Who doesn’t love riding in a Ferrari? Nobody, that’s who. But who actually gets to ride in a Ferrari? Almost nobody, that’s who. Until now. Behold the Formula Rossa roller coaster, the world’s fastest coaster and the centerpiece of the brand new Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.

The coaster, which opened on Nov. 4, reaches a top speed of nearly 150 mph in less than four seconds, pinning riders to the seat with 1.7 Gs. 

More details: the cars get launched onto the 1.2-mile-long track with a hydraulic system similar to that which fires planes off the decks of aircraft carriers. And due to the speed and the frequent dust storms in Abu Dhabi, all riders are required to wear safety goggles.

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Source: sports.yahoo.com

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, last Tuesday, December 30th officially inaugurated Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Ferrari theme park, on Yas Island.

Pressing a button in the shape of the iconic Ferrari World Abu Dhabi roof structure, HH Sheikh Mohammed paid tribute to the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “who is keen on turning the UAE into a global magnet of sports and recreational tourism through a diverse portfolio of projects that will have substantial impact on the national economy and social development.”

“The ambitious development projects in progress in Abu Dhabi will help position the Emirate prominently on the global map as a sought after tourist destination. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a quality addition to our tourism industry which is one of the pillars of our national economy,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Hosted by Aldar Properties and Ferrari SpA, the event attracted 2000 VIP guests including HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region; Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister; Sheikh Dr HH Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council;HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Finance Department; Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council; Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority; Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi, Secretary General of the Executive Council; and senior government officials.

Guests including Mr Franco Frattini, Italian Foreign Minister; Giorgio Starace, Italian Ambassador to the UAE; Mr Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of Ferrari; and Ferrari Formula 1 team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa were treated to a spectacular show to celebrate the achievement of Aldar and Ferrari in delivering the world’s largest indoor theme park.

The show – titled Power meets Elegance – was inspired by the history of Abu Dhabi and the story of Ferrari. Seen through the eyes of a young boy, the vision-like story weaves these two strands together to the fulfilment of the dream of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. The two cultures are blended together through an incredible mix of live action, acrobatics, advanced film projection techniques and original music.

The show starts with an incredible aerial dance of the traditional UAE pearl divers surrounded by a 3D marine world projection. The atmosphere then escalates into a magnificent dance of flying dancers and Ferrari engine pistons arriving to the first climax when Puccini’s “un bel di” is sung by an opera singer.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan launched the grand finale which explodes with an incredible series of gigantic projections, flying pearl divers, live orchestra and a unique and amazing firework display that enhances to the rhythm of the music the whole Ferrari World Abu Dhabi building.

Following the spectacular show, HH Sheikh Mohammed toured the park, intermingling with the guests and congratulating the developers for what he termed as an outstanding achievement.

A record number of more than 140 Ferraris travelled across the United Arab Emirates to join the event guided to Yas Island by Abu Dhabi Police. Ferrari Middle East & Africa in association with Al Tayer Motors, the officialFerrari importer for the UAE, and the Emirates’ Ferrari Owners’ Club organized the event as a tribute to the grand opening of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has already captured the imagination of thousands of visitors from around the globe with a range of unique and thrilling attractions including Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster, and Speed of Magic, the region’s first four dimensional fantasy ride.

Ahmed Al Sayegh, Chairman of Aldar Properties:

“We are indeed privileged by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s presence at inauguration of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, an achievement that coincides with our celebration of the UAE National Day.It also gives us great pleasure to welcome His Excellency Franco Frattini, the Italian Foreign Minister and the distinguished guests to the grand opening. Aldar’s work with Ferrari was a meeting of minds with a clear vision to create an experience that is unique, fun and inspirational.”

“This unique new attraction at the heart of Yas Island is creating excitement, not just here in Abu Dhabi, but around the world. With more than 500 million people watching the final race in this year’s Formula 1 season only three weeks ago, the eyes of the world will instantly recognize this amazing structure. Yas Island is an integral part of the government’s ambitious strategy to develop tourism in the Emirate. We are extremely proud at Aldar to be able to contribute to this strong vision through our development work here, and across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”

Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of Ferrari: “I would like to thank all those who made this dream a reality, and in particular our partners and the leadership of Abu Dhabi. The park just 4 years ago was a project, an idea, maybe even a too ambitious idea, and it is now a fantastic reality.”

“We are very proud of our partners Aldar who share with Ferrari the same passion, the same vision, the same will to go beyond. This park combines innovative technology and tradition; it is dedicated not only to Ferrari fans and car enthusiastic, but to the whole family. It has the real touch of Ferrari: how things really are for us, with our exclusive GT road cars and racing cars, but also our history and our cultural background.”

“Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a symbol, built actively on the heritage that Italy represents for the world. But I also like to think that this Ferrari Theme park can be a small contribution to reinforcing the bridge between our two cultures.”

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Source: youtube.com, ameinfo.com and timesofmalta.com

Ferrari World Opened –It’s the first park themed on the famed racing cars with thrill rides and simulators.

The world’s largest indoor theme park opened for the press. The Ferrari World theme park will open for the public in November. It’s an incredible world of Ferrari in Abu Dhabi that will surprise visitors.

The brand new attraction is the first park themed on the famed racing cars. It includes the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, with top speeds of up to 150 mph. There are Ferrari-inspired thrill rides, simulators and family-friendly attractions.

All are located under a 2,200,000-square-foot red roof, modeled after the side profile of a Ferrari GT. The park offers a wide variety of rides and attractions, special festivities, shows and souvenirs. It’s been nearly three years since the first stone was laid.

Claus Frimand, general manager of the theme park, says an operations team of nearly 850 dedicated staff conducted comprehensive ride testing. The team also worked around-the-clock to get the park ready for the opening. An Inaugural Period through November will lead to a Grand Opening in December, Frimand says.

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Source: usposttoday.com

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor theme park, has opened its doors.

The brand new attraction is the first park themed on the famed racing cars and includes the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, capable of accelerating to 60 miles per hour in about two seconds flat with top speeds of up to 150 mph (that equals 1.7 Gs of acceleration force), among its 20 Ferrari-inspired thrill rides, simulators and family-friendly attractions.

All are located under a 2,200,000-square-foot (200,000 square meters) red roof, modeled after the side profile of a Ferrari GT with a perimeter of 7,200 ft (2,200 meters). One-hundred-sixty feet below that roof, which is festooned with the largest Prancing Horse ever created, sits 930,000 sq ft (86,000 square meters) of floor space. That makes Ferrari World the largest indoor theme park on the planet. 

Officials in the United Arab Emirates say the opening is a “historic day,” with guests for the first time experiencing the park’s wide variety of rides and attractions, special festivities, shows and souvenirs.

“The waiting is over, now it’s time to immerse yourself in the world of Ferrari,” says park manager Andy Keeling.

It’s been nearly three years since the first stone was laid, and Claus Frimand, general manager of the theme park, says an operations team of nearly 850 dedicated staff conducted comprehensive ride testing, working around-the-clock to get the park ready for the public opening.

An Inaugural Period through November will lead to a Grand Opening in December, Frimand says.

Ticket prices include unlimited use of rides and attractions and will range from about $61 to $102 for adults (anyone taller than 4 feet 11 inches). Children’s prices are about $45 to $74. The higher priced tickets come with priority on all attractions (you get to cut lines) and include access to an exclusive lounge with refreshments, as well as other benefits.

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Source: news.travel.aol.com and autoblog.com

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is on track to open a day earlier than expected and has announced ticket prices.

The world’s largest indoor theme park will open in less than four weeks, on Wednesday, October 27 at 7pm. Lucky guests will be able to experience the rides, attractions, join the special festivities and enjoy the dedicated entertainment and free souvenirs.

Standard tickets cost 225 United Arab Emirate Dirhams (about $61 USD) for visitors over five feet tall (1.5m), and 165 AED (about $45 USD) for shorter folks. Premium tickets, which provide access to an exclusive lounge with refreshments as well as other as-yet unannounced benefits, cost 375 AED (about $102 USD) for the five foot (1.5m) and up crowd or 270 AED ($74 USD) for more diminutive Ferrari aficionados.

Sep 27, 2010
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Announces Opening Plans
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has revealed its launch plans of the world’s largest indoor theme park with an opening celebration a day earlier than anticipated.

• Standard ticket: $61.26 USD for adults/$44.92 for children
• Premium ticket: $102.10 USD for adults/$73.51 for children
• Premium ticket includes access to exclusive lounge with refreshments

“We are excited to open our doors to the public earlier than previously anticipated, on Wednesday 27th October 2010 and we look forward to welcoming many guests to mark this historic day,” said Claus Frimand, General Manager, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. “This will be the beginning of an exciting Inaugural Period, with the start of operations at the world’s first Ferrari theme park.”

“The Inaugural Period will continue throughout November, leading up to a Grand Opening in December with the official launch of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi,” he added.

During Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s Inaugural Period, families and racing fans will be able to experience the legendary Ferrari passion, history and culture through various rides and attractions, in addition to unique shopping and dining experiences. From the world’s fastest rollercoaster, Formula Rossa; the region’s first dueling roller coaster, Fiorano GT Challenge and the 4-D experience inside Speed of Magic; Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will offer a truly amazing experience for every member of the family.

Ticket prices range from AED 225 for guests above 1.5m, and AED 165 for visitors below 1.5m. Guests can upgrade their experience with a Premium Ticket, which will give them priority on all attractions and access to an exclusive lounge with refreshments, as well as other benefits. Premium Tickets cost AED 375 for guests above 1.5m and AED 270 for visitors below 1.5m. All tickets provide unlimited use of rides and attractions inside Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. The park will be operating on a six-day a week schedule from Tuesday to Sunday, welcoming visitors from 12 noon each day.

“Our operations team of nearly 850 dedicated staff is currently conducting comprehensive ride testing,” added Frimand. “They have all successfully completed extensive training programs on safety procedures and are passionately working round the clock as we count down the days to the Public Opening date.”

“We are on schedule to open the park with a wide selection of rides and attractions. We have managed to turn one of the world’s most exclusive brands into an extraordinary experience which families and fans will come back for time and time again,” concluded Frimand.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will feature many Ferrari-inspired rides and attractions that range from speed thrill rides to the world’s most advanced simulators and family-friendly attractions.

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Source: ferrari.com and autoblog.com

The Formula Rossa rollercoaster

 A year after its first Formula One race, Abu Dhabi hopes to lure even more tourists with “Ferrari World” — a grandiose theme park that is the first of its kind for the iconic Italian carmaker.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi announced on Monday, the 19th of July, that the park will open in 100 days featuring a record-breaking roller coaster ride meant to emulate the feeling of being in a Ferrari F1 car.

Sitting next to the futuristic Yas Marina circuit that hosted Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Grand Prix race in November 2009, the sprawling complex will be the world’s largest indoor theme park.

Due to open on October 28, little more than two weeks before this year’s Abu Dhabi GP, it will be housed under a massive triangular red roof on the 40-billion-dollar Yas Island development.

“It is an indoor thing with an outdoor feeling,” said Claus Frimand, the general manager of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

“You forget that you are inside a building because the roof is between 35 and 50 metres (115 and 165 feet) above you and there are no support structures, except the funnel in the middle and one row of columns,” he added.

Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital, hopes the park will help to draw tourists from around the globe along with several other ambitious projects including state-of-the-art branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.

Ferrari World spreads over 86,000 square metres (925,696 square feet), while the red roof bearing the world’s largest logo of Ferrari’s prancing horse stretches over 200,000 square metres (2.15 million square feet).

Among its 20 attractions are two roller coasters, including the F1-themed Formula Rossa which is set to be the fastest ever reaching a top speed of 240 kilometres (150 miles) per hour.

“It gives you the feel of driving in a F1 car very close to the ground,” said park manager Andy Keeling.

The second of the roller coasters, which stretch beyond the building’s perimeter, features two tracks with Ferrari-shaped trains.

“The unique feature is that it has two tracks, two trains side by side and depending on the weight of the passengers, one will cross the finish line first,” said Frimand.

Right in the centre of the building, out of a big funnel which is the only area with daylight, visitors can experience the space-shot G-force Tower.

“That is the highest we could build on the island,” said Frimand. “We can shoot people up through the roof where they can look over the whole island.

“It gives you the G-force that the drivers are experiencing during the race,” he added.

Elsewhere, a Ferrari California Spyder convertible takes visitors through Bell’Italia, a reproduction of the Italian countryside with model villages and tourist highlights like the lagoon of Venice, the Colosseum, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

A large replica of the Maranello factory demonstrates the manufacturing process from the design stage to the finished product.

Motoring enthusiasts will even be able to experience the inside of a Ferrari V12 engine in another ride.

Abu Dhabi hopes such features will boost tourism in the desert emirate.

“It is a good thing for the tourism offering in Abu Dhabi as there is not all that much to see,” said Grant Salter, general manager of the leisure consultancy Grant Thornton.

“But in isolation, it is not going to drive a huge volume to the capital. It will rather create an additional activity for people who are visiting the emirate anyway,” he added.

Premjit Bangara, manager at Sharaf Travel, sounded more upbeat about the impact of Ferrari World on tourism, saying it will stimulate interest from neighbouring countries where people are passionate about racing.

Another challenge will be profitability.

“Very few theme parks in the world are financially sustainable,” said Salter. “Generally the number of visitors coming in is never enough to cover the costs.”

Rides and attractions:

* Formula Rossa – The world’s fastest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 240 kmph.

