The world according to prof. Bubbles (Chessington World of Adventures)

Member Name: paulgood529

Product:	Chessington World of Adventures
Date:	12/01/09 (148 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good fun, lots to do

Disadvantages: too much for one day

I have always been a huge fan of Chessington World of Adventures. I was taken there every year by my Mum when I was younger, and so was my sister - although it was mainly just a zoo when my sister was really young.

So, now I have kids of my own, when we started talking about theme parks - for me, Chessington was my hands down choice.

We went a few times with our, now, Eldest from when he was around 4 or 5 - and he always had a really good time. We welcomed our second son at the end of 2007 so we waited until the summer of 2008 to go again as we thought he'd be OK - for all accounts - he was fine.

So, our eldest son's birthday is in September, so for his birthday we decided to book two days in Chessington and a night in the hotel, just outside the exit.

If you are planning on going with the kids, I would really recommend doing what we did - as it meant we did not have to rush around everywhere. The other bonus to this as well is that Chessington opened their doors at 9am - however the rides don't start until 10. So you can go round all the other bits before the crowds get there. We were able to wonder around the new Sea Life centre without having to worry about being hurried along as it was just us in there. The day before when we considered going, the queue was all the way round the corner - at a guess, would have been about an hour and a half to get in - at which point you wouldn't have been able to see anything!

Chessington have seriously done some work on their zoo as well recently. You can now go 'underground' and poke your head up in the middle of an animal's pen - obviously your head is inside a plastic bubble so there is no worry to you getting seriously hurt! There is also an enclosure you can walk into and you have little monkeys running around you - I actually had one run over my shoe, it really is amazing.

The great thing, I think, about there being a zoo is that it means you have something to do after lunch when you are waiting for your lunch to settle and not have to worry about throwing up over everyone underneath the Bat Ride.

There is also a great selection of rides that suits all ages, and also Chessington have some very good things in pace for parents with young children. For instance, if you happen to have a toddler you queue up as normal for the ride, when you get to the front, one of you goes on the ride whilst the other parent stays with the toddler. Once the ride has finished - you swap places - so there is no need to queue twice -w hich I really think is an amazing idea!

Like I said, there are a fair few rides you can go on as a family - like for instance, The Bubble Works. This is a personal favorite of mine where you are taken round a water track in a round boat to the tune of happy workers, now working in a rubber duck factory, where as before it was Professor Bubble's soda factory. They also have the 'classic cars' which is quite a relaxing time for the parents, and for the children - it is an oppurtunity to 'drive' Mum & Dad round something other than the bend.

Those that may have been before, will notice one difference for sure. the circus is no longer there. However, they have done well with the space for kids. This is now Dennis the Menance land and has bunper cars, a ball park and a couple of other things. Every thing in it as well is pretty much right out of the comic. Our eldest had wet hair from the fountain, so my other half asked him to go and dry off using the dryer on the wall. I came back over and asked - "Hey, where is Ethan going?". I was told, "Oh he's off to dry off on that hand dryer" - at which point I instantly knew - "Oh, the hand dryer on the wall that is going to soak him?". It surely did.

It's not a big worry if you do get soaked at Chessington on any of the rides though as they have a lot of places get dried off - for real. They have these huge 'human dryer' things that you just stand in and it blasts you with warm air.

There is much more than just rides at Chessington though, we also got a lovely family portriat done. We dressed up as cowboys - and wench - and had an old fashioned photo done. It's not overly excssive either though. I think it was around £40 for us to have 3 copies of the picture and a key-ring version so it was pretty good value.

One word of warning however, the 'family rollercoaster' is not for those with young families!! They have basically combined a rollercoaster - with the magic tea cups. There are 4 seats to every one 'pod' - 2 on each side. Now, it spins faster or slower round and round dependent on the weight ratio on either side. Whilst it is doing this, you are taken round a roller coaster track that goes fast, sideways and upside down!! I don't really like roller coasters, and my other half actually has to bribe me with the Bubblework, but this is a very good ride - one I would recommend if you do like roller coasters.

One ride to definately miss out though is the Rattkesnake. Not really scary, not really fast - just gives you a sore neck as it jolts around!

As for the hotel, it is a lovely hotel with a brilliant idea of family living! You have the main bigger room with the bed for the parents, with a flat screen TV and on demand movies (which are very expensive! You can plug a DVD player in so maybe take one!) Then, you walk down the hallway, past the toilet and the room has another section off the left separated by a little wall - which has 2 beds for the kids and their own flat screen TV on a separate link so they can watch kid's channels whilst you relax! I have written more about the actual hotel seperately on it's own page.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last time at Chessington a lot more than usual, as I had so much more time to take everything in and go on each ride at least twice!

I would seriously recommend a visit and a stay in the hotel - my only word of warning, don't have the evening buffet at the hotel - it is not nice!!

Summary: Great day (or 2) out