Chessington World of Adventures has opened its brand new World of Jumanji land and rides in time for half term.
The new land, inspired by the hit film franchise, will feature a Jumanji rollercoaster, two additional rides and a number of other exciting features.
It marks the theme park's single largest investment in its history to produce the new zone and using 144 tonnes of steel track to build coaster Mandrill Mayhem – the equivalent weight of 96 hippos.
Following in the footsteps of the film series’ intrepid characters, guests have the opportunity to locate the Jaguar’s Eye Jewel, lift the curse and save Jumanji, in an ongoing series of heart pounding family adventures found within the new land.
The first adventure, Mandrill Mayhem, is a winged, launch, shuttle rollercoaster, with Chessington’s first inversion. Riders from just 1.2m tall, are swept up in the long arms of a mandrill before being flipped upside down at 42 miles per hour while dodging the hazards of the jungle.
Once they've made it through once, the train starts going the other way and rushes the thrill seekers back to the station backwards.
Nearby is Mamba Strike which has riders soaring into the sky before swooping back down again on a ride which spins thrillseekers round and round. Those brave enough can then swerve a herd of stampeding ostriches on a whirlwind ride in the dunes on Ostrich Stampede.
Alongside three new rides, families encounter other Jumanji-themed activities, including a maze of pathways reminiscent of the boardgame in the 1996 film. To keep adventurers fuelled, there’s themed refreshments in the Bazaar.
Those who wish to extend their stay- can spend a night in one of six new World of Jumanji themed bedrooms at the Chessington Safari Hotel.
Scott O’Neil, CEO of Merlin Entertainments, which operates Chessington, said: “Whether you are a fan of the films, a fan of rollercoasters or are looking to take your family adventures to The Next Level , the amazing World of Jumanji is ready to welcome all ‘those who seek to find, a way to leave their world behind’.
"Years in the making by the best teams in the business and full of ‘firsts’, we can’t wait to share the adventures within World of Jumanji. And, with Chessington’s first inversion we know that we have created an experience that will turn seasoned enthusiasts - and a new generation of rollercoaster fans - upside down.”
Earlier this year the Mirror visited Chessington to get a sneak peek of the land, with ride testers putting Mandrill Mayhem through its paces for the first time.
Since May 2020 engineers and roller-coaster architects have been pouring their hearts into building the new ride. Riders who are brave enough will be able to see the iconic Jumanji game board from this vantage point 55 feet above the floor.
After a long pandemic that forced the park to completely shut up shop, and then huge, chaotic queues to get in once it reopened, the launch of the World of Jumanji will be a big return to thrill-seeking form for Chessington.
Like the films, the zone - which features imposing mandrill statues that had to be re-designed to be a little less terrifying after audience tests - looks set to wow and scare riders in equal measure.
The attraction is a huge deal for Chessington, which hasn't unveiled a completely new ride since 2004's Dragon's Fury.
Officials at Merlin Entertainments - which run the park along with the likes of Legoland and Alton Towers - have spent the past three years thrashing out the zone's details with Sony Studios.
