Paw Patrol Takes Over Chessington: A First Look at the Brand New Area
Chessington World of Adventures in the UK has officially unleashed its newest land for 2026: a fully immersive Paw Patrol area, complete with a new Zierer Force coaster, two family flats, and a dedicated character hub. I visited recently to see if this new land delivers, and whether it might be Merlin’s first strategic strike against the looming threat of Universal UK.
Land Positioning
The area is walled off with theming barriers, creating the illusion of a self-contained Paw Patrol world. It does feel out of place if you treat it as an extension of the Egyptian theming of Croc Drop or Tomb Blaster.
However, it works well when viewed as its own standalone land extending the broader animal theme at Chessington.
Upon entry, you’re greeted by Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure – a surprisingly fun Zierer drifter with a lever to steer in and out, delivering decent lateral forces.
A play area for children directly in front continues the Paw Patrol theme.
Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue is located at the back right. This is adjacent to the coaster exit and the meet-and-greet building.
A large central building with a clock tower to the immediate right, housing toilets, a gift shop stocked with character plushies, and a character meet-and-greet running throughout most of the day.
Paw Patrol Gift Shop
Chase’s Mountain Mission, the headline attraction, is situated at the back of the land.
Chase’s Mountain Mission: A Family Coaster with Bite
This is Chessington’s new Zierer Force coaster. It’s a short but fun family thriller. The ride features include a booster wheel lift hill leading into a 540-degree descending helix through snow-capped mountain scenery.
This is accompanied by on-board audio telling the story of Mayor Goodway and Chickaletta stuck on a mountain top — the mission of the riders is to save them.
A small S-bend, a pop of airtime, and a banked turn that passes right by the public area follow. This area is great for taking off-ride photos and video. Riders get two full laps per ride.
I rode twice, including the back row, and found little difference between seats. The coaster is smooth and comfortable, designed for broad appeal. The ride area itself is surprisingly immersive once you’re on it, with mountain peaks and Paw Patrol characters watching over you from above.
The Capacity Problem
The biggest problem with the new coaster is capacity. The coaster operates with just one train, and queues rapidly grew from 15 minutes to over 70 minutes during my visit. The flat rides are also low-capacity. I recommend hitting this area early or late in the day to avoid the worst of the crowds.
Why Now? The Shadow of Universal UK…
This new area isn’t just about Paw Patrol. Chessington appears to be positioning itself strategically with unique IPs and rides before 2031. 2031 is the predicted opening of the Universal UK resort. Universal has purchased 476 acres in Bedfordshire (with room to expand to 700) North of London, registered trademarks for Halloween Horror Nights, and promised the “most technologically advanced theme park in the world.”
UK theme park fans went wild for Hyperia, Thorpe Park’s Mack hypercoaster in 2024. That reaction will be amplified when Universal arrives. Merlin is leaning into their strengths, deliberately expanding on the brands Universal does not have access to. The £50 million Minecraft World opening in 2027 is another example of this same strategy.
Paw Patrol at Chessington Verdict
The Paw Patrol area is a well-executed, family-friendly addition to Chessington. It’s polished and immersive, whilst simultaneously designed with young children in mind.
However, it’s likely also a defensive move to establish their presence with unique IPs to counter Universal resorts coming to the UK.
Make sure you ride Chase’s Mountain Mission early if visiting Chessington to avoid the large queues likely to occur.
It’s an exciting precursor to the Minecraft area currently under construction at Chessington, coming in 2027.
About the Author
George Simpson is a UK based mathematician and private tutor. His interest in maths leads to a fascination with their application in theme park design and roller coaster engineering. Iron Rattler at Six Flags Qiddiya remains his #1 coaster. Follow George on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
