I visited the new Jumanji land at Chessington – fans of the films will love it

JUMANJI star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is a double-hard mountain of a man, but I’m pretty sure even he would be terrified by the new Mandrill Mayhem rollercoaster at Chessington World Of Adventures. 

I mutter a series of expletives as the 42mph ride, in the theme park’s brand new ‘World of Jumanji’ land, tosses me every which way as it reaches its 55ft peak at the top of a jaguar shrine.

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Then shout them louder as the shuttle rollercoaster, which is Chessington’s first inversion ride and the world’s only Jumanji ride, repeats itself backwards. 

The ride is the jewel in the crown of the new themed land, which has been several years and millions of pounds in the making. 

But equal amounts of attention and care have been paid to everything else, including the other two rides – Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede. 

Mamba Strike is a flat ride that swoops readers up into the air, and sparks faint reminders of Rameses Revenge, which will please nostalgic fans of the popular old ride that left the park in 2019.  

But my top pick of the newbies was the Ostrich Stampede, which I can best describe as an adrenaline-booster that is perfect for younger guests who have outgrown their favourite flying elephant ride and are looking for something more thrilling. 

It had just the right amount of speed and bumps, as we spun round as though trying to escape a herd of stampeding giant birds. 

For the little ones who can’t meet the 1.2m height requirements, there are plenty of quirky Jumanji-themed activities positioned around the land, including a maze of pathways styled like the original boardgame. 

My 4-year-old loved playing one of the side stall games, which involved trying to knock down bugs with a ball and there is some great themed merchandise for all ages, from stuffed toys to clothing. 

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For those looking for a Jumanji-style snack, there are also giant turkey legs, foot-long hotdogs and jungle stampede cupcakes on offer. 

The new land is one of the biggest updates to Chessington in several years and has significantly boosted the number of adrenaline rides for older children and adults. 

The Vampire Ride and Dragon’s Fury are firm fan favourites that will hold their own against the new additions, but there’s no doubt that Mandrill Mayhem will be the magnet for theme park guests for this summer. 

The themed fun doesn’t have to end there though, as Chessington’s Safari hotel also has six new Jumanji hotel rooms. 

The bedrooms, which can sleep up to five people in a double bed, a bunk bed and a pull out single, are brilliantly styled to make you feel like you’re entering the jungle.  

I had a jaguar shrine above my bed and the bunk bed looked like something from a safari camp, but the main attraction was the interactive rock game, where guests have to follow a sequence of flashing buttons to light the emerald. 

We also took part in an in-room treasure hunt, where a series of clues lead you to cracking a code and unlocking the treasure in a hidden safe. 

It was tough to pick a favourite from all of the new additions – I preferred Mandrill Mayhem, while the 7 year old liked the Ostrich Stampede and the 4 and 3 year olds voted for the hotel room games. 

But surely that’s a great sign  – there’s something there for everyone. 

World of Jumanji at Chessington World Of Adventures is now open.

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