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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Hid said:
Also there have been updates to Standards of modern zoo practice which come fully into effect in 2027 that is why they are changing and these are the part of new baseline standard
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The only change to enclosure sizes applies to elephants (which Chessington obviously doesn’t have) - something the likes of Born Free were up in arms about when the legislation was published:

Born Free laments missed opportunity of new zoo standards

New zoo standards announced by the UK government are far from transformative for the animals suffering in zoo captivity.
www.bornfree.org.uk www.bornfree.org.uk

Zoos have also been given a 15-year grace period to meet the new (fairly limited) standards so your argument doesn’t hold water. The main way CWOA may be affected is the banning of aquarium touchpools (so no more stroking sea creatures in SEA LIFE).
Hid said:
Vampire is down for maintenance what TPWW stated was pure speculation not fact. Again a youruber pretending they know more than what they do.

Tomb Blaster was fine earlier this with only the boulder effect nof working when I rode it.

Rattlesnake is fine its in its own area.

Look the park does need some work but some patience is needed.
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I didn’t suggest Shawn was speaking the gospel truth - what we know is that Vampire is 35 years old and coming to the end of its life in its current form so any quick fix over winter doesn’t mean we won’t be here again next year.

Also, lucky you when it came to Tomb Blaster! Every time I’ve been on there in recent years so many effects have been down - again, mainly because the mechanisms are largely 31 years old.

As for your “patience” appeal, others have rightly pointed out the state of the park at the moment does not merit the high admission fee. Putting all personal tastes aside when it comes to the increased use of IP etc, the place looks either like a building site or a decaying relic of the past and represents very poor value for money at the moment. There is no argument to be had about that.
 
Everyone knows someone who knows someone whose mates next door neighbour works on a particular ride

The genuine fact is very few people know, in depth, specific problems or issues with rides. There are rumours and occasionally some conspiracies and now in this new media hungry world engagement bait by the same old people

Klink spot on above 👍🏻
 
KolonelKlink said:
As for your “patience” appeal, others have rightly pointed out the state of the park at the moment does not merit the high admission fee. Putting all personal tastes aside when it comes to the increased use of IP etc, the place looks either like a building site or a decaying relic of the past and represents very poor value for money at the moment. There is no argument to be had about that
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Other parks that are having construction aren't reducing the cost of entry are they so why should Chessington IP is fine if it is done well and Chessington has used IPs for a long time Benoland.

Patience is needed as the park is redeveloping.


KolonelKlink said:
Tomb Blaster! Every time I’ve been on there in recent years so many effects have been down - again, mainly because the mechanisms are largely 31 years old.
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It's running better than previous years.

And also Vampire has been stated to not require a retrack and that's from the person who made the ride
 
KolonelKlink said:
The only change to enclosure sizes applies to elephants (which Chessington obviously doesn’t have) - something the likes of Born Free were up in arms about when the legislation was published:

Born Free laments missed opportunity of new zoo standards

New zoo standards announced by the UK government are far from transformative for the animals suffering in zoo captivity.
www.bornfree.org.uk www.bornfree.org.uk
Zoos have also been given a 15-year grace period to meet the new (fairly limited) standards so your argument doesn’t hold water. The main way CWOA may be affected is the banning of aquarium touchpools (so no more stroking sea creatures in SEA LIFE).
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It seems possible that although there is nothing specific to big cats in the new legislation, the pushback from organisations like Born Free and similar has made Chessington reconsider whether they have the right habitats for them. As they managed to find a buyer for their existing animals they decided to move them now.
I expect they want to remove the gorillas too but it may be harder to find another wildlife park that wants them.
 
Benzin said:
Most other parks with construction haven't closed 2 areas for the entire season mind.
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Welll then how should of they done the construction then, if they had waited till end of season for Wild Asia removal that would mean likely 2028 opening rather than 2027.

