KidZania, Dubai Mall's newest attraction, has been fashioned to look like a city in miniature with shops, banks and businesses huddled together on immaculate indoor boulevards. It's a place where children go to play at being grown-ups and can seek "employment" working as bankers, beauty consultants or any one of 70 other professions. Each experience takes around 20 minutes to complete (plus queuing time). In return for their work, the children earn Kidzos, the city's currency, and are free to spend this at the city's leisure facilities or bank their cash for another day - just like the real world. KidZania reckons its new attraction is perfect for four- to 14-year-old children, and it's true that younger ones will love dressing up as police officers and roaming its scaled-down streets. But can KidZania impress older kids?
Nick March
took his son, Fraser, and his friend Harry, both 12, to find out.
Boys being boys, they wanted to race go-karts on the KidZania track before thinking about any gainful employment. Unfortunately, they had to obtain a licence from Emirates Driving Institute to do so. Cue 30 minutes of waiting before completing some baffling paperwork and taking a simulated driving test. What they said: Fraser: "My computer was broken. I had to guess what to do." Harry: "The test was very complicated."
Newly licensed, the boys headed for the racetrack, only to find another long queue. Rather than wait around, they decided to take up an opportunity at
The Journal
, KidZania's newspaper. What they said: Fraser: "I enjoyed working to deadline." Harry: "It was a good way to see how a newspaper works."
All work and no play is no good for anyone, so, armed with the cash from their jobs at the newspaper, Fraser and Harry bought a session on KidZania's climbing wall. What they said: Fraser: "That was so much fun." Harry: "Really good."
Suitably refreshed after a spot of me-time, the boys opted to train as mechanics, working as ACDelco recruits to prepare a go-kart for racing. Harry cleaned and replaced the kart's brake pads, while Fraser worked on a faulty battery. What they said: Fraser: "The best experience of the lot. I felt like we were doing something real." Harry: "It really taught you a lot about mechanics."
The boys did eventually get their turn on the racetrack (after another long wait), before deciding to call time on their KidZania experience. What they said: Fraser: "I can't picture a 14-year-old dressing up in a firefighter costume or getting into a little fire engine and spraying water at a building that's supposed to be ablaze. Also, I think the entry price is too high to make you want to go back again and again." Harry: "Overall, I enjoyed the experience, although I think younger children would find it more fun than I did. It all looks too much like a TV set. I would like to have tried working at the airport and at the construction site but they both had massive queues."
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is Dh125 per child (under-twos are free) and Dh90 per adult. KidZania is open Sunday to Wednesday, 9am to 10pm; Thursday, 9am to 12 midnight; Friday, Saturday and public holidays, 10am to 12 midnight. It is located on Level Two, Dubai Mall, 04 448 5222.