Celebrating 15 years in the UAE
This past year has been one of jubilation as the UAE celebrated its 50th anniversary, our company turned 40, and our Middle East office reached its 15-year milestone. To pay tribute to these anniversaries, we decided to highlight 15 of our most iconic projects in the UAE in honour of each year our office has been in Dubai. Whether on land or at sea, a standalone park or a resort splash pad, these 15 projects showcase the Middle Eastโs leadership in entertainment and its ability to push the boundaries of innovation and theming.
1. Wild Wadi Waterpark โ One of the most iconic parks in the region is Wild Wadi. Part of the Jumeriah Group properties, Wild Wadi worked with the WhiteWater team in 2005 and 2012 to help the park diversify their ride mix. After opening a RainFortress 5 for the younger audience, the park added two Speed Slides for those seeking more thrills. Now known as the Jumeirah Sceirah, the Speed Slides place brave riders inside a drop capsule as they eagerly wait for the countdown to begin, prompting the floor to open from underneath them, and sending them plunging through a 120-meter slide at an astonishing speed of 80 km/h!
2. Warner Bros. Worldโข Abu Dhabi โ Moving to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the next project we are showcasing is a throwback to the Teen Titans Training Academy at Warner Bros. Worldโข Abu Dhabi. Well-known for superheroes and cartoon characters, the park installed a No Boundaries structure inside of their Metropolis zone to create the perfect training for superheroes. The ultimate playground for visitors looking to test their agility and hone their skills, No Boundaries is a challenging multi-level play area.
3. LEGOLAND Dubai โ Brick by brick we continue the story of our team’s journey throughout the region, and for project number three, we decided to highlight LEGOLANDยฎ Dubai. Bringing the theming of LEGOยฎ to life, this water park has 12 attractions for guests to splash, spray, and slide together for a day of family fun.
4. Al Wathba Desert Resort โ Located in Abu Dhabi, Al Wathba Desert Resort has everything a 5-star resort needs, including a FlowRiderยฎ Double Wave-in-a-Box for hours of shredding! With its trampoline-like riding surface, the FlowRiderยฎ offers the safest riding surface in the industry so guests can feel confident as they hone their skills and try out new tricks.
5. Savannah Aquapark on MSC Virtuosa โ Setting sail out of Dubai’s new cruise terminal, the Virtuosa is one of the largest ships in MSCโs fleet. With wet and dry attractions like the Champagne Bowl and Adventure Play inside the shipโs Savannah Aquapark, families will have no shortage of activities as they cruise through the Arabian Gulf and into Qatar.
6. Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis Dubai โ Recognized around the globe for its name and structure,ย Atlantis Resortsย was one of our first installations in the region back in the early 2000s. Ground-breaking to this day, the water park is known for its thrilling attractions and sheer size. As one of the largest water parks in the world, Aquaventure Waterpark created the worldโs first timed double slide within a slide experience, pushing the boundaries of innovation as the WhiteWater team suspended body slides within another water slide.
7. MOTIONGATEโข Dubai โ Using intellectual property from some of your favourite movies, MOTIONGATEโข Dubai places guests inside the heart of the narrative. Unlocking the magic of Hollywood, we worked with the team at Dubai Parks and Resorts to create rides based on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Smurfs, and How to Train Your Dragon. Whether in the mood for a splashing adventure through winding river rapids with Flint Lockwood or a battle with spray toys as Hiccup and Toothless fly by, MOTIONGATEโข Dubai has several exciting options for guests to explore.
8. Laguna Waterpark โ Boasting the largest sheet wave in the world, Laguna Waterpark is one of only three sites in the world to boast a WaveOzโข. The perfect playground for residents and visitors of Dubai to try their hand at flowboarding, the surf simulator uses an inflatable ride surface to keep up to four guests safely riding at once. The perfect attraction for advanced riders, master flowboarders can experience the thrill of dropping in, carving turns, throwing spray, and performing an unending array of maneuvers.
9. SEGA Republic โ One of our earliest projects in the region was SEGA Republic, where the team installed a themed Ropes Course inside Dubai Mall. Featuring characters from Sonic the Hedgehog, guests were able to traverse between the Ropes Courseโs towers and across a series of tricky and demanding bridges, all while safely harnessed in.
*๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ท๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
10. Zaya Nurai Island โ A short 15-minute boat ride from the shores of Abu Dhabi, Zaya Nurai Island provides the perfect escape from the city. With an AquaPlay 1050 and a FlowRiderยฎ Double, the resort gives families the chance to slide, splash, and make memories together.
11. Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah โ One of our newest projects in the region is the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah. Opened in November 2021, the resort now has two brand-new Pool Sider water slides and a Splash Pad to make for the perfect family getaway (or staycation!).
12. Jungle Bay Waterpark โ Another hotel and resort project in the region is Jungle Bay Waterpark at the Westin Min Seyahi and Le Meridien. Inspired by the islands of Greece, Jungle Bay Waterpark was themed with cool blues and whites to transport visitors to the likes of Santorini. With water slides and a wave pool, this water park will let guests forget that theyโre in the heart of the city and make for an unforgettable afternoon.
13. Yas Waterworld โ Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi quickly earned its spot in the worldโs top 10 water parks since its opening in 2013. Spread across 37 acres, it stands as one of the Middle Eastโs largest parks, bringing together both wet and dry attractions in one space. Iconic in as well as outside of the region, the park uses local theming with larger-than-life snakeheads to excite eager riders as they travel through a variety of inner tube rides before exiting through the snakes into the splash pool.
14. NSHAMA Town Square โ At the heart of the NSHAMA Town Square community is the FlowRiderยฎ Double. While no scientific research has been conducted, we are confident that introducing flowboarding to locals makes them happy, which in turn, creates an overall more pleasant and more connected community.
15. Pearlโs Kingdom at Al Montazah โ With theming completely out of this world, guests at Pearlโs Kingdom can slide into another galaxy on the AquaPlay 1050 to explore the ancient legend of a blazing meteor that fell from the skies millions of years ago.
While this short history doesnโt cover all the projects we have done in the Middle East, we hope you enjoyed some of the stories behind these 15 parks in the UAE! With a bright future ahead and many more surprises in store as we look to the future, we encourage you to follow the teamโs Water Parks MENA LinkedIn page or visit our website at www.whitewaterwest.com/en/whitewater-mena/ to stay up to date with the latest news and installations in the region.