Dubai's Global Village, opens its doors today; announces 'wonder rides' featuring taxis from around the world

The region’s leading family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, Dubai's Global Village, opens its doors today, October 25 at 6pm. This year, Global Village brings together 27 pavilions, over 3,500 shopping outlets and more than 250 restaurants, cafes, and street food options. Featuring 40,000 shows, guests can experience a new line-up of some of the world’s best performers, famous characters, world-class concerts, street entertainment and the region’s only water-based stunt show.

More than 175 rides, games and attractions are also available for guests to enjoy, including the new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind Helium Balloon Ride providing spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and its wider surroundings. With a third new entrance introduced this season, all three gates of the destination will open to visitors tomorrow.

Global Village is bringing a unique fleet of some of the world’s most recognisable and iconic cars to the streets of Dubai. The ‘wonder rides’ feature taxis from New York, Cuba, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, and Lebanon.

The attraction will invite guests to enjoy back-seat themed challenges, inspired by the host country of each cab. Anyone who spots one of the wonder rides can take a photo, post it on their social media channels, tag #WonderRides and stand a chance to win prizes.

Big Balloon, new attractions

Guests can experience famous characters, concerts, street entertainment and the region’s only water-based stunt show, from over 200 performances every night.  The new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind helium balloon ride will offer 360-degree views.

New attractions include ‘House of Fear’, said to be the scariest haunted house in the region; and Diggers Lab, a hydraulic digger experience. The first Ripley’s Believe It or Not!™ Odditorium in the Mena region returns to Global Village for its fourth year and welcomes over 50 new exhibits.

New pavilions

Qatar and Oman will have their own pavilions this season, taking the total number to 27.

Visitors can shop at the Road of Asia, a new pedestrian street featuring 43 kiosks from 13 Asian countries with authentic products from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

Operating hours

The park is open daily Sunday to Thursday from 4pm until midnight, from Wednesday, October 26. On Friday, Saturday, and public holidays, opening hours are 4pm till 1am. Tuesdays are exclusively reserved for ladies and families except on public holidays and the season opening day (October 25).

Mohamed Sharaf, chief operating officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, said: “Global Village has been a regional and international phenomenon for close to three decades, helping cement Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism. Since the end of Season 26, our teams have been using guest feedback and data to find new and unique ways to take the guest experience to the next level. This would not be possible without our extraordinary teams and partners, who work tirelessly to bring the beautiful cultures of the world to Dubai’s Global Village. We are delighted to welcome our guests from across the globe to the 27th Season of Global Village with another unmissable line-up of attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.”