A family holiday to Dubai is sure to be an unforgettable experience for the travelling children and an opportunity for parents to create memories that will last a lifetime. In a city such as Dubai, where everything seems like it belongs in a futuristic fantasy world, children can discover a place where even their wildest dreams and ideas can come true. Surrounded by skyscrapers of implausible shapes, gardens in bloom with flowers resembling buildings, aquariums with millions of fascinating fish species, incredible indoor ski slopes and deserts waiting to be explored, this is a theme park that you’re sure to fall in love with. The name of this park, which we strongly recommend visiting during your holiday in Dubai, is IMG Worlds of Adventure.
Who is this park suitable for? It is particularly recommended for fans of Marvel and Cartoon Network, whose characters are brought to life in a wide range of attractions, games, shows, food courts and shops. If your children enjoy visiting theme parks, you can’t go wrong by taking them to IMG Worlds of Adventure. In fact, we’re confident that it will jump right to the top of their list of favourites! If this sounds like the sort of place you’d like to visit on your next holiday to Dubai, we recommend clearing a whole day in your schedule for it. There are shows and performances throughout the day, so make sure you leave yourself enough time to see all of them (or most of them). Remember to wear comfortable shoes because you’re going to be doing a lot of walking!
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An indoor theme park in Dubai
Everything is surprisingly big in Dubai, and IMG Worlds of Adventure is no exception to this rule. This theme park, set in an air-conditioned indoor venue, has a surface area equating to roughly 28 football pitches and more than 20 different attractions. In fact, it is the world’s largest indoor theme park. The entire space is divided into four main areas, one of which is devoted entirely to the Jurassic world of the Lost Valley. Its Velociraptor roller-coaster is the tallest and fastest anywhere in Dubai, taking passengers from the desert to the prehistoric jungle in just 2.5 seconds. Besides the Lost Valley, visitors can also explore the IMG Boulevard, Marvel and Cartoon Network areas. We’ll tell you all about them in the next section but remember one thing: boredom is simply out of the question.
Park areas and attractions
People mainly go to IMG Worlds of Adventure to enjoy the various rides and interact with their favourite characters from film and television. Besides the four themed areas mentioned above, this indoor theme park also houses the Haunted Hotel and the Novo Cinemas complex (with 24.4 x 13.8-metre screens and an immersive audio system). As soon as you enter the park, you’ll find yourself on IMG Boulevard. There you will find a range of interactive attractions as well as multiple restaurants and souvenir shops. ‘The Popcorn Factory’ and ‘The World of Candy’ are sure to delight your little ones.
By venturing into the Lost Valley, you will discover the world of dinosaurs. This area is home to games, rides and attractions for people of all ages. Besides the aforementioned Velociraptor roller-coaster (minimum height: 1.3 metres), visitors can also enjoy Forbidden Territory (minimum height: 1.3 metres), Predator (minimum height: 1.25 metres) and the Dino Carousel (minimum height: 1.05 metres). One of the most popular restaurants in this area is the ‘Carnivore Hut’, which is renowned for its chicken wings.
If you’re a fan of The Avengers, the Marvel universe is sure to be right up your street. It is home to various games and attractions featuring Marvel heroes, and you’ll also be able to say hello to your favourite characters at set times every day. You must also find the time to experience the Hulk Epsilon Base 3D, an immersive 360-degree experience that you won’t forget in a hurry. Before leaving, you also need to experience the three-dimensional Avengers Battle of Ultron ride, where Iron Man, Thor, The Black Widow, Captain America and Hulk join forces to beat the evil villain Ultron. If accompanied by an adult, the minimum height for this ride is 1.05 metres. There are also various Marvel-themed restaurants and shops, meaning you won’t go away empty-handed.
Another of the park’s areas is dedicated to Cartoon Network, which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of your little ones. This area is home to multiple attractions and famous characters such as the Powerpuff Girls, Gumball, Ben 10 and Lazy Town. It is also home to various restaurants, where you can sample everything from burritos to delicious smoothies.
If you’re travelling with teenagers, we recommend taking a look around the Haunted Hotel (for people aged 15 years and above). In this immersive experience, terrifying characters and scary sounds are sure to frighten you. There is also a space conceived with very young children in mind: the IMG Kids Zone. In this area, young children will be able to have fun in a soft and safe environment featuring slides, inflatables and even a football pitch.
Information of interest for your visit
If you’ve already decided to visit IMG Worlds of Adventure, you should take into account the following information. Thanks to its air-conditioning system, this indoor theme park can be visited at all times of the year. It enjoys a central location close to the Global Village, standing on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road on Motorway E311. If you prefer to use public transport, you should get off at the Dubai Mall and take a taxi from there. The park runs a shuttle bus service with many local hotels, so we recommend asking reception if your hotel has an agreement with the park. If you’re travelling by car, you’ll be pleased to learn that the theme park has a sizeable car park.
We recommend buying tickets in advance to avoid long queues at the ticket office. General tickets cost 335 AED (around €80). IMG Worlds of Adventure is open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Friday to Sunday. You’ll have to pay an additional fee if you want to store your belongings in a locker.
You don’t need to bring anything with you. The park has got everything covered, including dozens of places to eat and drink and a rental service for wheelchairs and pushchairs (single or double).
Where to stay in Dubai
Modern hotels have everything required for a family stay, ranging from rooms that can be connected to junior suites that are spacious enough for three or four people. However, an alternative to staying in a hotel could be renting a private apartment. One fantastic option is the Barceló Residences Dubai Marina, which has 253 elegant apartments, two outdoor pools and a gymnasium. It is located in the Dubai Marina, where you will find various leisure complexes, shops and restaurants. If you prefer to stay in a hotel, two great options are the four-star Occidental Al Jaddaf hotel, which has 365 rooms and suites and is located close to Dubai Creek; and the five-star Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, which offers 279 rooms and suites and 285 apartments. The latter also boasts a private beach and an enormous infinity pool.
Two further options are the Occidental Dubai Production City, located close to the site of the Dubai Expo 2020, and the four-star Occidental Sharjah Grand in the city of Sharjah, located just outside Dubai.
