Two years on: Everything we know about the closure of Ain Dubai

The world’s largest observation wheel has been shut since March 2022…

It has been two years since the world’s largest observation wheel, Ain Dubai, closed for enhancement works. The ferris wheel, which stands at double the height of the London Eye, initially closed for one month in March of 2022, since then there have been further delays.

When will Ain Dubai open?

Earlier this year, in April 2024, Team What’s On took a visit to Bluewaters and the Ain Dubai appeared to be in operation again. Although it wasn’t carrying any passengers just yet, the iconic attraction was certainly on the move, hinting a hopeful return soon.

Last month, we noticed construction happening in front of Ain Dubai’s entrances, with new outdoor structures taking shape. While details are scarce, it seems there’s more in store for visitors, enhancing the overall experience at Bluewaters.

During Ramadan 2024, Ain Dubai’s dazzling kaleidoscopic light displays were turned off, but they’ve now returned, signaling that cleaning and enhancement efforts are underway.

For the moment, we don’t know exactly when it will reopen, but stay tuned for updates.

The story so far

Back in March 2022, Ain Dubai announced it would close throughout Ramadan, however, the temporary closure was extended ‘until Q1, 2023’. In April 2023, a new update stated that Ain Dubai will “remain closed until further notice”.

According to the update, Ain Dubai stated it will “continue to rigorously work on completing the enhancement works that have been taking place over the past months. Once a reopening date is set, a further announcement will be made.”

As was promised when the initial closure was announced, they reiterated they will introduce ‘new and exciting offers’ when Ain Dubai reopens. We’re suitably intrigued. And hopefully we’ll know sooner than later.

The apple of our ain

One of Dubai’s most anticipated attractions, Ain Dubai, opened on October 21, 2021. The world’s tallest observation wheel is a 250 metre rotating attraction, now recognised as the tallest and largest observation wheel in the world. It’s 82 metres higher than the High Roller in Las Vegas and almost twice the size of the London Eye. The 48 cabins provide a 360-degree view of Bluewaters Island, Dubai Marina and JBR, Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa, and over the Arabian Gulf.

In the six months it was open, Ain Dubai welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe, according to its website.

What’s On has reached out to Ain Dubai for an official update, in the meantime our fingers are crossed that the big wheel will keep on turning in 2024.

Images: Provided