* a 1 day park but that one day might not be sufficient if you're travelling a distance to get there.

 

[Ollie]

Chessington has a wide range of nearby attractions you can visit. I have stayed at the Chessington Hotel before and visited Chessington, Hampton Court, and had a day in London also - Chessington South is about a 10 minute walk and you can catch a direct train to London Waterloo from there.

Thorpe Park isn't far either, and if Thorpe are targeting families more, maybe a shuttle bus could link them a few times a day for the benefit of hotel guests?

 

[thefatone]

On an actually busy day, you can't do all the attractions because vampire and fury would take up about 3hrs of your time.

The hotel really isn't as bad as you're making out, the back you can see a green fence but nothing beyond that. The front I can kinda agree with, but almost every hotel also has this, and the noise isn't heard in the hotel because it's a good step back.

Also, to go with Scott here, some people like to make an actual break of it rather than trying to ram every single possible thing in a 8hr period. That's the point of them, to be relaxed. Otherwise you will feel the stress of everything, particularly if you're concentrating on external factors.

 

[_nemesis_]

People are forgetting the hotel side of things here. The Safari Hotel also has the spa, gym, swimming pool and kids activities. This is the main pull for families, obviously excluding the Park and this is mainly why people stay when the Theme Park and Zoo are closed. It is acctually quite cool how quiet Wanyama and most of the Hotel is when considering how close it it to Leatherhead road.

As for Chessington feeling enclosed, that is what a theme park is about!! Take Walt Disney World for an example. It's massive, and Magic Kingdom is right at the top, away from everything else, feels really enclosed, and that's the most successful theme park is the world!

I personally really like Chessington's enclosed atmosphere, as it really feels like you are journeying to another world. Its as though you discover the lands as you venture through the park. Take The Vampire's queue for example, its in a dense forest, right at the edge of the park. Unless you really know you way around, you wouldn't notice the Premier Inn behind the queue line shop, not to mention the main road, which you can't even hear!

I understand that the whole open thing about Thorpe, but that is probably the main reason why I don't like it! All in all, I love the escapism feel that the dense surrounding of Chessington gives you, and other than in the entrance plaza and a few rooms, you can't really see the road/majority of the car park from the Safari Hotel anyway. It's actually a very nice place to stay if you ever get the chance.

 

[electricBlll]

Take The Vampire's queue for example, its in a dense forest, right at the edge of the park. Unless you really know you way around, you wouldn't notice the Premier Inn behind the queue line shop, not to mention the main road, which you can't even hear!

Not exactly relevant to the conversation but that "forest" actually has hardly any trees in it because I think it used to be a large tarmac plaza underneath The Vampire's ride area.

At some point it was turned into a snaking queueline extension and fences added to block access from the main path. The actual route of the queue was continuously altered, until a few years ago when large heaps of Earth were dumped around the paths to encourage forest-y vegetation (not long before those horrible purple railings were installed!).

...er so there's your fun fact for the day.

 

[Islander]

At some point it was turned into a snaking queueline extension and fences added to block access from the main path. The actual route of the queue was continuously altered, until as recently as 2010 when large heaps of Earth were dumped around the paths to encourage forest-y vegetation (the same year those horrible purple railings were installed!).

To be honest, nasty purple railing aside, I really like/love the Vampire queue as it currently stands, the way it snakes through the forest-y setting (however that's been achieved) and under the ride area.

 

[electricBlll]

I really like/love the Vampire queue as it currently stands, the way it snakes through the forest-y setting

Yes! When I was very young I used to think the path travelled deep into woods far away from the rest of Chessington, and that the Vampire 'chateaux' was nestled somewhere outside the park. I never knew you had only moved in a big circle and were underneath BubbleWorks!

Of course the first queue route never went through any woods at all, just the steps descending underneath the brake run (now used for Fastrack), surrounded by high "crumbling stone" walls to stop you seeing the big metal box!

