FerrariDreams » Yas Marina Island

Ferrari World Theme Park finally opens to public

Rick — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:35:07 +0000

Less than an hour’s flight from Bahrain, one of the Middle East’s hottest new tourist destinations opened its doors – bringing down the flag on a whole new world of high-speed thrills.

The world’s biggest indoor theme park opened to the public in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, November 4th boasting the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the 150mph (240km/h) Formula Rossa which rides along a 2.4km track.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was due to open on Wednesday, October 27th, but the grand unveiling was pushed back following the death of UAE Federal Supreme member and Ras Al Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.

However, the GDN (Gulf Daily News) was among a select group of international media given a sneak preview of what’s in store for thrill-seekers – and we were not disappointed. It is the world’s first Ferrari theme park and features some of the most thrilling rides on the planet.

Situated at the impressive Yas Island next to the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it is hard not to be impressed by its sheer size and scale.

Built on an 86,000sqm site, other rides include the V12 flume ride, the G-Force tower (accelerating visitors to a height of 62m) and the Fiorono GT Challenge, which is a hair-raising, if all too brief, rollercoaster ride.

Less extreme fun comes in the form of Ferrari-themed rides and attractions, which take visitors on a trip through Ferrari’s proud history since the manufacturer was established in 1929.

Attractions such as Made in Maranello, The Pit Wall, Paddock and The Racing Legends offer a unique insight into everything there is to know about the Italian company, from its launch more than 80 years ago to the challenges faced by its Formula One team on the day of a Grand Prix.

There are a mix of images, memorabilia, racing simulators and – most significantly – virtual tours, while a host of attractions aim to keep younger visitors entertained and introduce them to the mechanics of Ferrari.

Junior GT, Junior Grand Prix and Junior Training Camp have all been specially designed to give young race fans a taste of what it would be like to be the Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa of tomorrow.

Staying close to its roots, Ferrari World even features a miniature model of Italy with tours available on a model Ferrari 250 California.

The park is a must for any car lover and, at the very least, a thoroughly interesting eye-opener for everyone else.

When the GDN was there the finishing touches were still being applied to the park and journalists were disappointed to learn that the top three attractions, including the Formula Rossa, were closed for “technical issues”.

However, general manager Claus Frimand said everything was on track for the grand opening.

“This really is a fantastic day for us – I was here for the laying of the first stone three years ago, when we drove out here in a four-wheel drive,” he said.

“There was nothing on the island: no infrastructure, no hotels, no racetrack, no nothing.

“To see how it has gone up and up to the stage where we were giving out the Ferrari uniforms to staff this week and they were all getting excited is just great.

“The new challenge now is every day putting on a show for people and when we open for the public next week, that they get an excitement and thrill every time they come.”

FERRARI WORLD FACTBOX

Construction work on Ferrari World Abu Dhabi began in November 2007, more than three years in the making.

The Ferrari logo on the roof is the largest ever created, spanning 65m in length and an area of 3,000sqm

The park has the largest space frame structure ever built using 12,370 tonnes of steel and built by more than 6,000 workers who poured more than 185,000 cubic meters of concrete.

Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster, lets passengers experience the same G-force they would feel if they drove an F1 car at maximum speed and braked.

The park is open at 12 noon to 10pm on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 12 noon to 12 midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but is closed on Mondays. Ferrari World has a capacity of 10,000 visitors a day, and thousands were expected to come over the weekend.

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 (1.5 meters)). 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. Online ticketing is expected to start soon. For more details, see www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com .

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Source: gulf-daily-news.com, ibtimes.com and thenational.ae

First Ferrari theme park to open on October 28, 2010

Rick — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:44:18 +0000

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

Ferrari Theme Park has the world’s fastest roller coaster

Rick — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:48:06 +0000

Ferrari's Formula One drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, and the team principal, Stefano Domenicali, center, sit in a Ferrari Rossa roller coaster car at the Spanish Grand Prix last week.

Last month, Ferrari’s 599XX, a racecar derived from the stunning 599, lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany in less than seven minutes. At the same time, the 599 GTO made its debut as the brand’s fastest production car ever.

Last week, those two wild horses welcomed a new stablemate, the Formula Rossa roller coaster. It was bred not in the foothills of Maranello, Italy, but in the Arabian desert.

According to Ferrari, the ride moves from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just two seconds. It also inflicts 1.7 g’s of lateral acceleration through 70-degree corners and tops out at nearly 150 mph (241 km/h), sufficient numbers to take away world’s-fastest-coaster bragging rights from Kingda Ka, the marquee thrill at Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild Safari in New Jersey.

