Bubbleworks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bubbleworks |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Original Bubble Works logo 1990–2005
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Ride statistics | |||||||||||||
| Attraction type | Dark ride | ||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Leisurtec / WGH | ||||||||||||
| Designer | Sparks Group (1990) Tussauds Studios (2006) |
||||||||||||
| Theme | Factory | ||||||||||||
| Music | Graham Smart | ||||||||||||
| Capacity | 1,000 riders per hour | ||||||||||||
| Vehicle type | Tubs | ||||||||||||
| Vehicles | 28 | ||||||||||||
| Riders per vehicle | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 6 minutes | ||||||||||||
 Fastrack available |
|||||||||||||
 Must transfer from wheelchair |
|||||||||||||
 Assistive listening available |
|||||||||||||
Bubbleworks was a popular dark water ride at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Greater London, England. It first opened in 1990 as Prof. Burp's Bubble Works. Riders floated through fun, animated scenes of a silly factory making fizzy drinks.
In 2006, the ride was updated and renamed Imperial Leather Bubbleworks after a sponsorship. Many of the original animations were removed or changed. The ride closed for good in September 2016. It was then replaced by The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure.
The Story of Bubbleworks
Prof. Burp's Original Ride
Bubbleworks was created as part of a big plan to turn Chessington Zoo into a fun theme park. The "Transylvania" area at Chessington World of Adventures opened in 1990. It featured two main attractions: the Vampire roller coaster and Prof. Burp's Bubble Works.
John Wardley, who helped develop the park, came up with the idea for a magical factory. This factory would show how Professor Burp made his fizzy pop, from juicing fruits to bottling the drinks. A company called Keith Sparks designed and built the ride. The catchy music was made by Graham Smart.
This water ride became very popular at the park. It even inspired similar water rides in the UK. The National Amusement Park Historical Association once named it the third best dark ride in the world. John Wardley later said it was his "proudest moment at Chessington."
The ride also had its own gift shop. Here, riders could buy BubbleWorks souvenirs and even Professor Burp-branded drinks. This idea of themed shops is now common at theme parks.
Changes in 2006
Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks ran for fifteen years. At the end of 2005, it was updated and sponsored by Imperial Leather, a toiletries company. The ride's theme changed to a soap factory to match the new sponsor.
Many of the old sets and props were reused. However, they were changed and repainted. Sadly, almost all the moving animations were removed or made still.
When the new version opened, many people were disappointed. They missed the fun animations and humor of the original ride. Some felt the new ride was mostly an advertisement for the sponsor. John Wardley, who helped create the original, chose not to ride the new version. He was told he "would weep" if he did.
In 2014, the Imperial Leather logos were removed from the ride. However, the ride itself stayed the same. In 2013, a small fire at a nearby building caused some damage to the ride's finale room. After repairs, the ride's outside was repainted blue.
The Final Closure
In the summer of 2016, Chessington announced that Bubbleworks would close in September. A new dark ride would take its place. This new ride was developed by Merlin Magic Making.
Chessington later announced that the new ride would be based on The Gruffalo. This news got mixed reactions from fans.
During the closing period, Chessington sometimes mixed up the 2006 version with the original 1990 ride. They even said that Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks had been open for 26 years, which wasn't quite right. Many felt the park was using the good reputation of the original ride. John Wardley did not attend the closing event in 2016.
Bubbleworks finally closed on September 6, 2016. Many of its remaining props were sold at an auction.
