Dubailand: The Gargantuan Theme Park that Never Was

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[@megaprojects9649]

Let Audible help you discover new ways to laugh, be inspired, or be entertained. New members can try it free for 30 days. Visit audible.com/mega or text mega to 500-500.

[@kieronparr3403]

Ironically I stopped listening to an audiobook to watch this.

[@spewp]

Can I pay you actual money so that I never hear/see another ad on your content?

[@peterj903]

Yeah... But did you see *what* my hand was doing....??? You wouldn't be saying thanks then....!!!

[@aflhabalafhabab]

Audible is part of the world economic forum, you job hating Satanist!

[@jeepmega629]

It seems that from the late 2000s onwards nearly every megaproject Dubai would try to do was destined to either be put on hold or be a complete failure

[@mahmoodali5043]

Cuz the new sheikh's management doesn't live up to his papa's Money isn't everything, you need to know how to manage it

[@Coaster_Crazy]

Most of Dubai is a failure unfortunately, I’ve been 3 times now and apart from places that are free or the shopping malls and outdoor spaces everywhere else is completely deserted including all of the major theme parks that are out there including the ones in Abu Dhabi

[@myblujl7503]

I had friends who are artists get roped into this project. They tried to get me in on it, saying they were getting paid massive amounts of money for easy work. It just sounded way too good to be true, and it was! They all did a bunch of work and never got paid. One went to Dubai and almost didnt make it back to the US as he racked up debt expecting a big payout that never came. They dont let you leave the country unless you pay all your debt. This is why you see a bunch of supercars parks all over the place gathering dust. A bunch of foreign workers who were promised massive money, got skunked, and they just flee the country. Nobody touches these Ferrari's just parked on the side of the road for years.

[@Zaabi]

Oh yes the Dubai booggy man comment- yes, when you break the law you can’t leave…. Crazy concept

[@DecrepitBiden]

I've always wondered why would anyone just abandon their expensive supercars. The old saying "If it sounds too good to be true..." always holds true.

[@Zaabi]

@@DecrepitBiden nobody abandoned the their sport cars since the 2008 recession

[@zaco-km3su]

@@Zaabi Fantastic, so fraud is legal in Dubai? Those guys were conned.

[@Zaabi]

@@zaco-km3su isn’t fraud illegal everywhere?

[@seanedge2003]

In 2012 I was hired to design the logos for several of the intended parts of Dubailand. The Dubai Eye and Bollywood land. After I finished up the contractor told me the managers had decided on “something different” 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Scooter_213]

Did you get paid for it at least?

[@samlincoln1]

I used to live there and its insane how many projects are just abandonned and there are just shells if what they were meant to be left behind, a universal park, buildings everywhere, they get overly ambitious and fail, even in the town i lived in there were about half a dozen buildings that never got finished.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

While the Dubai Snowdome wasn't built, Dubai DOES have an indoor ski slope at Mall of the Emirates called Ski Dubai which opened in 2005. Not the only mall to have an indoor ski slope as the American Dream Meadowlands mall which opened in New Jersey in 2019 was built with one too. While Dubai built theirs because it's a hot climate, the NJ mall built it to attract NYC customers who don't want to drive too far to go skiing. You should definitely do a vid on the American Dream mall as the place was in the works since the 1990s, and even when ground was broken in 2004, it was plagued with many setbacks and classic NJ politics.

[@bradbrandon2506]

Ahhh "classic NJ politics" strikes again....

[@strictlyaesthetic9202]

Touche'... At least the Mall of the Emirates was crowded when I visited several times..... Quite a crowd was seen skiing ........ However .... I seen several reports the American dream mall is practically vacant.... Do you need a calculator?

[@jbard9892]

The American Dream Mall is a myth, an urban legend. I work two miles from where this mall supposedly exists but I've never seen or met anyone who's seen it. It doesn't even generate traffic. How does a mall that size not generate traffic?

