Saturday 9th July 2022
We're thrilled to announce that the Chessington Explorer Gate Retheme is officially complete, and the transformation is nothing short of spectacular! The new design offers an immersive and vibrant entrance that perfectly captures the spirit of adventure and exploration. Gone are the outdated elements, replaced by a stunning, modern look that sets an exciting tone for the rest of the park. Visitors are already raving about the refreshed aesthetic, which not only enhances the overall guest experience but also reflects Chessington’s commitment to continual improvement and innovation. If you haven’t seen it yet, it's definitely worth a visit to experience the dramatic upgrade for yourself!
Friday 27th May 2022
The Explorer Gate refurbishment is inching closer and closer to being finished every time we visit! Since our last visit to the park the area has been fully opened up with old buildings removed, fresh tarmac laid and we can finally see how big this entrance is.
Outside the entrance gates is a brand new ticket unit/shipping container. Over the next few weeks, we expect that this will be themed and fully opened. Meanwhile, inside the park, the relocated shop is still being worked on and isn't open to guests just yet. We did see lots of staff putting items inside the unit so it might not be long. The big green fences that used to line the way between the entrance and the consitrction site next door have also been removed giving us a birds eye view of the huge building site. But thats another news article.
A nice little touch is a photo point at the entrance of the park, if you look closely your notice the suitcase has stickers on it of rides from around the park.
Outside the entrance gates is a brand new ticket unit/shipping container. Over the next few weeks, we expect that this will be themed and fully opened. Meanwhile, inside the park, the relocated shop is still being worked on and isn't open to guests just yet. We did see lots of staff putting items inside the unit so it might not be long. The big green fences that used to line the way between the entrance and the consitrction site next door have also been removed giving us a birds eye view of the huge building site. But thats another news article.
A nice little touch is a photo point at the entrance of the park, if you look closely your notice the suitcase has stickers on it of rides from around the park.
Sunday 15th May 2022
3 months into the theme park season and work on the Explorer Gate refurbishment and makeover is continuing. A new entrance feature into the entrance plaza has recently been fitted, with a huge new truck and the Rhino topiary installed next to it. This fresh take on this entrance makes for a great first impression of the park. With Mardi Grrra starting in a few weeks, the statues in the area have been given a makeover with some new signs added, along with some giant beads hanging from their necks.
Around the plaza, speakers have been installed, playing background music and new fences have been installed lining the area. Could these huge green fences be removed over the next few weeks? With the Explorer Gate entrance being on the side of an active construction site (Project Amazon), we expect that if the green walls do come down, a new tarp would be installed onto it to stop dust and for safety purposes.
No work seems to have started yet on the new bag check area or the canopy, but we're sure everything will be done and finished ready for the busy summer season.
Around the plaza, speakers have been installed, playing background music and new fences have been installed lining the area. Could these huge green fences be removed over the next few weeks? With the Explorer Gate entrance being on the side of an active construction site (Project Amazon), we expect that if the green walls do come down, a new tarp would be installed onto it to stop dust and for safety purposes.
No work seems to have started yet on the new bag check area or the canopy, but we're sure everything will be done and finished ready for the busy summer season.
Sunday 24th April 2022
The refurbishment of the Lodge Gate car park entrance continues at Chessington, the turnstile gates are now fully installed. When fully staffed this entrance is going to have great throughputs! Some new theming has also been installed since our last visit to the park, a giant Rhino topiary has been installed in an area currently cornered off. We expect that when the entrance is complete guests will be able to take photos with this Rhino.
The shop has also been relocated to the side of the entrance. Although not open yet we expect it will be open again very soon with staff going in and out of it during our visit.
The shop has also been relocated to the side of the entrance. Although not open yet we expect it will be open again very soon with staff going in and out of it during our visit.
Monday 11th April 2022
Work on the Lodge Gate refresh continues, with new entrance gates installed and the new entrance plaza starting to take shape. Two new topiaries have been installed in the new plaza area, making for a great first impression of the resort. At the entrance gate into the ticket and toilets area, the two posts that used to hold a Chessington sign have been wrapped in some grass-like material, other changes since our last visit are the shipping container shop has been removed and stored in the car park.
Once completed this new entrance area will host a permanent security/bag check area and new entrance turnstiles.
Once completed this new entrance area will host a permanent security/bag check area and new entrance turnstiles.
