The Crown Jewels of Yas Island: A Theme Park Guide for Fun-Loving Travelers

Yas Island is a multi-use man made island designed for the ultimate fun experience. Home to a Formula 1 racetrack, an impressive mall, and several international brands of luxury hotels, this Abu Dhabi destination offers 360-degree enjoyment for everyone.

Although it caters to various segments of the population, Yas Island draws in many families and adventure-seekers who flock to its most popular site: the Yas Theme Parks.

Composed of three world-famous amusement parks, Yas Theme Parks offer the adrenaline rush, nostalgia, and refreshing water adventures that a fun-loving traveler wouldn’t want to miss – and this article will guide you through each one of them.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

One of the largest indoor parks in Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World is a place where you can satisfy your yearning for the fun things you enjoyed during your childhood.

Opened in July 2018, the park offers six immersive “Lands” where you’ll find everyone’s favorite cartoon characters, superheroes, and their arch nemeses.

How to Get There

If you’re going by car, you can reach Warner Bros. World within 20 minutes to a little over an hour, depending on where you’re coming from:

Abu Dhabi International Airport – 20 minutes
Abu Dhabi City Centre – 35 minutes
Bur Dubai or Deira – 1 hour and 20 minutes
Dubai International Airport – 1 hour and 20 minutes
Dubai Marina – 1 hour

You can also head there via the Yas Express free shuttle between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. The shuttle transports guests around the island and stops at key pickup and drop-off points around Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

For the latest bus route map and timetable, download the Yas Island pocket guide from their official website.

Rides and Attractions to Try

Warner Bros. World is divided into six sections where you’ll find over two dozen rides and attractions:

Bedrock: Features prehistoric sights from the most famous Stone Age family on the planet, The Flintstones, during the Stonetennial Day.
Dynamite Gulch: An animated storyland where Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner frolic, along with attractions focused on Marvin the Martian and The Jetsons.
Cartoon Junction: The center of nostalgia for adults who grew up in the age of Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, and Scooby-Doo and the gang at Mystery Incorporated.
Gotham City: Besides Batman, this city is also home to notorious DC villains like The Riddler, The Joker, and Harley Quinn.
Metropolis: An urban landscape protected from the forces of evil by Superman and other members of the Justice of the League.
Warner Bros. Plaza: A beautiful art deco-inspired plaza designed around Hollywood’s Golden Age and everything related to Warner Bros.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

If speed is the name of the game, then Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is the perfect playground.

Opened in November 2020, this Yas Island amusement park is home to record-breaking rides, including the fastest roller coaster on the planet.

How to Get There

If you’re traveling by car, Ferrari World is 15 minutes to 1.5 hours away. Here’s a quick summary of the estimated travel time from different points in Abu Dhabi and Dubai:

Abu Dhabi International Airport – 15 to 20 minutes
Abu Dhabi City Center – 30 minutes
Bur Dubai and Dubai International Airport – approximately 1.5 hours
Dubai Marina – around 1 hour

You can also ride the Yas Express free shuttle service that runs along two routes:

The Blue Route – Transports guests every day between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to and from Yas Plaza Hotels, Yas Viceroy Hotel, Yas Central at Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi.
The Red Route – Operates daily from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day between Yas Links, Yas Marina, Yas Beach, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and Yas Central at Yas Marina Circuit.

Note: Check the Yas Island pocket guide for an updated timetable.

Rides and Attractions to Try

There are around 40 rides and attractions in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, segregated into different zones (Family Zone, F1 Zone, Italian Zone, and Adventure Zone) and thrill levels (Family Attractions or Fast Fun).

Some of the most popular ones include:

Formula Rossa: This Fast Fun F1 Zone ride is hailed as the fastest roller coaster globally by the Guinness Book of World Records, with its top speed of 149 miles per hour.
Turbo Track: A zero-gravity-fall ride located in the Adventure Zone, this Fast Fun ride shoots guests through the center of the park’s iconic red roof and back down in reverse as fast as they came up.
Flying Aces: This ride holds the world record for the tallest roller coaster incline at 206 feet, dropping at a top speed of 75 miles per hour on a 51-degree slope.

There are also several child-friendly rides in Ferrari World, some of which are tamer versions of the record-breaking attractions, like:

Formula Rossa Junior
Flying Wings

Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi

You won’t run out of refreshing things to do in the UAE, especially at Yas Waterworld.

Designed around an Emirati story, this massive water park spans around the size of 15 football pitches and offers over 40 exhilarating water slides and rides you won’t find elsewhere.

How to Get There

Yas Waterworld is adjacent to Warner Brothers World and Ferrari World, so you can follow the same route stated above on how to get there.

If you’re coming from the Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH), you can get there after a seven-mile drive. You can also hail a cab or take the bus from Zayed Sports City to ADNOC South Station on Yas Island.

Rides and Attractions to Try

Falcons Falaj: This ride takes six guests at a time into an extreme water coaster experience with heart-stopping drops, rapids, and turns.
Dawwama: Dubbed as the largest six-person tornado water coaster in the world, this impressive attraction brings guests to a whooping mountaintop height where they can slide down into a 65.5-foot-tall tornado funnel.
Marah Fortress: This is a water playground designed for the whole family, complete with dumping buckets, slides, water cannons, a water-shooting geyser, and other interactive features.

A Theme Park for Everyone

Yas Parks offers a multitude of options for adventure seekers and families visiting Abu Dhabi. With all these choices, you’re bound to find a theme park that suits you, no matter your preferences.