Because the area the 2027 Projext is in is massive due to using the old Glampjng site and having to remove everything Wild Asia had in it
 
rob666 said:
ugov website took me less than five seconds to search, but it runs to a couple of hundred pages...goosey!
Precis!
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I suppose that spending a little bit of time this morning quickly reading, digesting, and regurgitating DEFRA standards is a better use than plotting the next division of Merlin I can outsource my actual job.
KolonelKlink said:
The only change to enclosure sizes applies to elephants (which Chessington obviously doesn’t have) - something the likes of Born Free were up in arms about when the legislation was published:
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Whilst there's no change to enclosure sizes within the legislation, there are plenty of other changes to the keeping, enclosing and handling of big cats which could be argued to have forced Chessington's hand a little earlier than originally anticipated.

Tigers and Lions are considered to be Category 1A animals and present the highest risk. This classification applies to the Cougar (Puma concolor) and all species within the genus Panthera (including Lion, tiger, leopards, and jaguar). Contact with Category 1A animals is highly likely to cause severe injury or be a serious threat to life.

The classification of these animals requires adherence to mandatory additional safety measure requirements.

Enclosures for big cats must meet elevated security standards. Some select standards taken from the Standards of Zoo 2025 document are:
  • Continuous Security: Enclosures must be designed to be secure at all times, both night and day.
  • Routine Housing: Perceived safety concerns are not warranted justification to routinely secure Category 1A or Category 1 animals indoors overnight, unless the indoor facility alone meets all of their welfare needs.
  • Structural Checks: The structural integrity of enclosures containing Category 1A listed animals must be checked annually by an individual competent to make a structural engineering assessment (e.g., experienced maintenance staff, builders, or engineers).
  • Open-Topped Enclosures: Where an open-topped enclosure contains any Category 1A listed terrestrial members of the order Carnivora (which includes big cats), there must be an inward-facing overhang or anti-climb barrier appropriate for the species, unless a written justification for its absence is approved by the Licensing Authority.
  • Electric Fencing: An electric fence must not be used as the sole means of primary containment. If electric fencing contributes to the integrity and security of a Category 1A enclosure, an automated alarm system must be fitted to alert senior staff in the event of power loss or fence failure. Backup power sources must be available on-site for instant use. Electric fencing must be checked daily, and the voltage recorded.
  • Stand-Off Barriers: Stand-off barriers (like fences, walls, or moats) must be provided and designed to prevent direct contact with Category 1A Hazardous Animals.
  • Firearms: Where a collection contains any Category 1A or Category 1 listed terrestrial member of the order Carnivora, suitable and sufficient firearms and ammunition must be kept on the zoo premises for use by authorised staff. The Licence Holder must also ensure that information on the appropriate calibre firearm for each species is available.
  • Walk-Through Exhibits: Category 1A listed animals are not permitted in walk-through exhibits.
Unlike the standards for other animals, such as the phasing out of tethering for birds of prey by 2030 or new space requirements for elephants by 2040, no grace period or phase out date is given for these Category 1A safety requirements. They will be in effect from 24 May 2027.

Source: 2027: Standards of modern zoo practice for Great Britain

I am not a zoo handler at Chessington World of Adventures, primarily because I'm sure I'd be very quickly eaten, so I cannot comment on how many of these new requirements (if any) the park already had in place, or were their standard practice anyway. It is highly likely though that the legislation of stringent requirements certainly expedited a decision on the keeping of big cats.
 
It suits all parties, bar the paying guests, to move the big animals and which ever way Merlin dress it up it's as much about cost as anything else. Good for the animals, more space on the park for attractions not so good for guests hoping to see a Tiger or Lion. Chessington can argue they're getting ahead of the curve but in truth they want to build on that land and move those animals on dressing it up as a noble thing to do

It's mad they're doing so much so quickly but it makes sense... Two years of bad press and then lots of decent looking stuff added
 
I would, until actual proof comes out, wait before saying Vampire is falling down. Isn't there a picture showing lift 2 without a chain?

If a footer is sinking, they could remove it, prepare the ground and reinstate it or they could go for grout/resin injection to stop the sinking.
 
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