Dubai - World's largest indoor theme park IMG Worlds of Adventure opens today in Dubai.
By Nivriti Butalia and Rahul Gajjar
Published: Wed 31 Aug 2016, 10:46 AM
Last updated: Wed 31 Aug 2016, 9:01 PM
Most 12-year-olds are going to love Dubai's latest attraction - the world's largest indoor theme park. IMG Worlds of Adventure is not just for 12-year-olds, however. Anyone game for an adrenalin boost is in for a treat. It's the parents who might have a tough time though. A family of four can easily be down Dh1500, if you take in food and drink and booking lockers and memorabilia and buying the kids what they want to avoid creating a scene.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid a visit to the world's largest indoor theme park today.
A look inside
We loved the Haunted Hotel in IMG Boulevard the most. The look and feel of the place is movie-like authentic. You have the hunchbacked bellboys in uniform, jerky elevators, dim fluctuating lights, ghoulsh noises, dangling corpses. we won't reveal much more, but you get the idea.
And the Haunted Hotel is just one of the many highlights.
IMG Worlds of Adventure is divided into four segments or zones, and the idea is, as CEO Lennard Otto told us, for the family to spend a good 6-8 hours at the park.
Interesting fact: 28 food and beverage outlets at the park (there's churros), 25 retail stores with 5,000 product lines, and they can host 30,000 people a day. IMG has four major brands under one group including Marvel and Cartoon Network, and they're projecting a first-year footfall of around 4.5 million guests.
Attractions you can expect:
> Thrill and kiddie rides galore
> 28 food and beverage outlets
> 25 retail outlets
> 12-screen Novo Cinema multiplex (with IMAX screen, 2 VIP theatres)
THRILLS AND SPILLS @ FOUR ZONES
THE MARVEL ZONE
Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye - they're all here. The 350,000 square feet MARVEL zone will offer a bunch of MARVEL superhero experiences including the This highly immersive, action-packed 'Avengers: Battle of Ultron' ride - the first 'dark' Avengers ride in the world - and a 3D multimedia experience.
Hulk Epsilon Base 3D: Innovative, 100-seater ride system featuring Hulk as he battles against his deadliest foe, The Leader. Combo of 360-degree projection screens and virtually propels guests through an immersive battle experience.
Spider-Man Doc Ock's Revenge: 400-metre spinning coaster propels guests through the New York skyline with Marvel's famous web-slinger Spider-Man, fighting to save the city from the sinister Doctor Octopus.
Thor Thunder Spin: Dizzying top-spin experience pins guests to their seat as Thor, the Mighty Avenger, attempts to rescue them from the clutches of Loki, God of Mischief.
Avengers Flight of the Quinjets: Suitable for all ages and allows guests to take control of their own two-seater pod.
IMG BOULEVARD ZONE
Like the foyer of the park. You enter here and you're just getting started. It covers 200,000 square feet and the highlight is The Haunted Hotel, which is great fun, and probably our favourite. Kids will love it, and be spooked, too. Also, there's the IMG Boulevard, with F&B offerings, retail shops, or a place to simply sit back and enjoy the ambient street entertainers and performers.
CARTOON NETWORK
The Cartoon Network zone: spans 2,30,000 square feet and will feature exclusive attractions including the first ever Ben 10 5D cinema, which will host up to 1,200 visitors an hour with a 10 minute 3D movie. Alongside the world's largest Ben 10 retail store, the zone will incorporate brands like LazyTown, Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls and The Amazing World of Gumball.
Romp along with The Powerpuff Girls, and take a scenic The Ride of OOO with Finn & Jake, or visit the Amazing Ride of Gumball, where Gumball and Darwin's school science project has gone out of control.
Plus, a LazyTown Playground with a challenging rope ladder adventure, and Live Stage Show performances.
THE LOST VALLEY: DINOSAUR ADVENTURE
The Lost Valley zone: This one's all about dinosaurs, or as they tell you "over 69 state-of-the-art animatronic dinosaurs". One especially large fellow has a motor in his neck and a range of three movements - turns neck, looks up down, and clenches and de-clenches jaw. Even if you're not one for the rides, it's a cool place to amble about in. There's a pretzels and churros cart. This dino zone also spans 700,000 square feet, including the external coaster 'The Velociraptor', which propels guests to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds on a 1.1 km rollercoaster, the tallest and fastest in Dubai, launching them from prehistoric jungles of the Lost Valley out into the Dubai desert and back. Then there's the Forbidden Territory deep jungle safari ride through prehistoric dinosaurs; Predator, the sharpest drop track in the region featuring a 'beyond-vertical' plummet to Earth; Dino Carousel, more for the kiddies; and Adventure Fortress, an active adventure playground.
IMG Worlds of Adventure fun facts
> World's largest indoor theme park spread over 1.5 million square feet
> Open throughout the year, can host 30,000 vistors per day
> Projected: 4.5 million visitors in first year
> Entry: Dh300 for adults and Dh250 for children
> Owned by the Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group
> Opens August 31, 2016
Videos by Rahul Gajjar / KT Photographer
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com
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