Aquaventure or Wild Wadi: which waterpark to choose in Dubai

Four waterparks in one table

We do not publish prices for Wild Wadi and LEGOLAND Water Park: we do not sell their tickets, and other sellers' prices go out of date faster than we can correct them.

Aquaventure: the largest, but not for everyone

The waterpark at Atlantis The Palm is the largest in the region: more than a hundred slides and water activities, its own beach, lazy rivers, kids' zones, and in the option with The Lost Chambers aquarium, an underwater museum too. The flagship ride is Leap of Faith, an almost vertical drop in a clear tunnel through a pool with sharks. For adults and teenagers, one day here is not enough.

What matters for a family: the child fare is 245 AED for ages 3–7 years; younger children follow the park rules. Most adult slides have height limits, so with a four- or five-year-old the day is spent in the Splashers kids' zones and on the lazy river. Getting there: Palm Jumeirah, by taxi or by monorail from Palm Gateway to Atlantis.

Choose Aquaventure if your group has adults and children from seven or eight years old; if you want a beach and an aquarium in one ticket; if you are going for a full day.

Wild Wadi: compact and calm

One of the first waterparks in Dubai, right next to Burj Al Arab, with a view of the sail-shaped hotel. About thirty slides, the Breakers Bay wave pool and a separate zone for little ones, Juha's Journey. You can walk around the whole area in an hour, you will not lose your child, and by evening you still have energy for dinner in Jumeirah. For a family with children under six, and for those staying in Jumeirah or Umm Suqeim, this is often the right choice rather than a trip to the Palm.

We do not sell Wild Wadi tickets yet. They are bought on site or on the park's official website. When they appear in our catalogue, they will be in the waterparks section.

Yas Waterworld: if you are on Yas

The waterpark on Yas Island is built around an Emirati pearl legend: more than forty rides, six of them found nowhere else, for example the Dawwama funnel for six people. There are kids' zones with low slides; extreme slides have height limits. There is no child fare: from age three it is an adult ticket, 275 AED with an open date. Travelling from Dubai just for this park makes sense only together with other Yas parks. Read about them in the guide "Yas Island: parks, tickets and multi-park pass".

LEGOLAND Water Park: for kids only

The only waterpark in the UAE designed for children aged two to twelve: twenty rides without sharp drops, a lazy river with rafts made of LEGO bricks, warm water and a wave pool. Adults find it boring; for children under eight it is ideal. It is at Dubai Parks & Resorts, on the road to Abu Dhabi, and easy to combine with LEGOLAND Dubai. We do not have its tickets yet.

With children: age, height, what to bring

• Age. At Aquaventure the child fare is 3–7 years; at Yas Waterworld it is an adult ticket from age three. Little ones under three use the kids' zones; entry is usually free, check the card.
• Height. Limits apply on specific slides, not at the park entrance: staff check them at each ride. The smaller the child, the more of a big park is closed to them. So "big" does not mean "right for you".
• What to bring. Swimwear, sunscreen, a change of clothes and water; lockers and towels in the parks are paid. Keep your phone in a waterproof case or in a locker: you cannot take it on the slides.
• When it is less crowded. Weekdays and mornings; on weekends and holidays the queues for the flagship slides are longer. In summer, arrive at opening time and move to the shade or the aquarium in the hottest hours.

How to buy and what about the date

Aquaventure and Yas Waterworld are sold by us with an open date: come on any day before the ticket expires. You do not choose a date when you buy; the validity period is shown in the option. The Aquaventure option with The Lost Chambers aquarium is tied to a date, which you choose when you buy. Payment: by card or payment link, by AED bank transfer, or in cash at the office in Dubai. The e-ticket with a QR code arrives after confirmation, and you show it on your phone at the entrance. Details about payment methods are in the guide "How to pay for UAE tickets".

Checklist

• The park is chosen by the children's age and your hotel area, not by size.
• It is clear who goes on a child fare and who on an adult fare.
• Open-dated ticket: the validity period in the option is read.
• Swimwear, sunscreen, water and a change of clothes are packed; small change for a locker.
• In summer, arrive at opening time; on weekends, allow extra time for queues.

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