Chessington World of Adventures
- Jennifer Kozyra
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
If you’re looking for a theme park that works for kids of all ages, Chessington World of Adventures is our new favourite, as it really has something for every member of your family.
Chessington World of Adventures is a family friendly theme park and zoo located on the outskirts of London, combining roller coasters, family rides, shows, animal talks all in one place. With themed lands to explore and attractions aimed at different ages, it’s designed to offer a full day out that goes beyond your typical theme park.
We decided to turn our visit into a proper family trip. Packing up and setting off bright and early, the four of us, two adults and two older kids (11 and 14) hit the road from Cheshire, coffee in hand and expectations quietly building. Three and a half hours is no small drive, so the big question hanging over us was simple: would it really be worth it?
Come along as we find out. Exploring the rides, the atmosphere, and whether this well-known park can truly deliver for a family with older children looking for a bit more than just the basic rides.
Top Info
📅 Main Season = March - November
⏰️ 10am - 6pm
📱 Download the app and pick up a paper map
🎢 Theme park
🎢 No intense thrill rides
👨👩👧👦 Rides to suit all the family
💦 3 water rides
🦒 Zoo (with 1,000+ animals)
🐟 SEA LIFE centre
🍔 Plenty of food & drink outlets
👣 Not a massive site so not loads of walking
🎟 Ride Access Pass (virtual queue system)
♿️ Wheelchair hire available
♿️ Blue Badge parking available
🐕 No dogs allowed
🎟 Fastrack available
🚗 Standard parking: from £12–£15 per day
🚗 Express parking (closer): around £20
🚗 Hotel guests: free parking
🌎 Chessington KT9 2NE
Af link] Book Here https://tinyurl.com/DaysOutandMealsOutChessington
From the moment you arrive at Chessington World of Adventures, it’s clear the park is designed with families in mind. What really sets it apart is how well it bridges the gap between toddler attractions and more intense rides, offering an excellent mix for children who are ready for more than gentle rides but aren’t quite up to full thrill experiences. It has plenty of rides that sit perfectly in that middle ground, exactly what my 11-year-old daughter was looking for.
For those who have visited larger UK parks like Alton Towers, Chessington feels like the perfect stepping stone. Rides such as Vampire offer the excitement of bigger coasters but in a more approachable way, while Mandrill Mayhem delivers a taste of a thrill rides without going too far.
Many of the rides strike that ideal balance, you’ll find yourself screaming one moment and laughing the next. It’s thrilling, but never intimidating, which makes the whole experience enjoyable for the entire family.
Some of the Rides at Chessington
Vampire
A suspended rollercoaster that lets your legs dangle as you swoop through the trees, fast, smooth, and thrilling without being too intense. My 11 year olds favourite, gave her that first bigger ride experience but without being too scary.
Mandrill Mayhem
A launched shuttle coaster with a forward and backward section, plus a single inversion. Great for first-time thrill seekers. This was my 14 year old 's favourite. This one definitely made your tummy flip and get those pre ride nerves but it isn't too intense.
Croc Drop
A vertical drop tower themed around a giant crocodile, this has got lots of height but doesn't drop quickly and turns slowly around to give you great views of the park below.
Rattlesnake
A wild mouse coaster with tight turns and sudden drops, its fun, jerky, and full of surprises. This one has us squealing and laughing the most.
River Rapids
A small log flume water ride with a gently ride along the water and one big splash.
Dragon’s Fury
A spinning rollercoaster that changes every ride depending on weight distribution. This one is the one i was scared on the most, its fast, unpredictable and very fun.
The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure
A gentle indoor boat ride retelling the beloved Gruffalo story, perfect for younger guests and great fun as you get a bit wet.
Room on the Broom: A Magical Journey
A calm, storybook-style ride with charming scenes from the popular children’s book. This is a walk through so you can take it at your own pace.
Tiger Rock
A log flume ride with a big final drop and tiger-themed surroundings. A great mix of scenery and splash. You will get wet.
Tomb Blaster
An interactive dark ride where you shoot targets with laser guns while exploring an Egyptian tomb.
