Your ultimate guide to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Six lands, 29 rides, and more superheroes and cartoon characters than you can shake a cape at. Here’s our guide to the capital’s newest theme park…
The wait is over. The capital’s new theme park finally opened its doors to the public today.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is situated on Yas Island and inside you’ll find six lands featuring 29 rides, plus a tonne of cartoon characters to hang out with, including DC Comics stars Batman and The Joker, Wonder Woman and Superman, plus Looney Tunes favourites Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote.
Want more? The park is also home to Fred Flintstone and pals, plus cat and mouse double act Tom and Jerry, to name a few.
The park covers 1.65 million square feet on Yas and was built by 5,500 specialists, engineers and workers at an estimated cost of $1bn. To say the park is a big deal to the capital is an understatement.
So what can you expect inside? Read on for our guide to all six lands.
Gotham City
Who lives here?
Fancy spending a day hanging out with Batman, The Joker and Catwoman? You’ll be able to do just that this summer. Supervillains The Riddler, Scarecrow and Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad will feature heavily in Gotham.
What about the rides?
The area features a couple of flight simulator rides for adrenaline junkies. First up, there’s Batman: Knight Flight, a ride that takes place in the dark and will see you climbing, dropping, spinning and rolling along while you watch a state-of-the-art flight simulator. Secondly, there’s the Scarecrow Scare Raid, another high-speed thrill that will feature barrel rolls and more. Gotham City will also have a rollercoaster, called The Riddler Revolution, and The Joker has his very own carnival funhouse in the city (albeit a particularly twisted one) called The Joker Funhouse – you’ll have to complete some mental and physical challenges to escape. There’ll also be puzzle games to try at Rogues Gallery Games.
What else can I do here?
There are several dining outlets – one is in Gotham’s police station, the other is where the villains hang out, in an abandoned subway. Super villain Mr. Freeze has an ice-cream truck here as well (see what they did there?). You’ll also find five shops, including a sweet shop called Harlequin Confections, plus Park Row Pawn Shop, where you’ll be able to buy replicas of pieces of Batman kit made by his company, Wayne Tech.
Bedrock
Bedrock is home to the characters from the classic, prehistoric cartoon series The Flintstones, such as Fred, Wilma and Pebbles Flintstone, plus their neighbours, the Rubble family (Barney, Betty and their kidlet Bamm-Bamm).
What about the rides?
Visitors to the park can go on The Flintstones: Bedrock River Adventure boat tour and explore stone-age wetlands, prehistoric neighbourhoods and more in eight-seater vessels.
What else can I do here?
You can buy a prehistoric memento at the Bedrock Boutique, grab a shake at outlet Mammoth Munchies, and a burger and ribs at Bronto Burgers and Ribs.
Dynamite Gulch
Who lives here?
Gulch will feel familiar to UAE residents – it’s a cartoon version of a desert, although this one is in America’s Southwest. It’s home to Looney Tunes legends Road Runner (known for his legendary catchphrase, “meep meep”) and his nemesis, Wile E. Coyote, who uses everything from slingshots to rocket skates to capture the Runner in the cartoons. Marvin The Martian and bandit Yosemite Sam also call Dynamite Gulch home, as do futuristic astronaut family The Jetsons.
What about the rides?
Visitors can go for a spin on Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner’s very own rollercoaster, called the Fast And Furry-ous (the ’coaster is the Coyote’s ACME Road Rocket 9000). Another ride, The Jetson’s Cosmic Orbiter, is a futuristic spaceship that visitors get to fly – it’s been called a “high energy ride that circles a space-age landing pad.” Meanwhile, Marvin The Martian Crater Crashers are a kind of futurist bumper car.
What else can I do here?
Buy souvenirs at the Americana-themed gift shop Yosemite Sam Rootin’ Tootin’ Gas.
Metropolis
Who lives here?
Metropolis is where you’ll find DC Comics characters such as Justice League members Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Cyborg and The Flash. Oh, and let’s not forget Superman – the iconic superhero calls this sprawling city (known as The City Of Tomorrow) home. Cartoon characters the Teen Titans also live here as does Supergirl – and Batman will make the odd appearance.
What about the rides?
Superman 360: Battle for Metropolis is a 3D ride starring the Caped Crusader, while Green Lantern: Galactic Odyssey is a 4D flying theatre ride that takes you to far away galaxies and features multi-sensory special effects. Justice League: Warworld Attacks meanwhile is a 5D ride in the dark with what the park calls “Immersive special effects” – you join Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more on a mission to defeat their greatest enemies. Finally, the Teen Titans Training Academy is a play area with a zipline, rope bridges and more.
What else can I do here?
Guests can dine at Bibbo Bibbowski’s quick service restaurant Ace O’ Clubs (he’s friends with Superman in the comics), as well as grabbing a snack at Park Ridge Market.
Warner Bros. Plaza
Who lives here?
Pretty much everyone. It’s the park’s central hub, so to speak, and is an art deco-inspired area, which gives you access to all the other lands.
What about the rides?
There aren’t any here. It’s the first land you’ll come across when you enter the park’s front gates and features the Warner Bros. Cinema Spectacular, a show that will bring the Warner Bros. film library to life and stars Bugs Bunny.
What else can I do here?
Eat. Celebrity Scoop sells American sodas and classic sundaes and malts, milkshakes and hot dogs, while you can have brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner at The Starlight. Hollywood Trattoria is an Italian outlet while the Beverly Hills Boulangerie sells pastries and coffees.
Cartoon Junction
Who lives here?
Cartoon Junction is a town that is home to Hanna-Barbera favourites such as Scooby-Doo and his pal Shaggy and their iconic van The Mystery Machine. It’s also where you can hang out with Looney Tunes stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester, Tasmanian Devil (Taz), Pepé Le Pew, Elmer Fudd, and more.
What about the rides?
There’s a whopping nine rides for you to try here, including Scooby-Doo: The Museum of Mysteries, a haunted house ride, plus Tom And Jerry: Swiss Cheese Spin, a spinning roller coaster that twists and turns through the comedy duo’s house. The classic fairground carousel gets a Warner Bros makeover at the Cartoon Junction Carousel, while kids can take on suspended rope bridges, crawl through tubes and tunnel mazes at the Acme Factory. You can be an Acme delivery driver on Ani-Mayhem, an interactive ride that takes place in the dark or hurtle around a race track on Ricochet Racin’ with Taz.
What else can I do here?
Meet Bugs! (And Daffy) is a show where kids and grown-ups can say hello to two of the most famous cartoon characters of all time. You can buy sweets at Penelope Pitstop Cotton Candy and ice cream and sorbets at Yogi Bear and Boo Boo Ice Cream. Pastries are available at Huckleberry Hound Pies and bigger meals can be scoffed at the Acme Commissary diner. Snacks and mementos are available at Fudd Hardware, Daffy Snacks and Acme Company Store.
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