We went to Chessington for the first time yesterday and I have a few top tips to share to ensure a fuss-free, brilliant day there.
Before I go into a bit more of detail about what our highlights were, here are my 6 top tips to consider before you start organising your day out.
That way, you will get the best deal possible and you will not have to queue for tickets. You can also print your tickets at home, so you can head straight to the gates rather than collecting tickets when you arrive.
2- Plan your day
Before your visit, check what you would like to see and which rides you fancy most. On the page that lists all attractions, you can create a profile per visitor, including their name, age, height as well as a range of other options. It will enable you to narrow down what is most suitable for your group.
Get the app by typing ‘Chessington official’ in the App Store or Google Play. The app will let you find the shortest queue lines, ride availability and daily offers. WiFi is also free in the park. I loved this app. With 4 young children, we constantly get requests to go to the toilet and the app has a ‘find my nearest’ section with which you can be guided towards the nearest facilities. We also found the live queue and show times option absolutely brilliant.
4- Scared it might rain? Fear not!
If it rains continually for an hour or longer on the day you visit, you will be able to get a free ticket for a return visit later in the year.
5- Height restrictions
They are really strict with height restrictions. After queuing for an hour for ‘ZUFARI: Ride into Africa,’ the children were measured, and Jumpy, who is just under a metre (99cm!) did not get through. I ended up going with Beanie and Crevette whilst Hubby and the two little ones watched the animals from the walkways.
6- Bring your own food.
It also means you can have a snack as you are queuing. You can always get a warm portion of chips, a hot coffee or a few sweets when you fancy them, but you will save a lot of money if you plan ahead and bring a packed lunch. There are plenty of places to sit and have a break to eat.
There you are. I hope you found those tips useful.
Until last week, I had never considered going to Chessington with my family. I just thought it was a ‘grown up’ theme park rather than a place my little ones would fully enjoy. They are only 2, 3, 6 and 8 after all. How wrong was I?
Before our visit, I looked at what Chessington had to offer and found its history fascinating. It all started in 1348, when a country Lodge named Chessington Lodge was built.
After being burnt to the ground, rebuilt, used as an alehouse, sold, opened as a zoo in 1931 and closed during the 2nd World War, it became part of The Tussauds group and in 1987, ‘Chessington World of Adventures’ opened as a theme park.
668 years after the original mansion was built, what is now ‘Chessington World of Adventures Resort’ comprises of a theme park (more than 40 rides and attractions), a Zoo and SEALIFE centre (over 1000 animals), and an onsite Resort Hotel.
The day before our day trip, I checked frequently asked questions on Chessington’s website, to make sure we had all bases covered.
What were the highlights for us?
For half term, HOWL’O’WEEN at Chessington was in full swing. The whole theme park was decorated with pumpkins, scary displays and we even spotted a flash mob of zombies dancing on Market Square. ‘Hocus Locus Hall’ was a brilliant attraction I would highly recommend. It combines the old and the new, with 3D effects, a maze of mirrors and spooky creatures that will not give you nightmares.
We all loved the playful otters. They were full of mischief and play-fighting, which entertained my four little ones for ages.
Crevette loved having Cleaner Shrimp eat the dead skin around his fingernails in the SEALIFE centre.
‘Peeking Heights’ was our first ride. It is a nice one to get started, especially if you have cautious children like mine.
The monkeys in ‘AMAZU’ were so cute we wanted to take one home!
‘ZUFARI’ was a fab experience. It felt like we were on a safari and we got to see lots of animals up close.
‘Toadie’s Crazy Cars’ and ‘Tiny Truckers’ were the children’s favourites.
Check the small door in the sweet shop!
‘Pandamonium’ was a perfect show for the whole family, with its life-like animatronic pandas. It really gives you a chance to experience what it would be like to get up close to these endangered animals.
The ‘Trail of the Kings’ not only took us through a maze of magnificent big cats and gorillas, but the children also had to find hidden treasures and along the way, which they took really seriously.
Disclosure: We were invited to Chessington World of Adventures free of charge (press tickets). I was not asked to write a review but we had a memorable day there and I would highly recommend a visit. We will definitely go again!
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This looks like a lot of fun for both the kids and the adults!
It was!
Sounds like a great day out and what a brilliant idea to offer a free return ticket of it rains!
I know! How good is that?
Chessington is such a great park for kids. I have such great memories of going there when I was younger x
I had a great day there too!
