Ferrari World Abu Dhabi's new ride will break four world records
Buckle up, thrill-seekers – Abu Dhabi's iconic Ferrari World is about to unleash a record-breaking roller coaster that promises to shake up the global theme park scene.
According to developer Miral (the company behind the island's mega attractions, including the upcoming Disney Abu Dhabi), this jaw-dropping new ride will set four world records. Yes, four. Roller coaster fans, this one's for you.
Mohamed Al Zaabi, group chief executive of Miral, said to reporters during the recent Arabian Travel Market that the new 'significant and signature ride in Ferrari World will have four records worldwide and roller coaster fans will be very excited to hear that news soon'.
But that's just the beginning of the Yas Island glow-up. Over at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, two brand-new signature rides are being added to the roster and phase two of Yas Waterworld's big expansion is making waves with 12 new rides dropping this summer. If your summer plans weren't sorted yet, they are now.
Looking even further into the future, a Disney theme park was just announced. As well as being the most advanced version yet, it's also expected to boost house prices in the area and create thousands of jobs. Talk about a glow-up.
Theme park visits alone surged 20 percent last year, helping drive Yas Island to a whopping 38 million visits. Hotels are also smashing it – occupancy hit 82 percent, with guests staying longer and shelling out more.
The average hotel rate jumped 17 percent and Miral is now planning to add 30 percent more hotel rooms over the next five years to keep up with demand.
Culture lovers, you're in luck too. Over on Saadiyat Island, The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is on track to wrap up construction by the end of the year and teamLab Phenomena has already been pulling in crowds. Still to come? The hotly anticipated Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Oh and for Potterheads: work on the magical Harry Potter attraction inside Warner Bros. World is underway – so hold on to your broomsticks.
This all feeds into Abu Dhabi's ambitious Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to pull in nearly 40 million visitors a year, create 178,000 new jobs and contribute Dhs90 billion to the local economy. With 1.4 million overnight guests already clocked in Q1 2025 alone and hotel revenues surging to Dhs2.3 billion, the capital is cruising toward its goals.
From blockbuster rides and cultural icons to next-level hotel stays, Yas Island is fast becoming a destination where you can do it all – and then some.
More in Abu Dhabi…
Everything happening in Abu Dhabi in 2025
From new openings to big events, this is shaping up to be quite a year
It's official: Abu Dhabi Comedy Season is returning for a second edition with some huge names
Wow, look at this line-up
The 2025 concert line-up in Abu Dhabi just keeps getting better and better
So many big names coming to the capital
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