Theme parks · London
Chessington World of Adventures
In or near Claygate.
Chessington World of Adventures is a theme park in the United Kingdom.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 4 h–8 h
- Best time of year
- School holidays (Apr–Oct)
- Nearest railway station
- Chessington South · 1.1 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Chessington World of Adventures, the nearest railway station is Chessington South, which is 1.1 km away. Entry to the park is free, and it is wheelchair accessible. The postcode for sat-nav is KT9 2NE.
About
Chessington World of Adventures is a theme or amusement park in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1931. Coordinates: 51.3486°, -0.3167°.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Chessington World of Adventures is a theme park that features a zoo and SEA LIFE aquarium, offering a variety of rides and attractions for families. Visitors can enjoy encounters with over 1,000 animals and participate in unique experiences like VIP animal encounters.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a 128 acres (52 hectares) theme park, zoo and hotel complex in Chessington, Greater London, England, around 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Central London. The complex originally opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931; the theme park aspect was developed by The Tussauds Group, debuting on 7 July 1987 as one of the first combined animal-amusement parks in the UK. The theme park, which features over 40 rides, is owned by Merlin Entertainments, following its merger with The Tussauds Group in 2007. Under Merlin, Chessington has been increasingly developed into a resort and tourist destination, including two on-site hotels, swimming pools, a spa, and fitness facilities. The Chessington Zoo has over 1,000 animals, including western lowland gorillas and sea lions. It is split up into several areas; Trail of the Kings, Sea Lion Bay, Children's Zoo (until 2024), Amazu, Penguin Bay, a Sea Life Centre and Wanyama Village and Reserve. Chessington World of Adventures was ranked in 2022 as the twentieth most-visited park in Europe, with an attendance of roughly 1.5 million guests, behind Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor. In 2020, due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the park experienced an unexpectedly short operating season and temporarily closed its gates. Despite a significant drop in attendance during the pandemic, Chessington actually ranked as the third most-visited park in the UK for 2020 with .51 million visitors, behind Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. Chessington World of Adventures features different themed areas, loosely inspired by a range of world cultures, with 'Adventure Point' at its centre. 'Shipwreck Coast' is a nautical harbour town, 'Wild Woods' is a Central European-styled area, 'Forbidden Kingdom' mirrors the ancient Middle East, and 'Land of the Tiger' reflects the Far East. Major attractions include: Vampire, Dragon's Fury, KOBRA, Tiger Rock, The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure and…
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The mansion at Chessington World of Adventures Resort known today as the Burnt Stub was originally built in 1348, in Chessington, Surrey. In the English Civil War it became a royalist stronghold, and Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces razed it to the ground. The Burnt Stub site was rebuilt as an inn, until the 18th century, when the Vere Barker family rebuilt it in neo-gothic Victorian style.
Description
Chessington World of Adventures opened on 6 July 1987. Its original theme was cultural locations from around the world. Major attractions include: Vampire, Dragon's Fury, Zufari: Ride into Africa, Mandrill Mayhem and Croc Drop. The theme park comprises 11 themed lands. The central area of the park, Adventure Point, resembles an old English market town, whereas Land of the Tiger is themed around China with the water ride Tiger Rock being there since 1987, but being rethemed to Tiger Rock (and the surrounding area) in 2018. Shipwreck Coast is a nautical adventure land. Wild Woods is modelled on a central European high street with Bavaria in Germany and the Transylvania region of Romania as…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.3486, -0.3167
- District
- Kingston upon Thames
- Parish
- Kingston upon Thames, unparished area
- Postcode
- KT9 2NE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Kingston and Surbiton
- Established
- 1931
- Nearest railway station
- Chessington South — 1.1 km
- Official site
- www.chessington.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q1070642 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Chessington World of Adventures (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Chessington World of Adventures Hocus Pocus Hall.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in this guide
Other places nearby

Adventure Point
Natural landmarks · 0.0 km

Tiny Truckers
Miniature railways · 0.1 km

Amazu
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Trail of the Kings
Zoos & aquariums · 0.1 km

Chessington Sea Life Centre
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Mini Racers
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Vampire
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Zufari: Ride Into Africa
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Winey Hill
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Bungee swing
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Barwell
Chapels · 0.7 km
Jubilee Wood, Malden Rushett
Wildlife reserves · 0.7 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Chessington World of Adventures?
- Chessington World of Adventures is in London, United Kingdom (postcode KT9 2NE), in the parish of Kingston upon Thames, unparished area.
- What is Chessington World of Adventures?
- Chessington World of Adventures is a theme park in the United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Chessington World of Adventures?
- The nearest railway station is Chessington South, about 1.1 km away. Drivers can use postcode KT9 2NE.
- When was Chessington World of Adventures built?
- Built or established in 1931.
- Who owns Chessington World of Adventures?
- Chessington World of Adventures is owned by Merlin Entertainments.
- Is Chessington World of Adventures free to visit?
- Yes, Chessington World of Adventures is free to enter.
- How do I get to Chessington World of Adventures?
- The nearest railway station is Chessington South, about 1.1 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode KT9 2NE.
- Is Chessington World of Adventures suitable for children?
- Yes — Chessington World of Adventures is a family attraction designed for children. Most rides and attractions are aimed at the under-12 age band.