[PHOTO TR] Arabian Adventures - Ferrari World & FunWorks

[ItsMe]

Make sure to check out these reports as well and please keep in mind that posting your thoughts on these reports is highly appreciated... it keeps me even more motivated

- Credits in Dubai & Sharjah

- The pearl of Abu Dhabi: Yas Waterworld - INCLUDING Flying Aces pull through and construction photos

 

Racing through the desert - Ferrari World & FunWorks

 

 

I thought it would be nice to share my, well... our, Arabian Adventures on TPR. First things first: English is not my native language. I am not able to provide you with writings on the level of f.e. JK Rowling, neither can I provide you with high quality photos that are usable in the Lonely Planet Guide, as water, movement and darkness aren't any photographer best friend. Unfortunately I didn't bring a whole Harem composed out of hot European woman to the UAE, to make them show (in bikini) how hot it was over there. Well, now that is made clear... what do I've got in store for you? A load of questionable credits, the fastest coaster on this planet, and a lot of wetness. Yes, the UAE it is! If I had to choose an overall theme for my reports, besides the probably not so good use of the English language, it would be luxury. Why? Well, you cannot visit that part of the world without it. Crab yourself a Coke, sit back and enjoy the photos and many, many words I've dedicated to our trip.

 

We left off at the amazing waterpark in Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld. The clock is ticking and it is almost evening when we enter our car to drive those few miles across the street towards Ferrari World. Yes, is will be a quickie - our visit, just to be in the clare - due the time we took to explore Yas Waterworld. Why driving when it is across the street? Although the temperature is dropping it still is a very warm 95 Fahrenheit, making walking the distance more dangerous (after two long days) than riding some Chinese knock-off coasters . Of course parking is included, however if you are a bit jumpy and can't handle the chaotic traffic in the city - although it is not that bad actually - or simply don't want to use the car between the Yas Island parks: there are shuttle busses available.

 

After parking our car and walking a couple of minutes to the entrance of the Marina Mall my heartbeat starts to rise. When walking the skybridge from the Mall to Ferrari World we are a anxious... High speed launched coasters used to be known for running into problems. Will our main reason for our visit, Formula Rossa, be running?

 

One mission: three hours, three roller coasters... riding Rossa several times. Let's go!

 

The roof immediately grabs our attention. This is one mighty structure! From the outside the roof is beautifull red, from the inside it is the steel structure that stands out. How impressive it may have been, it doesn't always suit the really cute Italian looking parts of the park. Upon the ticket booth we hand over our reservation number to receive our Gold Tickets that entitle us to use unlimited Fastpass. It also comes with the 15 AED souvenir voucher. After the paperwork is taken care of I ask employee if Formula Rossa is running * tension rises * ... 'Yes, it is.' YES!

 

With firm steps we move towards the Formula Rossa station. From tripreports posted on this board I knew you wouldn't be able to see the first second of the launch from the station. We walk down the stairs without watching a train launch but we do catch a glimpse of the 2 KM of track awaiting us in the heat. Out of sight a train launches... that sounds great! I hope the ride is just as impressive as it sounds.

 

With its mind blowing top speed of 240 KM/H, reached in just 4 seconds, Formula Rossa is one of those 'must do' rides for anyone who is loves coasters. Besides this amazing launch the track includes an 52 meter high (172 ft) hill and by that being taller than some major European rides. To compare: if you would host a dragrace between Formula Rossa and Kingda Ka, this coaster keeps up building speed for half a second more after KK reaches its top speed. Sweet!

 

My track record for launched coasters is not that impressive. I can tick off California Screaming, Xpress, Full Throttle, Stealth, Desert Race, Furious Baco, Superman at SFMM, Rock N Roller and Rita. IU might have missed one, however I think my point is clear... launched coasters in the majors - like KK of TTD - are open boxes o my to do list. Simply said, if taking a look at the top ten fastest roller coasters in the world by peak is the fifth place.

 

Back to that afternoon in November After making sure the sexy glasses/eye protectors are firmly attached to my skull we take our seat. The stretched Ferrari starts to move slowly to the launch position. After ten seconds we get rocketed... well... launched. Because English is not my native language it is hard to explain how the launch feels. Your skin is almost fighting to stay attached to my face and by the time the train reaches the top of the first hill my organs are still left at the launch.

 

Let's be honest here. Formula Rossa is a one trick pony, simply because it is impossible to live up to that insane launch. However the ride after the launch is not bad at all, with some high speed turns. The wheels get all warmed up. The moment you hit the brakes they get a cooldown by water... the wheels are warm enough to create steam.

