DUBAI // European safety standards are the benchmark for park operation, maintenance, and health and safety guidelines at IMG Worlds of Adventure.
“We chose to implement the most stringent standards available to us,” said Lennard Otto, chief executive of the theme park.
“This governs the design, operation and maintenance of amusement park machinery, structures and safety. As a result, the Dubai Municipality has chosen it as their benchmark for all theme parks.”
About 1,500 staff will be on hand when the park opens on August 15. A Medeor 24/7 medical clinic is located on the site, though this is separate from the park’s own health, safety and security departments.
Staff members have been put through a rigorous first-aid training programme and about 150 fire wardens will be in attendance.
The crew includes staffers from Universal, Merlin and Disney theme parks. A learning and development team recently visited the Disney Training Institute in Anaheim, California, for customer service training that will be implemented throughout the park.
Located off the busy Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, brown Dubai Roads and Transport Authority signs are already in place directing visitors to the park, ahead of the August 15 opening. A few tractors and small cranes are parked in the surrounding sandy area in preparation for landscaping around the site.
Residents said they have been waiting for months to see the park open after driving past billboards with characters from Iron Man to the Powerpuff Girls advertising, “It’s gigantic. It’s adventurous. It’s powerful. It’s hero time.”
“We are waiting to finally see this from the inside. Abu Dhabi has Ferrari World so when our families visit, they will have another place to go,” said Shaan Haji, a resident of a neighbouring community.
“Plus because it is indoors, even in the summer it will be crowded because there will be something more fun to do.”
Noora Ismail, a software developer from Lebanon, visited the site during a technology conference in Dubai.
“I’m very excited because my sons love Ben 10, so this will be a great surprise for them when we next visit,” she said.
It will be one of several to open as part of the Dubai government’s plan to boost tourist numbers to 20 million over the next four years. Last year, 13.2 million tourists visited the emirate.
In November, the Dubai Parks and Resorts complex with Motiongate, Legoland Dubai and Bollywood Parks Dubai is scheduled to open, with plans for a Six Flags park in late 2019.
rtalwar@thenational.ae