When baby Aurora was born, Global Village was closed. On Monday, she became one of the first visitors of the destination as it reopened. “She was born on March 4, at the peak of the regional tensions,” said her father Amir Shaharudin, who came with his wife, Afifa, and their elder son Aidil. “When we heard Global Village was opening, we decided to come with her. We love this place and we wanted to bring her to see it as well.”
On Monday, as Global Village opened its doors at 5pm, confetti, cheers and applause rang through the air. A Dubai Police parade, complete with drums, bagpipes and horses kicked off the celebrations. Shortly after, a stream of golden confetti burst into the air as visitors enjoyed the festive mood.
People began lining up at the gates more than an hour before the opening as excitement built up. The first visitors walked into the park waving UAE flags that had been distributed by the park at the entrance.
Visitors
Sri Lankan tourist Sanjeewa Gamage and his family were one of the first ones to arrive. “We arrived in the UAE on 19th and when we heard that Global Village was opening, we decided that we had to come here,” he said. Arriving with his wife and children between the ages of 17 and seven, Sanjeewa said that he was looking forward to enjoying everything Dubai had to offer.
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A video posted on Global Village’s social media channels earlier on Monday showed some behind-the-scenes glimpses of staff working hard to keep the park clean and ready to welcome guests. It showed rides being tested, pavilions being cleaned by staff members on cranes and restaurant workers loading up their supplies.
Egyptian expat Ahmed came with six members of his extended family including his one one-year-old son Mohammed. “We love Global Village and we had been waiting for it to open,” he said. “We arrived at around 4.30pm and waited outside to get in. We are so happy to just be here.”
The entertainment destination was opening after being closed for more than 1.5 months due to regional tensions during the US-Israel-Iran war. Since the ceasefire was announced, UAE residents have been anticipating the re-opening of Global Village.
The announcement of the reopening on the park’s social media channels was met with enthusiasm and joy on Saturday. “Finally,” one netizen posted on social media. “Sweeter than going back to school,” another one commented while still another user said that they missed the destination.
30th edition
This year marked a landmark 30th edition of the park. It has been its most remarkable edition to date with 30 pavilions representing over 90 cultures from around the world, featuring more than 3,500 shopping outlets and over 250 dining options among other attractions.
Global Village will be open from 5pm to 12 midnight everyday during the weekdays and weekends. Visitors can book tickets online or on the app. They will also be able to buy tickets at the door. Ticket prices begin at Dh25 per person during weekdays, excluding public holidays. This season was slated to end on May 20 but it is not clear whether the dates will be extended.
Source: Khaleej Times