Wild Wadi vs Aquaventure: Which Dubai Water Park Is Perfect for You?

Choosing between Wild Wadi and Aquaventure Water Park in Dubai? You’re in the right place.

I’ve visited both parks, and I’m here to break down the key differences, so you can decide which one is better for you.

I’ll compare location, size, prices, rides, food options, and who each park is best for.

Quick Comparison: Wild Wadi vs Aquaventure

Feature	Wild Wadi	Aquaventure
Size	❌Smaller	✔️Much larger
Location	✔️More central	❌Further away
Price	✔️Cheaper	❌More Expensive
Rides	❌Fewer	✔️More (over 100)
Food	❌Fewer	✔️More variety

Want to experience the maximum number of slides in one waterpark?
➡️Book an entry ticket to Aquaventure Water Park HERE

Size: How Big Are Wild Wadi and Aquaventure?

Wild Wadi opened in 1999 and covers around 48,500 m². It was the first water park opened in Dubai. It’s a smaller park, which means it’s easier to walk around, but it can feel crowded, especially on weekends and holidays.

Busy scene at Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai, showing colorful water play structures with slides, tipping buckets, and people enjoying the shallow pool area under large white umbrellas.

Aquaventure, part of the Atlantis Hotel, opened in 2008 and is almost 170,000 m². It’s one of the biggest water parks in the world, complete with beach access, palm trees, grass-shaded areas, and plenty of pools.

Thanks to its size, even when busy, it doesn’t feel too packed, but expect a lot more walking.

Tip:
If you’re visiting with small kids or prefer a more compact space, Wild Wadi might suit you better. For a full-day adventure with endless slides, Aquaventure wins.

Location: Which One Is Easier to Get To?

Wild Wadi Water Park is located next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Burj Al Arab. Wild Wadi has a great central location, easily accessible by buses or taxis in case you don’t have a car.

➔ From JBR/Marina: 10 min taxi / 25 min bus
➔ From Downtown: 15 min taxi / 35 min bus

Crowded wave pool at Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai, with lots of people swimming and the famous Burj Al Arab hotel towering in the background under a sunny sky.

Aquaventure Water Park belongs to Atlantis Hotel, located on the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah. Palm Jumeirah is a little bit out of the city center.

➔ From JBR/Marina: 20 min taxi / 45 min public transport
➔ From Downtown: about 1 hour by public transport

In short:
Wild Wadi is much easier to reach unless you’re already staying on Palm Jumeirah.

Price: How Much Do Tickets Cost?

Ticket Type	Wild Wadi	Aquaventure
Adult ticket (online)	269 AED	360 AED
Child ticket (online)	below 1.1m tall-220 AED	below 1.2m tall-310 AED
Free entry	age 2 and below	age 2 and below

Extras: Lockers, towels, and cabanas cost extra at both parks. Wild Wadi Cabanas- max 8 people, Aquaventure Cabanas- max 6 people.

Aquaventure has other activities available for extra cost, like Marine Explorer, Dive Explorer, Aquatrek Extreme, and different dolphin experiences. When you book the dolphin experience, you have free access to the waterpark

Recommended: Take your own towel and water socks during hot days

Bonus:
If you stay at Jumeirah Hotels (Wild Wadi) or Atlantis Hotel (Aquaventure), your entry is free!

Wild Wadi Opening hours: Daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Aquaventure Opening hours: 9:15 am – 6:00 pm

➡️Book an entry ticket to Aquaventure Water Park HERE

Rides: Which Park Has Better Attractions?

In Wild Wadi, there are several different rides for kids over 1.1 meters tall and for adults. For example, Burj Surj, Tantrum Alley, and Master Blaster are rides where riders must sit on a ring and hold the handles.

There is also Lazy River, Action River, Wipeout, and Riptide, which is a surfing area, and Breaker’s Bay, which is a wave pool.

The Jumeirah Sceirah ride at Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai, showing the tall tower with the enclosed water slide that curves steeply downward. The structure has arches at the base and palm trees nearby, all under a bright blue sky.

The best and most adrenaline-filled slide is Jumeirah Sceirah. You have to walk up the tower from which you have an amazing view of the whole park. There are two capsules for two riders available.

You need to step into one of them, they close it, and on the countdown, the floor underneath your feet will open, and you will fall straight down the 120-meter slide, up to 80km/hour. This slide is quite an adrenaline rush, therefore, not everyone dares to do it. Watch my short video here.

For little children under 1.1 meters, there is Juha’s Dhow and Lagoon, which is a family play area. Little ones will have so much fun here.

Aquaventure is the largest water park in the world in terms of the number of slides. You can find 105 different slides there for adults and children.

The well-known ride is Leap of Faith, which is an almost vertical slide that continues through the tank with sharks and rays. Don’t worry, you are inside the tube. It is so fast that you actually can’t even notice the sharks around you.

The Leap of Faith water slide at Aquaventure Waterpark in Dubai, showing a steep drop that shoots riders through a clear tunnel at the bottom. The slide is built into a large, stone temple-like structure with water splashing at the base.

More body slides are Blackout, Vortex, Poseidon’s Revenge, and Slitherine, where you can race with your friend.

There are several group slides on the rings, like Odyssey of Terror, Shockwave, Zoomerango, and Aquaconda. To play and compete with your friends, you can try Hydra Racer, where you will be challenged to be the first at the bottom to get the trident.

There are some more water coaster slides, Aquaventure rivers, Splashers kids play area for the little ones, Immortal Falls, which is jumping from the cliff, and Surf’s Up is a surfing area.

As you can see, the number of slides here is enormous, and everybody can find something that they like. There is even a beach area where you can go and relax.

Due to its size, I would recommend this park more to adults or older kids, as you will need to walk a lot.

Food: Where Can You Eat Better?

Both parks don’t allow outside food, except for one small bottle of water.

Wild Wadi:
Offers burgers, pizzas, popcorn, fruits, ice cream, salads, and juices. Enough for a quick meal, but not much variety.

A colorful statue of a cheerful man holding an ice cream cone in one hand and a drink in the other, located in the food and beverage area at Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai. Behind him are posters and signs promoting photography services and blended coffee.

Aquaventure:
Big food court (Barracudas) with burgers, pizzas, Mediterranean grill, Asian noodles, and more. Plenty of shaded indoor seating, too.

Tip:
Both parks use wristbands for cashless payment. Top it up once and use it across the park.

So, Which One Should You Choose?

Both water parks are amazing, but here’s the verdict:

Choose Wild Wadi if you want:	Choose Aquaventure if you want:
Shorter travel time	The biggest and most adventures park
Slightly cheaper prices	Endless slides and attractions
Great view of Burj Al Arab	Private beach access
A manageable park for small kids	A full-day experience for older kids and adults

You truly can’t go wrong. It all depends on what kind of day you want.

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