Chessington World of Adventures review: a brilliant day out for all ages

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The Enchanted Hollow

What is there to do at Chessington World of Adventures?

I took my 12- and 14-year-olds to Chessington World of Adventures in early October for the launch of their Howl'o'ween seasonal activities. Chessington go all out for Halloween and Christmas, with decorations, activities and performances dotted around the huge 128-acre site.

First up was the sweet and spooky Enchanted Hollow, an immersive underground world inhabited by woodland creatures ready and waiting for trick-or-treaters. I'd say this activity is great for ages 4-12, while less-confident little ones might find the spooky lighting and actors' realistic animal makeup slightly unnerving.

Elsewhere in the park until the 3 November, you'll find your last chance to see a performance of award-winning Banyan: The Final Flame, before the Wild Asia zone is refurbished. There's a fancy dress competition, pumpkin patch and the chance to ride your favourite rollercoasters at dusk, plus Vile Villagers - which is suitable for all ages - until 3pm when the villagers get scarier and only ages 10 and up are advised to venture into the Wild Woods.

My kids are big fans of rollercoasters, and my 14-year-old in particular loves Chessington's nearby sister attraction Thorpe Park for its sky-high rides. They had the time of their lives trying out all the 'brave adventurers' rated rollercoasters.

Chessington has a helpful rating system so you can gauge how gentle a ride is and there's plenty of detail on the park maps about minimum heights and supervision requirements. Plus, there's a useful app with up-to-date wait times for each ride, so you can strategise to minimise your queuing.

Mandrill Mayhem got the biggest thumbs up from my two, and we spent a lot of time in Jumanji world, which also hosts Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede. Other highlights included Kobra and Dragon's Fury.

Mandrill Mayhem

Gruffalo River Ride Adventure

For younger visitors, there's lots to explore. With gentle, family-friendly rides like Seastorm and Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, plus a zoo and Sealife Centre and Room on the Broom - A Magical Journey, set in the enchanted library of the original mansion the theme park is built around.

You'll also find high-energy performances on two stages and gift shops stuffed with cuddly toys and souvenirs.

Humboldt penguins

What to bring to Chessington World of Adventures

If there's the slightest chance of rain, I'd urge you to bring waterproofs, as the park is mostly outdoors. There are lockers, which cost £2 (change machines are available in the park, too), and plenty of buggy parks for when you're on a ride. The smartest families brought foldable wagons with them to cart around their stuff.

There are loads of places to eat at Chessington - from fast food restaurants to sit-down gastropubs and food vans to vending machines - but food and drink are pretty pricey. I had a delicious and filling halloumi wrap for £17, and the kids had nachos at about £9 a pop, and drinks were around £4 for a regular Coke. Due to this, if you're on a budget, I'd highly recommend bringing a picnic, including plentiful snacks and drinks to keep everyone going during an energetic and exciting day out.

I was glad of my roomy backpack, as I was almost immediately handed all of my children's possessions to hold for the entirety of the day. While there are cubbies to leave glasses, phones and bags while you're on a ride, it's best to travel as light as you can if you're planning on riding the rollercoasters.

I noticed thoughtful, family-friendly touches all over the park, including lowered sinks, mini loo seats and undercover buggy parks. There were kids and adults of all ages, some in amazing Halloween fancy dress. It really felt like a place that caters for everyone - even those of us (like me) who wouldn't set foot on a rollercoaster in a million years.

Kobra

How much are tickets to Chessington World of Adventures?

Day tickets start from £29 for a weekday, rising to £36 at the weekend. Kids under 90cm go free, and it's much cheaper to book online than buy tickets at the gate. If you're planning on going more than once in the space of a year, it's worth looking at annual passes, which start at just £59.

There are two on-site hotels, the Safari and Azteca, which are similar in price to one another and offer themed and standard rooms, a pool and entry to the park - prices start from £50 per person. There's also glamping available onsite, and a Premier Inn next door to the park.

Tiger Rock rollercoaster at dusk

How do you get to Chessington World of Adventures?

We travelled by car to Chessington, and found the roads leading up to the park do get quite congested on a weekend morning. If you book online, parking costs £7 off-peak and £9 for weekends and school holidays. at the gate you'll pay £10 all year round.

The park is easily accessible by public transport, with its nearest train station (Chessington South) just a mile away. From London, trains run regularly from Waterloo, taking around 35 minutes. There are also buses available from nearby towns Kingston and Epsom.

Is Chessington in the ULEZ zone?

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) now includes all entrances to Chessington World of Adventures, so vehicles need to meet certain emission standards in order to avoid paying the daily ULEZ charge.

You can find more information on the TfL website and check if you need to pay the charge here.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.

With an MA in Creative Writing and a PGCert in Lifestyle Journalism, Poppy's written about parenting topics for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The Sun. She's a best-selling, award-winning author, and her books for children and parents have been translated into 12 languages.