Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was one of the places I absolutely had to visit on my Abu Dhabi trip.
It’s one of those attractions that always comes up when people talk about what to do in Abu Dhabi, UAE,
and for good reason—Ferrari World is one of the city’s most famous theme parks.
It’s especially known for having the world’s fastest roller coaster,
Formula Rossa.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
is actually connected to Yas Mall.
A theme park inside a mall—how wild is that?
As we got closer to Yas Mall,
the Ferrari World structures started coming into view.
We parked at the mall
and followed the indoor signs all the way in.
Then in the distance, I spotted that unmistakable red roof.
Okay… I’ve never driven a Ferrari,
but at least I’ve been to Ferrari World.
The bold Ferrari-red color makes it impossible to miss.
I bought our tickets online in advance,
and I also paid extra for Quick Pass, basically the same idea as Magic Pass or Fast Track.
It was about $40 extra per person.
I’d read that weekdays usually aren’t too crowded,
so I went back and forth on whether Quick Pass was worth it,
but in the end, I was really glad we got it.
I’ll explain why a little more below.
Even at the entrance, there were displays that would make any car lover’s heart race—
Ferrari-branded merch and all kinds of flashy souvenirs.
I think this was the Quick Pass wristband?
Anyway, wristband on and in we went.
The second we entered, we made a beeline for the world’s fastest roller coaster—
no detours, no hesitation.
Formula Rossa.
My heart was pounding.
Next to Formula Rossa, there’s also Junior Grand Prix,
and overall Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has plenty of rides
that are great for kids too.
Formula Rossa hits its top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph) in just 4.9 seconds,
and that insane speed is what makes this coaster unforgettable.
It was designed to let riders experience
the kind of speed Formula 1 drivers feel on the track.
The entrance is downstairs,
and once you head down, you’ll see something you don’t find at every ride:
a long line.
We had Fast Track, so we went straight
to the very front.
[Quick Pass tips]
If Lotte World’s Magic Pass mixes regular guests
and pass holders in a more balanced ratio,
Ferrari World Quick Passworks differently.
No matter how many Quick Pass users there are,
they let all of them go first,
and then fill the remaining seats with regular guests.
That said, not many people seemed to be using Fast Track
so we were basically first in line every time.
Not every ride had a wait,
and really only two or three of the most popular attractions had lines,
so I can’t say Quick Pass is a must-buy for everyone,
but if I went back, I’d still get it again.
Because it’s such an extreme high-speed coaster,
you have to put all your belongings in a locker before riding.
That includes your phone and even a GoPro.
You also have to wear protective goggles,
and at 240 km/h, it’s not just the wind that’s the issue—
even tiny grains of sand or dust
could seriously hurt your eyes at that speed.
The goggles are not flattering at all, but you absolutely need them.
If you’re wondering what they look like, that’s the setup.
My first impression after riding it: it is ridiculously fast.
Obvious statement, I know.
The track itself is actually pretty simple,
but the speed is so outrageous that it’s still a blast.
The fact that no roller coaster has beaten it in 15 years
kind of tells you
how hard it must be to build something faster than this.
Also… one important thing:
your hair will be absolutely wrecked after one ride.
Abu Dhabi is surprisingly coastal,
so the air felt a little humid in a subtle way,
but once that wind hits you at full force,
your hair comes back looking completely unhinged.
If you’re in that awkward early stage of dating,
I honestly would not recommend this.
Probably a very specific warning, but still.
I rode it once or twice at the beginning,
and then one more time right before leaving.
More than that, though, and I feel like
I would’ve ended up with a headache.
After just one ride on Formula Rossa,
I needed a break and headed straight to a café.
I grabbed a coffee—or maybe it was a Coke—and sat down for a bit.
We also picked up a map and debated what to ride next.
One thing I liked about Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
was that they display gorgeous cars throughout the park,
so even walking between rides is fun if you love supercars.
Since we went on a weekday, a few rides were closed,
but honestly, we weren’t trying to do everything anyway, so it was fine.
Still, if Formula Rossa had been closed,
I would’ve been seriously annoyed—especially after paying for Quick Pass.
Formula Rossais outdoors,
so because it’s a high-speed coaster, it’s pretty affected by weather.
If it’s raining or the weather looks bad,
I’d check in advance whether it’s running before you go,
or better yet, visit on a clear day.
Most of the other attractions are indoors,
so they’re not really affected by the weather.
Okay, onto my second recommended attraction.
Turbo Track.
Personally, I thought this was even more fun than Formula Rossa.
It launches indoors, shoots briefly outside,
and then rockets back in at high speed.
If you watch the ride, you’ll see the train launch from the right-side rail
and then suddenly
streak past the glass roof in a split second.
It’s a very simple ride concept—
you blast straight up,
then come right back down the same track. That’s it. But it’s so fun.
If you see a video of it, you’ll immediately get what I mean.
But here’s the key point:
your seatmatters.
If the launch direction is to the right in the photo,
then the seats facing right
leave you looking up at the sky from the top,
while the seats facing left have you looking down at the ground—
and facing left is way, way more thrilling.
Before riding, I assumed looking at the sky
would feel more exciting,
but dropping back down while facing the ground was much scarier in the best way.
Honestly, if you ride more than once,
just try both sides.
We also stopped for photos at the photo zones here and there,
and grabbed ice cream too.
Not much else to say on that part, honestly.
My next recommended attraction
is Flying Aces.
This one also goes outdoors.
I don’t remember every detail, but I do remember it being really fun.
Since there aren’t that many thrill rides for adults,
you’ll probably end up riding this one too.
On the way out, after we finished everything,
we checked out the F1 race cars
and also saw the Ferrari Monza SP1,
which won the 2019 Red Dot Design Award.
I kind of wanted to drive straight home in it.
Reality check: I didn’t even buy the RC car.
After one last look around the gift shop,
our total time there came to about four hours.
We didn’t eat a full meal inside—just snacks here and there.
If I go back to Abu Dhabi,
I probably wouldn’t make a second trip to Ferrari World just for myself,
but I would definitely recommend it if you’re visiting with kids.
Very abrupt ending, I know.