 

When Ferrari World announced the park and Formula Rossa about six years ago most people got excited. Now, finally, I can say out of experience that this coaster is something to be really excited about. Without having any less respect for Disney - that I love -, Six Flags or the insane creations in Phantasialand... this is by far the biggest thrill I've ever experienced. Maybe better than normal sex?

 

The darkness is starting to kick in, so before riding more rides we decide to take a look at Formula Rossa's observation deck. Obviously I can't come back empty handed... in that case there would be no tripreport. When overseeing the track is is clear that there is no theming present. Thankfully I do not think this roller coaster needs any theming. Plain steel will do. After that it is time for another round of this Swiss powerhouse.

 

With this heat I am glad I am happy Ferrari World is climate controlled. However it would be really nice to have a spectacle for the eyes by having the oppertunity to get closer to the launch.

 

Launchie Launchie!

 

Normally we both do not buy onride photos, just the memory in our heads will do. Today we will make an exception, because we will not return to the UAE anytime soon. After emptying our wallets we have our souvenir. The first photo is taken during the launch, the second one halfway. The first one represents the ride way better.

 

Funny thing is that Ferrari World is one of the few places you see more guys wearing shorts than anything covering the legs completely. The number of nationalities, including staff, is huge. Also the staff is enjoying their work and are in for a laugh and makes you feel welcome.

 

I know, that is a lot of Formula Rossa in this report. However with Flying Aces and Mission Ferrari not open to the public yet this is the main ride to aim your camera on. And I have to say that especially Flying Aces looks sweet. The new Mission Ferrari SFX track also looks impressive, however it surely doesn't approve the landscape below.

 

 

Ferrari World has more than one (ass-kicking) roller coaster... it also houses Fiorano GT Challenge and consists of two tracks. From the station you can barely see any track, so what this ride has in store is a bit of a surprise for us.

 

We decent into the station to find it being nearly empty. No need for the Gold Ticket here (I see a ticket like that as some kind of insurance) here. As we are planning on adding both tracks on uour 'been there, done that-list' we randomly pick the right track first. The trains on this Maurer coaster are themed like a Ferrari F430 Spider. A bit more theming for the station wouldn't hurt though.

 

The ride starts by going down a few feet before being picked up by the launch. The ride itself is a dueling one and has several launches during the ride and maintains a decent speed. It is a fun roller coaster to ride, however it just feels a bit pointless. Sometimes is feels like a wild mouse and sometimes like... well... don't know. I guess in full dark this ride is cooler because I saw some lightning strips besides the track. Don't get me wrong, it is really a decent ride, however it is better to this one first before riding Formula Rossa.

 

Well, at least I've got the 4 fastest roller coasters in the UAE covered. Psssst... don't tell anyone the fourth place only reaches about 18 MPH. I know, this list is useless (I don't take any ranking/record list serious, it is just fun for this report).

 

 

Before riding Formula Rossa again in full darkness we stroll around the park for a while. I would love to try all the darkrides, try all other rides and make use of the go kart experience that is included. However we simply didn't have that much time. Good thing is it is easy and quick to get around the park.

 

If you are into cars, the ones at display in the Museum-part are 100% real ones.

 

Note the lack of people. We visited on a weekday-evening. Good for photos to show off some of their attractions and interior features. There was a lot of construction going on, so the famous waterride through an engine was closed.

 

 

On the far left you can see a part of the shuttle coaster peeking around the corner.

Edited January 27, 2016 by ItsMe

[ItsMe]

We only have 30 minutes left to enjoy Ferrari World. It seems we have some decisions to make. Speed of Magic ends up on the shortlist and Formula Rossa as well.

 

'This is not Spiderman, this is not Spiderman' I keep on telling myself before walking into the pre-show. It could be me, or the story is kinda weird. A kid gets to use his dad's Ferrari, however this Nello guy takes the keys. When we board or vehicle, assuming this is the Ferrari we just saw in the pre-show, I know what this kind of attraction can achieve when used to its full potential. But first, if we are gonna chase this Nello guy using that Ferrari... he stole the keys, right? Or is it me totally misunderstanding the story?

 

This is not a bad ride, it just the fact that I know - and try to explain to Dé - what you CAN do with this technique. This ride however is decent (with that strange story)... not overwhelming like Spiderman. Well, there can be only one king.

 

At this point I realize we missed out on the free high-tech Ferrari simulator... as you need a timed ticket it can't be done anymore.

