*** Welcome to piglix ***

Safari Skyway

Safari Skyway
Chessington World of Adventure and Zoo Safari Skyway.jpg
Ride cars in 2012
Chessington World of Adventures
Area Market Square
Status Closed
Opening date 1986
Closing date 31 July 2015
General statistics
Attraction type Monorail
Manufacturer Mack Rides
Music The Call to Adventure
Duration 8 minutes
Closure announced January 2016

Safari Skyway was a monorail ride that opened in 1986 at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, in the Market Square area. Manufactured by Mack Rides, the ride gave guests a guided tour of Chessington Zoo, and in its first year, the construction of Chessington World of Adventures theme park. The ride ran for almost thirty years before closing abruptly in late July 2015. In early January 2016, the park announced that the ride would be retired due to continuous troubles with maintenance for the ride.

Safari Skyway was opened in 1986, as one of the first rides at Chessington World of Adventures. Safari Skyway's entrance was towards the back of the Market Square area, and the monorail gave a guided tour of the zoo, lawn and mansion area.

The ride took approximately 8 minutes, and the maximum height restriction for riders was 1.96 meters. Riders under 1.1 meters had to be accompanied by someone 16 or over. The ride passed such features in Chessington Zoo, such as Sea Lion Bay, Amazu, Trail of the Kings and other areas. It first passed the smaller animals in the Children's Zoo, before going behind the Sea Life Centre and near to the Lodge Gate entrance. The ride continued passing nearby (but not directly above) the gorillas, lions and sea lions before returning to the station via the theme park.

Station building in 2015

Sealion Bay from Safari Skyway in 2006


...
Wikipedia

...