It's the final week of the year for the Formula 1 season. And that means it's time for F1 to return the biggest theme park resort it visits all year.
Several F1 race tracks are located next to theme parks. There's the emerging COTAland park on the grounds of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas - home of the United States Grand Prix. Canada's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on the St. Lawrence River next to Six Flags' La Ronde theme park. Japan's Suzuka Circuit includes a small amusement park. Germany's famous Nürburgring, which is no longer on the F1 calendar, hosted the infamous Ring Racer roller coaster, which operated for just four days before closing.
But no F1 track is home to more world-class theme parks than the Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That race course is part of the Yas Island resort in Abu Dhabi, which also is home to three theme parks.
Featuring animated characters from DC Comics, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and more, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is one of the world's largest and best indoor theme parks. My favorite attractions here is Ani-Mayhem - mu pick for the best interactive dark ride in the world. Set in the ACME factory, this ride puts you in the middle of a Looney Tunes cartoon. Other top picks here are the Batman: Knight Flight dark ride and The Flintstone Bedrock River Adventure indoor flume ride. Take a walk with me around the park:
For more information and advice, please visit our Visitor's guide to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.
The newest theme park on Yas Island opened in 2023 as the world's fourth SeaWorld park. (Fifth if you count the closed SeaWorld Ohio.) But as an indoor park without orcas, this is a SeaWorld unlike any other. The Intamin version of Manta here is a great coaster and well worth a visit. Don't miss Hypersphere 360, either, which is a unique theater-in-the-round ride, also from Intamin. The park's signature attraction, however, is the massive Endless Ocean aquarium. Again, here is my video walking tour of the park:
For my review of the park, please see In Abu Dhabi, SeaWorld finds its heart again
For F1 fans, however, it's all about Ferrari World. Located next to the Yas Marina Circuit track, Ferrari World was the first theme park to open on Yas Island, in 2010. Ferrari World celebrates one of the world's most iconic carmakers, sports teams, and luxury brands with record-setting roller coasters and family attractions.
Unfortunately, Formula Rossa - the world's fastest roller coaster - has been down all year. In its absence, I recommend Flying Aces, an Intamin Wing Coaster, as well as Mission Ferrari, an SFX Coaster from Dynamic Attractions. For families, don't miss the charming Benno's Great Race interactive dark ride.
Discover more in our Visitor's guide to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
Beyond these indoor theme parks, Yas Island also offers the Yas Waterworld water park, as well as the Yas Mall for world-class shopping, and Etihad Arena for a variety of entertainment and sports events throughout the year. (Including NBA games!)
It's all located less than four miles from the new terminal at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, making Yas Island an easily accessible destination for fans around the world. It also has the only US Preclearance Facility at any airport in Asia.
For discounts on tickets to the Yas Island theme and water parks, please visit our partner's Yas Island Ticket page.
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