Aqua Dunya sets sail for Dubailand

'We want to raise the bar for theme parks in the region,' said Tight, who joined Al-Sharq in 2005 after gaining 17 years of international theme park development experience with the Walt Disney Company. 'By and large the family entertainment here is not cutting edge.'

He said the goal is to create a world-class theme park that is reflective of the scope and scale of Dubai's spectacular vision.

'We want to create fantastical moments and build family memories so that people will want to keep coming back. Creating a strong theme that captures visitors' imagination is critical to the success of any theme park. People love experiencing the fantasy of being transported to an imaginary world and they want to stay in that environment for as long as possible,' he said.

Aqua Dunya is based on the tale of an imaginary Bedouin boy, Rakaan, who is fascinated with the sea. He builds a massive steam vessel, the Desert Pearl, and travels the world before returning the ship to anchor in the oasis, where it was covered up by sand until the Aqua Dunya team discovered it in the UAE desert.

The park's centerpiece, the life-like Desert Pearl, will be 330 meters in length, making it larger than the QE2, currently the largest cruise ship in the world, Tight said. It will contain a five-star hotel with 400 state rooms, a 1,400 seat theatre, and a number of rides, all in an air-conditioned environment.

A phased project, on completion the entire development will include 55 rides, three islands, a retail and dining district, three hotels, a nine-hole golf course, 755 timeshare apartments, and an adjacent community with over 2,600 freehold residences.

Deference to local culture

One of the unique features of the park will be its deference to the sensitivities of local culture. 'We wanted to create an environment where everyone can enjoy the park together,' Tight said. 'Unlike traditional water parks, half of our rides are wet, while the other half are dry. Therefore, guests can enjoy the park regardless of whether they are in a swimsuit or local dress.'

Aqua Dunya aims to take existing water parks to the next level. 'We want to explore the use of water in unique ways. There will be a water labyrinth made of thin walls of water where you can run about while remaining dry or you can jump through the walls to get wet. There will be rides that give you a gentle spray or there will be raft rides where you will be almost completely underwater. You can be as wet as you want to be,' Tight said.

Aqua Dunya will reside almost directly adjacent to another mega-theme park, Universal City Dubailand. What impact will it have on Aqua Dunya? 'I think it is a positive thing,' Tight said. 'For Dubailand to be successful, it needs to have enough critical mass to attract visitors.'

The two theme parks will complement each other well because Aqua Dunya is focused on water while Universal will be a dry park, Tight noted. He said Orlando has shown that multiple theme parks in the same location can thrive. The key is the adjacent destinations must be high quality, and Universal 'brings quality that is compelling,' Tight said.

'If the typical Dubai tourist family spends five to seven days in the city, and Aqua Dunya captures one of those days, then we will be successful,' Tight said. The park expects to attract 1.3 million visitors in the first year, which would make it the largest water park in the world.

Mixed use development

The project also represents an example of the evolution toward mixed use development as it will comprise entertainment, hospitality, shared ownership residences, and freehold properties. 'There is tremendous value in integration,' Tight said. 'Guests stay on the property longer, which maximises spending, and there are more touch points to sell additional experiences. You also optimise property values by offering residences that are part of an iconic theme park.'

The park, which is set to open in early 2010, has big plans for expansion, but it will be phased-in based on how demand materialises. 'We would rather chase demand than lead it,' Tight said.

Phase two of the park will include an adventure reef marine habitat, which will be more serene and allow visitors to snorkel with a variety of fish, including manta rays and (friendly) sharks. It will also include one-on-one dolphin swims, which would be a first for Dubai, Tight said.

See also:
Dhs7bn Aqua Dunya unveiled in Dubailand
US$1.8bn Aqua Dunya resort breaks ground
Aqua Dunya design teams in place