There’s no better feeling than the anticipation and nerves before a ride starts, is there? It takes us back to being a kid all over again. That’s why we love theme parks so much! Whether you’re looking for hair raising thrills or family fun, the UAE has it all. With twists and turns, gravity defying drops, world record winning roller coasters or smaller ones for starters, here’s our list of the best the UAE has to offer.
Motiongate
Be at the heart of movie action at the UAE’s largest Hollywood inspired theme park, with characters from the likes of GhostBusters through to the Dreamworks favourites of Kung Fu Panda and the gang from Shrek. At Motiongate there are around 30 rides inspired by memorable action and animation films, including Ghostbusters and The Hunger Games. Check out the three zones dedicated to legendary film studios including Dreamworks, Lionsgate and Columbia Pictures, plus Smurfs Village where the kids will be entertained for hours. Don’t miss the record-breaking roller coasters inspired by box office sensations John Wicks with multiple twists and turns. It’s the world’s fastest single-car spinning coaster, and follows the plot of the famous heist-based movie.
Prices: Day tickets are AED 330 with kids under the age of 3 going for FREE.
Height requirements: Rides start at 90 cm. Children between 100 cm and 122 cm must be accompanied by an adult.
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday: 11am – 8pm, Friday and Saturday: 11am – 9pm.
British Mums Verdict: If you have a really mixed age group, this might be your best choice as Motiongate has lots of options of rides that have no age restrictions for the very young children, but equally some moderately thrilling rides for the slightly older kids. There are so many ‘meet and greet’ options, so plenty of opportunity for the kids to meet their favourite movie character!
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will bring your favourite childhood memories to life. Located completely indoors, the amusement park has rides themed around beloved characters from Looney Tunes and the DC comics. With six designated themed areas (Gotham City, Metropolis, Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch and Warner Bros Plaza), Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi is a perfect day out for family and friends.
Price: Adult price AED 325, Junior price AED 250 (below 1.1m), children 3 and under are FREE.
Opening hours: 11am – 8pm daily.
Height requirements: Children under 1.1m will be able to enjoy most of the rides but there are a few rides that they won’t be tall enough to ride.
British Mums verdict: If most of your group is under 1.3m, this might not be your best choice. For children above this looking for thrills and spills, this is perfect – with plenty of independent experiences and high-adrenaline action to keep them happy.
It can get busy on weekends where the fast-pass options might be worth it, but other times of the week and during school holidays you should be ok on a general admission ticket, especially if you get there early.
Being attached to Yas Mall gives a huge range of additional dining destinations for before and after your experience. Enjoy!
Legoland Dubai
A part of the Dubai Parks & Resorts, Legoland is a LEGO-themed park in Dubai that offers everything from interactive rides and water slides to building and driving experiences.Most of them are basic motion rather than the thrilling end of the scale so perfect for the smaller ones. Interactive activities are the real focus! Spread across 5 zones: Factory, Imagination, Kingdom, Lego City, and the first indoor Miniland, the park boasts more than 40 LEGO-themed rides, shows and other attractions.
Prices: General admission tickets are AED 330. If you choose a combined day pass to Legoland and Legoland Water Park Dubai, the cost is AED 395. Under 3’s are FREE.
Height requirements: Minimum of 80 cm on some rides with others asking for 105 cm.
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 10 am – 7 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 7 pm.
British Mums Verdict: Although they say it’s suited to 2 to 12 years old, we’d say that the 3 to 8-year-old age group will most likely get the best benefit and value, with the littlest tots getting more enjoyment here. Most of the rides start from 95 cms, so that still rules out a lot of the under 3 crowd and older children could find the rides not thrilling enough.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
This place is where Dinosaurs meet the Avengers! IMG Worlds of Adventures is an indoor theme park which is as big as 28 football fields. (Don’t lose the children!) It has four zones including one based all around the Jurassic era. Here you’ll find The Velociraptor, which is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in Dubai. It throws you 100 km in 2.5 seconds from prehistoric jungle into the desert.
The good news is that IMG Worlds of Adventures is temperature-controlled with more than 20 rides and attractions so you can go all year round. Meet your Marvel comics superheroes (the likes of Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk and Thor), while joining the adventures of your favourite Cartoon Network characters, including Ben 10 and Powerpuff Girls.
Prices: General Park Admission is AED 345 with it being free for children below 1.05m.
Opening hours: Sunday – Thursday, 12:00 noon – 10pm. Friday and Saturday 12 noon – 11pm.
Height requirements: There are many height restrictions in place that may not suit all of the younger crowd.
British Mums Verdict: This is pretty good in terms of entertainment and value for money. On an ordinary day you shouldn’t need the fast-pass option, but maybe on public holidays and special events. If you’re in a group with a lot of mixed heights, just watch out if there aren’t enough adults to go round as on some rides it’s mandatory to have an adult riding too. Best age group is for 8 years plus right through to adults.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
For those seeking an adrenaline rush, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a must-visit attraction. The Ferrari themed park is home to the fastest rollercoaster in the world, the Formula Rossa, which accelerates to 240 kilometres an hour (149 miles an hour) in just five seconds. The park is also full of other exciting attractions such as a racing simulator, go-karts and Ferrari car exhibitions. Be sure to learn how to assemble a Ferrari race car from the experts themselves.
Prices: General admission is AED 325 for 1.3m and above, children under 3 are FREE (ID may be required). There is also a family pass available for AED 975 where UAE residents get 4 tickets for the prices of 3 with a valid ID.
Opening hours: 11am – 8pm daily.
Height requirements: While guests under 1.3m can enjoy rides at Ferrari World, there are a few rides that will be restricted to them.
British Mums Verdict: This place is perfect if you’re over 1.3m, for children looking for thrills and spills, with plenty of independent experiences and high-adrenaline action to keep them happy.
Expect it to be busy on the weekends and make the most of the fast-pass options. It’s also attached to Yas Mall so plenty of F&B options.
