If you’ve ever been driving down Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road you’ll quite probably have passed the behemoth structure of IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world’s largest (it is Dubai, after all) indoor theme park that is now set to open on 31 August 2016. Despite a rather intimidating exterior, the park is host to an exclusive range of attractions guaranteed to get even the most pessimistic of theme park goers a tad excited.
Spanning 1.5 million square feet, that’s the size of about 28 football fields, IMG Worlds of Adventure is the first global theme park to bring international brands Marvel and Cartoon Network together (that ear-piercing noise you just heard was the sound of a million fanboys simultaneously squealing). Also featuring an IMG Boulevard and Jurassic Park-esque Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure world, the park is host to a unique array of roller coasters and attractions, complemented by 28 Food & Beverage providers and 25 retail outlets.
If you’re unsure about whether it’s worth booking your tickets ahead of time and dedicating your precious time and money to what could be a potential theme-park dud, we’ve done some research in order to provide you with a comprehensive round-up of just what you can expect to find at IMG Worlds of Adventure.
Marvel
The Marvel section is probably going to be the most popular section of the theme-park and it’s not that hard to see why. With rides and attractions based on Marvel’s massive blockbuster hits like The Avengers, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, and Thor – there seems to be something for everyone to enjoy.
Those looking for some sweet superhero merch are also in luck as a range of stores are available selling more merchandise than you can shake a Marvel™ stick at. Combine that with dining options such as Tony’s Skydeck, Chang’s Golden Dragon, Downtown Shawarma, and Mama Scano’s of Yancy Street and you’ve got a recipe for a heroic success.
Cartoon Network
Though this will part of the park will most likely host the majority of the kid-friendly attractions, that doesn’t mean those slightly older than the target demographic (i.e. you) can’t still get stuck in with the fun. The rides here do sound pretty good, with attractions inspired by The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Adventure Time, LazyTown, and The Amazing World of Gumball allowing you to unleash your inner child. 10 5D Hero time, Adventure Time.
If you have no idea what any of those words mean then you may be slightly too old to enjoy the rides, though CN Feast, Mr.Smoothy, Richard’s Around the World Café, and Finn & Jake’s Everything Burrito all sound like some food outlets that we can totally get on-board for. As with the Marvel section there are a host of shops here where you can splash your cash and find the perfect presents for your eternally grateful nieces and nephews.
Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure
Everyone loves dinosaurs. That’s pretty common knowledge. They’re big, they’re scary, they’re cool. And with rides titled The Velociraptor, Forbidden Territory, Predator, Adventure Fortress and Dino Carousel (okay, that last one is a bit of a stretch), this is without a doubt the biggest, scariest, and possibly the coolest of the worlds available in IMG.
The rides aren’t for the faint hearted and the food is not for the faint of appetite, with Spice Valley, Carnivore Hut, and 360 Express delivering what we can expect to be a whole lot of flavour with not a lot of options available for any herbivores out there. As with the others there are numerous shops and outposts here to get your Dr Alan Grant on.
IMG Boulevard
The final and most frightening section is IMG Boulevard, hosting The Haunted Hotel amongst a wide variety of dining options such as Popcorn Factory, Boulevard Gourmet, Samosa House, Flavours of Arabia, and The Coffeehouse. We don’t know about you but we’re much more likely to be found spending some quality time in the Samosa House rather than checking into the terrifying Haunted Hotel. Though those of you brave enough to give the ghosts and Ghoulies a go can also shop at the Haunted Hotel Store for something unnecessarily spooky that will undoubtedly cause your home to become possessed by some sort of demon. That’s just asking for trouble, really. We’ll be in the World of Candy.
If you already booked tickets before this date was announced, then don’t feel you’ve been duped in any way, as guests who purchased tickets prior to the new opening date will be issued new tickets for a chosen date. In addition, you will also receive a complimentary Ultimate Fast Track pass, which will provide priority access to the rides and attractions. All you have to do is contact [email protected]. The rest of us plebs will have to wait in line (or buy tickets from here).
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Adult ticket are set at Dhs300, children at Dhs250 for access to every location.