When vacationing with your kids, you’ll want to go somewhere that they will enjoy and that offers everyone else in the family – including you – a taste of genuine, timeless fun.
Yas Island Abu Dhabi, home to three of the best theme parks in Abu Dhabi, is where you’ll find almost anything you could ever want: adventure, relaxation, and even kid-friendly amusement.
The best part is that you can personalise a three-day trip to suit your family’s needs. Want to know how? Here are some insider tips you can use:
Look for special offers and packages
Consider traveling to Abu Dhabi in summer. Our Kids Go Free offer allows one child to stay free with a paying adult at selected Yas Island hotels. This means that two kids in a family enjoy free hotel stay and free theme park visits as long as both parents are paying for their visit. It’s the smart way to enjoy children’s activities in Abu Dhabi every summer.
Day 1: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is the first and only Ferrari-branded theme park in the world. Like its iconic brand, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi offers unique, record-breaking adventures that will surely get your adrenaline pumping.
More importantly, this one-of-a-kind theme park has everything for everyone, including children. Read on to learn how to get there and what you can find during your trip.
How to Get There
Since this is the first leg of your three-day theme park adventure, you may need some help getting to Yas Island.
If you can't drive there, you can take connecting buses from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and to the best-in-class leisure destination.
Here are some ways to get to Yas Island :
-
At Al Ghubaiba Bus Station Green line metro in Dubai, ride the intercity bus to Abu Dhabi, and get off at the Al Wahda Station. Use your Nol card from the Dubai RTA and pay attention to the timing (the bus leaves every 10 to 20 minutes).
-
From Ibn Batutta Station on the Red line metro, catch the Route 101 bus, with a departure interval of 20 to 30 minutes.
At the Abu Dhabi Station, wait for the 190 Bus to Yas Island. Note that this has a separate ticket and cannot be charged on your Nol.
Once you arrive at Yas Island, getting around the theme parks is easy. The most straightforward way to get around is through your own car.
When you arrive at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, park your vehicle in the Yas Mall car park – the one on the far side of IKEA – dedicated to parkgoers. From there, you can take the Yas Express complimentary shuttle in between.
What to See
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s most popular rides include Formula Rossa and Flying Aces – two record-breaking rollercoasters that have taken people to jaw-dropping speeds and heights. But since you’ll be travelling with your kids, you should consider the “junior” versions of these two:
-
Formula Rossa Junior – This smaller version of Formula Rossa lets kids 90 to 110 centimetres tall experience riding the world’s fastest rollercoaster. The ride is Formula Rossa track, with a top speed of 45 kilometres per hour.
-
Flying Wings – Based on the iconic Flying Aces, this family-friendly ride gives kids and their parents control over their glider’s movement through the park. Just remember that your child needs to be at least 105 centimetres tall for this ride.
Other Helpful Tips
Taking pictures on your phone or camera isn’t prohibited. However, there are certain areas where only the park’s official photographers can take them for a certain amount.
Day 2: Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is home to many familiar characters from your childhood featured in entertaining live shows, attractions, and rides. This massive indoor theme park caters mostly to children four years and above, but it is also an excellent destination for guests of all ages.
How to Get There
If you’re already in Abu Dhabi, you can head over to Yas Island Abu Dhabi via:
-
From Abu Dhabi Central Station – Take the A19 bus service that arrives every hour and directly connects to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi. To reach Warner Bros. World ABu Dhabi, you can get off the bus at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, as the theme parks’ entrances are adjacent to each other.
-
From Saadiyat Island – Take the free Yas Express shuttle that picks up passengers at the major island resorts (via the Orange Route), the Etihad Plaza (via the Green Route) and Fairmont or Shangri-La service (via the Yellow Route).
-
Via a taxi – You can also take a taxi from the Abu Dhabi International Airport, especially when you come in a big group.
What to See
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is home to some of your favourite childhood cartoons, like the Jetsons, the Flintstones, Bugs Bunny and the gang from Looney Tunes, and superheroes from the DC world.
