Chessington World of Adventures Resort sits about 12 miles southwest of central London on land that has hosted a zoo since 1931. The Tussauds Group built a theme park around the existing animal collection, opening it to the public on 7 July 1987 and creating one of Britain’s few venues to combine roller coasters with a working zoo on the same site.
Now owned by Merlin Entertainments following its 2007 merger with Tussauds, the 128-acre resort drew roughly 1.5 million visitors in 2022, making it one of Europe’s most-visited theme parks. Its mix of family coasters, a Sea Life Centre, two on-site hotels, and over 1,000 zoo animals has kept it a fixture of British family days out for decades.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Chessington, Greater London, England
- Zoo opened: 1931
- Theme park opened: 7 July 1987
- Owner: Merlin Entertainments
- Size: About 128 acres (52 hectares)
- Annual visitors: About 1.5 million (2022)
- Notable coasters: Vampire, Dragon’s Fury, Rattlesnake, Mandrill Mayhem
From Zoo to Theme Park
Chessington’s animal collection predates its rides by over half a century, giving the resort an unusual layout where safari-style zoo zones sit alongside roller coasters and dark rides. The Tussauds Group leaned into this when it built the theme park in the mid-1980s, and Merlin Entertainments has continued the pattern since taking ownership, adding a Sea Life Centre in 2008 and expanding animal habitats even as new thrill rides arrived.
The park’s oldest surviving coaster, Vampire, opened in 1990 as a suspended swinging coaster from Arrow Dynamics. After Arrow’s 2001 bankruptcy, Chessington had Vekoma supply replacement trains, and the ride reopened in 2002 as one of the only Arrow-designed suspended coasters still running outside North America.
Recent Additions
Chessington has continued to invest in new attractions, most notably Mandrill Mayhem, a Bolliger & Mabillard shuttle wing coaster themed to Jumanji that opened on 15 May 2023. It marked B&M’s first-ever shuttle wing design and only its second wing coaster in the UK after The Swarm at Thorpe Park, launching riders to about 45 mph through a single inline twist and a 405-degree spiral rollback.
Earlier additions like the spinning coaster Dragon’s Fury (2004) and the wild mouse ride Rattlesnake (1998), both from German manufacturer Maurer Söhne, rounded out a coaster lineup aimed squarely at families and younger riders rather than record-chasing thrills.
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Chessington World of Adventures FAQs
When did Chessington World of Adventures open?
The zoo dates back to 1931, but the theme park built around it opened on 7 July 1987 under The Tussauds Group.
Who owns Chessington World of Adventures?
Merlin Entertainments owns and operates the resort, having acquired it through its 2007 merger with The Tussauds Group.
What is the most notable roller coaster at Chessington?
Vampire, opened in 1990, is one of the last Arrow Dynamics suspended coasters still operating outside North America, while Mandrill Mayhem (2023) is the newest and most technically notable, being B&M’s first shuttle wing coaster.
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