Throughout this Virtual Theme Park Roadtrip, we've been visiting parks that many Theme Park Insider readers have enjoyed in real life over the years. But today, we're taking a video visit to a couple of parks that I'm betting 99+ percent you have never seen in person, even though they're two of my favorite theme parks anywhere.
Let's pretend we've boarded a Etihad flight for Abu Dhabi. Once we arrive, it's just a short drive across the street to the wonderful resort of Yas Island.
If you imagined yourself in a window seat, you would have seen the iconic red roof of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi as we landed. Themed to the Italian Formula 1 team, Ferrari World is home to the world's fastest roller coaster. But before we get on that, let's have a look around.
Now let's put on our mandatory, park-supplied goggles for that 0-149mph in less than five seconds hydraulic launch on Formula Rossa.
But that's hardly the only thrill at Ferrari World. There's some great moments also on Intamin's wing coaster, Flying Aces.
And there's the original multi-launch racing coaster, Maurer's Fiorano GT Challenge.
Although Ferrari World is an indoor theme park - given Abu Dhabi's blistering summer heat - those coasters all run outside from their indoor loading stations. But only one of the park's coasters gets outside by going up through that iconic red roof. Behold Turbo Track.
I didn't get to drive a Ferrari while visiting Ferrari World (although that is an upcharge attraction), but I did get some time behind the wheel of a racing car, at the FIA Grade 1 Yas Marina Circuit next door to the park. Watch me melt behind the wheel of an Aston Martin GT4, as I take several laps around this Formula 1 track in the July heat. (Yes, the heat is my excuse for the bad lap times, and I am sticking to that. Just like my butt did to that seat after about two laps.)
Rest up and hydrate, because there's much more fun in store for us at Yas Island's newest park — a former winner of our Theme Park Insider Award as the world's best theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.
Don't miss our podcast with creative director Dave Cobb about the making of the world's biggest and best indoor theme park. As you enjoy that conversation, also enjoy our on-ride videos from the park, starting with Scooby Doo! The Museum of Mysteries.
And the flume ride, The Flintstones Bedrock River Adventure.
I love the backstory behind the name of the Fast and Furry-ous family inverted coaster from Intamin. It's not a Vin Diesel homage. It's the title of the original Road Runner cartoon, from 1949.
We'll wrap our Yas Island adventure with the park's Cinema Spectacular.
For when the parks reopen, our travel partners have tickets available to these and many other theme parks around the world, if you want to visit them for real: Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World
Theme Park Insider's Virtual Roadtrip:
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That's such a gigantic waste of money building major dark rides on IP like Scooby Doo and Flinstones. Do any kids nowadays even know who those characters are? I doubt their parents even know anything about or care about that IP. Even cheapo Six Flags spent money changing their Scooby Doo dark rides to new IP. Not surprising at all these Dubai developers lose money, second rate parks with second rate IP, they don't know what they're doing.