Chessington World of Adventures Resort

[joelpagett]

Hi Guys,

Got back from Chessington's Halloween Hocus Pocus yesterday and I have to say I am very very impressed! First of all I want to comment on the park. Usually Chessington is one of the best dressed in my opinion but apart from a huge amount pumpkins there wasn't much else. Although it was only open until 5 the lighting looked very impressive this year and look forward to seeing this!

The mazes, or Halloween attractions were impressive, here is my reviews;

The Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall

This was probably the biggest surprise of the day. We queued for ages for this ride due to the very low through put. When you first enter the building you are greeted by one of the explorers helpers. She explained to us about how Sir Arthur used to collect rare items and his final item was the mystical gem. This gem transported him into another realm (as you do!). She then comes across the gem and some absolutely fantastic projections swirl around the room show you to a secret entrance. You then gain access to this portal where you come across Cleopatra, some strange man in the middle of the Jungle and finally a scurvy pirate. The mirror maze at the ending was great as you escape this other realm all though the ending was a bit anticlimactic.
All in all the theming and the acting was great and some seriously cool effects were used! Highly recommended.

The Haunting in the Hollows
This was probably the biggest surprise of the day! We got to the attraction just past the vampire at 3pm and there was absoutley no queue! This was a great surprise and we were then briefed before we made our way through the gates. You are first greeted by Van Helsing who tells you about the strange happenings. You then make your way through the town before you come across a hearse. A strange man starts shouting at you before you are ushered into a coffin shop where you are cornered by a vampire. Making your way our you enter the Tomb of Dracula where an awesome scene comes about featuring Dracula. There was a fantastic strobe finale and it was great fun.

All in all was very impressed by all the acting and the mazes themselves and the park just need to open a bit later to enjoy the fantastic lighting they have installed! Would recommend visiting Chessington this year for Halloween! For some more pictures check out my Flickr

















Thanks for reading

[Burniel]

^thanks very much am planning on going this year and knew there were changes this has helped a lot

[obliviongirl]

Tomb Blaster is the ride I would most like to see behind the scenes of at Chessington! It's all in the dark, plus you're concentrating on shooting, so it's hard to notice a lot, other than the obvious props and scenery. It would be really interesting to see what the place looks like with the lights on!
On the topic of Tomb Blaster, I went on it for the first time in years in August, and I'm so glad I did! I hadn't been on for ages after being absolutely terrified on the ride aged seven, and it kind of stopped me from riding again. I know it isn't exactly the most exciting ride, but it's just really nice to rediscover a ride you've avoided for so long. 

[obliviongirl]

I wonder if you can see from the top of rattlesnake? Perhaps I'll have a look when I go on the 25th?

Did you see anything Dan? When I visited in September my friends and I tried to peek over the barrier to see what was going on, but to no avail. It was pretty difficult to look when we were being banged about every couple of seconds from the jerky turns.  :P Anyway, I'm eagerly anticipating the refurbished Runaway Train for next year. I'm interested to see if it looks any better than before.

[Emma]

Sometimes it's nice to just sit and enjoy the ride.

If your're not concentrating on shooting you can really notice the finer details and theming.

[Burniel]

^I've done that, it's so much nicer than when you shoot! Shooting results in bad scores and achy fingers, not shooting means it's a ride you can appreciate!

[Burniel]

I saw a bit of track ... I reckon if it wasn't rattlesnake, and was instead tiny truckers I would have got a lot more! all I can say is anyone if you break down up there look over!

Anyway, this piece of track was merely ... Well, a piece of track. There was no scenery visible, but it was interesting to see it bare!

Another thing most people don't know is when on the safari skyway, look left as soon as you leave the station. A little to be seen there, but again, it's well covered - up!

EDIT: I thought I should share this: http://flickr.com/photos/mesmoland/8727770021/lightbox/ (mesmoland's Flickr feed). I found the first two pictures very interesting

[nickhutson]

Exactly; I've never shot things on this ride - and it's the same with Duel.  I wish for Halloween they'd turn the darn shooters off; I hate them all.

[andyuk200523]

i found these pictures of runaway train at chessington



credit to themeuk.com for the pics

Christ - they have really stripped it back haven't they!

[bensaund]

With Duel I don't use the guns, the ride is very good without them. For Tomb Blaster, I have been in a position many times when the guns have not worked and the ride is so boring, you look at other people and they are just bored. The reason for this is that before they installed the guns, there was a story, not it is just music which is great for shooting, but IMO you have to use the gun to avoid getting bored.


Compared to Duel, the throughput of Tomb blaster seems really slow

[Burniel]

^I always find that! Was on park on Wednesday, the queue for tomb blaster was 75mins! Duel would never get anything like that!

