Could the burning hot desert really be home to a theme park? In Dubai, it can. Worlds of Adventure is the world’s largest indoor theme park and the latest family attraction in this arid land. It is an air-conditioned complex spread over 1.5 million square feet (140,000 square meters). It is home to Dubai’s fastest and tallest roller coaster. Divided into four entertainment zones, World of Adventure caters to visitors of all ages and entertainment expectations. The four zones are:
- Cartoon Network
- Marvel
- The Lost Valley Dinosaur Adventure
- IMG Boulevard
The first two are fully-licensed products of the instantly-recognizable brands while the latter pair have been created specially for this theme park. The immersive way in which familiar characters have been made part of the experience are this theme park’s most attractive draw.
- Cartoon Network – The Cartoon Network quarter is designed around younger children. It has five distinct areas:
- Adventure Time – The Ride of OOO with Finn & Jake
- Ben 10: 5D Hero Time – world’s first Ben 10 cinema
- Lazy Town
- The Amazing Ride of Gumball
- The Powerpuff Girls – Mojo Jojo’s Robot Rampage
- There is also a live show, five merchandise stores (including the world’s largest Ben 10 store) and four eateries.
- Marvel – The Marvel section is where most older children and adults would prefer to spend their time. Extraordinary effort has been made to recreate Marvel’s New York, complete with the instantly-recognizable Stark Tower. It features a number of Marvel-themed rides:
- Avengers: Battle of Ultron – based on the 2015 film
- Avengers Flight of the Quinjets
- Hulk: Epsilon Base 3D
- Spider-Man: Doc Ock’s Revenge – 400 m roller coaster that spins precariously close to the skyscrapers of New York
- Thor Thunder Spin – hammer-shaped spin ride shaped like Tor’s hammer
- Specialty licensed merchandise stores and a number of eateries complete the landscape.
- The Lost Valley Dinosaur Adventure – The scene is set for a return to the Age of the Dinosaurs with thick foliage bordering the walkways. 70 animatronic dinosaurs lurk within them, and several rides and attractions dot the area:
- The Velociraptor – The 1.1-kilometre coaster is Dubai’s tallest
- Forbidden Territory
- Predator – A short ride which ascends 90 degrees and plunges on the other side
- Dino Carousel
- Adventure Fortress
- The Lost Valley also has three restaurants and three merchandise stores.
- IMG Boulevard – This is the main boulevard that branches off into the other three themed areas. It contains many restaurants and cafes but its main attraction is the Haunted Hotel.
Planning Your Visit
The weather has little effect on the air-conditioned atmosphere so seasonal changes are not a concern. However, school holiday periods can see queues of 40 minutes and longer. Avoid the weekend, too, if possible. The complex is about an hour’s drive from the city so plan your trip accordingly. Take note that children under 3.5 feet will not be allowed on any of the rides.
