When it comes to attractions in Abu Dhabi, apart from the Grand Mosque and possibly Emirates Palace, you’re pretty much limited to beaches and malls. However, it’s all change this week with the opening of Ferrari World.
Take a tour inside Ferrari World
What’s the big appeal? First of all, at 86,000sq m, it’s the largest indoor theme park in the world, all contained in a climate-controlled dome, meaning it’s open for thrill-seekers to use throughout the seasons. Then there are the rides and attractions, the calibre of which has never been seen before in the Middle East. Couple these with the Ferrari brand and you’ve got an experience that means fans of the famous prancing horse logo will be impelled to visit, not to mention the rest of us.
So strap yourself in and prepare for some face-melting fun as we reveal our pick of the attractions at Dhabi’s red pleasure dome.
The Attractions
The rides
Formula Rossa: Few groups do obsession like the roller coaster set, who spend their lives travelling from theme park to theme park to find the most stomach-swirling, gravity defying rides out there. According to fan websites, hands are already clammy with excitement about this one, and with top speeds of 240kph making Formula Rossa the fastest ride ever built, they’ve a right to be a bit stirred up. Sitting on a 16-seater F1-style red carriage, you’ll be shot out of the start area up a 52-metre rise in less than five seconds, before hitting some brain-shaking twists and turns along the 2km track. In fact, it’s so fast, you’re required to wear goggles, presumably to stop your eyeballs shooting through the back of your head.
G-Force: Take your seat, strap yourself in and prepare to be blasted 62 metres into the air, experiencing similar G-force to an astronaut during a rocket launch. Once you reach the top of the giant funnel, there’s a brief respite to take in the pretty views of the surrounding Yas Island, before plummeting back to earth and experiencing weightlessness as you fall. Unless Ferrari is planning to branch out into space exploration, this rocket-theme may seem a bit out of place, but if it’s even half as thrilling as the owners promise, we can forgive this anomaly.
Fiorano GT Challenge: Another ride you might not want to try on a stomach full of pasta is this duelling roller coaster. A pair of replica Ferrari F430 Spider carriages race alongside each other at 100kph, recreating the rapid acceleration and hard breaking of a Gran Turismo supercar racing through winding country lanes. If you manage to outmanoeuvre your opposing train and win, although you don’t actually drive your train and the victor is predetermined by computer, it’s still within your rights to relentlessly mock the losers until your voice is hoarse.
Bell’Italia: If it’s a more sedate experience you’re after, nothing beats a calm tour through the countryside. Hop in a replica 1957 Ferrari California GT 250 and slowly meander down a winding road taking in Italy’s most famous landmarks, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Venice’s Piazza san Marco in the centre, the picturesque seaside port of Portofino, a tunnel in the Dolomite mountains and a giant coliseum. Essentially a traditional model village, viewed from a classy set of wheels.
V12: Ever wondered what it’s like to actually travel through a Ferrari’s engine? No, us neither, but don’t let that put you off this giant water flume ride. You start by getting sucked into the engine through a 20m-wide grille of a Ferrari 599, before floating through the pistons and valves, crossing chambers, vaulted spaces and tight squeezes, before being shot out of the exhaust like a noxious gas into a replica Tuscan countryside.
Junior GT: You’d have to be a particularly neglectful parent to let a three-year-old drive a car, especially Dhs1 million worth of Italian supercar. True to the real world, of course, at Ferrari’s own alternative reality it’s par for the course. This ride gives the littl’uns (as long as they’re over 1m tall) a chance to drive a Ferrari 430 (which, at 10kph, is a bit slower than the real thing) around an authentic looking city street. After a quick safety lesson, they’ll take their cars through traffic lights, roundabouts and stop signs. And if they show any nascent boy racer tendencies, they’ll be issued a speeding ticket on the spot, hence, hopefully, creating a future generation of well-mannered motorists, which this country clearly needs.
Speed of Magic: A number of the rides at Ferrari World are enclosed in giant black boxes, giving you an experience that’s completely cut off from the rest of the park. One of the most interesting should be this 4D cinema experience, in which a mischievous cartoon character called Nello takes you on a journey through lush rainforests, the depths of the ocean, the rim of a volcano and icy caves. As the seats tilt to match the on-screen movement, you’ll feel the temperatures and moisture change throughout this fantastic voyage.
The Racing Legends: Take a journey through Ferrari’s glorious racing history, from original gruelling Italian road rallies to the recent successes on the F1 circuit. Experience what it was like to drive at 300kph in the dead black of night through a rainstorm, or to see the chequered flag as you cross the finish line after a gruelling F1 battle.
