More than two years after it shut for “periodic enhancements”, Ain Dubai observation wheel reopened to guests on Thursday, with the first ride at noon. Tickets are available from the attraction's official website for 2025 and beyond.
The National visited Bluewaters Island for the wheel's relaunch and saw visitors buying tickets as well as printing pre-booked tickets from kiosks. Food and drink vendors have also opened pop-ups on site, in addition to the restaurants surrounding Ain Dubai.
Guests are advised to arrive 30 minutes before their booking slot to complete the entry process, buy snacks and use the facilities before embarking on the 38-minute ride.
Construction on Ain Dubai began in May 2015, with the attraction opening in October 2021. At more than 250 metres tall – about twice the height of the London Eye wheel – it has 48 glass cabins, each able to carry up to 40 people.
Tickets and contact details
There are four ticket categories listed on the Ain Dubai website.
A shared cabin is from Dh145. For Dh195, you can get into a fast queue, plus snacks and drinks. A ticket with lounge access, priority check-in and drinks is from Dh265. A private pod, with an in-cabin menu, lounge access, drinks and a separate VIP entrance is Dh1,260.
Ain Dubai cabins
The type of cabin you enter depends on the experience you’ve booked. If it’s the shared observation cabin, you’ll find yourself in a spacious glass pod, with a simple white table in the centre. A private cabin comes with plush seats, all of which face outward for the best viewing opportunities, and a centre bar where staff can make and serve drinks.
All the cabins are air-conditioned.
Once the doors close, it’s all about standing back and admiring the view. The wheel moves slowly and smoothly, offering uninterrupted views of Bluewaters Island, Address Beach Resort, the Dubai coastline and Jumeirah Beach Residence.
When the pod is at the top of the wheel, you can see the outline of Palm Jumeirah, right down to Atlantis, The Palm on one end, while Burj Al Arab can be spotted in the distance.
The experience also vastly differs according to the time of visit, with sunset widely touted as the optimum slot. However, if you’re a shutterbug, we recommend going during the day to avoid reflections on the curved glass walls post-sundown.
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FIXTURES
Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney
Note: d/n = day/night
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
