Chessington World of Adventures Information

Chessington World of Adventures is an English theme park owned by the Tussauds Group.

It was formerly Chessington Zoo but was reopened in 1987 under the new name following a £18 million development investment.
It is situated 12 miles South West of central London on the A243, 2 miles from the A3 and M25 (junction 9 or 10).
In recent years, the Tussauds Group has been transforming the theme park into a more family-oriented attraction, with the more extreme rides being relocated to Thorpe Park. This has been seen through the removal of such rides as Samurai and Rodeo.

Rollercoasters
Vampire
The Vampire ride originally opened as a suspended rollercoaster, with riders sitting in bat-themed cars hanging from the track, which swung freely as the rollercoaster train completed the course. With two lift hills, the ride was quite long, and featured a sudden drop into a sharply banked curve within a cave towards the end of the ride.

However, as this ride started to age, it suffered from numerous breakdowns and maintenance problems. Eventually, as the ride ended up closed for the latter half of the 2000 season, the decision was taken to modify the ride so that it could take a new type of hanging rollercoaster train. For this, the track was to remain in the same layout, as modifying this would require planning permission, which was unlikely to be granted. However, as the track layout was designed for suspended rollercoaster trains, with tight corners, the new suspended trains would also have to be able to swing around corners, in order to reduce lateral Gs. This led to the development of swinging suspended floorless rollercoaster trains.

The modified ride opened in 2001, under the same name as the previous ride. The new type of train makes the ride significantly less intense, suitable for familes and younger visitors.

Dragons Fury
This spinning 'wild mouse' ride opened in 2004 and is sponsored by Skips. This ride has four-man cars that can be weighted evenly or with bias to one side, depending on the amount of spin desired. As a result, very few rides feel the same as each other.

Rattlesnake
This steel wild mouse ride opened in 1998. It is notable for being dug into the ground due to local planning restrictions - many feel this enhances the excitement of the ride.

Runaway Train
A powered mine train ride in Mexicana (not a rollercoaster in the strictest sense). The number of circuits in a single run may vary according to visitor numbers and the ride's operators.

Thrill Rides
Rameses Revenge
A Huss 'Top Spin', in which riders sit in a gondola rotated by a pair of enormous arms and allowed to freely pivot. Riders are also suspended above jets of water at one point; those sitting in the front rows may get rather wet. Now stands out as one of the most intense rides in the park.

Black Buccaneer
A large swinging ship noted for its 'airtime' (if the rider sits at either end).

Billy's Whizzer
A large 'waveswinger' type ride with water fountains at the base that hit riders as they swing round.

Water Rides
Dragon Falls
Formerly Dragon River. An expansive log flume noted for its excellent theming, including a section in which riders pass into the mouth of a large Chinese dragon. The final drop is flanked by Buddha heads.

Imperial Leather Bubbleworks
Opened in 1990 alongside Vampire in the new Transylvania area as Professor Burp's Bubbleworks, a dark ride in which guests were taken around the mad professor's fizzy-pop factory. Riders were taken through various areas of the factory with humorous animated scenes, before a small drop into a spectacular finale of strobe lights and fountain archways.

In 2005, the park announced that the ride would be sponsored by the Imperial Leather brand from 2006 onwards. The ride was repainted in parts and all references to Professor Burp were removed from the attraction. Some scenes remain very similar with minor changes such as restyled characters and the addition of rubber ducks.