If you’ve not yet had your fill of all the food and fun at Global Village, we have good news! Having reopened on October 16 for the 2024-2025 season, the popular attraction which was set to close its doors on May 11 has extended its closing date by a week.
You’ve got until May 18 to cram in shopping, dining, entertainment shows, and thrilling rides. We’ve compiled a handy guide of everything to do, see and eat before you have to say goodbye to the popular tourist attraction. As an additional treat, kids under 12 get free entry into the park, plus a special Carnaval offer lets you enjoy a variety of rides for just AED 50.
What to see inside Global Village
1. Pavilions full of shopping and photo-ops
27 themed pavilions conveying over 90 different cultures will enthral you. Some are modelled after iconic structures and landmarks of a country, so photo-ops are going to be plenty. Others recreate bustling bazaars and streets of their cities with stalls full of decor, clothing, jewellery and spices.
All pavilions regularly hold cultural performances and folk dances on their own stages. This year, three new pavilions have been added – Jordan, Iraq , and a joint Sri Lanka & Bangladesh Pavilion.
2. Carnaval and its many rides
The theme park element at Global Village is packed up neatly inside the Carnaval area with 195 gravity-defying rides, arcades and skill games. You’ll know to find this fun zone thanks you all the shrieks and screams of delight amidst flashing lights.
From merry-go-rounds for the little ones to stomach-churning rides like a giant wheel and roller coasters for adrenaline junkies, you can find it all here and they’re themed after international destinations- Beijing Bungee, Caribbean Ship, Mumbai Express, Burj free-fall and more. Family-friendly fun-fair games such as shooting hoops, darts and more will get you not just giant squishy plush toys but also luxury items like iPhones and Playstations.
3. Haunted Houses, Mayan Temples and other themed experiences
An offshoot of Carnval, these specific zones recreate construction sites (Digger’s Lab) where you can manouevre hydraulic diggers, dumpers, a scary haunted house experience full of creepy characters in the House of Fear, simulated space challenges inside Neon Galaxy, and an interactive archaeogical quest in a Mayan temple called Secrets of the Lost City.
4. Dining and food
Over 200 restaurants and food stalls are peppered across Global Village’s sprawling expanse of 17,200,000 sq. ft. Pop-ups by popular restaurants such as Pakistani restaurant Bundoo Khan’s or Khachapuris at Georgian eatery Old Tiblisi return yearly.
It’s the street food stalls here that take the cake every season with unique dishes that turn into viral TikTok hits. Whether it’s Chiki’s loaded chicken sandos, miracle French toast or octopus skewers.
Make sure you walk down the Road of Asia for authentic street food, ingredients and food products from 13 Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Philippines. The Indian Chaat Bazaar section is a hub of spicy samosas and unique fusion dishes like chocolate pani puris.
Meanwhile, the Floating Market is teeming with docked boats-turned-food stalls that serve Asian seafood dishes, steaming noodles from Japan and Korea to Indonesia and Malaysia. Two other food-centric streets to check out here are Fiesta Street and Happiness Street.
5. Shows and events
America’s Got Talent’s alumni Urban Crew will make jaws drop with their acrobatic performances. Slasptick firefighting comedy by Colombian Clowns and Merry-Go-Round, a live circus troupe featuring jugglers, rolls up to the Main Stage every week. Letter From Bollywood, a family-friendly hip-hop dance show blending Bollywood tunes with international choreography, will have you grooving,
Action aficionados sound pencil in the fast, furious and futuristic stunt shows by Cyber City Stunt Show. Set in the year 2075, there’ll be flying bikes, LED-covered police cars and a
Tank whizzing past. Meanwhile, The Toy Shop is a theatrical act about toys coming to life after dark.
Kids’ Theatre returns this year too with the following theatrical productions to entertain younger audiences with Octonauts, PJ Masks, and Peter Rabbit. A variety of interactive workshops will also be held at the Kids’ Theatre.
6. Exo Planet City
A new addition to the Global Village’s myriad magical landscapes is this intergalactic world. A Mirror Maze, an Infinity Room, a Flying Theatre with 3D visuals and 4K content, and a 5D Cinema with smoke and rain effects and seats that move are a handful of highlights. To fulfil your Star Trek, head to the Galaxy Hunter spacecraft simulator where you can lead cosmic missions.
7. Concerts and meet-and-greets with celebrities
Appearances by international music artists and movie stars at a fraction of the price of a regular concert ticket are the proverbial cherry on top of the Global Village cake. If you were mesmerised by Bollywood heartthrob Shahrukh Khan’s visit, mark down dates for performances by Pakistani singer Atif Aslam (April 27) and Arabic music legend Amr Diab (May 4). Fans of Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi should also check out the tribute acts performing here.
8. Fireworks at Global Village
As always, what is a visit to Global Village without witnessing a scintillating display of fireworks? Fireworks will light up the skies above this tourist hotspot’s domed and arched entrances every Friday and Saturday at 9pm. A special grand finale of fireworks will happen on May 16, 17 and 18 to mark the closing of the family-friendly attraction for summer.
How to get Global Village tickets?
Simply log into to www.globalvillage.ae or download their app. Any day tickets are AED 30 per adult, and weekday tickets cost AED 25 per person. Besides entry, these tickets include all-day access to concerts by international stars, pavilions, rides and other entertainment performances.
What are Global Village timings?
Doors open at 4pm every day of the week. Stroll around the park from Sunday to Wednesday till 12am. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, however, closing time is 1am. Tuesdays are exclusively for ladies and families unless it’s an official public holiday.