Chessington Reopens Zoo After Coronavirus Closure

Chessington has reopened today after being closed since 20th March, due to coronavirus. Following new government guidelines, the Zoo reopened to a limited number of guests. All guests must pre-book tickets into the park for the foreseeable future. Pre-booked tickets for annual pass holders cost £1 per ticket and career passes are free. 

The park might have been shut for 90 days, but that doesn't mean the park has stood still. During the closure of the park, Elmers FLying Jumbos has been finished and the central theming on the ride has been installed. A large patchwork elephant can now be seen in the centre of the ride. 

Over in Pirates Cove, The Blue Barncillle has progressed slowly. All of the foundations for the ride are complete, however, with the ride possibly shipping from another country, the ride might now be delayed until later in the season or the 2021 season. Fences can be seen placed around the new footers for the ride and a new queue line has been constructed around the ride's footprint. 

Work on removing Rameses Revenege and preparing the site for the new kid's drop tower ride has progressed and the site is almost unrecognisable. The old Rameses Revenege rockwork behind the ride has now been removed and preparation for the new ride has begun. Due to construction workers only being back to work recently, not much has happened, apart from the site office for the works installed and the pit starting to be dugout. Interestingly, all of the signage for the ride remains sat behind construction fences. 

Unlike the theme park, a zoo can't just suddenly stop. During the closure of the park and zoo, a few new animals have appeared in old enclosures. The most exciting news, a new baby Squirrel Monkey has been born at the park. 

Guests wishing to enter the theme park and zoo are required to have their temperatures checked. This is done before you park your car in the car parks. In a temporary setup, you wind your windows down and your temperature is checked by staff around you. You are then given a wristband to say your temperature has been checked and you are safe to enter the park. Anyone who displays a high temperature associated with a fever (of 37.8 °C or above), along with their household, will not be permitted entry.

Hand sanitizer can be found around the park and when entering the main shop.  Guests whishing to buy items in the Adventure Point Gift Shop are limited to 2 people per group and are given a basket for their items. If you pick something up and change your mind, you're asked to keep it in the basket and then that item will be put into storage for 3 days to be sanitised.  

 

Anything interactive around the park, that younger guests can touch, has also been covered up to try to stop the spread of the virus. At the Mane stage venue, all of the seats have now got signs on them warning guests about social distancing and that there should be a 2-meter gap between them and others. This is the same around the zoo and the whole of the park. In animal displays, signs have been spray-painted on the floor reminding guests to keep their distance between them and other groups. 

Light refreshments are available to purchase as ‘grab and go’ from Adventure Point Hot Dogs and Donut Express, where the park encourage everyone to make contactless payments rather than cash where possible.

We want to take a moment to thank all the Zoo Keepers who have worked tirelessly throughout the past few weeks caring for the animals at Chessington and continue to do such a good job throughout these difficult times. 🐯🐧🦒 #stillcaring.