Closed season work around Chessington is progressing well in preparation for a busy 2024 theme park season. Back in December, we reported a few things going on around the park and we're back for another walk around the park to see what's changing, being painted and what rides are stripped down.
The biggest change is in the car parks, ANPR is now in use at Chessington! The car park barriers from Thorpe Park and Legoland have finally made their way to more parks.
Starting at Adventure Point, the Castle structure is being repainted, we're not a huge fan of the new colour scheme but it's good to see old buildings getting a fresh lick of paint. Remaining in Adventure Point, the carousel is receiving some maintenance to its structure. It looks like the water effect on top of the carousel is being refurbished! Plastic can be seen trying to direct water into some of the channels. It also appears that the old Room on the Broom video upcharge experience has been removed.
Looking into Mexciana, a huge truck can be seen but due to the new fences installed, we can't get any glimpses of Rattlesnake or the maintenance that going on if any to Scorpion Express.
Tiny Truckers has been stripped down and is having some work done to the cars. And outside Elemrs Flying Jumbos the floor has been refurbished, we saw lots of floors around the park refreshed last year and this year that work has expanded to more areas of the park.
The spinning barrels for barrel bail-out have been removed. But the biggest change in Pirate Shores is the operator's cabin for Sea Storm has been removed and will be replaced. It appears that once again, sEa Storm is getting major maintenance done to it. The old control panel for the ride can be seen in the skip. The main theming element for the ride can be seen in the old Creepy Cafe storage yard. Along with lots of boats for Gruffalo.
Making our way around by Zufari due to paths being closed, one of the huts in Wenyama has been repainted and the roof has been refreshed, along with one of the old animal enclosures removed and a fence installed.
The scaffolding tower around Croc Drop still surrounds the ride, and seats for the ride can be seen in the storage yard along with SBF wooden crates outside the ride.
Looking into the Forbidden Kingdom, lots of repainting has been happening for buildings and theming. Elements of the rock work have been redetailed with colourful markings. Although it looks a little cartoony we like the fact these details are now more visible.
Dragons Fury is having work done to it, an engineer was spotted changing the sensors within the station. A ride car can be seen in the maintenance bay, we expect this will be used to test the sensors when everything is ready again.
The toilet block refresh at Drragons Fury is a mystery, we understand this toilet block will have two entrances and exits now but no idea about the progress of this.
Tiger Rock isn't having any major work done to it this year, unlike the past few years. However, all of the boats have been removed and are being stored in the exit plaza for the ride.
Of course, this is only a small insight into the work going on around the park. There's so much more we can't see!
Chessington reopens for the 2024 season on Friday 22nd March 2024.