* Speed of Magic – A fantasy 4-D journey following the adventures of a young boy as he travels through a kaleidoscopic dreamscape of natural and phenomenal environments, where no Ferrari has gone before.

* Made in Maranello – A virtual trip behind the walls of the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello, taking guests through the intricate process of making the world’s most sought after car.

* V12 - An exciting flume ride to the heart of a 12 cylinders engine.

* G-Force – A thrilling tower ride that will shoot thrill-seekers through the red roof and 62 meters in the air before plummeting back to Earth, experiencing the actual G-force of a Ferrari, in a seat directly inspired by the Ferrari Enzo.

* Scuderia Challenge – Cutting edge racing simulators similar to those used by the drivers of the Scuderia Ferrari in training.

* Viaggio in Italia – A virtual aerial voyage over Italy’s cities and their main monuments, mountains and coasts pursuing a Ferrari.

* Fiorano GT Challenge – A unique dueling rollercoaster with Ferrari F430 Spiders twisting and turning through tight corners on a sprint to the finish line.

* Bell’Italia - A miniature recreation of Italy’s most famous locations, from the picturesque Portofino and the Amalfi Coast to Monza racetrack, the Colosseum in Roma, Venezia and Maranello, the heartland and home of Ferrari.

* Paddock – A re-creation of the Ferrari motor home including garages, transporters & hospitality suites with interactive shows offering fans a taste of the true action behind the scenes on a Grand Prix race day.

* The Pit Wall – An interactive theatre that allows guests to test their judgment in realistic racing scenarios.

* Galleria Ferrari - The world’s largest Ferrari gallery outside Maranello, showcasing the most exclusive range of classic and contemporary Ferrari’s from all over the world.

* Junior GT - A driving school for children with expert instruction where they will drive reduced scale F430 GT Spiders on an equipped driving course.

* Junior Grand Prix - After the Junior GT driving experience, budding F1TM drivers can enjoy the race track in scaled down Ferrari F1TM racers.

* The Racing Legends - A ride through Ferrari’s greatest racing moments starting from the first races all the way to today’s F1 victories.

* Driving with Champions – An interactive 3-D show which follows the adventures of a young engineer who is taken on the ride of a lifetime with a racing champion on his first day working at the Ferrari factory

* Cinema Maranello - Ferrari World’s own theatre showing ‘Coppa di Sicilia’, a short film that tells one of the many inspiring stories from the life of the legendary Enzo Ferrari.

* Junior Training Camp – An interactive play area for children where they can engage with a waterless car wash, become custom ‘constructors’, climb up the grandstand, pilot remote cars, peddle their own miniature Ferrari and play with an F1TM car made of soft, guest-friendly foam.

* Carousel - Featuring never-before-seen Ferrari prototypes based on winning designs from a Ferrari competition.

* Dining and Shopping – A range of concept restaurants and cafes offering authentic Italian dining experiences, in addition to unique shopping locations.

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Source: FerrariWorld via news.yahoo.com and nitrobahn.com

Ferrari World Theme Park

The world’s first Ferrari theme park, inspired by the luxury Italian sports car and racing teams, opened its gates in Abu Dhabi about a month ago for a sneak preview before its official opening in October.

What currently looks like a big construction site will become Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in just over three months, home to 20 Ferrari-inspired attractions including rides, a 4D fantasy adventure, a racing academy, children’s play area, restaurants offering Italian cuisines and various shops.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, described as the world’s biggest indoor theme park, will be home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster ride which developers say will reach a speed of 149mph (240 km/h), giving its riders the sensation of being in a Formula One car.

The park’s manager Andy Keeling said he expects the park on Yas Island will attract a variety of visitors and not just fans of Ferrari, particularly as it is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates.

“We give you the brand and our interpretation of the brand Ferrari, but we are not going to give it a Ferrari price tag. We are going to give it a very affordable price tag,” Keeling said.

Currently, the most visible element of the park is its 200,000 square meter, sleek red roof, which is inspired by the double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT car body and carries the largest Ferrari logo created.

The theme park, being built by Abu Dhabi property developer Aldar Properties and to be managed by a joint venture of Aldar and international leisure company ProFun Management Group, is due to open to the public on October 28, 2010.

The theme park is located next to the Yas Marina circuit that hosts the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix on November 14, 2010.

Abu Dhabi’s government-owned investment fund Mubadala has a five percent stake in Ferrari whose Formula One team has won more championships and races than any rivals.

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Source: reuters.com

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Source: ferrariworld via youtube.com

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Source: ferrari.com via youtube.com