[@zaphodthenth]

​@@jbard9892 Have you ever gone to look for it, or seen it yourself?

[@jbard9892]

@@zaphodthenth I drive right past it every day to get on route 3. In theory I could clearly see it if I turned my head slightly to the left, but why bother? If there was a large mall there it would generate traffic. Just today I had to drive down to the Chase bank in East Rutherford because I'm buying a condo in Little Ferry and I had to get something notarized. I saw all kinds of signs for it, I was on Paterson Plank Road, how could I possibly miss it? Or at least feel its presence in the massive amounts of traffic that would be generated by such an enormous mall. On a Friday. It doesn't exist.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

2:00 - Chapter 1 - The vision 6:30 - Mid roll ads 7:40 - Chapter 2 - Construction & collapse 11:45 - Chapter 3 - The state of affairs

[@briand5379]

It gets up to 120 degrees in Dubai so like here in Phoenix no one's going to go there 4-6 months out of the year.

[@ellisgethin6155]

First time I've ever caught a Simon Whistler video as soon as it's uploaded. For some reason, it feels like an achievement...

[@catman_king_1k29]

I understand that lol

[@aaronolivas6970]

Im envious

[@tonymuzia2070]

I was lucky enough to stumble upon that for an Into Shadows video not too long ago (the schizophrenia one) and it made my day for sure and possibly my weeek

[@Binsonhope]

Try 3 years of this abuse! He and his creative team are literally the eminent force on KZbin when it comes to informative content on virtually everything! Genuinely hope to meet him and shake his hand one day 🙂

[@megaprojects9649]

Congratulations?

[@bettyswallocks6411]

Legoland was guaranteed to be completed - as a company, they are absolute bricks.

[@WaddedBliss]

I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said-“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

[@alaeriia01]

I've seen this poem posted with any number of Insane Gulf State Megaprojects, and it _always_ fits.

[@appleid3151]

I met someone who knows about copy and paste

[@WaddedBliss]

@@appleid3151 I know. I should've typed it out. Silly me.

[@appleid3151]

@@WaddedBliss I wasn't talking about you

[@debralittle1341]

Wow! Awesome!

[@SouthCountyDreaming]

A lot of the ideas from that era of UAE development did end up getting built but in smaller forms-Ain Dubai, Dubai Canal, Waterfront became the nexus for Creek area etc. It seems good that they are saving some of the real estate nearer to the city/sea because if you build it all up at once, you run out of strategic land reserves.

[@aukanmeister]

These projects kind of sum up all that I don't like about traveling.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

The reason Dubailand flopped is because they didn't have me to lead the way. We can borrow their plan, build parks with each theme park paying homage to me, my family, and our country, build hotels in the shape of golden statues of myself, and then the megaproject would be a hit. It's that simple, really. They definitely need to learn the Juche way of life, honestly. It's something all other nations should look into.

[@thisguyagain7857]

Yeah how's the Yu-Kyung Hotel project going?

[@MatthewJCollinge]

Commie freak

[@spencerstevens2175]

They didn't call fifa

[@digitalmouse3314]

This cannot be real but you know maybe

[@CaffeineGeek]

I was told your grandfather invented theme parks. When he was nine years old, he designed a park centered around a castle with various areas devoted to theme like the future, wild west, and fantasy worlds. He personally came up with plans for all the rides and infrastructure. Then some imperialist dog named Disney stole the Great Leader's idea.

[@stefanschneider3681]

Just looked up the area around Legoland Dubai and what you find south of it will blow your mind. What had obviously already been poured into that project is unbelievable. You zoom in and zoom in and your jaw drops! Thanks for bringing up this castle built of sand … literally!

[@katb2894]

That’s because it actually is a fully functional theme park. Along with Legoland waterpark, Bollywood and Motiongate. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out with the kids, especially Motiongate.

[@markvicferrer]

This reminds me of the scene in Jurassic Park where they were talking about how much the ticket prices were gonna be to fund the whole thing. I'd probably only be able to go on the cheapest day because it all sounds overwhelmingly expensive.