 

So far I have ridden Formula Rossa two times and no matter what, I want the full dark experience as well. We arrive at the now almost empty station and I can even ride twice without waiting again. In the dark the launch feels even more powerful. What we do, this hobby, is not about ticking of as many boxes as possible. It is about enjoying a beautiful themed park, enjoying your company and getting the adrenalin flowing in those vains. That last thing is what Formula Rossa does to you. Riding at night during your trip far away from you day to day life... it just warms me up, it makes you feel lucky and privileged. i know we set aside money for this and choose to not do others things, but still.

 

The final judgement? I only was in the park for just over 3 hours, so keep that in mind. The park looks good and combined with the Yas Waterworld ticket it is reasonable priced. The Gold Ticket works out great and for any Ferrari lover it would be better than normal sex. Speed of Magic is ok, de dueling coaster is fun (however a bit pointless), parking is free and it can be also combined with Yas Circuit if you planning on making it a full weekend. I haven't experienced the majority of the rides, but the ones that I rode didn't fail but didn't score that straight A either.

 

All these pros and cons aside there is Formula Rossa. Just that roller coaster justifies a visit to Ferrari World, at least in my opinion. And from this spring on they will have three more coasters running, including the amazing looking Flying Aces.

 

When Ferrari World closes for the day, the FEC FunWorks in the adjacent Mall remains open for business for a few more hours. For the moment we will have to skip the foodcourt because it is quite a walk. No Mall is really small compared to European standards. Everybody knows that those long days can be heavy for the feet and legs. Thankfully we booked a really nice hotel, so... let's go full power for the next two hours.

 

We arrive at FunWorks, get ourselves one of those flashy pre-paid cards, charge them and start looking around. This FEC looks and feels sleek, smooth, clean and modern.

 

There is only one roller coaster in FunWorks and the track only measures 50 meter. What makes it worth the visit? YOLO. No, not the standard to life by. I'm talking about YoloWorks. Yes, there are two Yolo-coasters on planet earth.

 

It suppose to be some kind of drifting coaster. I really don't know, so let's find out. Once I get myself in - it is tight with those over the shoulder restrains - the safety barrier in the station drops. We start moving back and forth a couple of times before going around. The back of the coach starts breaking out in the corners and it surprisingly really feels like drifting. This roller coaster is small, funny and... a bit rough on the shoulders.

 

FunWorks houses some flatrides/puke-rides too, however I stay way clear of them. I love those rides because they make good objects for photos, however if I would be stupid enough to ride one... well, I am gonna spare you the details. The drop tower I can take and it looks fun, but I skipped it anyway.

 

It is getting close to 11PM and we decide to almost call it a day. We haven't played any of the arcadegames yet, so we picked a few to play. The best one? Beerpong! The tickets we won made some random kid really happy .

 

 

Oh nee... do not... too late

 

 

Time to get some food! We found this really awesome Subway-look-a-like. We took the food out and drove towards our next hotel. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are fun and busy. Our next hotel wasn't: Bab al Shams Desert Resort. This hotel opened just a few years ago and was built old Arabian style, but packs the comfort of any modern luxury hotel. For anyone interested in this, find some photos od this hotel in the desert - about 30 minutes from the Dubai coast.

 

 

I always love to virtually take you along with trips, so that is why I choose to report on everything .

 

 

And as always I end with our video for the entire day, including Yas Waterworld.

 

Let me know what you think about Ferrari World, FunWorks, the photos, the report or my opinion. I can take some

Edited January 30, 2016 by ItsMe

[ItsMe]

I don't know wether to post my question in here, or in a Ask Alvey thread. However, as I am working on some more reports I was wondering if there is a limit on the amount of photos or generated traffic when using the TPR-upload? Also because it is completely free to use.

 

Before I run into any trouble... and have to wait with the next one for a while. Sorry if it is a bit of a stupid question... feel free to delete it.

[larrygator]

There used to be a limit of 20 photos per post, but now You may post as many photos as you want, but that does not mean you have to post every photo you have. It does get boring looking at the same ride/coaster/building from every possible angle.

[ItsMe]

There used to be a limit of 20 photos per post, but now You may post as many photos as you want, but that does not mean you have to post every photo you have. It does get boring looking at the same ride/coaster/building from every possible angle.

 

I was refering to the maximum of photo or data uploaded from one account.

 

Just to get things straight. Are you talking about this report? If so, in my opinion there are not to many (the same) photos in this report. If I would have shared all this report would be more lengthy. The photos that I posted are selected for this report. You can scroll and skip them if you wish. I personally enjoy photos of the same subject from different angles as long as the quality is at least decent.

 

If you are not talking about this report... I misunderstood you.

 

I just needed to know so I can sort out the phasing for my upcoming reports.