Ferrari is a pretty good theme for a theme park. Fans of the team, fans of the cars, and fans of engineering more generally will find hours of entertainment here, but they have really focused on making the attraction as appealing as possible to a wide range of people.
After three years of construction Ferrari World opened in Abu Dhabi in 2010, a year after their first Grand Prix. You have probably seen bird’s-eye views of the park when watching the GP – it’s quite difficult to miss. The Ferrari red roof is 200,000m2 and displays the largest Ferrari logo in the world. The space inside could house seven football pitches, making it the world’s largest indoor theme park.
There are a couple of parts of the attraction that go out of doors, however – the roller coasters. The most famous is the Formula Rossa: the fastest roller coaster in the world. It goes from 0-100km/h in two seconds, reaching 240km/h in less than five seconds. It is so fast, you have to wear safety goggles, and you’ll experience 4.8Gs as you race round in seats designed to look like an F1 car.
Then there is the Fiorano GT Challenge, a duelling rollercoaster in Ferrari Spiders, where the two tracks race and overtake each other – who will win?
If that turns your stomach, never fear, because there is plenty to experience otherwise. The Scuderia Challenge simulates being in an F1 car; Made in Maranello gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the Ferrari factory; and the Tyre Twist is their take on the teacups. With twenty attractions including roller coasters, shows, karting and even a cinema, there is something to suit every member of the family.
Combining a visit with seeing the Grand Prix would make an incredible trip, but the park is open all year round. As they point out, it doesn’t matter which season you visit, as the indoor area is always kept at 24oC. Unusually, tickets are not categorised by age, but by height, so if you’re over 1.3m you’ll pay around £44/$68; those under 1.3m pay around £36/$56.
