Last month Dubai saw the opening of new theme parks (including LEGOLAND Dubai) that consists of over 100 attractions. I was fortunate enough to be in contact with CEO of DXB Entertainments (Dubai Parks and Resorts), Raed Al Nuaimi who was kind enough to answer a few of my questions on this huge project.
Theme Park Trader: Firstly, thanks for taking the time to talk to us, please describe your role at Dubai Parks for our readers.
Raed Al Nuaimi: My name is Raed Al Nuaimi and I’m the CEO of DXB Entertainments. I’m responsible for strategic vision, planning and leading operations for a growing portfolio of attractions – including our flagship destination Dubai Parks and Resorts.
Theme Park Trader: What were the challenges of getting a project of this size developed in Dubai?
Raed Al Nuaimi: Nothing on this scale has ever been done before, with over 100 rides and attractions being constructed in the same time-frame. We made sure we had a team of world leading experts on board. We brought together a team that has over 500 years’ experience designing and creating the world’s best theme parks. We think that every second of that experience shines through in our unique attractions – including many regional and world firsts!
Theme Park Trader: Having the LEGO brand on-board in Dubai is fantastic, do you see the other big players in theme parks making their way to Dubai in the future?
Raed Al Nuaimi: Thank you, we think so too! It’s the first LEGOLAND in the Middle East, which is great for people in the region. It’s also great for global visitors because it’s a year-round LEGOLAND theme park – and we’ll soon open the LEGOLAND Water Park too.
We are really proud that many other brands will be part of Dubai Parks and Resorts too. We are bringing some of Bollywood’s most loved movies alive in the world’s first Bollywood theme park.
We will also soon be opening MOTIONGATE Dubai which is the first theme park to benefit from collaboration with all three of DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Studios and Lionsgate. Visitors will be able to ride the Madagascar Mad Pursuit indoor rollercoaster, go on the first ever life-size Shrek ride and take part in a training academy with the Ghostbusters. We will also have the first ever Hunger Games ride anywhere in the world!
In late 2019, we expect to open our fourth theme park – Six Flags Dubai will be the region’s first Six Flags park.
Theme Park Trader: Obviously here at Theme Park Trader we would love to come and visit but have you found it challenging to encourage visitors from outside of Dubai, what has the initial interest been like worldwide?
Raed Al Nuaimi: We look forward to welcoming you and your readers in Dubai! The response from the travel industry has been overwhelming positive.
Dubai is committed to doubling its annual visitor numbers from 10 million in 2012 to 20 million in 2020. We will be the biggest theme park anywhere in the Middle East, so we look forward to welcoming many of those visitors to Dubai Parks and Resorts. Including local visitors, we’re targeting 6.7 million ticketed visits in 2017, our first full year of operation.
Theme Park Trader: What new technology have you brought to these parks, how do you see technology in theme park attractions advancing in the years ahead?
Raed Al Nuaimi: We live in a digital world and our guests expect an integrated digital experience. We’ve used state of the art technology to deliver new experiences in rides and attractions.
Entry to Dubai Parks and Resorts
We worked with Etisalat (the Middle East’s leading telecommunications operator) to create the region’s first integrated ‘smart’ theme park resort. We are working closely together to deliver a seamless and engaging guest experience through the use of mobile devices, web portals, RFID wristbands, smart kiosks and digital signage.
We plan to introduce innovative technology that will facilitate an unforgettable experience for our guests with a few clicks of their smart devices, including smart ticketing, digital payments, smart parking, connected transportation, connected food and beverage, as well as retail and digital entertainment.
Theme Park Trader: I like to think that food is a theme park in itself when visiting any theme park, please share some of the more exciting culinary treats than guests can experience at the parks.
Raed Al Nuaimi: I agree! In fact we have a whole dining and retail area called Riverland – which is open to everyone even if you aren’t going into one of the parks. It’s a multi-themed dining and retail destination that connects all our theme parks. Guests can enjoy lunch on the banks of a river, or relax in a French village, 1950s America or 1930s India. Riverland will also be a venue for parties, live concerts and festivals.
Riverland in Dubai
Theme Park Trader: Finally, what would you say is your favourite attraction and why?
Raed Al Nuaimi: I’m not sure I can pick one thing – can I say my favourite thing is choice? We will have over 100 rides spread across 30.6 million square feet. We will have the world’s first Bollywood theme park and will offer hundreds of new ways to experience some of the world’s best loved entertainment names.
Thanks again to Raed Al Nuaimi for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to us, I can’t wait to visit Dubai and see some of these attractions for myself!
Ryan has been attending theme parks since as long as he can remember and his first proper memory comes from when he was just three years old sitting in Main Street USA drinking a Nesquik milkshake from a carton while the piano was being played outside Casey’s Corner.
