Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park, zoo and hotel complex that lies southwest of Central London, England in the Chessington area of the Kingston upon Thames borough. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed by The Tussauds Group alongside the zoo, opening on 7 July 1987, as one of the first themed amusement parks in Britain. The park was inherited by Merlin Entertainments after the buyout of Tussauds in 2007. Under Merlin, Chessington has been increasingly developed into a resort tourist destination, including two on-site hotels, a high ropes course and camp site. Chessington Zoo has over 1,000 animals, including western lowland gorillas, sea lions, and Sumatran tigers. It is split up into several areas: Trail of the Kings, Sealion Bay, Children's Zoo, Amazu, Penguin Bay and the Wanyama Village & Reserve as well as a Sea Life Centre. Chessington World of Adventures theme park consists of themed areas styled on a range of world cultures. It currently has 10 discrete areas including the Adventure Point, Mystic East, Mexicana, Pirates' Cove, Wild Woods, and Forbidden Kingdom. Land of the Dragons opened in 2004 for children although it includes the intense spinning coaster Dragon's Fury, and in 2010 Wild Asia replaced the area known as Beanoland. Major attractions include: Dragon Falls, Vampire, The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, Rameses Revenge, Dragon's Fury, KOBRA and Scorpion Express