Vampire Has Been at Chessington for 36 Years — But How Many More?

There are some theme park rides that become more than just attractions. They become part of the identity of a park.

At Chessington World of Adventures, few rides fit that description better than Vampire.

Opening on 11 April 1990, Vampire has now been thrilling guests for 36 years. It has survived changing ownership, changing technology, changing theming and an ever-evolving Chessington.

But it raises an interesting question: how much longer can we realistically expect Vampire to remain at Chessington?

And, perhaps more importantly, should we even be thinking about its eventual replacement?

A coaster that refuses to disappear

Vampire is unusual by modern theme park standards.

It isn’t the tallest coaster. It isn’t the fastest. It doesn’t have huge inversions or the kind of statistics that dominate today’s marketing campaigns.

Instead, Vampire offers something increasingly difficult to recreate: character.

The ride sends guests flying through the Wild Woods, with the suspended trains swinging beneath the track. Its original design came from legendary coaster designer John Wardley, and it was the UK’s first suspended roller coaster.

Even after more than three decades, the basic concept still works.

That’s quite an achievement.

Chessington itself clearly understands how important Vampire has become. When the coaster celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2025, the park described it as one of its most popular coasters and highlighted the nostalgia surrounding it.

The park even pointed out that parents — and grandparents — now return with younger generations to ride the same attraction they enjoyed themselves.

That is exactly the sort of legacy most theme park rides never achieve.

But 36 years is a long time

Of course, nostalgia can’t keep a roller coaster running forever.

Vampire’s original Arrow Dynamics trains were replaced in 2002 with new floorless Vekoma trains. The ride itself has also continued to receive maintenance and attention over the years.

And that’s where the question becomes interesting.

Vampire was designed in an entirely different era of roller coaster engineering. When it opened, the UK’s theme park landscape looked very different.

Thorpe Park was still finding its identity. Alton Towers was only beginning to establish itself as a major thrill destination. The modern generation of massive B&M and Intamin coasters was still developing.

Thirty-six years later, guests have very different expectations.

Chessington now has Mandrill Mayhem, Dragon’s Fury and a much broader selection of attractions. Mandrill Mayhem, in particular, represents what a modern Chessington roller coaster can look like.

Yet Vampire still has something Mandrill Mayhem doesn’t.

History.

Would replacing Vampire actually be a mistake?

Personally, I think it would be.

At least for now.

Chessington doesn’t need to replace every old attraction simply because it has reached a certain age. A theme park needs variety, and Vampire provides something completely different from the park’s newer rides.

Its age is actually part of its appeal.

Imagine Chessington without Vampire.

The Wild Woods would feel different. The skyline would change. Generations of visitors would lose one of the rides that immediately says Chessington.

And unlike some older attractions, Vampire hasn’t become irrelevant.

It still has a distinctive ride experience.

It still fits the area around it.

And, perhaps most importantly, people still talk about it.

But there will eventually be a final ride

That’s the uncomfortable reality.

At some point, Vampire will have to close.

It could be because maintaining the ride becomes too expensive. It could be because replacement parts become harder to source. It could be because Chessington decides the land could generate more visitors with a completely new attraction.

Or it could simply be because the park wants to move in a different direction.

We shouldn’t assume that because Vampire has reached 36 years it is about to disappear. There is currently no indication from Chessington that the ride is being retired. In fact, the park continues to list Vampire as an operating attraction and continues to promote it.

But that doesn’t mean enthusiasts shouldn’t start thinking about its future.

Could Vampire reach 40?

Absolutely.

In fact, I think celebrating a 40th anniversary in 2030 would be a fantastic opportunity for Chessington.

Rather than replacing Vampire, the park could use the milestone to celebrate what makes the ride special.

Imagine a major refurbishment.

Fresh theming.

Improved lighting.

Restored effects.

A refreshed queue line.

Perhaps even some subtle changes to the station and surrounding Wild Woods area.

It wouldn’t need to become a completely different ride.

Sometimes the best thing a theme park can do is make an old attraction feel new again without taking away what made people love it in the first place.

The bigger question for Chessington

Vampire’s future also highlights a wider challenge for Chessington.

The park has invested heavily in new attractions over the years, including the World of Jumanji and Mandrill Mayhem.

But eventually, every park has to decide which older attractions are worth preserving.

Some rides are replaceable.

Others aren’t.

Vampire falls firmly into the second category for me.

Chessington could build another roller coaster.

It could even build a better roller coaster by modern standards.

But it couldn’t build another Vampire.

You can’t recreate 36 years of memories.

So, how many more years does Vampire have?

If we’re asking for an exact number, nobody outside Chessington’s management and engineering teams could realistically answer that.

But if we’re asking whether Vampire still deserves a future?

Absolutely.

I would much rather see Chessington invest in keeping Vampire alive than remove it simply because something newer could be built on the same piece of land.

Because one day, the decision will come.

And when that final Vampire train eventually pulls back into the station, I suspect enthusiasts won’t be thinking about its age.

They’ll be thinking about the first time they rode it.

The family trips.

The rainy days.

The summer holidays.

The first coaster they were tall enough to ride.

The countless times they walked through the Wild Woods, heard the roar of the train and thought:

“Let’s ride Vampire.”

Thirty-six years after it first took flight, that is perhaps the strongest argument of all for keeping the Vampire alive.

What do you think? Should Vampire be kept for another 10, 20 or even 30 years — or is it time for Chessington to eventually let the old vampire rest?