Three years after construction began at the Dubai Parks and Resorts, the AED 13 billion attraction was officially inaugurated on Sunday, 18 December 2016, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammad was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council, Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and other senior officials.

Located in Jebel Ali, close to the Expo 2020 site, the inauguration as attended by media from around the world and officials. 200 children from the Awqaf and Minor Affairs Foundation and the Make A Wish Foundation were also invited to the event, which saw a special show performed by dancers and actors from the attractions various parks.

Lookalikes of Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan danced to their biggest hit songs.

The show, which lasted about 30 minutes, ended with a massive fireworks display.

Spread over 2.8 million square metres and consisting of three main theme parks — Legoland Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai and Motiongate Dubai — the project has seen a phased opening, starting with Riverland Dubai, the central attraction that connects all the parks, on 31 October 2016.

Sheikh Mohammed, whose directives it was to launch the project, has been personally involved at every stage. He toured the park on 29 October, saying the project would become a cultural and tourist landmark that would elevate the UAE’s position as a regional and global family entertainment and tourism destination.

Legoland Dubai is part of a themed chain of parks inspired by the popular construction toys, while Bollywood Parks Dubai is a first-of-its-kind attraction dedicated to the everything Bollywood.

Motiongate Dubai is inspired by Hollywood movies and will feature attractions and content from DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and The Smurfs. Riverland Dubai, the ‘reception’ area for all the parks, is itself a themed area with hundreds of dining options and a river at its centre. Visitors can also stay at the Lapita Hotel, a Polynesian-themed resort, managed by the Marriott Group.

Alan Menken, the Oscar, Grammy and Tony Award-winning composer behind the scores of classic films such as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast and Sister Act, who wrote the attraction’s theme song, All the Wonders of the Universe, performed the composition with his daughter Anna Rose.

“It was irresistible,” Menken said, about writing the song. “I just imagined how a magical theme park might spring to life in the middle of the desert.”

This is just the first phase of Dubai Parks and Resorts, which is expected to be fully built by 2019. Six Flags Dubai, part of the world’s largest amusement park chain headquartered in Texas, will be the fourth theme park to open. Estimated to cost AEd 2.6 billion, it will feature 27 rides and attractions across six zones.

“We are very proud of the destination we have created for the UAE and its visitors, and thank our partners, guests and shareholders for their support of this complex and unique destination,” said Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, the chief executive officer of DXB Entertainments, the company that operates Dubai Parks and Resorts, ahead of its opening day.

Fun Facts About Dubai Parks and Resorts

• More than 200 performers using 1,200-plus costumes will perform daily at Jaan-E-Jigar, the Broadway-style musical at Rajmahal Theatre inside Bollywood Parks Dubai.
• Bollywood hits Don, Lagaan, Sholay, Krrish, RA.One, Dabangg, Rock On!! and Zindagi Na Milegi Na Dobara will feature in 3D and 4D experiences, as well as interactive live performances, inside Bollywood Parks Dubai.
• It’s free to go to Riverland Dubai, the 234,000 square feet reception area of the Dubai Parks and Resorts. Covering four main zones, this attraction that connects all the parks, will have more than 57 restaurants, including licensed ones, each fitting in with the zones. There will be banks, a spa and food and services kiosks. There’s also four event spaces, including three outdoor and a large indoor multi-purpose venue for celebrations, parties and meetings.
• The 17-metre high Burj Khalifa Lego model inside the Miniland in Legoland took 439,000 Lego bricks to create and more than 5,000 hours to assemble. It also features a miniature fountain show — complete with lights and music — at its base. It is also the world’s tallest Lego building, naturally.
• Legoland Dubai covers a total area of three million square feet and features more than 40 interactive rides, shows, attractions and Lego building experiences. There are currently 15,000 Lego model structures in the theme park.
• Legoland Dubai was the most trending destination in the UAE in 2016, according to data released by Google.
• Motiongate Dubai will feature 27 key rides and attractions inspired by Hollywood blockbusters such as Ghostbusters, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Smurfs and The Hunger Games. There will also be live entertainment, such as the Step Up: All In show.
• Entry to each theme park is priced separately, a one-day pass to Bollywood Parks Dubai, for instance, starts at AED 285. But visitors can also buy a hopper pass, which gives access to all theme parks, starting at AED 295. Go to dubaiparksandresorts.com.