What's New at Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Introducing Sarah

Hello, I’m Sarah and more commonly referred to as SJ by my colleagues. I’m a wife and mum of 2 young children, recently returned after maternity leave into this exciting new role at the Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

I have been within the Merlin family for 12 years, with 8 of those being spent at Chessington! When we have the opportunity, my family and I spend as much time exploring new places, attractions, and family days out. I’m really excited to be leading improvements at our Resort so that all families can access these amazing experiences, to teach my children that we all can play a part in building a better future, and to support more people into the workplace.

My role will provide focus across the Resort to both guest facing and staff areas, generating a long term development strategy, ensuring we are prioritising investment and incorporating accessibility & inclusion into all we do. Supporting our local communities and building valuable partnerships which will aid in directing our decision making, social responsibility and business values.  

I look forward to welcoming all our guests for the 2024 season, and I’m sure, meeting some of you along the way.

Wishing you all a wonderful year of memory making and photo taking.

Kindest Regards,

Sarah (she/her)

Accessibility & Inclusion Manager 

Changes to Rap/GHI

For assistance with the Ride Access Pass and accessibility enquiries please speak to a member of our team at the Ride Access Pass Hub located in Adventure Point.

Step free access for staff areas

We’re not only working on guest-facing areas, but staff areas too in 2024. A new and long-awaited project is starting with installing an accessible ramp at Basecamp and The Wilderness Shack as part of a wider plan to improve our focus on Resort Accessibility.

Autism partnership

An exciting, new partnership is taking place this year at Chessington World of Adventures Resort as we are joining forces with DFN Project Search and Ambitious About Autism to support young autistic people into the workplace. The teacher and mentor lead program is due to start in September and will see candidates join our dedicated teams on the Resort for a year, gaining valuable skills and experience in a work environment.

AccessAble

We will be continuing our partnership with AccessAble into 2024 with the link will be available on our website; this guide provides in-depth details regarding accessibility of the Resort for guests, alongside a detailed guidance report for improving facilities (excluding rides and attractions).

KidsOut Day

Chessington annually participates in the National Rotary KidsOut Day, a significant event that marks the largest single outing for disadvantaged children in the UK. Since its first date in 1990, the event has grown substantially, with over 30,000 children participating in 2019 alone. This day is organized in collaboration with Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI), drawing on the support of many volunteers to ensure its success. Chessington, among other venues, welcomes children living with critical illnesses, additional needs, those facing disadvantages, and those in refuge, offering them a memorable day out. For many of these children, it represents their first experience at a theme park, a moment Chessington is immensely proud to contribute to. The event not only delivers joy and excitement to the children but also underscores Chessington's commitment to accessibility and inclusion, making it a day filled with fun, laughter, and, as the weather often permits, a WILD time for all involved.