Formula Rossa, designed by Jack Rouse Associates, is the latest attraction at Ferrari World, the multibillion-dollar theme park, heritage museum and resort amalgam opening this fall on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.

“The idea is to bring the sensation to people of what a Formula One driver is experiencing,” said Ferrari World’s general manager, Claus Frimand, in a video on the Ferrari World Web site.

Formula One racing is central to the ride’s concept. Ferrari emphasized that connection by introducing the roller coaster’s train during last weekend’s grand prix at Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya, outside Barcelona, with its two drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. However, where their cars only accommodate one person, the coaster seats eight.

Park visitors are propelled from an air-conditioned loading area to the desert beyond via a 20,800-hp (15,500 kW) winch and reaches a maximum height in less than 5 seconds as it climbs out of the Ferrari World’s main dome roof.

Wayne Meadows, Ferrari World’s director of maintenance, said that passengers would be pulled along a launch area of 400 meters, “very similar in the way a carrier launches a jet aircraft.” Over the 1.3-mile (2.07 km) track, the coaster also tops a 171.6-foot (52 meters) rise and barrels through a series of sweepers.

The dramatic performance mandates certain precautions. Because of the speed and that Abu Dhabi is “subject to heavy sand and dust storms,” Mr. Meadows explained, Ferrari World “made the decision that all our guests will wear goggles.”

At Ferrari World, the roller coaster joins a side-by-side Ferrari F430 race simulator, a free-fall plunge and a flume ride that courses through the plumbing of a 599′s V-12 engine.

Ferrari World is scheduled to open to the public on October 28, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will run at the neighboring Yas Marina Circuit on November 14.

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Source: wheels.blogs.nytimes.com, stuff.co.nz and carmiddleeast.com

Valencia could have next Ferrari World Theme Park

Rick — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:50:00 +0000

Ferrari World Theme Park

The newspaper El Mundo reported that another ‘Ferrari World’ theme park could be built in the Spanish port city Valencia.

The famous Italian marque is owned by a small percentage by Abu Dhabi which the United Arab Emirates developer Aldar Properties recently finished the basic structure of the impressive bright red building on Yas Island–complete with an enormous Ferrari logo on the roof visible from the Formula One track.

There emerged earlier this year that there were other locations also being sought to host a second Ferrari World, and Valencia-also featuring a Grand Prix-is reportedly the forerunner in Europe.

Francisco Camps, president of the Generalitat Valenciana administration, reportedly visited Yas Island and has a excellent relationship with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, the Marca sports newspaper said.

“At the moment, we are focused on the project of Abu Dhabi,” a Ferrari source said,”but yes, if the idea works there then it can work elsewhere as well.”

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Source: motorsport.com

UAE Yas Island Ferrari World

Rick — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:20:29 +0000

Ferrari World Theme Park at Abu Dhabi nearly finished

Rick — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:22:06 +0000

The Ferrari World Theme Park at Abu Dhabi on Yas Island

At the center of the landmark Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, sits the world’s first Ferrari Theme Park, designed by Benoy Architects-a thrilling brand experience like no other, a multi-sensory celebration of a design icon. Opening in 2010, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is set to become the world’s largest indoor theme park. On the outside the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi expresses the language, values and passion of the Ferrari brand itself. Benoy’s vision-to create a building that reflects Ferrari’s sinuous form, is directly inspired by the classic double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT body.

The double curve was proportionately applied in elevation to set the structure’s length and height. This proportion gave rise to the dynamic scale of the building at 2310 ft (700 m) from tip to tip of the tri-forms.

The metal skin roof is highly insulated and the main facades utilize efficient glass to reduce thermal loads and glare. The spectacular roof forms a feature of the building providing a fifth elevation and serves as the backdrop to a huge logo which is the largest “prancing horse” emblem in the world, measuring an astonishing 217.8 ft (66 m) in diameter that will welcome all passengers flying into Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Internally, a collection of over 20 state-of-the-art attractions provide excitement for the whole family. The focal attraction will be the 198 ft (60 m) high ‘G-Force Tower’-one of the most intense ‘freefall’ experiences in the world. Two roller coasters continue the adrenalin raising theme, including the world’s fastest, reaching speeds in excess of 124 mph (200 kph).

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s location, scale and purpose combine to present enormous architectural challenges. In response Benoy has delivered a revolutionary design solution. The end result is an iconic landmark leisure destination that reflects both the integrity of the Ferrari brand and the ambitions of Abu Dhabi, and is a project which Benoy is very proud to be associated with.

