Chessington's new Jumanji themed land and rollercoaster under construction for 2023...
Chessington's new Jumanji themed land and rollercoaster under construction for 2023...
Jaguar head under construction
Project Amazon was the codename given to the project to build World of Jumanji, the major new land at Chessington World of Adventures for the 2023 season.
The plans, which first began emerging in May 2021 through a series of public consultations followed by a full planning application submitted to Kingston Borough Council in July 2021, included the construction of the first new rollercoaster to be added to the park since Dragon's Fury was opened in 2004.
Following the granting of planning permission in January 2022 construction began in earnest and continued throughout the 2022 season, with the giant Jaguar theming element being the most obvious sign of what was to come as it slowly emerged from its metal framework.
The station building for the new land's headline attraction, a Wing Coaster from B&M, was erected over the summer and supports were being installed by the time Chessington's Howl'o'ween event was being celebrated around the park.
Building work went on throughout the winter, with the coaster's track fully installed along with the two supporting flat rides by the time the 2023 season began.
Testing, landscaping and the remaining construction works continued during the early season, with an official opening date announced for World of Jumanji as 15 May 2023.
Backyard Beach, which sat on part of the grassy hillside that would be used for Project Amazon, was closed after the summer months.
Backyard Beach was a sandy play/food area
The beach on part of the future Project Amazon site towards the south of the park
The Beach remained closed during 2020, although socially distanced picnic tables were placed elsewhere on the grass.
Picnics on the hillside
Groundworks were well underway by April 2022, with a huge piling rig towering over the site and beginning to drive concrete piles deep into the ground ready for foundations and ride footers to be placed on top.
Green construction walls surround the area
The piling rig dominates the skyline over the site
Groundworks ongoing
A door in the construction wall
Teaser adverts have gone up
The steel frame of the large theming feature - widely rumoured to be a jaguar statue - is being installed.
Steel frame rising behind a digger
Ride footers going in
Project Amazon's World of Jumanji theme has been officially revealed, the steel of the theming feature has been fully erected and the rollercoaster's station frame has gone vertical.
Adverts on the construction walls have been updated to reveal the land's World of Jumanji theme
Concrete has been applied to the lower half of the theming feature
This looks very much like a jaguar head!
The rollercoaster station's steel frame
Looking at the theming feature through the station
Across the site
A round concrete base for one of the flat rides is now in place
Large construction walls continue to line the path between Dragon's Fury and Shipwreck Coast
The rollercoaster supports have arrived on site and are starting to go in, and the jaguar shrine is looking just about finished.
The jaguar shrine towering over the rest of the construction site
Supports have gone vertical
One of the brown coloured supports
The jaguar shrine close up
Walls are being added to the coaster's station building
The station, jaguar shrine and supports poking over the construction walls
The base for the circular flat ride is complete
Mandrill Mayhem's track is complete and the ride has been testing. Both the Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede flat rides have been installed. The area's entrance sign has just gone up, and work continues to finish everything ahead of the official opening next month.
B&M track visible from Chessington's Explorer Entrance
Construction walls have been removed
Looking into the site, with scaffolding towers still visible
The area's entrance sign has just been put up
Beyond lies World of Jumanji
Close up of the entrance sign
Mamba Strike's snake head
Work continues on the snake basket
Ostrich Stampede through the fence
Mandrill Mayhem's track emerges from the station
Upward curve of green B&M track
The coaster's track circles the area
Chessington's first rollercoaster inversion
Spike twisting around the Jaguar Shrine
Planting is taking place around the fence line
The double spikes of Mandrill Mayhem