Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi: An Insider’s Family Guide to the World’s Most Thrilling Theme Park

Abu Dhabi has no shortage of things to do, but if you’re here with family, do not skip Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, a popular theme park in Abu Dhabi. You’ll regret missing it if you forgo a visit during your UAE trip.

Once you’re standing inside that iconic red-roofed structure, watching the world’s fastest roller coaster launch a train of screaming passengers to 240 kilometers per hour in under five seconds, you’ll realize there is genuinely nowhere else on Earth quite like this place.

Ferrari World has a reputation for being a park for adrenaline junkies, and it’s a reputation it deserves. Whether your youngest child is four years old or a parent is pushing 60, there will always be some fast fun available here for every member of the family, like the three coasters that offer three completely different experiences.

1.    Formula Rossa

Formula Rossa holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s fastest roller coaster. It rockets to 240 kilometers per hour (149 miles per hour) in just 4.9 seconds, pulling 4.8Gs, which is the same force F1® drivers feel braking hard from full throttle.

The roller coaster is 2,087 meters long, 52 meters high at its highest point, and keeps you at the edge of your seat for 1 minute and 32 seconds.

Formula Rossa is a go for anyone in your family who is 140-195 centimeters tall.

2.    Flying Aces

There’s another record-breaking ride in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. It’s Flying Aces, and its 63-meter-tall, 51-degree inclined hoop is the world’s highest, non-inverted roller coaster loop.

Flying Aces sends you hurtling up and down its tracks at 120 kilometers per hour. Sit in an outer seat so your feet can dangle in the open air, with no floor to add a sense of stability and security. The twists, turns, and drops will hit differently.

The detail most visitors miss is the story behind Flying Aces. This biplane-themed coaster is inspired by Italian WWI flying ace Count Francesco Baracca, who painted a prancing horse on his fighter plane. This inspired the prancing horse on the Ferrari logo.

Flying Aces is for anyone 130 to 196 centimeters tall.

3.    Turbo Track

Then there’s Turbo Track, which pierces vertically through the center of the park’s red roof, shooting riders 64 meters skyward at 102 km/h before a zero-gravity free fall back down. All of that in 30 seconds.

Like Flying Aces, Turbo Track is for guests 130-196 centimeters tall.

A Ride for Every Height

Almost every major ride has a junior counterpart.

• Formula Rossa Junior is a roller coaster for children at least 90 centimeters tall. It gives little tykes a taste of high-speed coaster thrills, but throttled at the more temperate pace of 45 kilometers per hour.
• Flying Wings mirrors the biplane-themed Flying Aces, but allows onboard kids who are only 105 centimeters tall.
• Turbo Tower gives little ones at least 105 centimeters tall a taste of the vertical free fall experienced by the older children and adults in Turbo Track, but scaled to their size.

Other popular ridesfor the young ones are:

• Speedway Race, whichputs children 90 to 120 centimeters tall behind Ferrari-styled cars running on a circuit.
• Junior Grand Prix, where kids 110 to 140 centimeters tall receive actual instructor training before zooming away in replica F1 cars, is one of the rides every child in your group will talk about on the flight home.

For guests 13 years and older and 140-210 centimeters in height, the Karting Academy is a hidden gem. It’s a 290-meter indoor electric go-kart circuit.

If anyone in your party intends to drift on the karting track, they must sign up for the experience as soon as they arrive at the park. After paying the fee and getting their Karting Academy confirmation or QR code, they must present themselves and their confirmation at the Karting Academy reception on their assigned time slot.

The Karting Academy fills fast and costs extra, but it is absolutely worth it.

5 Insider Tips That Will Save Your Day

To make the most of your time at the park, remember these tips:

1. Check the park’s opening hours. The park may open at 10 a.m., 12 noon, or sometime in between.
2. Arrive before the park opens. Get to the park early and hit your must-do rides before the midday rush. This way, your afternoon can be less frantic. Be there 15 minutes before the gate opens; that will change the entire experience for you.
3. Register for FacePass via the Yas Island app before your visit. Your whole family scans their faces instead of fumbling for tickets at every ride entrance. It’s a slight change, but it will eliminate a surprising amount of friction across a full day.
4. Buy tickets online in advance. Buying Ferrari World tickets online lets you skip the counter queues and unlocks multi-park bundle pricing. If Yas Waterworld, SeaWorld, and/or Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi are also on your itinerary, the multi-park passes represent genuine value.
5. Take advantage of the free shuttle bus transportation. If you have a paid Ferrari World ticket, you can ride the Yas Express to travel to Yas Island from Dubai, Downtown Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, or Ajman. There are also Yas Express shuttle buses to connect major Yas Island attractions.

Beyond the Rides

The park holds the world’s largest Ferrari retail space. Here, you can purchase scale car models, Ferrari watches, and collector apparel.

For food, Mamma Rossella serves certified Neapolitan pizza, and Il Podio, styled after the staff dining room at Ferrari’s Maranello factory in Italy, offers international cuisine in a full racing-team setting.

Except in the summer, the Roof Walk is also available. This guided tour and walk across the park’s iconic roof is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Add Ferrari World to Your Abu Dhabi Travel Bucket List

Ferrari World is a world-class theme park known for its high-octane roller coaster rides. Make sure to add it to your Abu Dhabi travel itinerary, and follow the tips above to make the most of your day.