Posted November 21, 201311 yr comment_172285 Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, and I wanted to start by asking a quick question about the trip I am planning to Chessington on the 14th of December. I have been to the park once before during the summer time and it has been really busy - should I do expecting this for my trip in December, or is it going to be much quieter? Also, it would be useful to know which rides to do first, queue times expected, and places to eat. I hope it's going to be a great trip! Thanks!!
November 21, 201311 yr comment_172287 Hey there. The park is zoo only that day if it is open. There'll be no rides open unfortunately. Barely any of the zoo is open either because of construction work. Enjoy..
November 21, 201311 yr comment_172289 Yeah it's closed season so there won't be any rides open (not even the three that were open last year for zoo days).
November 21, 201311 yr comment_172291 It will be best to look on Chessington's website for opening times. It contains a key showing what each colour means on the calendar and the way the park will be on those days. The day you have chosen to go as mentioned above, is a festive zoo day with only selected areas of the zoo and sea life centre being open only. Here is a link to the opening times page with the colour key chart on it as well http://www.chessington.com/plan-your-trip/opening-times.aspx
November 22, 201311 yr Author comment_172303 Thanks for telling me - I knew it was a zoo day, but I didn't know that NONE of the rides would be open, which is a bit disappointing . It will now probably be a very short trip!!!
November 22, 201311 yr comment_172318 I'd postpone it till March if I were you, in previous years a zoo day has had a lot to offer but this year they're going to be really quite dismal.
November 22, 201311 yr comment_172319 I'd postpone it till March if I were you, in previous years a zoo day has had a lot to offer but this year they're going to be really quite dismal. Agreed, it used to keep me going through the closed season and I'd always go on or near my Birthday - don't think I'll bother this year. I really can't be bothered with Chessington anymore unless they up their game.
November 22, 201311 yr comment_172323 Wait till March so you can get on the rides. The Zoo days are not going to be brilliant since the park is building the hotel expansion etc. So it'll mostly be a building site.
November 24, 201311 yr comment_172400 I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they may at the last minute open the Bubbleworks or Hocus Pocus...
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172410 So far its only Hocus Pocus that is open, they cant open any more rides as the rest of the place is a building site
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172414 So far its only Hocus Pocus that is open, they cant open any more rides as the rest of the place is a building site Where does it say that Hocus Pocus is open?
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172415 ^ That. I didn't think anything I.e. rides and attractions wise, would be open.
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172419 Yep very unappealing this year, Zoo Days http://www.chessington.com/plan-your-trip/festive-zoo-days.aspx There is a new Christmas walkthrough attraction I suppose....? No mention of Hocus Pocus Hall. I think if you go not expecting too much from the day you'll be alright! I don't think it would hurt them to open a couple of smaller rides in my opinion!
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172421 Where does it say that Hocus Pocus is open? They are retheming it as a Christmas walk-though (ending with a visit to Santa), similar to what they did for the Halloween walk-through.
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172422 They are retheming it as a Christmas walk-though (ending with a visit to Santa), similar to what they did for the Halloween walk-through. Oh no, I'd rather have HPH!
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172425 Ah yes! That makes sense. Hmm, will be interesting to see how popular that becomes during the Festive Zoo Days event.
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172427 No they are not re-theming HPH for Christmas, this is back to its original state, they are using a different location for the Christmas walk through. But HPH is now open every week the park is open and through the winter season
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172428 No they are not re-theming HPH for Christmas, this is back to its original state, they are using a different location for the Christmas walk through. But HPH is now open every week the park is open and through the winter season Where have you got this information from?
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172429 I was speaking to one of the rides staff on Saturday when I visited, they told me a lot of other things that is happening ready for next year
November 25, 201311 yr comment_172430 I was speaking to one of the rides staff on Saturday when I visited, they told me a lot of other things that is happening ready for next year Are you allowed to divulge this information? If so, please do
November 26, 201311 yr comment_172436 Are you allowed to divulge this information? If so, please do Yeah you can't just make a comment like that and not go into further detail....it's cruel.
November 26, 201311 yr comment_172437 Judging by the sounds of things, it looks like a lot of work is happening at Chessington this closed season despite having no photographs yet. However I strongly that some of the park will look nice and fresh again once it re-opens in 2014, although that is asking a lot from a park that has reached a state where theming has decayed so much it has been condemned unsafe.
November 26, 201311 yr comment_172449 I'm a little surprised at all the works that seem to be going on that we don't know the specifics of. Considering the long list of large projects we are aware of. I'm guessing (hoping) that the majority of work on RMT, RR and Dragon Falls has been completed off site and needs little more than installation, otherwise it seems like they're taking on more then they can hope to complete. 2014 could be...interesting.
November 26, 201311 yr comment_172451 Interesting is the word. It would be impressive for all the wrong reasons if 2014 surpasses 2013 for rubbishness!
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