A theme park trip often means one person holding the bags while everyone else goes on the rollercoasters. However, Chessington World of Adventures Resort has the answer, in the form of the World’s Strongest Man, Tom ‘The Albatross’ Stoltman, who has been brought on as the theme park’s ‘Official Bag Holder’.
Guests can pile their belongings onto The Albatross’s powerful arms so everyone can ride tomorrow – National Rollercoaster Day.
Making the most of Stoltman’s 6ft 9 wingspan, Chessington aims to get as many ‘designated bag holders’ on its coasters as possible – from the iconic Vampire ride to Mandrill Mayhem, Chessington’s first coaster with an inversion and one of three NEW rides in themed-land, World of Jumanji, which opened in May.
Strong man Stoltman’s record for a stone lift is 286kg – more than an adult male tiger weighs. The average full rucksack for a day visit to Chessington weighs 6kg, which equates to Stoltman holding 47 bags on his arms.
Kevin McIlmurray, Head of Guest Experience, at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, said: “At Chessington, there’s a ride for everyone – so we want to get everyone on the rides this National Rollercoaster Day. Our number one priority is for our guests to have fun, and we know they will be thrilled to have our Official Bag Holder free up their arms while they ride the coasters. Who better for Chessington – Britain’s Wildest Adventure – to partner with, than The Albatross. With his superhuman strength, riders will be able to load him up like a sort of human buckaroo.”
Tom Stoltman, the World’s Strongest Man, added: “I have been having a blast working with Chessington. I’ve lifted hundreds of kilos before, but I’ve never had to hold 47 bags while people go on rollercoasters! I hope I get to have a go on Mandrill Mayhem before the day is out.”
Chessington has over 40 rides and attractions, including World of Jumanji, which is home to the only Jumanji-themed rollercoaster in the world – Mandrill Mayhem. Travelling at speeds of 42mph, the NEW ride flips riders upside down and spirals to the summit of the 55ft tall Jaguar Shrine, from the iconic finale of the movie, ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’.
World of Jumanji also features two more NEW rides – Ostrich Stampede and Mamba Strike. The single largest investment in Chessington’s history, World of Jumanji additionally features a maze of pathways based on the iconic Jumanji board game. Themed food and drink – including giant turkey legs – are available, while guests staying overnight can book one of six Jumanji-themed rooms in the Chessington Safari Hotel.
This summer, Chessington World of Adventures Resort tickets start from just £37pp, with under 3s going free. Pre-booking is essential. To book tickets to the Resort or accommodation in the Resort’s Hotels, visit www.chessington.com
