Would you visit Ferrari World Abu Dhabi?

July 21, 2010, 9:06 PM · It's been a huge year for theme park openings so far, and it's just going to continue this fall, with the debut of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi this October.

The park this week announced its complete attraction line-up, following its earlier announcement of the record-setting Formula Rossa roller coaster. I've updated our Ferrari World Abu Dhabi page, as a result, so that you can take a look at the 18 planned rides and attractions.


Concept art of the Ferrari-themed carousel at the indoor theme park. Image courtesy Ferrari World.

Which brings me to my question for you: Is there any way that you'd ever even consider a visit to this theme park?

First, there's the question of visiting Abu Dhabi. (It's a city in the United Arab Emirates, just up the road from Dubai, in case you didn't know.) A quick search on Orbitz shows round-trip airfares from Chicago to Abu Dhabi, including taxes, running around $1,100, for a flight this fall around the time of the grand opening. From London, though, fares run from around US$500, so perhaps some of our European readers might like to delurk for this discussion.

After all that, though, if you could afford and would be disposed to consider this destination, does this park entice you, as well? I'd love to hear your reactions, in the comments, to this park, this concept and this destination.

Replies (23)

July 22, 2010 at 12:13 AM · I want to, and will, visit Dubai. Not only do I have a buddy there, the destination looks incredible. Like any sensible theme park junkie, of course I'd pay a visit to nearby Abu Dhabi.
July 22, 2010 at 12:22 AM · A few of the rides sound cool but it just seems like total overkill of a concept to me. Some of the attractions sounds downright awful and boring. A flume ride through a V12 engine? No thanks. But then again, I guess I've never been a car guy.
July 22, 2010 at 1:36 AM · I used to live in Dubai and visit the city at least twice a year so I'm sure I'll head out to Abu Dhabi at some point soon to review the park.
July 22, 2010 at 3:27 AM · Sure, I want to go. But realistically, the price of airfare alone (for a family of five) makes traveling to Ferrari World prohibitive for me and mine.
July 22, 2010 at 6:01 AM · I will take a pass on this. I always figured if I ever did get to go to the Middle East, it would be to Egypt to see the pyramids or something exotic like that. I just don't find either of these areas too appealing.
July 22, 2010 at 7:07 AM · If anyone's running a journalism conference in Abu Dhabi or Dubai in late October and wants to book another speaker, you know where to find me! :-) (Joke for regular readers.)
July 22, 2010 at 7:15 AM · Sorry, the anonymous post above is mine, forgot to log-in.

I'd presume the poll will end up showing that most won't visit, though I'm sure most would like to.

After the shambles that has been Dubailand it's great to see a quality theme park come out of the United Arab Emirates.

Hopefully Dubai will get back on track and we'll see more of the same with the opening of Universal Studios and F1-X.

July 22, 2010 at 7:18 AM · For sure! It was the only part missing to convince me to go to Dubai.
July 22, 2010 at 7:21 AM · I don't want to go to Holiday World so, yeah, this would be a far car ride :)
July 22, 2010 at 7:43 AM · I would go myself if I had the money to go. But I wouldnt bring my daughters or wife because of the way females are treated in Muslim countries. I wouldnt want myself to be jailed for giving my wife a peck on the cheek in public or my daughters jailed because maybe a little too much of there body could be seen.
July 22, 2010 at 7:50 AM · It's just too far away. If I was going to travel across the world for theme parks, I'd go to Tokyo.
July 22, 2010 at 7:50 AM · Not interested at all. First there is the distant travel but mostly this seems like a good theme for a single ride or two. But a whole part of car related rides just seems boring and redundant to me.
July 22, 2010 at 9:45 AM · I'm heading to Dubai in November. Might try and drag my boyfriend over there. The problem is though that I've not yet managed to drag him to Disney or Universal so I'd be worried that I'd put him off if it wasn't any good! For those of us from Scotland,Dubai isn't as far as the US is, so any parks in relatively close proximity are welcomed!
July 22, 2010 at 9:54 AM · I dont understand why they didnt make it in italy. Abu dhabi has nothing in common with racing and italy has way more tourists That would most likely visit
July 22, 2010 at 10:27 AM · I won't as it's not a priority... too expensive to travel there, and it reminds me too much of Las Vegas. Not a fan of that place either.
July 22, 2010 at 10:37 AM · To be fair Ferrari World is right next to the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit so it's not as though there's a lack of a racing connection.
July 22, 2010 at 1:44 PM · It would be way too expensive to go there. Dubai is one of the most expensive place in the world. Besides, there are lots of other place I would rather go in the US and Europe.
July 22, 2010 at 2:40 PM · maybe the idea of visiting a country which employs modern day slave labour bothers me. At least when we visit Disney et al we know the basic standards of employment that employess, both the construction and service staff are entitled to so I wouldn't go. Also as someone travelling from liberal Europe don't think I could take the chance too many stories of tourists falling ill of local laws for kissing,etc.
July 22, 2010 at 3:46 PM · Wasn't a Universal Studios and Sea World theme park supposed to open there? I would go for those parks and maybe consider Ferrari World but if its only Ferrari, than no.
July 22, 2010 at 4:32 PM · On the poll, I wish there was an in-between choice, maybe, for example. It's definetly "No Way", but not the other choice either.
July 22, 2010 at 8:39 PM · Oh, boy. Just like with our previous Dubailand discussion, this has turned into a political debate.

I don't want to get into it too heavily, but we're talking about Abu Dhabi and the UAE, not Saudi Arabia or Kuwait.

July 23, 2010 at 9:33 AM · I'd rather visit Tokyo, Paris, & HK Disney, Universal Japan/ Singapore for theme parks. But I'd like to visit the UAE for its culture and history and not Ferrari World... plus the Super-Sports Car Culture doesn't appeal to me. Cars and luxury aren't my priority.
July 26, 2010 at 8:03 AM · Considering the fact I am an Israeli citizen with a blue passport, I highly doubt I can even ENTER Abu Dhabi, and I'm not entirely sure I'd like to, either. So from strictly political reasons, I will never go to this park.

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