Review
DUBAILAND! It sounds so good. It is the place where I live at the moment (July 2008) and I have to tell you a story about it:
Dubailand was announced in October 2003. When I moved to Dubai in the spring of 2006, I discovered a great showroom in the desert displaying the planned theme parks on a giant, awesome model. Unfortunately, two years later I can’t see any sign of construction of roller coasters or water slides in the Dubailand area. New villas, apartments, film studios and a sports stadium are going up, but, apart from the amazing Universal Studios Dubailand (the desert has been flattened and prepared for construction here already), where are the theme parks?
Here are the incredible projects with July 2008 status updates:
• Aqua Dunya Water Park, announced in 2006, scheduled opening in 2009. Status: Desert
• City of Arabia Restless Planet, announced in 2005, scheduled opening in 2009. Status: Flat desert with a road
• Legends Dubailand Theme Park, announced in 2004, scheduled opening in 2008. Status: Desert with a showroom
• Falcon City of Wonders, announced in 2005, scheduled opening in 2008. Status: Villas under construction but no theme park
• Sunny Mountain Skidome, announced in 2004, scheduled opening was in 2006. Status: Desert
• Dreamworks Animation Park Dubailand, announced in 2007, scheduled opening in 2012. Status: Desert
• Paramount Pictures Park, announced in 2007, opening date not announced yet (smart!). Status: Desert
• Bawadi, announced in 2007, scheduled to opening in 2010. Status: Desert road with advertisements
• Six Flags Dubai, announced in 2008, scheduled opening in 2011. Status: Desert
• Universal Studios Dubailand, announced in spring 2007, scheduled opening in 2010. Status: under construction
I will love this gonzo concept of a theme park city, if it is ever built the way it appears in the Dubailand showroom. Dubailand is set to open its first phase in 2010.
I hope it will.
Universal Studios Dubailand has its own section on TheThemeParkGuy.com.