It’s not surprising that Ferrari’s first theme park is in Abu Dhabi. The park is owned by Aldar Properties. Mubadala Development Company, which owns 15.8% of Aldar, also owns 5% of Ferrari. Mubadala, which is itself owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, paid Ferrari $138 million in 2005, according to the Formula1.net blog.

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Source: wheels.blogs.nytimes.com, menainfra.com and popularhotrodding.com

UAE’s man made island: Yas Marina Island

Rick — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:04:06 +0000

The Yas Marina Island is a man made island designed especially to boost UAE’s (United Arab Emirates) tourism. It’s just off the mainland of UAE’s capital city, Abu Dhabi, and within 30 minutes driving distance of the UAE capital, 50-minute drive from Dubai and 10 minutes from the Abu Dhabi International Airport. This multi-use entertainment destination spans 2,500 hectares and will play host to a multitude of featured attractions, such as a world-class motor sports race track, signature hotels, the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Theme Park, a water park, a Warner Bros. Theme Park and the Abu Dhabi destination retail development of 300,000 sq. meters retail area, links and parkland golf courses, lagoon hotels, marinas, polo clubs, apartments, villas and numerous food and beverage outlets that will create a unique international tourist destination.

The Yas Marina Island is on its way to become an icon in the history of the UAE with its very first launch, the Yas Marina Circuit, designed especially for the final F1 race of the season, the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Yas Marina Circuit: A stunning development in progress, the Yas Circuit will wind its way around an extravagant marina and spectacular island landscape. Yas Island and Abu Dhabi are preparing to host the inaugural 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Designed as an Arabian version of Monaco, the twenty-one corners will twist through this island, passing the marina and winding its way through sand dunes, with several long straights and tight corners. The circuit has four planned grandstand areas (Main Grandstand, West Grandstand, North Grandstand, and South Grandstand) and has part of its pit lane exit running underneath the track. It also houses a team building behind the pit building, Media Center, Dragster Track, VIP Tower and a Ferrari Building. Additionally, one of the gravel traps runs underneath the West Grandstand. The pit exit of circuit also runs under the actual track through one of the on site hotels, making hotel guests there the luckiest viewers of the 2009 final F1 race.

Mr. Bernie Ecclestone, President of the Formula One, has described the Yas Marina Circuit as “one of the most exciting tracks I have ever seen,” which is high praise coming from an expert. From the twisting Singapore-style street sections to the Monaco-style marina, the Yas Marina Circuit will serve up an array of driving challenges for the world’s best drivers. When the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race is over, this will not spell the end for motoring enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi. The Yas Marina Island offers many other possibilities including a 1km long drag strip and an adrenaline-fuelled go-karting complex for those seeking a personalized racing experience.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi: Destined to become the world’s largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will offer a variety of attractions to keep children and adults more than entertained. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE is the main supporter of Ferrari within the UAE. They have worked closely with the brand to make the 2009 Grand Prix possible in addition to promoting the brand throughout their network. From food and beverage courts to heart-racing experiences, such as the electrifying G-force tower, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will have something for everyone.

Warner Bros: Warner Bros. & ALDAR announced a long term multi-faceted alliance including a theme park, multiplex cinemas and development of feature films and video games.

The Warner Bros. Theme Park will include many of your Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbara & DC Comic characters. This exciting theme park will be the 1st Warner Bros. Theme Park in the Middle East.

Yas Island Water Park: The Yas Island Water Park will set the benchmark for family fun on the island, where you’ll be able to spend a few hours, or the whole day. The park will include a variety of relaxing and thrilling attractions, such as a giant lazy river to entertain even the most sluggish family member.

YASRetail: The Super Regional Yas mall will feature name-brand stores from around the world, along with the world’s most dazzling video and water displays. As well as being the central meeting place for the broad community, Yas Mall will also play host to a variety of tastes and budgets, special events, exclusive exhibitions and cinema premieres.

Over 20 hotels are planned for the Yas Island. Designed amd operated by some of the biggest names in the business, they will feature state-of-the-art facilities such as spas, health clubs, restaurants and lounges. The flagship project is the Yas Hotel, which looms majestically over the Yas Marina Circuit Opening seven hotels by November 2009 for the inaugural F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This will include the Yas Hotel, a 499 room signature 5 star hotel operated by Aldar Hotels & Hospitality. Providing 2,250 rooms for race day and beyond.

It is a must see experience for the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix scheduled for November 2009 as it is going to be the event of the year!

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Source: dailytimes.com.pk