We haven’t forgotten about the many rides & attractions that have left the theme park, whether to make space for new developments or because of planning restrictions. Remind yourself of what once resided at the resort, for some Chessington nostalgia.

Featured Attractions

Rides & Attractions

Beanoland

Opened: 2000 | Closed: 2009

Themed to one of the most successful British comics of all time, Beanoland was home to Bash Street Bus, Billy’s Whizzer, Dennis’ Madhouse, and Roger the Dodger’s Dodgems. After nine years the area had run its course, and was reimagined in to Wild Asia, with the existing attractions updated accordingly.

Bubbleworks

Opened: 1990 | Closed: 2016

Professor Burp’s Bubbleworks was one of the world’s most iconic dark rides, where guests would enter a magical factory and follow the making of Professor Burp’s fizzy pop from juicing to bottling. Developed by John Wardley, designed by Keith Sparks’ production company, and featuring music by Graham Smart, Bubbleworks opened the same year as Vampire in a new area of the park called Transylvania, and became an immediate success. Known for its quirky animations, immersive storyline and fantastic humour, Bubbleworks operated in its original form for sixteen years before closing at the end of the 2005 season, to take on a new theme and sponsor; Imperial Leather.

Gone was Professor Burp and his fizzy pop empire, crassly replaced by a soap factory to suit the sponsor. Many of the original scenes were modified, animations made static, and quirky humour removed. The 2006 transformation was a poorly executed project, which removed all charm and taste that the original attraction conveyed so well. Bubbleworks was put out of its misery when The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure opened in 2017, using the existing ride system. Long live the Bubbleheads!

Dragon River / Dragon Falls

Opened: 1987 | Closed: 2017

Opening with the launch of Chessington World of Adventures in 1987, this oriental themed Mack Rides log flume was installed with truly immersive theming, setting a benchmark for UK theme parks. Riders would travel past spectacular rockwork and plunge in to an imposing dragon’s mouth. A towering figure modelled on The Great Buddha of Kamakura would stand over the ride’s winding trough, whilst two huge stone faces based on Angor Wat sat either side of the imposing final drop.

In 1999, the ride was renamed from Dragon River to Dragon Falls. In subsequent years, much of the original theming was removed, including the towering rockwork and stone faces, which exposed the ride system and back of house areas. For the 2018 season, the area was relaunched as Land of the Tiger featuring Tiger Rock, a reimagined attraction with theming that did not match the quality of the original installation.

Explorer Glamping

Opened: 2016 | Closed: 2024

For the wildest of overnight adventures, guests could stay in the great outdoors in one of the resort’s glamping tents. However, these tents came equipped with beds, power sockets, Wi-Fi and more, ensuring a comfortable night’s sleep! The site consisted of thirty one standard tenants and four premium tents, along with a reception building, a games and seating area, bathrooms, and the ‘Explorer’s Outpost’ bar and restaurant located in the neighbouring Wild Asia themed land. Explorer Glamping would close along with the area at the end of the 2024 season.

Hocus Pocus Hall

Opened: 2003 | Closed: 2018

Located in the Burnt Stub Mansion, Hocus Pocus Hall was a gothic themed walk-through and house of mirrors type attraction. Featuring a pre-show where guests would be introduced to a wizard and troublesome goblins, 3D glasses and effects were used to transform the room in to a magical world, opening up a bookcase which lead to the challenges ahead. Guests would pass through a rotating trommel tunnel, and be able to experience interactive features and games, finalising with a disorientating mirror maze where the goblins continued to cause mischief. Room on the Broom: A Magical Journey replaced the attraction for the 2019 season.

Holiday Inn London Chessington

Opened: 2007 | Closed: 2014

The original safari-styled hotel opened as a Holiday Inn, which operated until 2014 when Merlin Entertainments ended the contract. At this time the interior decoration was improved to feel less corporate, and more family friendly to suit the attached theme park and safari environment.

Jungle Bus

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

Originally known as Bash Street Bus and opening as part of Beanoland in 2001, the ride was reimagined as Jungle Bus when the area was rethemed to Wild Asia for the 2010 season, along with being relocated towards the main entrance. With a ‘Magic Carpet’ style ride system designed for younger guests to enjoy, the quirky looking bus rotated around two arms affixed to rock work from an ancient ruin. The ride would close along with Wild Asia at the end of the 2024 season.

Kobra

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

With larger than life theming, Kobra stretched along the length of Wild Asia, bookended by two large cobra heads. Manufactured by Zamperla, riders would sit atop a bicycle-like seat facing outwards on a large disc which would then begin slowly rotating, whilst moving back-and-forth along a track. As momentum built up, riders crossed over a hump-back in the track then into an incline, where it reached the top and then travelled back the way it came, doing so several times. With a top speed of 43mph, this was a thrilling flat ride that combined rotation with a powered roller coaster-like experience. Kobra would close along with Wild Asia at the end of the 2024 season.

