Awesome things to do in Dubai Mall, besides shopping!
When you are in one of the largest malls in the world, shopping is definitely going to be high on your list of priorities. But it’s not just swiping the credit card left, right and centre that is on offer when you are in The Dubai Mall. From a range of fun activities for kids to underwater museums and gargantuan aquariums housing majestic sharks, there’s plenty to do in the mammoth mall to entertain people of all ages. Here’s a roundup of the top 10 things to do in Dubai Mall that don’t involve shopping!
Things to do in Dubai Mall for kids
It’s a known fact that kids will definitely not enjoy endless hours of shopping. So the next time you are in the mall, don’t worry about how to keep your grogs entertained and let them try one of these fun activities for kids in The Dubai Mall.
1. Kidzania
One of the most enjoyable things to do in Dubai Mall for kids is the interactive and educational experience at Kidzania. The highly popular attraction in the largest mall in Dubai, KidZania is a 7,000 sq.m. full-scale replica of a real city where your kids can get a taste of what adults encounter through the venues’ 60 real-life activities for children in The Dubai Mall. Your kids will be able to roleplay, choose careers, make critical decisions and work together as a team building on their creative and analytical abilities to run a city together. This edutainment zone in The Dubai Mall is an ideal place to drop off your kids while you shop around.
- Appropriate for children aged 4-16
- Economy tickets start at AED 160 for 4-16-year-olds.
- Open 10:00 am to 10:00 pm for Sun-Wed and 10:00 am to 11:00 pm for Thu – Sat
2. Play Football at ‘Goal’
Are your little tykes Messi or Ronaldo fans? Then one of the things to do in Dubai Mall they are sure to enjoy is the FIFA certified turf, ‘Goal’ in The Dubai Mall where 5 to 15-year-olds can kick about and enjoy a game of indoor football. Located on the mall’s second floor, the football-themed arena offers a ‘drop and shop’ scheme for parents visiting the mall and is a great indoor activity for kids in Dubai.
- Open 10:00 am to 12:00 am
3. Dubai Dino Dubai Mall
For all the budding palaeontologists who cannot stop raving about the prehistoric creatures and their adventures in the Jurassic Park movie, visiting the Dubai Dino is one of the best things to do in Dubai Mall. Located in the heart of The Souk, visitors can view the 155-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton which is on permanent display. The prehistoric dinosaur remains belong to the late Jurassic period Diplodocus longus species, characterised by an endless whip-like tail, long slender neck and small head. This is also one of the things to do for free in The Dubai Mall.
- Open during the operating hours of the mall.
4. Caboodle
When it comes to children’s activities in The Dubai Mall, Caboodle is one of the most popular choices with parents of young kids. An indoor play area designed to promote the cognitive, social and physical development of the child, Cadooble is a popular place for kids in The Dubai Mall. You can choose from a range of exciting activities including arts and crafts. There is the option to leave your kids at Caboodle for some ‘drop and shop’ or you can stay behind and supervise them as they indulge in all the activities on offer. Parents living in Downtown Dubai find this a convenient place to also enrol their children for edutainment activities.
- Supervised Caboodle entry is AED 70 per hour per child and ‘drop and shop’ is AED 70 per child for every half an hour.
Sega Republic Dubai mall
Some other Dubai Mall children’s activities which were part of the mall was SEGA Republic, an indoor theme park which hosted a range of most thrilling activities and rides for kids. The SEGA Republic Dubai Mall branch was recently closed down to make way for the other attractions.
Other Attractions in Dubai Mall
It’s not just the little ones who have a host of fun things to do in Dubai Mall apart from shopping. Here are some of the other popular places to visit in one of the best malls in Dubai.
5. Dubai Mall Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
The famous Dubai Mall Aquarium tank, which has been built with a whopping 10 million litres of water, is one of the popular indoor attractions in Dubai. It is located on the ground level of The Dubai Mall and houses a variety of marine life, including hundreds of sharks and rays, including the largest collection of Sand Tiger sharks in the world. Visitors can see many different varieties of fish, amphibians, reptiles and even birds. There is plenty of exciting activities in the Dubai Aquarium. You can explore the flora and fauna this attraction in The Dubai Mall as well meet the otters, penguins, turtles and a massive saltwater crocodile named King Croc!
