Five-year-old Abdul Ahad ran through the purple-lit water fountain with his siblings as Global Village opened for Season 31 on Wednesday night. Behind them, the park's bright pavilions, food stalls and packed walkways set the scene for the first evening of Dubai's outdoor season.
His father, Abdul Badi, said the children had been waiting eagerly for the destination to reopen. "They have been waiting for Global Village to open, and the fountain was the first thing they wanted to do when we came in,” he said.
“They are enjoying every second of it. We may reach home late tonight, so perhaps there will be no school for them tomorrow,” he added with a laugh.
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The rush began well before the gates opened at 6pm. Visitors formed long lines at ticket counters and security checks, while families waited under the pink-lit entrance arches to begin their evening. Even close to 8pm, hundreds were still entering the park.
Marlene, a sales executive, took the morning shift so she could join nine friends for opening night. The group travelled from Ajman, Sharjah and Dubai, and waited for more than half an hour at the physical-ticket counter before purchasing tickets online. “We had planned this for opening day, so even the queue did not change our minds,” she said. “Some of us came from Ajman, some from Sharjah and some from Dubai.”
Further inside, visitors moved between the pavilions, stopped for photographs and filled the food lanes. A walk along the Dragon Lake brought them past charcoal-grilled meat, Bosnian kebabs, Turkish sweets, Korean chicken and steaming cups of tom yum soup.
Montserrat, a Spanish marketing head at an interior-design firm, had promised her children last month that she would bring them on the first day. “My children have been asking me for weeks when Global Village would open,” she said. “I promised them that we would come on the first day. They are excited about the rides, games and ice cream, while we are looking forward to the food and walking around.”
At the lake, visitors raised their phones as the Lake Dragon show lit up the water with lasers.
“The lighting makes it feel as if the dragon is actually moving,” Saleh said. “It is wonderfully designed, and the laser effects give the whole show a very striking look.”
Global Village will remain open until midnight on Wednesday. Season 31 runs until May 2027 and features 29 pavilions representing more than 90 cultures, more than 200 attractions and over 250 dining options.