Lorikeet Lagoon

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

Located at the rear of Wild Asia in a quieter corner, Lorikeet Lagoon let guests walk amongst the beautiful Lorikeets and their friends in an aviary type enclosure. With small pots of nectar for sale, guests were able to get up-close and personal with the residents of the lagoon, especially if they were hungry! Lorikeet Lagoon would close along with Wild Asia at the end of the 2024 season.

Monkey Swinger

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

The rocks appeared to rotate on Monkey Swinger, a chair swing ride that was themed to look like the ruins of a building featuring design motifs inspired by monkeys! Spinning riders around the central pillar on single seats attached by chains, the ride progressed to a wave like motion. The monkeys were known to spray guests with water as they passed over them which was a fun additional feature that separated this version of the ride from similar models elsewhere. Monkey Swinger would close along with Wild Asia at the end of the 2024 season.

Old Crocks Rally / Toadie’s Crazy Cars

Opened: 1987 | Closed: 2019

Originally known as Old Crocks Rally, guests would jump aboard a vintage car and take a relaxing trip around scenes of quintessential British countryside. In 2001, the attraction was reimagined as Toadie’s Crazy Cars, featuring characters from Wind in the Willows. With the introduction of Dragon’s Fury in 2004, the ride was shortened to make space for the coaster’s station. It was not until 2019 and the introduction of The Rainforest when the ride system was replaced and Jungle Rangers utilised the route.

Peeking Heights

Opened: 2005 | Closed: 2017

This Fabbri Ferris wheel was originally located at Thorpe Park and named Eclipse. As their target market had changed and they became a thrill-based park, it was decided that the ride would replace Samurai at Chessington where it was hoped the ridership would be greater. Standing taller than anything else in the park, beautiful views of the London skyline and surrounding areas could be observed on a clear day. Peeking Heights was replaced by an enclosure in the Land of the Tiger in 2018.

Runaway Train / Scorpion Express

Opened: 1987 | Closed: 2022

This Mack Rides Blauer Enzian powered coaster opened with the re-launched theme park in 1987, and featured an extensively themed layout, making a simple figure of eight layout into something special. A large mountain surrounded the ride, concealing parts of the coaster track which made the attraction feel bigger than it was. Similar to the impressive theming on Dragon River, a lack of maintenance meant the mountain had to be eventually demolished.

The ride was relaunched in 2014 as Scorpion Express, which received negative reviews in comparison to the original coaster due to the minimalistic theming and removal of the original queue line which interacted with the neighbouring buildings.

Smuggler’s Galleon / Black Buccaneer

Opened: 1988 | Closed: 2018

Introduced a year after the theme park opened, this Huss Pirate Ship thrilled guests for thirty years before it was replaced by a new version from a different manufacturer.

Temple of Mayhem

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

Young adventurers loved the two-story adventure house Temple of Mayhem, with its air powered cannons that could be used to fire foam balls across the interior. The attraction started life in 2000 as Timekeepers of the Millennium at The Millennium Dome in London, and was then relocated to Chessington once the celebrations were over and featured in Beanoland as Dennis’ Madhouse. With the introduction of Wild Asia in 2010, the attraction was rethemed into Temple of Mayhem and operated until 2024 when the area closed.

Terror Tomb / Forbidden Tomb

Opened: 1994 | Closed: 2001

From 5th Dimension to Terror Tomb, then Forbidden Tomb to Tomb Blaster, Chessington’s original dark ride has certainly seen some changes over the years. The star of Terror Tomb was Abdab, who tried to steal the tomb’s riches, however experienced an unfortunate end after the following was said by a mummy: “How dare you steal the jewel, now you shall become a ghoul!” The Abdab animatronics were kept inside the middle of the ride well after the attraction was rethemed into Tomb Blaster, shown in these photos. The operator’s control panel included a layout of the ride, with lights illuminating when a train was in the relevant block section.

Tuk Tuk Turmoil

Opened: 2010 | Closed: 2024

This Preston & Barbieri bumper cars attraction took riders around the busy streets of Wild Asia in a Tuk-Tuk, accompanied by a fun and exotic soundtrack. Tuk Tuk Turmoil would close along with Wild Asia at the end of the 2024 season.

The Juggler / Rodeo

Opened: 1989 | Closed: 2004

Starting out life as The Juggler in Circus World, the ride was relocated next to Runaway Train in 1996 and given a western theme. The Huss Breakdance is still a popular thrill ride in theme parks around the world today, and it was a shame Rodeo was removed as it was a great example of one.