Located in Chessington, Greater London, about 12 miles southwest of Central London, Chessington World of Adventures Resort sits on a historic site dating back to 1348. Originally opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, the destination was redeveloped by The Tussauds Group and debuted as a combined animal-amusement park on July 7, 1987. Today, the resort is owned and operated by Merlin Entertainments following its 2007 merger with Tussauds, transforming the location into a full tourist destination with on-site accommodation, pools, a spa, and fitness facilities.
Spanning 128 acres (52 hectares), the resort features over 40 rides arranged across distinct themed areas loosely inspired by world cultures. You can explore lands such as Adventure Point at the centre, Shipwreck Coast, Wild Woods, Forbidden Kingdom, Land of the Tiger, and World of Jumanji. Alongside the theme park, Chessington Zoo houses over 1,000 animals across specialized zones, including Trail of the Kings, Sea Lion Bay, Penguin Bay, Amazu, Wanyama Village and Reserve, and a dedicated Sea Life Centre featuring an Ocean Tunnel.
The park is famous for signature attractions including the suspended swinging roller coaster Vampire, Dragon's Fury, Mandrill Mayhem, KOBRA, Tiger Rock, and The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure. Positioned as a major resort for families, Chessington accommodates both day trips and multi-day stays with two themed on-site hotels and glamping facilities. As one of the United Kingdom's most-visited theme parks, it offers a varied blend of coasters, family rides, dark rides, water attractions, and live animal experiences.
01 Signature rides & attractions
The park’s headline rides across its themed areas. Confirm heights and any single-rider lines on the day.
Compiled from Wikipedia · a full ride-by-ride list per themed area is on the way.
Park map
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the park and its surroundings — entrances, themed areas, car parks and access roads. Zoom in for detail; the official ride-by-ride park plan is linked below.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official park maps are copyrighted — we link to them.
02 Tickets & prices
Ticket prices for Chessington World of Adventures change by date and season, and the park sells single-day, multi-day and annual passes — buying online in advance is almost always cheaper than at the gate, and popular dates can sell out. Check the official site for live pricing before you travel.
We deliberately don’t list prices that change daily — the ticket button leads to live, up-to-date pricing.
03 Getting there & parking
| Option | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Located in Chessington, Greater London, around 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Central London. |
Getting there & parking · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · prices may change
04 Where to stay
On-site and resort hotels put you right at the gates — often with early park access — turning the visit into an easy two- or three-day trip.
An on-site resort hotel opened in 2007 offering views of animals in the Wanyama reserve and access to swimming pools.
A themed hotel extension opened in 2014 as part of a major investment in the resort.
An outdoor glamping experience located behind the Wild Asia area launched in 2016.
05 Best time to visit & opening times
| Season | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Howl'O'Ween | Halloween season | Annual Halloween event featuring themed entertainment and seasonal attractions. |
| Winter's Tail | Festive / Winter period | Includes seasonal entertainment such as A Christmas Gift show, market stalls, and a 60 ft Christmas tree. |
| Mardi Grrra! | Late spring (e.g. May–June) | A seasonal carnival event featuring special entertainment. |
Opening times vary by day · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · check before you travel
06 Themed areas
Each area has its own theming — architecture, food and rides. Half the fun is simply walking through.
Good to know
- Your resort trip can include visits to both the theme park and the 1,000+ animal Chessington Zoo and Sea Life Centre.
- Overnight stays are available on-site at the Safari Hotel, Azteca Hotel, or Explorer Glamping.