27 Rides, Five Cinematic Zones, DreamWorks, Columbia Pictures, and Lionsgate Under One Magnificent Entertainment Roof
Motiongate Dubai is the Middle East’s largest and most ambitious Hollywood-inspired theme park, the only attraction in the UAE dedicated entirely to movie-themed entertainment across three of the world’s most iconic motion picture studios, DreamWorks Animation, Columbia Pictures, and Lionsgate. Located within the Dubai Parks and Resorts complex on Sheikh Zayed Road in Jebel Ali, the park opened its doors on 16 December 2016 and has since become one of the most visited attractions in the UAE, drawing millions of visitors annually and consistently expanding its offering.
It houses 27 immersive rides and attractions, 15 live entertainment experiences, 8 themed restaurants, over 10 retail outlets, and five fully themed zones across a sprawling outdoor footprint with extensive air-conditioned indoor sections, making it a comfortable and rewarding day out in any season. The world’s first John Wick Roller Coaster and the world’s fastest Now You See Me Spinning Roller Coaster both call this park home, and a waterpark extension is in development, further cementing Motiongate’s status as the region’s most forward-looking theme park destination.
Studio Central is the park’s main entrance and connecting hub, designed as a love letter to Hollywood’s Golden Age, with palm-lined boulevards, art deco architecture, executive offices modelled on real Hollywood studios, real-life New York City movie sets, behind-the-scenes filmmaking exhibits, live theatrical street performances, guest services, ticketing counters, and themed retail and dining clustered around the entrance experience. It is the ideal place to orientate before heading deeper into the park’s zones.
The Columbia Pictures Zone is one of the most thrilling and beloved sections of the park, home to seven action-packed attractions across some of the most recognisable franchises in modern cinema. Ghostbusters: Battle for New York is an interactive 3D dark ride that arms guests with proton-blasting guns and sends them into a supernatural battle to save the New York skyline, requiring fast reflexes and competitive instincts in equal measure. The Green Hornet High-Speed Chase is a high-adrenaline roller coaster that launches guests on a mission to save the Green Hornet from a group of goons at 31 miles per hour across sudden drops and sharp turns.
Zombieland Blast-Off is a gravity-defying drop tower that sends guests plummeting from a great height in a post-zombie-apocalypse setting. Hotel Transylvania: Mavis and Johnny’s Honeymoon Havoc is a family-friendly dark ride through Dracula’s hotel. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: River Expedition is an all-ages water ride with splashing sections and food-themed theming throughout. Underworld: Blood Wars 4D is a multi-sensory four-dimensional experience where guests join Selene in an 800-year battle between Lycans and Vampires. Flint’s Imagination Lab is a science and technology-themed interactive play area for younger children.
The DreamWorks Animation Zone is the park’s most expansive and family-friendly section, covering four individual movie-themed lands across 12 fantastic attractions. The Kung Fu Panda section offers Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Warrior Training Academy, a simulator that teaches guests to master kung fu movements alongside Po and Shifu.
The How to Train Your Dragon land features a Dragon Gliders roller coaster where guests join Toothless and Hiccup on a breathtaking aerial adventure, and a Camp Berk water splash zone where guests battle each other across the zone’s long-boat water features. The Madagascar zone brings the penguins, the chimps, and the entire cast of characters to life across a flight simulation ride, a spinning carousel alongside Mr Ping, and an outdoor playground suited to younger visitors. The Shrek land is the most whimsical of the four, with Shrek’s Merry Fairy Tale Journey leading guests through a dark ride across the beloved fairytale universe.
The Lionsgate Zone is the park’s most adrenaline-focused section, designed for teenagers and thrill-seeking adults, built around two of the most technically impressive rides in any theme park in the region. The Capitol Bullet Train, a Now You See Me-themed roller coaster that travels forwards, backwards, and inverted, is one of the most intense rides in the park. The John Wick Roller Coaster is the world’s first based on the globally successful action franchise and is already one of the most talked-about attractions in Dubai Parks and Resorts. A Hunger Games Panem Aerial Tour 4D hovercraft motion simulator places guests inside the dystopian world of Panem, while Step Up: All In live entertainment shows bring international-level dance performances to the park’s stage.
The Smurfs Village is the park’s dedicated young children zone, built around the iconic Belgian cartoon in its vibrant blue and white colour palette, with five attractions including the Smurfs Village Express junior coaster, Smurfsberry Factory play zone with water features, the Smurfs Studio Tours dark ride, and the Woodland Play Park outdoor playground, making it the calmest, most accessible area of the park for toddlers and children under the minimum height for the bigger rides.
Hollywood Theatre is the park’s state-of-the-art live performance venue, hosting stunt shows, theatrical spectaculars, character meet-and-greets, and seasonal entertainment events including Halloween Fright Nights and the December festive programming, with performances scheduled throughout the day. Eight themed restaurants cover the full range of dining occasions from quick snacks to sit-down meals, all maintaining the cinematic theme of their respective zones.
The Q-FAST Pass is available for an additional charge and allows guests to skip standard queues at all the park’s major rides, recommended strongly on weekends and public holidays. Outside food and beverages are not permitted in the park, and pets and animals are not allowed. Height restrictions apply to most rides, ranging between 100 and 140 centimetres, and each ride’s restrictions are clearly posted at the attraction entrance. Wheelchair access and electric mobility aid access are available throughout, and wheelchairs are available for rental from the guest services desk at Studio Central.
Tickets are available from AED 295 to AED 350 for a single-day pass, with children and senior discounts applied. Two-park passes covering Motiongate and a second park within Dubai Parks and Resorts are available from AED 355, and annual passes offer 300 days of unlimited access. Online booking is strongly recommended as tickets are cheaper, queues at the gate are avoided, and peak days can see tickets selling out. Free parking is included with all Motiongate tickets. A free shuttle bus service runs from various malls and hotels in Dubai to Dubai Parks and Resorts. By metro, take the Red Line to Jebel Ali or DMCC Station and connect by taxi or the shuttle.
The park is open Sunday to Thursday from 12 noon to 9pm and Friday to Saturday from 12 noon to 10pm, with ride queues closing 30 minutes before park close. The best time to visit is from November to March on a weekday, arriving at opening time to cover the most popular rides before midday crowds build. Lapita Hotel is the on-site resort for guests who want a full multi-day Dubai Parks experience without a daily commute.
Tickets: From AED 295 per person
Address: Motiongate Dubai, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Sheikh Zayed Road, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE
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