New US$1 billion Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi attraction opens

Yas Island's latest addition, the US$1 billion Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, has been officially opened.

Adding to a string of attractions on Yas Island, including Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and CLYMB, the 153,000 metre² indoor theme park is the result of a partnership between Warner Bros. and Miral Asset Management, with AECOM and the Thinkwell Group working on the landmark project.

Featuring six immersive lands, the indoor attraction offers 29 rides, shows and attractions, including thrill rides, family attractions and live entertainment spectacles.

The DC universe makes up two of the six worlds, with Metropolis and Gotham City - the homes of Superman and Batman respectively - designed to draw fans of the comic book franchises to the attraction.

A wide range of Warner Bros brands feature at the park, including DC Comics characters like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, as well as much-loved animation characters from Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera including Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones.

The attraction was opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Miral Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said that the theme park will contribute to the growth of tourism in Abu Dhabi, advising “China, India and Russia have been our biggest markets and there is strong growth by all these countries.

“We (also) expect stronger growth to come from UK, Germany and Saudi Arabia. Additions like Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi will just compound that growth.”

Yas Island has quickly become one of the Middle East’s major leisure and entertainment destinations since first opening Ferrari World in 2007.

Now attracting 25 million visitors a year, a fifth theme park, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, is scheduled to open in 2022.

Images: Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi gets its official opening (top), its Gotham City universe (middle) and Main Street attractions (below).