Chessington World of Adventures
Everything you need to know
Chessington wins our vote for the UK’s best family day out, with a great mix of thrill rides, animal encounters and brilliant theming
Chessington sits in a rather clever sweet spot between LEGOLAND and the bigger thrill parks. There’s plenty for younger children, while rides like Vampire and Mandrill Mayhem keep older kids and adults happy. Add a zoo, SEA LIFE centre and excellent animal talks and there’s always something to do when the queues build.
Best for
ages 4+
Thrills for all ages
Don't miss animal talks
New PAW Patrol Land
Start early to avoid queues
What to expect at Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures is as close as you can get to a Florida theme park in the UK. Beyond the thrilling rides, it’s the immersive theming that makes it so special. Drift through the Grufflo woods, visit ancient Egypt or brave a Vampire’s Lair.
Add the new PAW Patrol land giving Peppa Pig world a run for its money, a safari, sea lion shows and encounters with tigers, and there’s far more to a day out at Chessington than rides alone.
How to beat the queues at Chessington
Chessington can be a wonderful day out or a lot of queuing, so it pays to have a plan of action before you arrive. Decide which rides you really don’t want to miss, download the Chessington app and use that to app to keep track of queue times and ride closures.
Vampire and Mandril get very busy later in the day so aim to tackle these first. Tiger Rock is a good next stop, followed by an early lunch by the Tigers, so you can use the lunchtime lull to do Dragon’s Fury or other big hitters like Tomb Blaster. After that enjoy the animals encounters and SeaLife until the queues subside again.
How scary are the rides at Chessington?
The app divides rides into Little Rangers, Family Explorers and Brave Adventurers, but don’t let the labels put you off. Two of the ‘brave’ rides, Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede, aren’t remotely scary. Mandrill Mayhem is. It rockets backwards, climbs a broken track and turns you upside down twice, but is smooth and thrilling.
Rattlesnake mostly jolts you around, while Tiger Rock is a fun log flume with one big drop. Croc Drop requires a good head for heights and Vampire is fast and smooth, while the spinning cars, drops and twists make Dragon’s Fury one of the more thrilling rides in the park.
New for 2026: World of PAW Patrol
I’m gutted my children are too grown up for these rides now as the whole world looks amazing. Every pup has their own ride or area, including Skye’s Helicopter Hero’s, Chase’s Mountain Mission kiddie coaster, Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure and Marshall’s Firetruck.
All four rides have a minimum height of just 90cm and the theming is beautiful. There’s also Rubble and Rocky’s Playzone, opportunity to meet the pups in the Town Hall at scheduled times, food and picnic areas and a huge shop, making it almost a day out in itself.
Don't miss the animal encounters at Chesington
Once the queues get to over 45 minutes, don’t waste your day standing in line. Take a break to look at the wonderful animals. There’s a lovely raccoon talk, where these curious little creatures practically interact with the crowd, and a chance to watch the penguins being fed.
The sea lion show is fun and educational, providing a welcome opportunity to sit down and have a snack. There’s everything from reindeer to gorillas, plus the chance to get close up with the giraffes on the Zufari ride. Go early or late when the animals are more active.
Is SEA LIFE at Chessington worth visiting?
In addition to the brightly coloured fish and educational boards, there are some genuine wow moments at SEA LIFE. While children may initially resist being pulled away from the rides, the underwater tunnel, with sharks swimming overhead, will change their mind.
There’s also a huge tank filled with rays, but my personal favourite is the seahorse area. I could watch these magical little creatures swim and curl their tails around the seagrass all day. It’s a lovely break from the bustle of the park and a great place to cool down.
How to save money at Chessingon
It’s very easy to spend a lot of unplanned money very quickly if you don’t set a budget or plan ahead. Bring refillable bottles to refill behind the toilets near the main gift shop and a packed lunch to enjoy in a shady spot near the tigers or PAW Patrol playground.
If you enjoy family days out, you might also want to consider Merlin Membership. Even if just one person is a member, they can enter for free, get free car parking and access discount tickets for others to come reduced rates, depending on your package.