[LittlestarRed]

Just got back from today at Chessington Halloween Hocus Pocus. I have to say that overall we had a great day!

The one complaint I have is the huge reduction in park wide theming. It's a shame because the general atmosphere was great.

The park audio/music was spectacular. Especially when it got dark, the (really well used) lights came on and they cranked up the volume!.....Fantastic!

I applaud Chessie for The mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall. The transformation is so well executed!

Sadly, there was an emergency stop just as we were about to go in, and I'm fairly sure that some of the effects weren't working on our go through. The tunnel wasn't spinning and the loud/sudden noises and strobes mentioned on the entrance board didn't occur.

That said the actors were fantastic and played their roles very well, particular note to the actor in 'The Jungle'. I was at the front of the line and he made me jump and squeal,  I don't scare easily! haha.
The narrative of the story was clear and my kids were both pretty engrossed all the way through. My 6 yr old daughter came out smiling but a little bit afraid (of the pirate who had been just about to murder my sister. "He almost got Aunty....!" lol).

We were lucky as the rain today seemed to have put some people off, so the park wasn't as horrendously crowded as others have been reporting this week. Many of the smaller rides were a walk on or a very small queue. Even the Black Buccaneer in the dark was only around a 10min wait.

I'm hoping to get back over the next couple of days to have a go on Haunting in the Hollows, this time I'll attempt it on my own. I really didn't fancy queueing again after an hr long wait was wasted when my 8 year old Son chickened out today at the last moment !!

Well done Chessington! A few improvements needed with general theming and maybe another halloween attraction somewhere to round things off? I'd love to see the centaur/headless horseman from a few years ago return, or maybe a few more roaming characters? Other than that I'd say you've nailed it!

[jon18uk]

Did anyone manage to see any more of the construction before the season ended of the new Monkey enclosures that were being moved for the hotel extension?

Chessington Buzz had some details http://www.chessingtonbuzz.co.uk/news/c ... xpansions/ and http://www.chessingtonbuzz.co.uk/news/c ... struction/ .

The last time I was there in early October it looked like a new Monkey enclosure was being built at the top of the old area next to the build-a-bear shop and the penguins. Didn't look like it was being made to any higher standard of theming than the old enclosures at the moment.

[Lottie.]

I went on Sunday for the final day of HHP and from what I could see, the Monkey and Bird Garden was almost complete. As for the hotel expansion, still very much a huge patch of building site with diggers.

[Burniel]

Would agree with the comments above, Hocus pocus was a great day (despite queues!)

Anyone know which rides will be open for festive zoo days? The following attractions have been known to open previously:
Hocus Pocus Hall
Childish Christmas show (in chicken shack)
Seastorm
Black buccaneer
Bubbleworks
Safari Skyway
Zoo and SEALIFE centre.

[bensaund]

I asked this question to Chessington and they said

Zoo and Sealife centre, come a look at our lovely animals.

But no Zufari or any other rides confirmed at the moment. They did say they have some surprises up their sleeve, but this could just be an increase in car park charges! LOL

[Jared]

None of rides will be open. Hocus Pocus Hall will be transformed into a new Christmas walk through. :P

[Burniel]

It's a disappointment about the rides. You can get 20 goes on the black buccaneer on a good zoo day!

Hocus pocus hall thing sounds cool. How to change it from Halloween:

Into the room. Actor explains how the mystery of santa's grotto is strong, nobody knows where it truly is. Door opens. Surprised guests walk through the corridor with introducer. Finds door, opens it, and sees tunnel. Introducer leaves them to it.

Where cleopatra sat, you find a working elf. He greets you and tells you santa and all your Christmas wishes are ahead but be careful along the way! You move on. "Guardian on the cobra" is santa's wife who tells you that there are people ahead who have snuk in. ("You're much better off taking this route!")

Guests take the route, and come across Scrooge! He's about to throw you out, but santa saves you!

Mirror maze Christmas-like, and then you're out.

[Dara]

But Duel is a different ride system to Tomb Blaster so the most you ever seem to get is about 15 mins queue 

Tomb Blaster is also one of Chessington's signature rides with their family market so it's straight away going to beat Duel on popularity. Also Towers has far more rides around the park to distract people than Chessington does.

As for the shooting element, whilst that many people, including John Wardley, dislike this element of the ride it is very popular with the general public and gave the Haunted House a new lease of life. I don't agree that you necessarily miss alot of the theming. If you're concentrating heavily on shooting, then yes there may be one or two bits you miss, but on the whole I can still appreciate the detail that's gone into creating Duel and Tomb Blaster.

[Burniel]

A topic made for discussion on festive zoo days, an event occurring throughout December.