Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Madame Tussauds Dubai opens

Following an exclusive ribbon cutting ceremony in October, led by pioneering Emirati athlete and Olympic weightlifter Amna Al Haddad, as well as radio host and serial entrepreneur Kris Fade, visitors are now able to experience the iconic Madame Tussauds Dubai at Bluewaters Island.

Olympic weightlifter Amna Al Haddad (far left) and radio host Kris Fade (far right) help during the ribbon cutting ceremony for Madame Tussauds Dubai. Photo courtesy of Merlin Entertainments.

The Dubai edition of the enduring Madame Tussauds experience is not only the 25th version of the wax figure attraction internationally, but the first of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and introduces something unique to the regional entertainment landscape as the first of Merlin Entertainments’ standalone ‘Midway’ attractions to open in the location. The company also holds LEGOLAND Dubai Resort.

The Leaders & Royals Room, the first zone in the attraction, gives visitors the opportunity to encounter royalty, world leaders and iconic public and political figures from both past and present. Enjoying afternoon tea with British monarch Queen Elizabeth II and meeting India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Taj Mahal are just two of the many highlights this area has to offer.

The Fashion zone, filled with a who’s who of runway icons (all of them impeccably dressed, of course), hosts the queen of British style, Victoria Beckham; Anna Wintour; Cara Delevingne; Kendall and Kylie Jenner; Carla Di Bello; and Lebanese fashion designer, Elie Saab.

Movie buffs meanwhile can step into the fully immersive Film area. Guests can get up close and pull up a chair next to Audrey Hepburn for a Breakfast at Tiffany’s moment or try something rather more energetic, such as join Tom Cruise in a high-octane race, scaling the length of Dubai with Spider-Man or debuting a few martial arts moves watched over by the master himself, Jackie Chan.

Photos courtesy of Merlin Entertainments.

In the Media zone, savvy social media fans will have a ball (and their iPhones at the ready) as an exclusive backstage pass gives them the chance to get up close and personal with some of the Middle East’s most-loved celebrities, including radio personality, Kris Fade; YouTube phenomenon Bin Baz; Arab Idol presenter, singer and actor Ahmed Fahmi; as well as the musical maverick and Arab Idol judge, Hassan El Shafei.

In the Bollywood area at Madame Tussauds, guests can make their way through a secret garden awash with plants and flowers, before starring in a bespoke Bollywood music video and debuting their best moves in front of an interactive digital screen. After that, it’s time to get better acquainted with true Bollywood royalty, think spitting image wax figures of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Madhuri Dixit.

Sports enthusiasts will be able to kick off the experience by taking a penalty alongside football superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, throwing a well-aimed punch at the legendary Muhammad Ali or posing on an F1 winner’s podium as Lewis Hamilton watches on. Visitors can also stop and admire the strength and tenacity of Emirati weightlifter Amna Al Haddad (and lift a dummy weight alongside her) and check out the wax figure of UAE-representing Olympian Sergiu Toma is also not be missed.

In the Music A List Party, guests are invited to shimmy through a palm tree-fringed archway and dance away amongst a glittering array of regional and international stars, including the exceptional singer Kadim Al Sahir, the celebrated performer Mohammed Assaf, the much-loved Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram, Emirati-Yemeni women’s rights activist and music sensation Balqees Fathi, global superstars Will Smith, Rihanna, Justin Bieber and more.

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