Soo, how was it then??

Yes, we would all love to know James. I've already seen you in the video , but it would fab if you could produce one of your trip-report style posts, with loads of juicy details about your day. It looked like such a great day, and I'm sure we'd all love to hear more about it.

Well seeing as you asked so nicely :blink:Firstly sorry for the lack of detail.I can't believe it was almost a week ago! Enterered through the security entrance at about 20 past 8, the room at the Holiday Inn overlooked it and we mistakenly drove into it the night before.Saw a few spare Bubbleworks boats one of which was still in the colours before the refurb.Then was taken through to the training room, sort of behind the Runaway Train and was briefed what I was going to do. It was here I relaised I had the best job out of the 4 of usI then went off with Lorraine, an amazingly lovely Team Leader as I was Rides Manager. We went off for a backstage tour of Tomb Blaster, Which was unbelieveable, maintenance area and everything and found out about the ghost that haunts the Tomb!Did a test run of Tomb Blaster and noted effects not working. For example the spotlight on the Mummy in one of the first scenes wasn't working and you could pretty much only see his eyes. Following that, the park had just opened by now, we went to Rattlesnake and this is where lots of pictures were taken, but all the photography/videography was worth it by far in the end.So a few goes on Rattlesnake and then a queline check of Rattlesnake to check all effects are working and turned on and had a detailed chat with the guy responsible for getting a lot of the effects working again and heard a lot of interesting things for even more old effects planned to come back which all sounds exciting.And from now I can't really remember what order but it consisted of a lot of testing of the rides, to make sure they were "fun" enoughSome more backstage area peeks and I think I saw pretty much every control panel on park! :DBy the way, sorry if this should have been in Chessington Trip Reports , I thought I'd just put it in here as techincally I was a Chessington member of staff, for a day.I've now got a Chessington name badge which I'll hold on to forever and also one of those Chessington lanyard and card things.Piccies :DOh and also got a great tour of the Maintenance Shed!Tomb Blaster Electrical stuff We've all seen himAn old piece of theming, I'm guessing from the "olden" daysRodeo's queue and a glimpse of the horse, somewhere I do haev a pic of the control booth aswell.Bubble Boat in Maintenance shed. Each boat costs £10,000 if bought new and every season 32 boats are sent away for a service at £1,000 pounds each.I am proud of myself I remembered that Vampire brake, you don't know how heavy these are!This car looked absolutely brand new, like it's never run.That is all for now .I must just say firstly that the new thing you do when putting images on is awesome.And also thank you so much to Chessington for truly one of the best days of my life.

Thanks for taking all of the time out to type this James! It looks like you a great time, and I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for the pictures as well, great stuff!

Do you know anything about the future of rodeo?

The is no future, the ride has gone. There is literally nothing there now.

I don't think there are any plans at the moment for the future of the area.And if there are, I don't think they have been released yet.

I "think" that there is plans and in fact has been plans for a good while, they've just never come to anything.

Oh my god.. CAR ONE FROM FURY. I haven't seen that running for years, I had heard from the engineers that a car was being refurbed but I thought it was just car 2. ..I'm glad you had a good time on that day, sounds like you learnt a lot from the day.

OMFG CAR 1!It's Car 2 they're doing now Mark, they've done Car 1 already

OMFG CAR 1!It's Car 2 they're doing now Mark, they've done Car 1 already

Obviously....

I haven't been to Chessington & Zoo in years. I shall make a point of visitting when the new roller coaster is built in 2010.

I haven't been to Chessington & Zoo in years. I shall make a point of visitting when the new roller coaster is built in 2010.

Umm...there isn't going to be a new coaster in 2010.

I think he means the new ride

Umm...there isn't going to be a new coaster in 2010.

There is. It's a Disco Coaster and will be snake themed and replace Beanoland

There is. It's a Disco Coaster and will be snake themed and replace Beanoland

I think this has been mentioned lots of times before, its not a coaster.

I think this has been mentioned lots of times before, its not a coaster.

It is, hence the name 'Disco Coaster'. Back on topic: I haven't been to Chessington & Zoos for about 2 or 3 years so I vagely remember the staff.

It is, hence the name 'Disco Coaster'. Back on topic: I haven't been to Chessington & Zoos for about 2 or 3 years so I vagely remember the staff.

First of all its Disko and again not a coaster, its a flat ride, I remeber alot of people saying this to you and I think I can get alot of people to back me up on that.

Zamperla are also a major manufacturer of flat rides with such names as: Balloon Race, Bumper cars, Disk-O, Ferris wheel, Water Flume Ride, Galleon/Swinging Ship, Sky Drop, Discovery, Windshear, Tornado, Energy Storm, Z-Force, Mixer, Rotoshake, Turbo Force, and Power Surge.

Zamperla also builds roller coasters, like the powered Dragon Coaster, Mini Mouse, Zig Zag, and Tomb Raider: The Ride. In 2006, Zamperla announced Motocoaster, a motorcycle-themed roller coaster.

Tim is right, its not classed as a coaster.But anyway, Back on topic

So then ladies and mentlegen...Who's going back, who's applied and who's heard back yet?I will hopefully (?!) back be for 2010.

So then ladies and mentlegen...Who's going back, who's applied and who's heard back yet?I will hopefully (?!) back be for 2010.

I was planning for so long to apply, with thanks to a certain person (you know who you are!), but it only recently occured to me that I need to spend a lot of time on my GCSE's, and working / travelling to Chessington every day just isn't practical for me at the moment. But, hopefully I will apply for 2011, when I'll have a lot more time on my hands. By the way, good luck to everyone who is waiting to hear about staying on at Chessington next year, or indeed to those applying for their first season. The team of staff last year was the friendliest, happiest bunch of people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

By the way, good luck to everyone who is waiting to hear about staying on at Chessington next year, or indeed to those applying for their first season. The team of staff last year was the friendliest, happiest bunch of people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

And only about four of them will be there this year.

So I was sorting out my room today and went looking through my CWoA memorabelia, some fantastic memories here. Good times, bad times, but what I'll take away most from working at Chessie is the confidence it gave me, and friends that will last forever.

^ Nice collection of goodies there Mikey!

Memories.. especially Permit to Works! Haha, good times!'Entrance to the Tiny Truckers ride area...'

When I went yesterday - Quite a lot of the staff did seem quite enthusiastic instead of the look of 'do I have to be here?!'.Obviously this doesnt go for all staff, but for most I saw.

Give it time... After Easter that look will go...