The place is divided into six Lands, including:
-
Warner Bros. Plaza
-
Bedrock
-
Dynamite Gulch
-
Cartoon Junction
-
Metropolis
-
Gotham City
Other Helpful Tips
Park tickets cannot be bought at the park’s entrance. To avoid any inconvenience, be sure to buy your ticket online. This applies to all three theme parks covered in this article.
Also, check the official Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi website for current character appearances and show schedules to make sure you see your favourites in action.
Day 3: Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
Frequently voted as the best water park in the region, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi follows an Emirati-based theme and offers more than 40 sensational experiences.
How to Get There
Since you’re already in Yas Island, no need to ride public buses to get around. If you don’t have your own vehicle, the Yas Express complimentary buses are an excellent alternative.
Just remember that they have a set time for their departure and arrival every day. You can also download the Yas Express pocket guide for the latest bus timing and route.
Below are the three main routes you can take, depending on where you’re staying on your vacation:
-
Y1: From Yas Plaza hotels, this shuttle proceeds to W Abu Dhabi before heading to Yas Mall, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Clymb™, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The shuttle runs between 9 a.m. and 11:35 p.m. every day.
-
Y2: From Hilton Yas Island hotel, this shuttle stops at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Mall, Clymb™, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. You can catch the shuttle between 9 a.m. and 11:35 p.m. daily.
-
Y3: From Yas Plaza hotels, this shuttle lets off passengers at W Abu Dhabi, Hilton, Yas Beach, Yas Marina, and, finally, Yas Marina Circuit. It runs between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. every day.
What to See
Like most water parks, expect lots and lots of water slides in Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi. What’s unique here are the record-breaking and adrenaline-pumping attractions, such as:
-
Dawwama – the world's biggest hydro-magnetic, six-person tornado water coaster.
-
Bubble’s Barrel – has the largest surfable sheet wave design for bodyboards and flow boards.
-
Falcons Falaj – the world’s longest six-seater water coaster.
-
Bandit Bomber – a 550-metre high-speed tour of the lost caves made more thrilling with water cannons and laser effects.
Of course, you can also expect child-friendly attractions, like:
-
Tot’s Playground
-
Cannon Point
-
Yehal
Other Helpful Tips
You’ll want to dedicate at least four hours of your trip to this water park, if not an entire day. There’s so much to see and do here that any less than that would feel like you’re missing so much.
If you drive to the park, be sure to take advantage of the valet parking service for a small extra cost. The water park has plenty of free car parking spaces as well.
To Your Best Family Adventure
Get ready for your best family adventure in Abu Dhabi. Yas Island Abu Dhabi’s three theme parks have everything you could ask for and more!
Want to get more value for your trip? Check out these Yas Island deals and theme park offers for the latest deals to save more and get more out of your visit.
Updated: December 1, 2021
Getting To Yas island
- General
Yas Express is our complimentary shuttle bus service that can get you to any of the major island attractions. For more information, timetable and map, download the pocket guide or call +971 (0) 600 511115.
- To Yas Island:
- Boarding spots are available at the Deira City Center entrance (beside Aloft Hotel) and Ibn Battuta Mall, Parking 7 stop (right in front of the China Court section).
- Within Yas Island:
- The shuttle service bus can take guests to any of the major island attractions.
- Air travel to Yas Island
- If you're coming from outside the UAE, aim to land in Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), as it is located just 10 minutes away from Yas Island.
- Rental car to Yas Island
- From Abu Dhabi International Airport, you can rent a car. All car rental offices operate 24/7
- Uber/Careem
- Connect to the Wi-Fi at Abu Dhabi International Airport and book an Uber or Careem via their apps.
- Taxis to Yas Island
- You can take a taxi to Yas Island from Abu Dhabi International Airport (10 minutes), Abu Dhabi (25 minutes), and Dubai (45 minutes). To get a taxi, you can flag them down at the roadside, call the TransAD hotline 600 535353 to book, or use the Abu Dhabi Taxi app available for both iOS and Android platforms. Taxis are plentiful and fares are reasonable.
- From Abu Dhabi:
- Board the 102 Bus Route to Yas Island at the Abu Dhabi Bus Station next to Al Wahda Mall.
- From Dubai:
- Travel to the Dubai Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to ride to the Abu Dhabi Bus Station, then board the 102 Bus Route to Yas Island.