I live within walking distance to here, we usually go once a year as get residents tickets but not gone this year due my Daughter not being well enough. It is so nice to see you write about the history of the zoo as well x
Oh wow, you lucky lady for living within walking distance of the park. It really is a great place for families and I found the history behind it fascinating. x
I’ve never been Chessington World of Adventures. Wow, takes me back to my childhood when a lot of children went there, looks so good x
I didn’t have high hopes actually: I thought it was for ‘big kids’ but we had a glorious day out all together!
Wow, I haven’t been since I was a teen and I am now 29. I really must take my 4yo soon.
Go on, take your 4 year old. Perfect day out for little ones!
A day at Chessington World of Adventures would be amazing. I’d love to see the halloween stuff and the Trail of the Kings sounds fun!
Seeing the big cats was one of my favourite things. They looked majestic!
Looks and sounds like a great family day out, its always nice to plan and book things in advance and not whats available and what isnt
Definitely!
The halloween stuff looks awesome, love the pumpkins. Great tips x
Thanks Rhian
What a post post! The photos are so cute. The panda ones made me laugh! Loving the halloween-related activities on the go this year too x
They really went through a lot of effort to make the whole place spooky-looking!
I haven’t been here before but it certainly looks like a great place to visit. I love that theres animals there xxx
I thought it was great the theme park also doubled up as a zoo and a SEALIFE centre. It meant there was something for everyone in my family as it wasn’t only focused on rides you’d have to queue for.
I’ve never been here before, but I know that my little boy would love it.
It really is a great place for the whole family!
We always take our own food to places like this, as they charge a fortune!
They do, and the food tends to be disappointing too. It certainly was when I took the kids to Disneyland Paris last year and forgot our cold bag at my mum’s!
I love chessington! I always have the best time x
We did too! We’ll definitely go again.
Great tips. I totally agree with bring your own food to save money.
It’s common sense if you’re at home and can plan ahead, isn’t it?
Wow! Looks like you had a great time! The App is such a great idea! Nothing worse than wasting time standing in queues
That app is one of the best apps I’ve ever used. They have a brilliant app developer; they’ve thought of everything you might need.
I haven;t been to Chessington in years but I know my nieces and nephews really want to go! Thanks for sharing your tips x
My pleasure Stephanie!
What fun! I used to love going here on school trips in my youth!
You had fun school trips! All I remember from my own school trips were a few boring plays and maybe a museum if we were lucky, he he!
What a super day out! My kids would love to go to something like that. Thanks for the tips – if we’re ever on the mainland we’ll make sure to do as you suggest. 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth
Those panda don’t look real – look like someone dressed up. An awesome day out and I must take my niece there. xx
It really was a fab day out. I thought the pandas looked pretty realistic actually!
I’ve never been here but it looks so much fun xx
It was absolutely brilliant!
We’ve yet to head to Chessington as a family. We’ll definitely bear in mind your tips when we visit 🙂 x
Thanks lovely, I hope they come in handy when you go!
Looks like a very fun day out! Some very good tips too. I always bring food because the queues
Thanks lovely, we really had an amazing day out as a family.
Oh this looks like so much fun! I’m pleased you enjoyed it!
We had such a great day! I can’t wait to go again.
We love going to Chessington and always have a fantastic time! 🙂
Great tips, we haven’t been there yet so this will come in useful. I am loving the Pandas my youngest daughter would love those.
I have always wanted to visit! I will have to take my godson!
You should do. He’d love it!
Taking your food with you is a fab idea. Great tips.
Thanks lovely
What a fun day out! I have never been before but it is certainly somewhere I fancy going to.
It’s really worth a visit!
Chessington is a little far from us, but it always seems the most brilliant of places to visit with kids.
It really is perfect for the whole family.
I love that you get free tickets if its bad weather, great idea x
It’s a brilliant idea, isn’t it?
Great tips, and a great post in general! It sounds like a great day out (I’ve never been before!) and your photos are lovely. 🙂
Ashton x
ashtonjade.co.uk
Thanks! We really had a brilliant day out as a family.
We went.
It rained.
All day! No worries we thought, rain guarantee.
Turns out that tickets obtained through collecting Sun tokens are excluded.
Not happy about that or that 3 major rides were shut ‘tecnical fault’.
Lockers… 10 quid a day, bloomin heck, take rucksax. Waterproof ones.
And desperately cold we needed a hot snack… we had to stump up 8 QUID for a portion of hips?!!!
Hope y’all have better weather 😉 and do take your own food.
Oh no, I had no idea the rain guarantee didn’t work when you used vouchers. I was lucky when I went because it was sunny, and we did pack our own lunch too!
P.S. of course, that should have read ‘chips’ not hips ,hahaha. Cold stiff fingers…
I’d gathered that 🙂