I visited Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey with my husband and our two young sons Odhran, 10, and Reuben, 7, for the launch of the theme park's annual Howl'o'ween event. There are a whole host of haunted happenings at Chessington this October half term, from brand-new spooky shows and fancy-dress contests to interactive experiences and thrilling rollercoaster rides at dusk. Here's what you can expect...
Taking hold of my hand and skipping alongside me, my seven-year-old son Reuben looked up and said, ‘this is the best day ever!’
Chessington World of Adventures’ Howl’o’ween is a ghoulishly great family day out. But what made this visit to one of our favourite theme parks was that Reuben was finally tall enough (1.2m) to ride on Mandrill Mayhem, which is possibly my favourite rollercoaster in the UK.
He rode on it twice and if we’d had more time, he’d have gone on a third time. This ride pulls backwards before launching forward full throttle and flipping upside down. ‘My bum was off the seat!’ Reuben excitedly told me after we’d hopped off the ride. What he found most thrilling was that when the ride flips, it does so at a speed that allows you to be fearfully aware that you are hanging upside down, unlike other rollercoasters that whip you round so fast it's happened before you know it.
On a second ride of Mandrill Mayhem, I was sat on the other side of the mandrill and was lucky enough to get a seat right up front with Odhran. From this position the ride felt even more thrilling and intense.
We also enjoyed being flung around at high speed on Dragon's Fury - a steel spinning roller coaster, and Odhran was tall enough to go on Rattlesnake. We visited on a Saturday at the beginning on October. Storm Amy the night before had left me wondering if our trip to Chessington might be a washout. But we woke to a clear blue sky. The boys didn't even need their jackets. It was still a bit windy, which meant Croc Drop (a 25m plunge into the jaws of a giant crocodile) had to close, and Vampire roller coaster also wasn't open on the day of our visit. But there was so much to do at Chessington, we wouldn't have been able to fit everything in anyway.
Odhran laughed when his trainer fell off on Ostrich Stampede, and the boys had the stomach to go from this bouncy ride to the rotating Mamba Strike ride. On this visit to Chessington, the boys spent less time in the soft play, where they love running, climbing and sliding around. This meant we had time to try rides we'd not experienced on previous visits, such as Tomb Blaster - a shooting laser gun ride. And of course we made time for one of our favourites - The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure (a charming immersive experience ).
Spooky shows
We’ve always loved the live acts and shows at Chessington, and feel they really bring an energetic and uplifting atmosphere to the theme park. This Halloween , Spelltacular! takes place on the main stage. It’s a visual, musical treat, as a group of wizards and witches encourage the audience to help them reverse an accidental spell with a string of magical charms. It's great for all ages. We were impressed by the moves of the mummy cast who twitched and shuffled to life in Rising Flame: Shadow of the Tomb. In this ceremonial spectacle, mummified monsters summon their ancient leader through roaring pyrotechnics, sandy storms, and heart-pounding dynamic dance.
More Halloween fun
Guests can throw some shapes at the Barnyard Boogie with a musical duo ready to dance the night away in a pumpkin patch. And little ones dressed up in their spookiest Halloween costumes can join Wilf the Werewolf and Violet the Vampire Bat at The Mini Stage for a show-stopping costume contest and be in with the chance to win a daily prize.
Brave souls (aged 7+) can enter the Stone Watchers: The Vampires Lair scare zone. Beware of the gargoyle statues coming to life and chasing intruders away. Odhran loved the jump scares, but Reuben found it genuinely frightening.
Toddlers to early teens will have a great time celebrating Halloween at Chessington.
Trick-or-treating at Enchanted Hollow
Wind down tunnels and enter cosy burrows as you step into the animal village of Enchanted Hollow, where friendly creatures are waiting to greet you. Grab one of the paper trick-or-treat bags before you enter, and knock on the doors for a sweet surprise. This is a really immersive and delightful experience. The sets are captivating and the actors ignite the children's imaginations. The kids don't get a huge amount of sweets, so adults be sure to get some HARIBO and MAOAM dropped into your paper bag too. Unless, like us, your kid has already had a sugar rush by devouring an extremely tasty Halloween-themed doughnut from Planet Doughnut, available at Chessington. These are boo-tifully decorated. Odhran chose a chocolate filled spider and Reuben had a jam-filled, white icing dipped mummy.
When is the best time to visit Chessington?
We visited on a Saturday on the first weekend in October. We thought this might be a quiet time to visited the theme park with it being sandwiched between the Summer holidays and the October half-term. But maybe lots of people had the same idea, as the park was busy, and there were lots of school groups. But we enjoyed visiting Chessington at this time of year as most of the rides were still on, the park was beautifully decorated for Halloween with pumpkins and scarecrows, and there was lots of spooky shows and entertainment. But we've also enjoyed visiting Chessington for Winter's Tail at Christmas, Mardi Grrra! in early summer, and on occasion when there wasn't a special event taking place, and we've always had a great time.
When is Howl'o'ween taking place?
HOWL’O’WEEN runs from now until 2nd November 2025.
How much does it cost?
Tickets for Howl’o’ween are available here with prices starting at £32 per person, including entry to the theme park, zoo, and SEA LIFE aquarium. Entry to Enchanted Hollow: Trick or Treat with HARIBO and MAOAM is an optional extra with tickets prices at £8 per person, and group discounts available.
Families can extend their spooky season experience with a Howl’o’ween short break at one of Chessington's resort hotels, complete with special themed experiences. Prices start from £34 per person (based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing a standard room with bed and breakfast), including early ride time (this must be booked alongside a theme park ticket), and Rangers Academy children’s hotel entertainment.