David Meeres Review of Chessington World of Adventure...
Disappointing on many levels but still a fantastic...
Disappointing on many levels but still a fantastic day out for kids.
I wouldn't recommend going during school holidays unless you maybe have a Merlin pass otherwise you won't get value for money due to how busy it gets and the queue length times.
On arrival security guards shouting abruptly for people to open their bags for searching (which i appreciate the importance of this job) but the look on many young kids faces was one of worry.A less 'enthusiastic' approach from the security staff would be more appreciated.
Then whilst queuing for an hour for a ride it broke down and everyone was told it wasn't worth waiting as they couldn't give a timescale for it to be fixed which was just one of those unfortunate things however when i overheard a question being asked as to whether maybe a token of gesture for the wasted time such as a fast track voucher could be given the reply came "the manager won't authorise that". Poor customer service which sadly epitomizes much of the poor things i witnessed. When its extremely busy and something breaks maybe the management should think about how limited the opportunities are to experience much of the park and a small gesture of goodwill would be gratefully accepted and maybe people would be encouraged to return in the future?
Maybe the issue with rides breaking down is due to lack of maintenance budget? i have visited a few times over the years and never seen it looking so 'tired' and unloved due to lack of basic maintenance.
Another gripe from my day was that being a sunny day i saw lots of overflowing rubbish bins attracting lots of wasps whilst stood in the queues and not once did i see any staff emptying throughout the day.
It seems that they're happy to get you in and take your money and then let you leave eventually after sitting in your car for an hour to exit the chaotic carpark when all the attendants were very well organised to get you in but not one to organise a smooth exit?!
Chessington is without doubt one the best places to take the kids in the country with the variety of rides for young and older, along with the little safari ride which is fantastic and many other activities but sadly it seems that an arrogance has struck and customer service and experience is secondary behind taking everyones money.
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