Who says queueing isn't fun?! :twirly:

 

[_nemesis_]

When I was young, I used to think that The Vampire's layout was really spaced out and went deep into the countryside! Alas, thanks to damn Google Earth, I now know this not to be the case. : More So, until about five years ago, I didn't realise Bubbleworks went above The Vampire's station, I always thought it was on numerous levels across the left had side of Transylvania, and that it ran parallel to the pathway in Trail of the Kings.

But to be fair, this was all before I knew there were other people out there that liked Theme Parks as much as I do!

 

[Plastic Person]

I had no idea Bubbleworks was on top of Vampire's station! Very interesting. I also really love the design of the queue for the ride, it is surprisingly otherworldly. The atmosphere prior to 2001 was particularly potent.

 

[_nemesis_]

Chessington Buzz have posted images on Facebook from African Adventures...

Bubbleworks fire damage.

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Scorpion Express advertising poster.

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Azteca and AMAZU construction!

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Mexicana painting! ;D

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Work on Rameses...

All the changes look pretty good!

They are posting on their Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChessingtonBuzz!

 

[_nemesis_]

More updates from Chessington Buzz:

Scorpion Express site work.

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More Zoo additions...

New Wanyama Village elosure.

Fennec Fox

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Rides open are Hocus Pocus Hall, Tomb Blaster, Flying Jumbos and Jungle Bouncers, as well as Madagascar Live. Although, according to Chessington Buzz, Jumbos has broken down. :

These images aren't mine, they have been posted on Facebook by Chessington Buzz:
https://www.facebook.com/ChessingtonBuzz

 

[electricBlll]

There has clearly been significant structural and aesthetic works done to Chessington this year and so far I believe they are on track to a great season. They have recovered quickly from all the mistakes and accidents in recent years and are no longer afraid of spending money on old hardware.

At least Scorpion Express is trying to be a lot more than a castrated Runaway Train. I'm very interested to see how this turns out. :twirly:

 

[ThemeUK]

My only disappointment is that from what I saw today it's clear Scorpion Express will have a 2D backdrop rather than the impressive 3D rockwork.

 

[electricBlll]

It won't be two-dimensional, otherwise it wouldn't need a steel skeleton and gantry platform like the pictures show. However the frame doesn't appear to enclose the track so it seems the tunnels aren't returning... that is very disappointing if it's true.

Also it looks like the surrounding buildings have been painted red and will be left on show. I hope the finished project delivers but I doubt it will better the original.

 

[_nemesis_]

I hope the finished project delivers but I doubt it will better the original.

Well with fire, water and smoke effects it hopefully will. As for being better than the original, at least this time around it will look new, and try and be more original, and less of a rip off of Disney's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I'm pretty sure it's the only family coaster in the UK with fire effects.

I expect that the buildings by the ride will grow over with ivy & co like the back of Burger Kitchen in Transylvania, hiding the building from view. Noice in the updates over the year how the side of the building has been painted red.

 

[electricBlll]

I expect that the buildings by the ride will grow over with ivy & co like the back of Burger Kitchen in Transylvania, hiding the building from view.

Ivy doesn't grow in Mexican deserts, nor does it magically sprout through concrete to cling to buildings.

And gimmicks like fire and water may add a "wow" factor that dazzles guests, but they can't replace the ride's old fashioned sense of fun. Although I used to use them a lot on RCT3.

 

[_nemesis_]

I'm not saying it will be as good, but the old ride was outdated and not nearly as popular as before. Other than us and park regulars, nobody really noticed that Runaway Train was out of action, other than park capacity wise. It is tucked away at the back of Mexicana, the majority of the track was hidden by rockwork anyway. The high black fences hid pretty much the whole attraction during last season, people only would have realised it was there because it was listed on the map. At least this new version with have a fire effect, pulling people's attention.

As for the cattlepen queue and no more boiler theming rumor, the entrance to the train is still on the far side of the station, with new air gates and the bridge over the track is still standing. While it may not be as elaborate as before, I'm pretty sure we won't be seeing another Dragon's Fury queue! But this is just a guess.