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Motiongate Dubai

24°55′19″N 55°00′14″E / 24.92183492°N 55.003883178°E / 24.92183492; 55.003883178

Motiongate Dubai

LocationDubai, United Arab Emirates
StatusOperating
OpenedDecember 16, 2016; 7 years ago (December 16, 2016)[1]
OwnerDubai Holding
Operated byDubai Parks and Resorts
General managerDenis Pascal
ThemeShow business
SloganWhere rides and movies come together!
Operating seasonYear-round
Area45 acres (18 ha)
Attractions
Total29
Roller coasters7
Water rides1
Websitehttps://www.motiongatedubai.com/

Motiongate Dubai (or Motiongate for short; stylized as motiongate) is a Hollywood-inspired theme park[2] located in Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, showcasing five themed areas and attractions dedicated to popular media franchises. It was opened on December 16, 2016.[3][4]

Licensed properties in Motiongate Dubai

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Since Motiongate did not have any of its original attractions, all of its attractions and rides are based on licensed properties from various studios like Sony, Comcast, Lionsgate, and Peyo.

History

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Motiongate Dubai is operated by Dubai Parks and Resorts. The park's opening date was originally scheduled on October 31, 2016, but was postponed due construction delays. It was opened on December 16, 2016.[5]

Theme park operations were temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19 precautionary measures. It was supposed to reopen on April 8, 2020, but the closure was extended for the summer period with the destination reopening on September 23, 2020.[6] The company will "focus on the roll-out of the enhancement programme and completion of maintenance works during the closure period". On January 21, 2022, Lionsgate zone expanded to feature 2 additional movie franchises 'Now You See Me' and 'John Wick', also adding 2 rides to the park.[7]

Areas

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Attractions

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Columbia Pictures

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Current

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Former

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  • Ghostbuster Block Party - street show

DreamWorks

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  • Dragon Gliders – a Mack Rides Inverted Power Coaster
  • Shrek's Merry Fairy Tale Journey – a trackless dark ride
  • Madagascar Mad Pursuit – a Gerstlauer Infinity coaster and the first of its kind to have no inversions.
  • Melman-Go-Round – Carousel created by Concept1900 Entertainment
  • Penguin Air – a Zamperla Magic Bike
  • Swamp Celebration – a Zamperla Disk'O
  • Kung Fu Panda Academy
  • Mr. Ping's Noodle Fling – a teacup ride
  • King Julien's Side Show Stomp – a live show
  • Operation Penguin Shake
  • Fountain of Dreams
  • Kung Fu Panda: Unstoppable Awesomeness – a motion simulator supplied by Simworx, using their Cobra motion simulator technology.[9] This attraction's plot and even voice lines would later be used in Universal Studios Hollywood's DreamWorks Theatre, albeit with lots of changes.
  • The Swinging Viking – a pirate ship ride
  • Camp Viking

The Smurfs' Village

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  • Smurfberry Factory - a play area.
  • Smurf Village Express - a Gerstlauer junior roller coaster.
  • Smurfs Studio Tours - a traditional dark ride.
  • Woodland Play Park - an outdoor play area.
  • Smurfs Village Playhouse - a live, animated interactive show.

Lionsgate

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  • Panem Aerial Tour - a motion simulator.
  • Capitol Bullet Train - a Mack Rides launched coaster and the only roller coaster in the park with inversions.
  • John Wick: Open Contract - a S&S 4D Free Spin coaster and one of two roller coasters in the park meant for the Six Flags Dubai project.
  • Now You See Me: High Roller - a Maurer AG SC3000 and the other roller coaster in the park meant for the Six Flags Dubai project.

Former

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Hollywood Theater

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  • Illuminate - a live show

Character appearances

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Companies Franchises Characters Locations Year appearances
DreamWorks Animation
(Universal Pictures/NBCUniversal/Comcast) 		Shrek
How to Train Your Dragon
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar 		Shrek
Donkey
Fiona
Puss in Boots
Hiccup
Astrid
Toothless
Po
Alex
Marty
Melman
Gloria
King Julien
Maurice
Mort
Penguins
Capitan Dubois 		DreamWorks 2016–present
Columbia Pictures
(Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group) 		Hotel Transylvania
Underworld
Ghostbusters
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 		Dracula
Mavis
Johnny
Murray
Selene
Peter Venkman
Ray Stantz
Egon Spengler
Winston Zeddemore
Flint Lockwood
Sam Sparks 		Columbia Pictures[10] 2016–present
Peyo The Smurfs Papa Smurf
Smurfette
Brainy Smurf
Vanity Smurf
Smurfs Village[11] 2016–present
Lionsgate Studios The Hunger Games
Now You See Me
John Wick 		Effie
Peacekeepers 		Lionsgate[12][13][14] 2016–present

