With the opening of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the Emirate is now home to one of the biggest indoor theme parks in the world. The sprawling 1.65 million square foot venue on Yas Island boasts six immersive worlds, with 29 rides in total.
You can spot some of the world’s most famous cartoon characters like the Jetsons and Scooby-Doo walking around, not to mention heroes like Batman. While the attraction can be enjoyed all-year round, it’s without a doubt a real saviour for parents planning a family outing during the summer holidays, as nobody needs to worry about the extreme temperatures. Plus, only two of the rides have height restrictions, making it extremely kids-friendly.
The park, which was built by Abu Dhabi government-owned Miral Asset Management, reportedly took seven years to complete and came with a $1billion price tag. What’s more, the huge air-conditioned building has been designed to make it always seem as if it’s midday. As well as creating many more jobs, the makers hope Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will increase the number of visitors to Yas Island - where you can already find Ferrari World Abu Dhabi - to 30 million this year.
Here’s what visitors will find:
Warner Bros. Plaza: The plaza has an Art-Deco vibe that’s an ode to Old Hollywood and the era in which characters like Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo were first created. While guests walk through the plaza streets admiring the architecture, they can choose from one of the many restaurants, including The Starlight, Hollywood Trattoria and Celebrity Scoop. And kids will be thrilled to see one of the many famous characters pop by.
Bedrock: There’s lots of fun and adventure in Bedrock, the fictional town that’s home to The Flintstones and The Rubbles, the world-renowned families from the Stone Ages. Visitors can mingle with favourite characters like Fred, Wilma. Betty, Bamm Bamm and Pebbles. You’ll find different meal options and the Flintstones Bedrock River Adventure, a scenic boat tour where Dino causes havoc during the Stonetennial Day celebrations. Get ready for some Yabba-Dabba-Doo splashing action.
Dynamite Gulch: There are lots of exciting rides in this slightly crazy and colourful land. Whether it’s the Jetsons-themed ride, which gets visitors spinning in their very own spacecraft, or helping out Marvin The Martian with some kinetic energy in Marvin the Martian Crater Crashers, there’s loads of fun to be had. Plus, there’s Fast & Furry-ous, the wild coaster ride that takes you on a dizzying dash through the desert as Wile E. Coyote goes on a high-speed chase desperately trying to catch Roadrunner. Yosemite Sam Rootin' Tootin' Gas is where shoppers can find a souvenir in a Southwest Americana themed service station.
Gotham City: Inspired by the DC Universe, this is where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of Batman, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow and The Riddler. From Scarecrow: Scare Raid, an interactive flight experience, to The Riddler Revolution, a thrilling coaster ride through Gotham City, the rides here are sure to excite. Guests get to surmount physical and mental challenges in a carnival walkthrough experience called The Joker Fun House and the Rogues Gallery Games.
Cartoon Junction: This whimsical town features attractions based around everyone’s favourite classic Looney Toons characters like Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo. The land of adventure is packed full of rides like the Tom and Jerry Swiss Cheese Spin, where Tom chases Jerry as the determined mouse runs after the cheese. Zoinks!, Scooby and the gang need help after they’ve taken a wrong turn in Scooby Doo: The Museum of Mysteries, while Taz the Tasmanian Devil invites guests to take a fast car ride in Ricochet Racin’ with Taz. Anti-Mayhem, Acme Factory and Tweety Wild Wockets are some of the other attractions guests can sign up for here.
Metropolis: This gleaming urban landscape is based on the tales of superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Green Lantern. Justice League: Warworld Attack is a thrilling 5D ride where attraction-goers can see the Earth’s Super Heroes in an epic face-off against their greatest enemies. There’s also the Green Lantern: Galactic Odyssey, a 4D flying theatre ride across the galaxy that has visitors joining a team of interstellar peacekeepers. Additionally, Superman 360: Battle for Metropolis sees the Man of Steel battling villains, while Titans Training Academy gets peeps honing their skills in a multi-level play area.