Zufari: Ride into Africa
A safari-style adventure that takes you through the animal reserve. Travel in an open vehicle and come face-to-face with animals like giraffes, rhinos, and zebras. It feels like a proper adventure and different every time depending on where the animals are.
Ostrich Stampede
A fun, spinning family ride where you hop aboard ostrich-themed seats. Expect a bouncy ride and laughter as you whirl around
Mamba Strike
Miami flat ride which rotates giving you those tummy flips but without being too scary.
🐒 Animals and Sealife
One of the things that really sets Chessington World of Adventures apart is its mix of rides and real wildlife. Beyond the roller coasters, the park is home to a surprisingly wide variety of animals, and it genuinely feels like stepping into a mini zoo. Areas like Wanyama Reserve and Zufari: Ride into Africa let you see giraffes, zebras, and antelope roaming in open spaces.
Make sure you catch the animal talks through out the day, see the Humboldt penguins dive and play at Penguin Bay and the playful monkeys swinging in the trees. And at the SEA LIFE centre see underwater worlds. It’s this combination of theme park rides and wildlife experiences that makes Chessington feel more varied than your typical theme park, perfect for breaking up the thrills with something a bit more relaxed and memorable.
Food & Drinks around the Park
There is plenty of food places around the park whether its takeaway food, vending or sit in restaurants.
Pizza & Pasta
We find the pizza and pasta restaurant is fast and reasonably priced. As its is a buffet you can get your food straight away. It includes a small selection of pizzas, pasta and a salad bar. The price also includes still juices. If you have a Merlin Pass then you get 20% off.
Smokehoue BBQ
We ate here on our visit. It was at the end of the day so quite a few items on the menu were out of stock.
We ordered Hickory Chicken Loaded Fries, jacket potatoes for the kids and a Pulled Pork Po'Boy. The food was actually really nice and plenty of it.
Top Tips for Visiting
⏰️ Arrive early
Getting there for before opening time makes a huge difference. Head straight to popular rides like Mandrill Mayhem or Vampire before queues build.
🎟 Use Ride Access Pass or Reserve & Ride if needed
If you don’t like long queues, it’s worth looking into queue management options, especially during school holidays.
💧 Do water rides strategically
Save Tiger Rock and River Rapids for later in the day or bring a poncho!
🎢 Mix thrill and calm rides
Break up the bigger rides with gentler ones like The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure to avoid burnout (especially with younger kids).
📏 Check height restrictions in advance
This helps manage expectations and plan your day without disappointment.
🦒 Take advantage of the zoo and SEA LIFE areas
Chessington isn’t just rides, these quieter attractions are great when you need a break from queues.
🥪 Avoid peak meal times
Food queues can get busy at peak lunch hours, so eat early or later to avoid the rush.
🎒 Bring a picnic
Eat in the queues to save time or just to save money
📱 Download the app
Live queue times and maps make navigating the park much easier.
⏰️ Stay till the end
Ride queues will get quieter as it gets close to closing time. Dont forget the closing time is the time you can enter a queue, not the time the ride closes. Squeeze in one more ride at closing time.
Does Fastrack improve your day
On our visit we were very kindly gifted fastrack so we could experience as much of the park as possible. We used a Gold Fastrack, and honestly it made a huge difference. It was a really busy day (Easter holidays + sunshine ☀️), and many rides had 70-minute waits. With Fastrack, we were waiting around 15 minutes instead, which meant we could do so much more.
Have you used fastrack and do you think its worth the money?
We were there from 9am–4pm (park open till 6pm) and managed to fit in 17 rides:
Vampire x4
Mandrill Mayhem x3
Croc Drop x2
Rattlesnake x2
River Rapids x1
Dragon’s Fury x1
Gruffalo River Ride x1
Room on the Broom x1
Tiger Rock x1
Tomb Blaster x1
Af link] Book Here https://tinyurl.com/DaysOutandMealsOutChessington
😃 Our Overall Thoughts
We absolutely loved the park. It’s perfect for families, especially as it has lots of mid-level rides. Ideal for my 11-year-old, who’s not quite into the big thrill rides yet but too old for the toddler rides. It was such a brilliant day out where we could all enjoy the rides together as a family
Press Visit April 2026
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