The Paddock: As the F1 bandwagon makes its way around the racetracks of the world, each driver and car is followed by a huge army of support staff. If you’ve ever wondered what all those guys with clipboards and headsets are up to, this attraction will give you a revealing insight into the ice-cool nerves needed to be a pit crew member. Park goers will be split into teams and then set the challenge of changing an F1 car’s tyres, refuelling and re-oiling, all with authentic looking Ferrari tools. We imagine it will take a lot longer for you than for a real pit crew, but the Paddock will also provide multimedia shows that explain the activities of the pit team, so you can pick up some tips, queue up and try again.
Made in Maranello: This attraction presents a unique opportunity to go behind the doors of the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello. The virtual tour offers Ferrari fans a glimpse into the passionate, intricate process and the high-level craftsmanship that goes into creating a Ferrari GT, from the early design stages through to the casting of molten aluminium, machining of engine parts, painting, final hand assembly and testing on the legendary Maranello circuit.
The Pit Wall: An interactive theatre event that gives fans the opportunity to test their judgment in a number of realistic racing scenarios. Guests will select a virtual driver and car to represent them in a race that is played out in front of them on a huge screen. Before the race, a live host will introduce the team, the track and the conditions, and help visitors evaluate their car and driver. They will then be put in the driver’s seat – calling the shots in terms of tyre choice, fuel stops and overtaking strategy before seeing how their virtual driver fares against everyone else in the theatre.
The Pit Lane: A stage show complete with jugglers, stilt walkers, inline skaters and dancers, who put on a song and dance routine based around changing tyres on a car. The show takes place four times a day, should you think it’s so great that it’s worth repeated viewings.
Junior Training Camp: A huge soft play area for tiny Ferrari fans where children can climb a replica grandstand, pilot remote control cars and play with an F1 car made entirely of foam.
Scuderia Challenge: You and up to seven of your pals can go head-to-head in this realistic F1 arcade game, where you race around the Yas Marina Circuit in a motion-controlled simulator that’s so authentic real racing drivers use it for practice. The realism goes right down to the authentic F1 car seat and Ferrari steering wheel, giving you the chance to prove you’re the next Fernando Alonso.
Cinema Maranello: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s very own movie theatre will feature a gripping movie which will take guests back to the roaring ’20s, when Enzo Ferrari was an aspiring race car driver. The cinema will show an exclusively produced film called Coppa di Sicilia which chronicles Enzo’s rise from humble origins to a legendary driver and carmaker.
Driving with the Champions: An interactive 3D show that follows the adventures of a young engineer who is taken on the ride of a lifetime with a racing champion on his first day working at the Ferrari factory. This attraction will recreate the sensation of being in the passenger seat of one of the planet’s most powerful cars driven by a racing legend as he skids through tight corners and spins through wet surfaces.
The Carousel: Each of the cars on this merry-go-round are real prototypes designed by students at the Ferrari factory in Italy, giving an insight into what the next generation of Ferrari cars may look like.
The Food
If your stomach’s not doing cartwheels after all these disorientating rides, there are six dining options to provide sustenance for hungry thrill-seekers. Give these three a whirl…
Mamma Rossella: Near the Maranello Ferrari factory in Milan is the original Mamma Rossella restaurant, run by the eponymous owner – apparently the kind of motherly Italian lady who’ll give you a big hug when you arrive and then fill you with pasta until you can barely walk. Mamma is also a Ferrari fanatic, and her walls are lined with car memorabilia. The creators of Ferrari World have recreated her diner right here in Abu Dhabi, and have promised Mamma herself might make a visit in the first few weeks of opening, so best be prepared for a cuddle.
Cavallino: A fine dining Italian inspired by the small ristorante opposite the Marinello factory, where Enzo Ferrari dined every lunchtime in his own private room. An Italian head chef, fresh ingredients imported from the mother country and breads made right on site; if it lives up to the hype it could well be one of the best Italians in the capital.
Il Podio: An international diner catering to the huge variety of nationalities that will inevitably visit the park. Curries, chicken nuggets, pizzas and burgers feature heavily; don’t expect culinary masterpieces, but it’ll do the job if you’re in need of a quick bite.
Shopping
The park is packed with small memorabilia stands selling your usual tourist souvenirs. It’s also home to the largest Ferrari Store in the world, so you can pick up baseball caps, key rings, polo shirts and the like, all of which are emblazoned with the famous prancing horse.
