Dubai is known to the world mostly for its beguiling architecture, massive malls, duty-free shopping scenes and exquisite cuisines. But whatever is your purpose to visit this part of the globe, you will never be out of excitement!
Motiongate Dubai and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi are the two undisputed kings of the region when it comes to theme park entertainment sector. Full of adrenal rushing rides, activities and more – these two places are the most celebrated ones.
Want to know which one is best – Motiongate or Ferrari World? We are also trying to find out the same. So, join us and go through this post to decide on the winner.
We are a little inclined towards Motiongate Dubai for its family-friendly approach in designing the rides, entertainment zones, shops and restaurants but don’t skip reading this post before taking the final call.
Location
Motiongate is the newest addition to the world-famous Dubai Parks and Resorts. This flagship theme park is also the largest Hollywood-inspired entertainment zone in the Middle East.
Motiongate is positioned along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. It takes about 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport to reach this wonderful park via E11. If you are taking the route via Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, this will only add a couple of minutes more to the travel time.
Surprisingly it takes more or less the same time to reach Motiongate from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Yes, you are right. Motiongate theme park lies almost mid-way from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Another sought-after theme park Legoland sits pretty close to Motiongate. This is why we would not recommend you for just a day trip to this place but to plan for multiple visits across your Dubai vacation days.
If you’re planning to stay nearby for exploring the area more, Rove at The Park can be a great place to book your accommodation.
Ferrari World sits on the iconic Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. This theme park remains favourite among all ages. Reaching Ferrari World is of course easy for people staying at Abu Dhabi but you can also visit this place from Dubai too. Travel time will be less than 70 minutes via E11.
We must warn you beforehand that your visit to Ferrari World can’t be just a single destination affair. Ferrari World is surrounded by plenty of other alluring attractions including Warner Bros World, Kidzania, Yas Waterland and Yas Mall.
Ferrari World enjoys the advantage of being situated at a prime location on Yas Island. Motiongate sits a bit away from the city of Dubai. Although, travelling to both of these locations is easy and quick.
Winner
It is Ferrari World because of its presence close to the city.
Are you more into natural gardens? We have something for you. Dubai showcases a bunch of beautifully maintained parks and gardens. Check out the nine Dubai parks and gardens that nobody should miss.
Which Is Cheaper?
Budget plays a crucial role before we decide which of these two theme parks is better to pay a visit. Now, let us weigh Motiongate Dubai and Ferrari World on a scale of “cost”. With this section, we intend to make you understand which of these two has the best value for money.
We are also taking TripAdvisor and Google Ratings into account to find which theme park is cheaper.
| Day Ticket | Annual Pass | TripAdvisor Rating | Google Rating | |
| Motiongate Dubai | AED 330 | Starting from AED 595 | 4/5 | 4.6/5.0 |
| Ferrari World Yas Island | AED 325 | Starting From AED 995 | 4/5 | 4.5/5.0 |
As the table clearly shows, there is not much difference in TripAdvisor and Google Ratings as well as in Daily Pass prices. What makes the difference is the cost of annual passes. Motiongate Dubai has got a much cheaper price for the annual pass.
You can find out more ticket details by clicking on the below links:
Winner
Motiongate Dubai has just got a little edge over Ferrari World when it comes to the cost of the annual passes.
Which Has More Rides?
Your experience at any theme park is everything that you are spending money on. A wholesome experience for the whole family is probably the most desired thing when you are heading for either Motiongate Dubai or Ferrari World Yas Island.
We are here to compare the number of rides available at these two exceptionally elaborated theme parks so that you can decide on your own which has got more to offer.
Rides at Motiongate Dubai
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs – River Expedition
- Capitol Bullet Train
- Now You See Me: High Roller
- Madagascar Mad Pursuit
- Zombieland Blast-Off
- Dragon Gliders
- Smurf Village Express
- The Green Hornet: High-Speed Chase
- Ghostbusters: Battle for New York
- Hotel Transylvania
- Underworld 4D
- Swamp Celebration
- Melman-Go-Round
- Kung Fu Panda: Unstoppable Awesomeness
- Mr. Ping’s Noodle Fling
- The Swinging Viking
- Penguin Air
Click here to gather more details on Motiongate Dubai rides.
Rides at Ferrari World
- Mission Ferrari
- Flying Aces
- Formula Rossa
- Turbo Track
- Turbo Tower
- Fiorano GT Challenge
- Formula Rossa Junior
- Flying Wings
- Bell’ Italia
- Speedway Race
- Junior Grand Prix
- Karting Academy
- Scuderia Challenge
- Speed of Magic
- Benno’s Great Race
- Viaggio in Italia
- Tyre Twist
- Driving with the Champion
- Made in Maranello
Want more details on each ride available at Ferrari World? Click on this link.
When Motiongate Dubai can enthrall your day with 17 rides, Ferrari World has got two more extra (total of 19) to keep your adrenaline level high. So, Ferrari World is receiving a few extra points for having a greater number of rides.
Winner
Ferrari World
Which Has Better Variety in Rides?
We have got a winner by comparing the number of rides available in Motiongate Dubai and Ferrari World. What about the variety both these theme parks have got? We are looking beyond just the “numbers” and trying to understand the variety of the rides.
