Brave the drop to release the curse...
Brave the drop to release the curse...
| Theme Park | Chessington World of Adventures |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Forbidden Kingdom |
| Type | Drop Tower |
| Audience | Families |
| Opened | 12 April 2021 (replaced Rameses Revenge) |
| Manufacturer | SBF Visa Group |
| Model | Drop'N Twist |
| Height | 82 ft |
| Designer | Merlin Magic Making |
| Capacity | 16 guests per ride |
| Extras | Fastrack |
Dropping into the crocodile's mouth
Croc Drop is a family drop tower ride located in Forbidden Kingdom on the former site of the iconic Rameses Revenge, and was Chessington's major new ride addition for the 2021 season.
The drop tower itself stands at 25 metres tall, although it is most recognisable across the area for the giant stone crocodile mouth which its gondola drops into.
Croc Drop's ride hardware is from SBF Visa Group, and is the same model as Magma at Paultons Park.
The ride experience starts with giant stone doors opening to reveal a smoke filled entrance. Visitors are guided through these doors and invited to take a seat on one of the 16 seats which surround the tower. Sobek, the crocodile god of Ancient Egyptian folklore, has been possessed by evil spirits and riders must participate in a ceremony to banish them and free the Nile region.
Chanting begins all around the chamber as the gondola slowly begins to rise: "Brave the drop, Release the curse". The gondola slowly revolves too, giving riders a birds eye view over the whole park. However, they are not at the top for long: suddenly the gondola drops from the highest point, plunging back into the crocodile's jaws.
The ride sequence continues with the gondola raised to the top once more, this time stopping for a while before being released and bouncing downward in a double-drop motion. As Croc Drop comes to rest at the bottom, the curse has been broken thanks to all those who participated in the ritual.
Croc Drop is very well themed and the ride itself is excellent, providing just the right level of family thrill. If there's a small criticism, it is in the storytelling: there is nothing in the queueline and no pre-show to explain the backstory of the curse itself. Of course, that doesn't particularly detract from the great ride experience and theming which makes Croc Drop fit right in to its Forbidden Kingdom surroundings.
Croc Drop
The ride sits within Forbidden Kingdom
Queue for Croc Drop
Croc Drop logo
Croc Drop's shop and entrance building
Entrance
Stone crocodile
Doors
Entering the ride
Ride gondola
Emerging from the station
Rising up
Looking out over the teeth
Top of the tower
Dropping down
Smoke pours out of the crocodile's mouth
Dropping into the crocodile jaws
Croc Drop at night
