MarkC Posted October 26, 2014 Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 New for 2014 - The one and only Gruffalo joins the Chessington cast from the deep dark wood for a festive family show on the Africa Stage, followed by meet n’greets and a themed quiz trail to lead inquisitive children around the Zoo where they’ll come face to face with some familiar creatures. http://www.chessington.com/explore/event/chessington-winters-tail.aspx JamminGamer and Matt 236 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 They have now started charging £5.00 to see Father Christmas...!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 They have now started charging £5.00 to see Father Christmas...!!! Gotta get the budget for the Creaky Cafe rebuild somehow You do get a gift mind for the fiver, and it's quite common now for Grotto's to be paid for, such is the modern world... MattyMoo and Merry-go-girl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 A lot of Grottoes were paid for when I was a kid, and that was 30 years ago! With entry only being £10 in the first place that seems fair enough to me. Scrub that, so it's £15/£12 to get in plus £10 for the show thing plus £5 for Santa. Without a single ride being open it seems? Blimey, I don't think so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I think £5 is just about justifiable as entry is only £10 pp for non pass holders. You should see Leholand's Christmas event which is almost £30 on peak days where only some of the rides are open alongside a grotto and other things, even pass holders have to pay. Back on topic, does sound quite a nice little event for the park, however there's not really enough there forme to be worth a visit though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 It says you can pay £5.00 to visit Santa (and get a present!) but that doesn't include access to the rest of the park! So does that mean you can pay just £5.00 to see Father Christmas and if you say you don't want to access the rest of the park, you don't have to pay the park entrance fee? And if that is the case, how are they going to stop those who have only paid the £5.00 Grotto fee from wandering off to the rest of the park? http://www.chessington.com/explore/event/chessington-winters-tail.aspx Grotto ticketsA visit to the grotto costs £5, which includes a gift. Tickets need to be pre-booked online before you arrive to avoid disapointment. (Their spelling error, not mine!) Grotto tickets do not allow you entry into the Resort, to enter the Resort please purchase a Winter’s Tail ticket or use a valid Annual Pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 It means you have to have a valid entrance ticket to be able to go to the Grotto. The Grotto is an extra on top of park tickets, for use one you're in the park, not a way of getting, essentially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 It means you have to have a valid entrance ticket to be able to go to the Grotto. The Grotto is an extra on top of park tickets, for use one you're in the park, not a way of getting, essentially. I thought as much, but not well worded by Chessington. Going on what they have written, someone could turn up and say they only want their child to visit Santa and don't want access to the park. It doesn't say you have to purchase a park admission ticket and only says your Grotto ticket does not provide access to the rest of the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Yeah, it is worded a bit badly! I think most people are under the assumption you need the park ticket anyway, and it's just there to cover the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I really hope the grotto setup isn't directly next to any of the better attractions. Ooh! Put it in Todies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Seems very strange that chessington can't dig a tiny bit into their budget to open a couple of childrens rides. Seeing as the new show is in Africa this year, it would only be logical to open a couple of kids rides like the bouncers and toadies in order to satisfy the kids. Last year, bubbleworks and hocus pocus were open, so would be good if they actually opened a couple of rides this year. I'm not saying anything major, just a few to satisfy the kids. For example, hocus pocus, jungle bouncers and toadies. Seeing as these will be the areas open for the event, it would be nice if the park put in a little effort of opening something up, as when I visited a couple of years back it only took us a couple of hours to do the sealife and zoo, meaning we just rode bubbleworks a hell of a load of times. The park should be open from 10am-3pm however the amount the park are offering isn't enough to cover all of this time. A couple of rides would be a really nice touch like they have done in previous years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Can't beat a Christmas Carousel ride. But they normally open a few when the event is on, just don't like to advertise it. HermanTheGerman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I do hope that Heath and saftey ensure this years grotto has an actual risk assessment, unlike last years!! Lol It will be good to see the Madagascar stage get some more use (although it's a winter wind trap!). I did wonder if 2015's Penguins of Madagascar 'upgrade' would cause some problems, as the new penguin enclosure might.. Then I remembered that it's Chessington, so nothing will happen until 6 weeks before the new season anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Six whole weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imagineer Posted October 29, 2014 Report Share Posted October 29, 2014 They really should word it like "Entry to the park, purchased separately, is required for access to the grotto." Otherwise people might think that the grotto could be accessed without park entrance - I.e. that it is located in the hotel for example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I've been reading some terrible reviews on facebook, seems they didn't hire the holliest jolliest Santa's going. Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 Sounds very disappointing judging off those reviews, and yet again the culprit seems to be overselling! When will M£rlin learn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Quick we can still save this event, who has some dodgy old portable heaters? Imagineer, Kerfuffle and OldFarmerDean 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroIsBest Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Was thinking of taking the kids here but after the reviews I think best not to. Freezing cold and Billy Bob Thornton as Santa? No thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 ... Well now you've made it sound hilariously appealing to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Went to Winter's Tale earlier today. Was pretty good - big Christmas tree in Market Square and some other decorations around the park, Christmas music playing (although it could have been better/more variety), Bubbleworks, Carousel and Hocus Pocus Hall open as well as Amazu treetop thing, Zoo and Sealife. I was a bit disappointed that the monkey walkthrough has changed, it used to be really long but just goes round one corner - was still good though. Count: Bubbleworks x4 Carousel x1 Hocus Pocus Hall x1 Amazu Treetop's Trail x1 Amazu Monkey Walkthrough x1 (And obviously Sealife and the Zoo). Overall I was impressed with the event - whilst it would have been nice to have a few more rides open, everything that was advertised to be open was and it was nice to be back at a theme park! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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