Motiongate Dubai Ride Types
- Hotel Transylvania – Castle Ride
- Capitol Bullet Train – Thrill Rollercoaster
- Zombieland Blast Off – Thrill Ride
- Underworld 4D – 4D Thrill Simulator
- Ghostbusters Battle for New York – Interactive Ride
- Smurf Village Express – Child-friendly Coaster
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – Water Ride
- The Swinging Viking – Swinging Boat Ride
- Madagascar Mad Pursuit – Roller Coaster
- Swamp Celebration – Spinning Ride
- Dragon Gliders – Air Roller Coaster
Ferrari World Ride Types
- Mission Ferrari – Sideways Mega-coaster
- Formula Rossa – Rollercoaster
- Flying Aces – Rollercoaster Loop
- Turbo Track – Vertical climbs and zero-gravity fall ride
- Fiorano GT Challenge – Rollercoaster
- Turbo Tower – Bouncing drop tower
- Formula Rossa Junior – Launched rollercoaster
- Flying Wings – hanging glider
- Speedway Race – Two-seater race
- Bell’ Italia – Mini Italy tour in a miniature Ferrari 250 California model
- Junior Grand Prix – Car racing
- Scuderia Challenge – F1 car racing ride
- Benno’s Great Race – Interactive car challenges in an oversized set-up
- Viaggio In Italia – Flying theatre
- Tyre Twist – Cup and Saucer Ride
As you can see, Ferrari World concentrates more on roller coaster rides and it has a very sharp division in the rides suited for children and adults separately. On the contrary, Motiongate offers more variety in terms of rides and experiences. Here, parents can also join their kids for most of the rides.
Winner
Hard call but it’s Motiongate Dubai for us.
Which Has Better Additional Entertainment Options?
Both Motiongate Dubai and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi have been designed to deliver an unlimited source of entertainment. These theme parks are doing this with utmost effort. But no experience is complete without some additional facilities.
Apart from rides, Motiongate Dubai includes several more exhilarating entertainment options like Panem Aerial Tour, Smurfs Studio Tour, Hotel Transylvania Meet & Greet, Shrek Meet & Greet, The Smurfs Meet & Greet, Kung Fu Panda Po Meet & Greet, Toothless, Hiccup and Astrid Meet & Greet, Effie Meet & Greet, Madagascar Meet & Greet, King Julien Sideshow Stomp, Smurfberry Factory, Woodland Play Park, Camp Viking, Flint’s Imagination Club and Shrek’s Merry Fairy Tale Journey. The list looks impressive! Isn’t it?
Now turn our attention to what additional entertainment Ferrari World can offer us. Some of the most rewarding ones are Drive a Ferrari, VIP Experience, Roof Walk & Zipline, Karting Academy, Italian Summer, Winterfest, Women of Ferrari World (exclusive ladies only evening), Nelo’s Adventureland, Made in Maranello, Tyre Change Experience, RC Challenge, Junior Training Camp, Galleria Ferrari and Motor Midway Games.
It is not possible to decide which park has got better additional entertainment options because that depends on what kind of experiences you or your kids like. Motiongate Dubai’s elements have more of a family-friendly and filmy-side while Ferrari World’s approach revolves more around speed and Ferrari.
Winner
It’s a tie.
Which Has More Restaurants and Food Joints?
Spending hours in a theme park must be accompanied by good food because you can’t ignore those growls coming out of your tummy. Your body needs food to replenish its energy level and to jump into the next ride.
Motiongate features a good variety of restaurants within its territory. Here comes all of them and you can check the delicacies you wish to dig into.
- Supporting Rolls Bakery
- Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop
- King Julien’s Side Show Café
- Very Smurfy Café
- Slimer’s Diner
What about Ferrari World? They have got a wide range of dining options too. We would suggest you buy the Tasty Ticket to save with a meal voucher with 30% extra value, redeemable at all our restaurants. Here are all those Ferrari World food joints you must look for great food and beverages.
- Mamma Rossella
- Il Podio
- Espresso Rosso
- Officers Food Quarters
Winner
Motiongate is the winner in this segment as they have got more restaurants.
Shops Inside the Park
Want to immortalize your experience in Motiongate Dubai and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi? The best way is to do some retail therapy and bring a few pieces of memorabilia back to your home. And we are happy to let you know that both these theme parks house a series of shops to make it happen!
Motiongate Dubai comes with some aptly themed and exciting retail stores including;
- Daily Variety Store
- Shrek Shack
- Sweet Sweet Nothings
- Studio Store
- Ghostly Gifts
- Creature Comforts
- Smurfs Studios Store
- Hiccup’s Workshop
- Dragon Warrior Shrine & Gift Shop
- Big Top Treasures
- Lens Fair
- Silver Screen Sudries
- Tim and Son’s Bait Shop
- Panem Supply Co.
Ferrari World encompasses the World’s largest Ferrari retail space that features an outstanding collection of branded products and memorabilia. The collection ranges from fun toy cars to an impressive line of Italian fashion and accessories. So, you can bring a piece of Ferrari history with you and cherish it forever!
Winner
Motiongate Dubai
Conclusion
Motiongate Dubai is the largest Hollywood-inspired theme park while Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is clearly the Ferrari-inspired themed park in the Middle East. These places exuberate their own vibe and you will surely fall for them. Although we liked Motiongate Dubai a little more than Ferrari World, we will insist you pay a visit to these two places without a miss. You can thank us later.
Thanks for reading! Make sure to come back for more on Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Also, follow us on Pinterest and Subscribe to our Youtube channel too.
