“It’s like we’re in Paw Patrol!” my daughter shouts out as we enter the new land at Chessington World of Adventures Resort.
Comments made by an excitable five-year-old often have to be taken with a hearty dose of scepticism, but in this case I fully agree.
The vibrant colours of the buildings, rides and life-sized figures make it easy to believe we are in Adventure Bay – the city which is the main setting of the popular children’s TV show – rather than a theme park in Surrey.
The 3D-animated children’s television series followings a boy named Ryder and his team of search and rescue dogs – Chase (police dog) Marshall (fire fighter), Zuma (water rescue), Skye (aviation), Rocky (recycling), and Rubble (construction) – who protect the community.
A recent report found that Paw Patrol was the most-watched children’s content on streaming platform Netflix in the second half of last year, with a mega 344 million hours viewed. There’s also a strong focus on teamwork and friendship in the storylines.
Here inside Chessington’s new section, everything is bright and bold. There is a huge replica of the Paw Patrol’s lookout tower, big logos, and even the footpaths have markings making them look like roads.
The land has many large figures such as the show’s other characters Captain Turbot (a marine biologist who sometimes helps the ‘pup patrol’), Wally the Walrus (Captain Turbot’s friend), Mayor Humdinger (the show’s certified ‘baddie’) and of course, all the pups.
The children here have broad smiles across their faces, while parents – who like me have undoubtedly had the catchy Paw Patrol theme tune stuck in their head at some point – also seem impressed.
All four of the new rides are themed around members of the pack and match the basic premise of the show’s episodes: someone or something needs rescuing, or an imminent disaster that needs averting.
Each are adventurous enough to excite my daughter Penny without scaring her.
The most immersive experience is Chase’s Mountain Mission, which begins with us stepping into a huge replica of the show’s lookout tower and made to feel as though we’re in a lift taking us to the top.
On a screen, the patrol’s leader, Ryder, explains the mission. We “junior pups” need to board Chase’s rescue vehicle – a rollercoaster – to help him save Mayor Goodway [the ‘good mayor’ of Adventure Bay] and her pet chicken who are under attack from a scary bird while stuck on a tightrope at the top of a mountain.
It’s Penny’s first time on a rollercoaster, and we zip around at a decent speed.
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“It was too fast but still fun”, she tells me when we stop. The fact we return for another go half an hour later indicates she has overcome any fears.
Air rescue pup Skye has always been Penny’s favourite member of the pack, so it’s no surprise that Skye’s Helicopter Heroes is the next ride she wants to experience. We climb onboard one of Skye’s grey and pink helicopters, which are lifted into the air before we spin around.
Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure is a drifting ride and the only one of its kind in the UK, designed to replicate the motion of a hovercraft on water.
We hop into an orange craft and help Zuma navigate the waters from Adventure Bay to Seal Island to deliver a vital new lightbulb to the top of the lighthouse.
Pulling a lever makes it feel like we’re moving faster, and I’m happy to oblige as Penny asks me to lift it again and again.
Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue involves us taking our seats on a red fire engine which rotates through the air as we save a kitten stuck up a tree.
There are two play areas, ideal for when little ones are either too tired to queue for rides or need to burn off excess energy.
At Rubble and Rocky’s Play Zone, Penny climbs and slides alongside construction pup Rubble, before making her way through a maze of repurposed items with eco pup Rocky.
I’m impressed by the attention to details on the Flounder Boat Play when the sound of a boat engine is emitted as I turn Captain Turbot’s wheel.
If all that isn’t enough, the lookout tower is also a helter-skelter, with a slide winding around the outside.
The land hosts regular meet-and greets with the pups, enabling Penny to say hi to Chase and give Skye a high-five.
There are also Paw Patrol-themed food and retail outlets, meaning it’s possible to spend a large chunk of a day here.
There are two hotels onsite (one with five Paw Patrol-themed rooms), giving guests benefits such access to the theme park an hour before the main gates open and free parking.
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We spend a night at the Safari Hotel, where we open our curtains to stunning views of giraffes, antelopes and zebras at Chessington’s Wanyama Reserve. Staying so close means we have enough time to discover much of what it has to offer beyond World of Paw Patrol – such as the walk-through Room on a Broom attraction, based on Julia Donaldson’s book.
Chessington World of Adventures – which has been around since 1987 – will face tough competition when Universal Studios opens a theme park in Bedfordshire by 2031.
The £15 million project to build the UK’s only Paw Patrol land gives Chessington a unique selling point, while next year it will also open a world-first land inspired by video game Minecraft.
Chessington’s attractions have traditionally been inspired by different parts of the world, so the use of intellectual property such as Paw Patrol and Minecraft marks a major shift.
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With Universal parks often featuring ultra high-speed rides to attract thrill-seekers, it may be wise for Chessington to focus on family-friendly experiences.
The success of attractions such as Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park, Hampshire, and Thomas (the Tank Engine) Land at Drayton Manor Resort, Staffordshire, prove it can be a winning formula.
We walk out of World of Paw Patrol under a large sign telling us “You saved the day!”
For us, and Chessington, it feels like mission accomplished.
How to book:
Tickets at Chessington’s World of Paw Patrol start from £34pp and include access to Theme Park, Zoo and Sea Life Aquarium.
You can also extend your stay in a hotel on a Chessington short break; prices start from £73pp.
Neil Lancefield was a guest of Chessington World of Adventures for this feature.
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