- Open from 10:00 am to 12:00 am.
- Tickets are available online and prices vary. The tickets for the Dubai Aquarium start at AED 90 for UAE residents.
6. Dubai Fountain
Not strictly located in the mall, the Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. The gorgeous dancing fountain can be viewed from decks in The Dubai Mall and is also visible from many of the restaurants with outdoor seating in the mall. You can also set sail on a traditional abra and get a more spectacular experience of the acclaimed fountain.
- Evening shows start from 06:00 pm and happen every 30 minutes till 11:00 pm.
- Abra ride costs AED 20 per person
7. Dubai Ice Rink
Gliding over the chilled surfaces to the Olympic sized ice rink is one of the most entertaining activities in The Dubai Mall for both adults and children. You can learn to skate, take refresher courses, host birthday parties and attend a variety of events at this interesting attraction in the mall.
- Tickets to the Dubai Ice Rink start at AED 75
- Open 10:00 am to 12:00 am on weekdays and 10:00 am to 01:00 am on weekends.
8. Emirates A380 Simulator
Ever fancied being a little like Han Solo and piloting a plane? Try the cutting-edge flight simulator at The Dubai Mall’s Emirates A380 Experience and experience the exhilaration of flying the iconic commercial aeroplane. You can choose from one of 12 busy airports and take the assistance of an instructor to earn points for your navigation skills.
- Off-peak sessions lasting 30 minutes starts at AED 325 and peak sessions cost AED 375
- Open Sun-Wed from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm and Thu – Sat from 10:00 am to 12:00 midnight.
9. Hysteria
If you enjoy the thrills and jump scares of the horror genre, this visit Hysteria! This is one of the Dubai Mall activities is not for the faint-hearted because the haunted experience is a perfect recreation of a horror movie. The extreme fear-based attraction in The Dubai Mall is a great place for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies in the city. With several cleverly designed scares and hair-raising moments, this is one for the more adventurous visitors of The Dubai Mall. There is also a retail store to buy some fear-inducing merchandise.
- Tickets to Hysteria in The Dubai Mall starts at AED 35
- Open Mon-Wed, Sat-Sun 10:00 am to 12:00 am and Thu-Fri 10:00 am to 01:00 am.
10. VR Park Dubai Mall
Any fan of Virtual Reality will love the interactive experiences at the newly opened VR Park in the mall. With a variety of different augmented reality experiences on offer, this VR Park is definitely one of the things to do in Dubai Mall that is enjoyable for both kids and adults. Ladies, if your significant other is protesting about long hours in the stores spent finding that perfect shoe, maybe this is one of the Dubai mall activities that you can direct them to. Get them to try out the Dubai Drone, ApeX or John Wick experience.
- Prices start at AED 35 for individual attractions, while an adult day pass costs AED 150
- The VR Park Dubai Mall is open on weekdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 am and on weekends from 10:00 am to 01:00 am.
Apart from these Dubai Mall attractions, there is also a Reel Cinemas where families can watch the latest movies from across the world. The Dubai Mall cinema has recently added a few interesting experiences making it one of the unique cinemas in Dubai. There is also a slew of events that are organised in the mall, making it a great spot for a weekend of fun.
Besides this, there are also several fun things to do around The Dubai Mall, so be sure to check out the attractions in Downtown Dubai if you are a tourist planning a visit to the famous mall.
Trying out all of the things to do in Dubai Mall will surely build up an appetite so once you’re done exploring head to the Dubai Mall food court or any of the top restaurants in Dubai Mall to and grab a bite.
Which of these Dubai Mall attractions are you most excited to visit? Let us know in the comments section below and stay tuned to MyBayut for more exciting updates from around the city.