Annual events

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MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights (October 2018) - Held from the 18th of October until the 3rd of November, it featured 2 scare areas and a Saw themed maze.[15]

MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights 2 (October 2019) - Held from the 24th of October until the 22nd of November. Horrors from the screen featured photobooth from famous horror movies in history. Haunting of the Old Graveyard was a storytelling show. Into the Deadlands was a maze themed after a post-apocalyptic Earth. Zombieland was a maze with zombies.[16][17]

MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights 3 (October 2020) - Held from the 22nd of October until the 14th of November. Guests can expect a live horror show performed at the Hollywood Theater which will feature a 20-minute chronicle around the grim story of The Collector and his epic fight with the Hollow Heart Beast. In addition, a horror maze right out of your worst nightmares awaits at The Underworld where you join a secret society formed by The Collector to capture an ancient creature that hides in the old cursed crypt.[18]

MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights 4 (October 2021) – Held from 23 September until 6 November. A haunted cinema infested by a creepy legend from the past lurking in the dark. Six guests will be allowed inside this immersive ‘Nyctophobia’ experience at a time, and they must figure their way out within six minutes.[19]

MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights 5 (October 2022) – Held from 8 October until 31 October. The Legend of the Weeping Shadow scare zone investigates a vengeful ghost who is rumored to roam waterfront areas. Meanwhile, the Freak Show scare zone takes guests to the circus, where sideshow horrors and maniacal clowns roam around. The Halloween Fright Nights activities will end on a high note each day with The Nightmare Dimension Parade, where Halloween characters will walk through Studio Central, the main boulevard, just before park closing providing great photo opportunities for visitors and the potential to encounter the evil mastermind known as “The Boogeyman”.[20]

MOTIONGATE Dubai's Festive Thrills (Annually) – Held during the month of December. The Middle East's largest Hollywood-inspired theme park transforms into a winter wonderland, with a dazzling show of lights, park decorations, festive shows, a decked-up entrance gate, a mesmerizing 40-foot tree, a night market, the twinkling canopy on the main boulevard.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "£2.8 billion Dubai Parks and Resorts holds grand opening ceremony". attractionsmagazine.com. 19 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Discover what goes into a blockbuster at Motiongate Dubai". timeoutdubai.com. 20 February 2021.
  3. ^ "A day at Motiongate Dubai". gulfnews.com. 16 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Hollywood-style action at Motiongate Dubai". arabnews.com. 30 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Dubai Parks and Resorts officially opens with spectacular inaugural event". financialexpress.com. 18 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Dubai confirms September 23 re-opening for theme park Motiongate". gulfnews.com. 14 September 2020.
  7. ^ Coates, Charlotte (2022-01-21). "FORREC celebrates opening of John Wick & Now You See Me coasters at Motiongate Dubai". Blooloop. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  8. ^ "Motiongate Dubai rides announced based on DreamWorks, Sony movies". ew.com. 22 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Kung Fu Panda: Unstoppable Awesomeness - Simworx". Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  10. ^ "Columbia Pictures to Open Aquaverse Theme Park in Thailand, With Rides Inspired by Ghostbusters, Jumanji and More". variety.com. 6 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Every Ride Tried at Motiongate Dubai's Smurf Village". timeoutubai.com. 28 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Dubai Parks and Resorts reveal plans for Lionsgate zone". blooloop.com. 21 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Experience the first 'World of The Hunger Games' at Motiongate Dubai". financialexpress.com. 24 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Dubai theme park opening 'John Wick'-inspired roller coaster in 2021". foxnews.com. 21 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Haunted hotels, smash rooms and scary movies: Halloween 2018 in the UAE". thenationalnews.com. 30 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Halloween in UAE: 40 Halloween parties and events in the UAE". gulfnews.com. 26 October 2019.
  17. ^ "حجز فندق مكة". Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Halloween Fright Nights 3 @ Motiongate Dubai | Tickikids Dubai". Halloween Fright Nights 3 @ Motiongate Dubai | Tickikids Dubai. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  19. ^ Andrew Jack (2021-09-28). "MOTIONGATE™ Dubai is Creeping it Real this Halloween!". Official Blog of Dubai Parks and Resorts. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  20. ^ "Spooktacular Halloween Celebration at Motiongate Dubai". 2022-10-08. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  21. ^ "Festive Thrills at MOTIONGATE™ Dubai | Dubai Parks™ and Resorts". www.dubaiparksandresorts.com. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
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