Assistant Editor Samantha Bartlett visited Chessington World of Adventures' new World of PAW Patrol attraction with her young son, only to find that massive queues overshadowed the experience. The £15 million immersive zone, covering 1.4 acres, is the UK's first dedicated PAW Patrol area, designed for children aged 2 to 5. It features four family rides: Chase's Mountain Mission, Zuma's Hovercraft Adventure, Skye's Helicopter Heroes, and Marshall's Firetruck Rescue, along with a life-size Lookout Tower, a playzone, a themed restaurant, and a gift shop.
Weekday Visit Still Means Long Waits
Bartlett chose a weekday outside school holidays to avoid crowds, but queues still exceeded an hour for popular rides. Skye's Helicopter Heroes had a wait of over an hour in sweltering heat, partly because staff did not fill empty seats in the four-seater carriages. After waiting, Bartlett had to ask another family to share the ride. The Zoomer ride also broke down, extending its advertised 55-minute wait beyond an hour, and Chase's rollercoaster was closed for most of the day.
Marshall's Firetruck Rescue was the only main attraction with a short wait—just 10 minutes. The slide at The Lookout Tower moved quickly, and Rubble and Rocky's Playzone was not overly crowded. Bartlett noted that the area looks fantastic but the lengthy queues are problematic, especially for children who struggle with waiting.
Tips for Visiting: Arrive Early or Buy Fastrack
Bartlett recommends arriving at opening time; a friend who arrived at 10am reported waits of around 35 minutes for the most popular rides. Fastrack passes are available at £14 per person per ride, which she describes as hardly a bargain. She also advises pre-booking parking online to save a few pounds—standard parking is £16, but online pre-booking reduces it to £12.
Chessington currently offers an Adult & Pre-Schooler Ticket at £25.38 (down from £29.00) due to summer VAT reductions, valid for mid-week dates between 25 June and 1 September 2026. This includes access to the main Theme Park, Chessington Zoo, and SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Chessington Responds to Queue Concerns
A representative for Chessington World of Adventures Resort said: "We're committed to delivering great days out and continuously improving the guest experience. Safety is always our first priority, and when a ride experiences an unexpected closure, our expert teams must carry out thorough checks in line with our stringent health and safety policies before it can reopen. We recognise this can be disruptive, which is why we provide tools such as live queue-time information to help guests plan their visit."
