Benin Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 To be fair, the road has slightly improved since the addition of the traffic lights outside the main entrance car park... Problem is, the road is busy due to rush hour as it's the major road in and out of Chessington towards either the A3 or the M25... Unless there is a way of turning into a dual carriageway (very unlikely) nothing can be done by the park or indeed the council to manage the traffic better... Of course, if the park could convince SouthWest Trains to increase the number of services to the park, that could go a step towards it... Won't happen though... Chessington do not have the power over the NIMBYs... No one does... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Chessington don't need to build higher for a considerable time. There's so many big projects they could do without height - rapids ride, decent dark ride, launch coaster etc. Could spend years doing these and then worry about height. We need to get over the view in this country that only a big coaster counts as a big project. As for not being allowed to attract more guests. A difficult one, but I'd suggest that they have plenty more capacity still. Haven't been for a long time but isn't the park nowadays dead during the week? Improve quality and the guests will come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 During term time week when the majority of it's target market can't visit? Course it's empty... Just cannot handle anymore than 15k in the park, which is really bad... It needs higher throughput rides replacing the crap ones first and foremost... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 It needs higher throughput rides replacing the crap ones first and foremost... Running the rides at more than half their achievable throughput would be a start... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 I'm well aware the target market are at school. That's why Chessington need to build some stuff that will appeal to people who aren't at school during the week. Some quality projects would bring in guests who don't necessarily have young kids in tow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Or, actually cater for those school markets - thorpe and towers get bombarded with school trips (they take something like 1/3 of their entrance revenue from school trips), but chessie doesn't. So, cater for them and that'll help a fair bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitch Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 Is 5million enough to repair this park? When rollercoasters like the swarm cost a lot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 It probably isn't, plus it questions me how much money would be left for upgrades after falls and minetrain's renovations next year (and maybe Ramesis). I'm certain it wouldn't bring back the third train on Vampire and even if it did, train 3 would require several new parts as parts have already been used on trains 1&2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 (edited) It just dies every now and then and the park have no idea what's wrong. It'll be up and running again in a few days/after a visit from Maurer Söhne/part I'm sure. Edited October 21, 2013 by Tommy *Maurer Söhne J.S217 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.S217 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Wait Fury is a Gerst? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Sorry my mistake! Thanks. J.S217 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insider9150 Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 No Fury is Maurer, and it will be running today without the help of maurer, thanks to the chessie engineering team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 Thank you INSIDER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Noticed Safari Skyways been unavailable the last few days (according to the ride status page). I wonder what's up with the ride and whether it's closed due to technical ride problems or even due to the monkey garden and hotel upgrade works. Maybe we will see the ride re routed next year, although that being said it probably won't and that would also likely require planning permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 I'm pretty sure it would have been due to rain/wind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rygr Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 It would be amazing if it was rerouted. In my opinion it could cover so much more of the zoo and the park and the route could be extended, maybe even with a second station if people wanted to get off etc. This will, of course never happen. The ride needs some serious attention, its still most popular in the school holidays. Last time I went, the queue stretched out to the doughnut shack. Although that being said, it is the oldest ride in the park and is probably weathered (train wise) quite a bit, especially being high up with the snow/ice so maybe this ride will be the next to be closed for refurbishment due to it being deemed 'unsafe'. Although perhaps they'll get rid of it altogether... I do hope this isn't the case though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Even when I get the car that has no speakers I love Safari Skyway. BigBobJones and rygr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 Chessington have just reached 75thousand likes... https://en-gb.facebook.com/ChessingtonI felt this must be a bit awkward for them as if you look at thorpe and alton towers facebook page they both have much higher amount of likes with thorpe having 700thousand and alton towers having 1.3million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted December 1, 2013 Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 http://www.chessington.com/plan-your-trip/festive-zoo-days.aspx You can now visit Santa's home in a walk through... Now is this a re-themed Hocus Pocus or something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennetski Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 I'm standing in the queue to see santa. My advice is do not come here. If you expect a festive zoo day I will advise you it is a half closed zoo day and no festive involved. The santa walk through is in the creaky cafe. There is no festive theming at all. No music. No Christmas trees no nothing. It's awful. We went to drayton manor last year and compared to this it was 100% better. As far as rides go, sea storm is the only one open. Hocus Pocus Hall is open but just normal hocus pocus hall and no theming. Really wish we hadn't bothered. Glad we had a pass and didn't pay. Matt 236, Inferno, pluk and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 I'm standing in the queue to see santa. My advice is do not come here. If you expect a festive zoo day I will advise you it is a half closed zoo day and no festive involved. The santa walk through is in the creaky cafe. There is no festive theming at all. No music. No Christmas trees no nothing. It's awful. We went to drayton manor last year and compared to this it was 100% better. As far as rides go, sea storm is the only one open. Hocus Pocus Hall is open but just normal hocus pocus hall and no theming. Really wish we hadn't bothered. Glad we had a pass and didn't pay. I'm sick of Chessington this year! Last year they actually made a bit of effort with theming the park and opening three rides, what the hell is wrong with them? Why have they gone so far down the pan this year? Not amused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 During the last few years (2009-2012) I've always wanted to visit Chessington during a zoo day, smaller crowds, more focus on zoo and selected rides. However this year I plan to avoid it completely as it's not worth the 45 minute drive for what's there. Despite their apparent upgrade plans, I have low expectations for 2014. As I expect mine train and falls will be lightly rethemed, the bird garden less impressive than expected and generally bad operations still happening throughout the park. The only thing I expect will look nice will be the hotel extension, but that's probably because that makes them more money than paying guests. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 I'm standing in the queue to see santa. My advice is do not come here. If you expect a festive zoo day I will advise you it is a half closed zoo day and no festive involved. The santa walk through is in the creaky cafe. There is no festive theming at all. No music. No Christmas trees no nothing. It's awful. We went to drayton manor last year and compared to this it was 100% better. As far as rides go, sea storm is the only one open. Hocus Pocus Hall is open but just normal hocus pocus hall and no theming. Really wish we hadn't bothered. Glad we had a pass and didn't pay. Oh dear, I knew it would be bad but I thought at least they'd have put real effort into the festive part considering the mess in the zoo and the almost non-existent ride options. They've always been good for the little details at Halloween in the past so you'd think some trees and garlands would be manageable for them. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 I'm suprised they even opened up the rides as they were meant to be closed and chessington are doing poorly so I didn't expect any to open. I guess it's just because the zoo is half closed and there is no 'festiveness' so they are trying to compensate!? Oh dear chessie, u really need to sort your park out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 In all honesty, this year they shouldn't have opened over the closed season (or at all ). They should have just closed the hotel and just had some keepers in for the animals as they must have done when Zoo Days didn't exist. Yes I know this means they're losing out on business but being closed and losing one winters business must be better than having what sounds a badly run event with half the park and zoo a construction site. I just hope they get everything they need to done in January and beginning of February but then it'll snow and they'll blame that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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