Ferrari red hot in Abu Dhabi
The world’s largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, will be open to the public from Thursday.
When the world’s largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, opens to the public on Thursday, thousands of enthusiasts are expected to get treated to an intense multi-sensory experience of the fast lane.
“Ferrari World was set up to host approximately 9000 guests with a stay time of between six to seven hours,” said Andy Keeling, Park Manager of the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
The opening of the first-ever Ferrari theme park was postponed last Wednesday to mourn the demise of Shaikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.
Spread over 2,500 hectare at Yas Island, Ferrari World boasts of many firsts and the bests including the fastest roller coaster with a lightning bolt speed of 240 kph and the first Italian restaurant in the region awarded with the certificate of authenticity for its special Napolitana pizza. Ferrari World will also host, for the first time under one roof, four Michelin-star-experienced Italian chefs.
The Ferrari building, which reflects the classic double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT body, bears the biggest Ferrari logo of a ‘prancing horse’ on its iconic red roof at 65 metres in length and covering an area of 3000 sqm.
As the first theme park in the region of this scale, some of the challenges were faced in ensuring the safety and security of the guests while respecting the local traditions and culture.
“There are things that can be an issue in this part of the world which is not an issue elsewhere. So we developed a solution to these problems together with the local community. For instance, we do not allow loose item of clothing and we have a windbreaker for those who want to maintain their head gear,” Keeling told Khaleej Times.
“The hot atmosphere is also an issue, so we have a waterbath that cools the wheels of the roller coaster and at the same time washes the sand off,” he added.
On the staffing side, Ferrari World has brought together a team of experts from abroad to manage and maintain the park along with local industry professionals.
“We have a very good mix of employees. It is a big theme park, so we have at the moment over 800 employees and 46 nationalities who work three shifts six days a week,” explained Keeling.
To prepare them for their roles, the staff initially underwent an eight to 12-week induction course, followed by four to six weeks practical training. All are required to pass the theoretical and practical tests and undergo a refresher training every six months.
“It is a fantastic experience to work with Ferrari World. It’s a fun job and I am enjoying every moment of it,” enthused Cherry Furton, machine operator at the park.
“When I was hired, I have no idea about cars and my knowledge of Ferrari was limited to knowing that it was a very expensive brand. But we went through an intensive training programme for two months on Ferrari’s history as well as on all positions at the park,” added the Filipina operator.
During the media tour of Ferrari World last week, one of the journalist’s young son, Kai Wilks tried his courage at the Fiorano GT Challenge.
“I like it and I would like to come back,” gushed the six-year-old who admitted to having affinity with racing cars. Ferrari World, which features 20 state-of-the-art rides and attractions, promises to be a thrilling experience for families and fans alike, and another iconic landmark that beckons tourism into the emirate.
Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said last week that the emirate aims for a 15 per cent annual increase of tourists with a target of 2.3 million by the end 2012.
Features
Opening days and timings:
- Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12pm – 10pm
- Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12pm – 12am
Ticket prices
- Dhs225 for guests of 1.5 metres and above height while Dhs165 for those below 1.5 metres
- Premium tickets cost Dh375 for visitors of 1.5 metres and above and Dhs270 for those below 1.5 metres
- All tickets provide unlimited use of rides and attractions inside the theme park
Guest services
- Over 2000 parking spaces and valet parking service
- Lockers for rent at Dh25 each
- Baby changing and feeding facilities
- Strollers are rented out for Dh35 each
- Two dedicated smoking areas on the Plaza level
- Prayer Rooms
- ATMs
Credit: Khaleej Times
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