Ferrari World

The UAE is a country full of “most” and “-est”. Tallest skyscraper in the world (the Burj Khalifa). Largest single pane aquarium in the world. If not for a handful of competitors, the Emirates would also be able to claim “Largest Mosque in the World” with the Sheikh Zayid Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Though we happily experienced many of these during our too-short week in Dubai, we also were lucky enough to visit another, less traditional one of the UAE’s “mosts.” For located about 60 kilometers from Abu Dhabi, there is the “Most Ferrari-est Place in the World.”

It’s called, well, Ferrari World, and it is the largest indoor theme park in the world, an 86,000 square-meter facility devoted to the Italian supercar icon, complete with rides, exhibits, food, and games.

In the course of four days in the UAE, our group of SAIS students met with a number of businesses and such important Emirati government figures as the Minister of Energy and the Minister of American Affairs. Though all of these meetings were provided valuable insight into the politics and economy of the country, by the time we got to Ferrari World, we were happy to take a break from these more brain-intensive activities to simply have some fun in one of the best theme parks in the world.

As our noble tour-guide Harris explained the history of the park and showed us its attractions, he made a critical tactical error very early on when he started our tour at the Formula Rossa, the fastest rollercoaster in the world (and yet another of the UAE’s superlatives.) The ride is designed to emulate the force and speed of a Formula 1 race, accelerating from 0 to 62 miles per hour in less than 2 seconds, before reaching its peak speed of 150 mph (!) in 5 seconds (after which it settles to a more “reasonable” 90 mph). After we saw that ride, Harris might as well have been one of those teachers in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Ferrari World had enchanted us, and we wanted to see all it had to offer. With jaws agape, we walked past high-end Ferrari simulators, a go-kart course, and of course, numerous showcases of such Ferrari legends as the 458 Italia and the Testarossa.

In many ways, Ferrari World is a tribute not only to the car manufacturer, but to the country from where it came. One roller coaster is dedicated to Italian fighter pilot Francesco Baracca, a section of the park is the façade of an Italian village, and a children’s ride traverses a miniature version of Italian landmarks and monuments.

In our brief time in the park we couldn’t experience everything, and as we made the trip from Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi back to our hotel in Dubai, we discussed the next day’s schedule and meetings. While we were all looking forward to returning to the more studious tasks at hand, we all were thankful for the welcome respite of Ferrari World.

-Andrew Lubrano, second year Middle East Studies concentrator, SAIS