Universal Studios Dubailand

Cancelled theme park in Dubai

Universal Studios DubailandLocation| Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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Coordinates| 25°3′33″N 55°23′0″E﻿ / ﻿25.05917°N 55.38333°E﻿ / 25.05917; 55.38333
Status| Cancelled
Owner| Dubai Holding
Operated by| Universal Destinations & Experiences
Area| 20,000,000 square feet (1,900,000 m2)
Attractions
Total| 12 (planned)
Roller coasters| 4 (planned)
Water rides| 2 (planned)

Universal Studios Dubailand was a proposed Universal Studios theme park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Originally planned to be built within Dubailand, a future entertainment mega-complex, the project broke ground in July 2008 but stalled a short time later.[1] On October 27, 2016, officials announced the permanent cancellation of the project.[2][3][4]

## Development

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Universal Studios Dubailand was a joint venture costing over 8 billion dirhams ($2.2 billion US) between Universal Studios and Tatweer, a subsidiary of Dubai Holdings. The theme park was announced in April 2007 with a theme park plan that expected to attract 5 million visitors annually and was scheduled to be completed in 2010.

The project broke ground on July 27, 2008,[5] but the financial problems prompted the developers to delay further development, and push back the opening from 2010 to 2012.[6][7] However, no construction work on the project site had been reported since early 2009. By mid-2012, the only public evidence of the project was a gate bearing the Universal Studios logo.[8]

The identity of the Dubai joint venture partner was no longer clear, as Tatweer was dissolved in mid-2010, with most of its assets merged into TECOM or other members of Dubai Holdings. In April 2011, Universal was once again in talks with Dubai officials about finishing the Universal park. By late 2012, there had still not been any construction progress on the proposed site.[1] In late November 2012, Dubai's ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced Dubai's renewed intentions to invest in an array of development projects in the desert just outside central Dubai, including the world's largest mall and an attached Universal Studios branded "family entertainment centre".[1][9]

On October 27, 2016, plans for the Universal Studios Dubailand theme park had officially been scrapped and have not been revisited.[2]

## Themed areas

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This section's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2013)

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### Hollywood

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The area was to be designed a lot like Universal Studios Florida's Hollywood area. It was expected to feature a Mel's Diner building as seen at Universal's Florida, Japan, and Singapore parks.[10] Restaurant chain Planet Hollywood was thought to be planning on opening their largest restaurant in the area.

### New York

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A heavily themed area featuring a Blues Brothers outdoor show and a Hooray for Bollywood indoor show. The area was also expected to feature an air-conditioned undercover Gramercy Park Square.[10] There was also going to be both a trackless dark-ride shooter themed to Ghostbusters and a Men in Black rollercoaster, which would have been a clone of The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal Islands of Adventure.

### Surf City

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A boardwalk/beach themed area for kids was expected to feature Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster, Curious George takes a ride (slot car ride similar to autopia) .[10] and three attractions based on Sesame Street (a sand castle themed carousel, a live stage show and Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic), as Sesame Workshop signed an agreement in February 2009.[11]

### Epic Adventures

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Epic Adventures would have been the home to Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure', Waterworld, and a new King Kong dueling roller coaster which would have been a clone of Dueling Dragons from Universal's Islands Of Adventure.[10]

### Legendary Heroes

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Legendary Heroes was expected to be the home of another incarnation of the Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride indoor roller coaster. It was also set to be the home to the Eighth Voyage of Sinbad, a copy of PortAventura's Temple del Fuego, King Tot's Oasis (an outdoor water play area combined with an indoor foam ball play zone), and Flight of the Roc (a suspended flat ride).[10]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Dubai, buy, buy: Gulf state starts to build again". The Independent. 12 December 2012. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2013. "In the desert outside the city stands the shell of the last large-scale leisure development – a 107-square-mile entertainment complex called Dubailand which was meant to house the world's largest array of theme parks. The signs for what would have been Universal Studios are whipped by the sand, and its gate leads nowhere."
2. ^ a b "Dubai's plan for Universal Studios theme park 'scrapped'". Arabian Business. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-08-22. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
3. ^ Theme Park Investigator. "In Memoriam: Universal Studios Dubailand". Theme Park Investigator. Archived from the original on 2019-06-09. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
4. ^ "Universal Studios Dubailand: A Case Study on the Rise and Fall of Dubai". Fast Company. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
5. ^ "Groundbreaking at Universal Studios Dubailand". gulfnews.com. 27 July 2008. Archived from the original on 2019-07-28. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
6. ^ Suzanne Fenton (2009-01-15). "Job cuts on the rise in Dubai". www.gulfnews.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-16. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
7. ^ Zachary Wilson (23 August 2009). "Universal Studios Dubailand: A Case Study on the Rise and Fall of Dubai". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
8. ^ Humphreys, Neil (2012-10-15). Return to a Sexy Island: Notes from a New Singapore. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4398-85-5.
9. ^ "Dubai plans world's largest mall". New York Daily News. 28 November 2012. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
10. ^ a b c d e Universal Studios Dubailand. Retrieved 19.06.10 from Screamscape.
11. ^ "Universal Studios Dubailand signs deal with Sesame for theme park". Emirates24|7. February 24, 2009. Archived from the original on 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2019-01-29.

## External links

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* Official web of Universal Studios Dubailand (defunct)

* v
* t
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Dubai Holding

Subsidiaries|

* Dubai Group
* Dubai Banking Group
* Dubai Bank
* Dubai International Capital
* Dubai Properties
* Dubiotech
* Jumeirah
* Tatweer
* Arab Media Group
* Bawadi
* Dubai Eye 103.8
* Dubailand
* Hit 96.7
* Six Flags Dubailand
* Tag 91.1
* Universal Studios Dubailand

TECOM Investments|

* Dubai International Academic City
* Dubai Internet City
* Dubai Knowledge Village
* Dubai Media City

People|

* Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

* v
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* e

Universal Destinations & Experiences

Operating parks|

* Universal Studios Hollywood
* Universal Orlando Resort
* Universal Studios Florida
* Universal Islands of Adventure
* Universal Volcano Bay
* Universal Epic Universe
* Universal Studios Japan
* Universal Studios Singapore
* Universal Beijing Resort
* Universal Studios Beijing

Upcoming parks|

* Universal Kids Resort
* Universal Studios Great Britain

Former parks|

* Universal Mediterranea
* Universal Studios Port Aventura

Canceled parks|

* Universal Studios Dubailand
* Universal Studios South Korea

Related articles|

* Incidents at Universal parks
* Universal CityWalk
* Universal Creative
* Thierry Coup
* Universal's Halloween Horror Nights
* Universal Horror Unleashed
* Universal Express Pass
* Universal Studios, Inc.
* Universal Studios globe
* List of lands at Universal theme parks
* List of Universal theme park attractions

* v
* t
* e

Universal Studios Dubailand

Surf City|

* Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
* Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster

Epic Adventures|

* Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure
* WaterWorld

Legendary Heroes|

* Revenge of the Mummy

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