[@user-lv7ph7hs7l]

Plebs like us are not welcome anyway. If you have to ask what it costs you can't afford it. You know restaurants that don't have prices on the menu? All of Dubai is in that philosophy. You don't talk about money you have it.

[@Lorre982]

The main atraccions of Dubailand: the raid on the poop truck, dehydration, sunburn.

[@moonlightalkemist]

I was in Dubai twice in spring 1991 with several hundred of my brothers and sisters. We spent a lot of our time at a small theme park in Dubai due to a British pub being next door but too expensive for us to eat and drink there for 16 hours a day. Ice rink, paddle boats, go carts, a few other rides. The locals were not impressed by a bunch of drunk Americans showing up at the ice rink and running demolition games against each other on the ice. We were all Marine infantry, not necessarily the best group of Americans for diplomacy but we never had any issues. Cab drivers were our godsend and they spirited us away from anywhere that looked like we may need to speak to local law enforement and back to our ships. Ever driven 40 miles each direction in a cab to find the only open place to drink in 200 miles? I have and it was epic. Two adjoining hotel rooms with a secret knock and everything. During Ramadan so I guess we were really playing with fire. Fun times almost 32 years ago.

[@joelc9439]

In those days taxis were cheap.

[@hockeyking30]

Do a video on the defunct Action park in new jersey. Or more fondly named CLASS ACTION park

[@jerseythedog]

With a name like “Dubailand” how could this have failed? When Americaland opens up in Florida it will be a worldwide attraction guaranteed. 🤡

[@geetee2694]

Just remember to not follow the examples of Californialand.

[@tuljan4419]

As a Dubai resident, I can say one thing. Tourists coming here are not interested to visit theme parks, they are mostly interested in beaches, the desert and nightlife. All the existing theme parks here are not doing well at all.

[@AsensualPanda]

Awesome. A Megaprojects Video to end the day :)

[@AmbientWalking]

So crazy!

[@brianwilson3458]

It's hard out there for billionaires.

[@barrydysert2974]

Simon's parting words were the most genuinely wistful i have ever heard from Him !:-)

[@deelarry2137]

And it would have been built by what is actually slave labor.

[@zaco-km3su]

They were too ambitious. A project like this should have started small and the areas around it kept specifically for development of other theme parks. The first theme parks funding the next ones and so on.

[@ollllj]

the images look like a very rough and unreasonable very early concept. surely they did not get far with this. ... oh nevermind, they planed a car-centric theme park with highways across it... pathethic.

[@heathermedling1313]

"Am I right Peter?!" Love the OGBB reference in this Megaprojects episode.

[@marktinsley1477]

Ever thought about Dollywood for side projects video

[@carlosvejar3938]

Alcohol Freeland doesn't make for a popular tourist attraction

[@arbaz79]

Alcohol is everywhere in Dubai

[@manoz6194]

Arabs have been corrupted by Money so indulge in all types of unIslamic decadence

[@bankerdave888]

Maybe the sewer problem is still not resolved.

[@jacksonkennedyjk]

Love your videos! Cheerz to you and your family! Have a good xmas!!!

[@Peanutdragon05]

always love a brain blaze reference on one of the more serious channel love/hate you peter

[@CdrChaos]

It’s hard to imagine having already sunk that much money into it and not pushing through to finish ANY of it on time. That Universal park could have been finished and been celebrating its 10th anniversary by now, lord knows Universal builds fast.

[@caelum2185]

How were they going to maintain the temperature? I really don’t think people would like to walk in desert sun.

[@enjibkk6850]

Tons of AC, then don't need to care about global warming either

[@Larry_Stylinson]

That was what I was wondering too! Plus all those rollercoasters, etc. outdoors are going to heat up, which surely makes them unusable after some time. The maintenance of rollercoasters and everything else outdoors would have definitely not been easy (and I can't imagine what sand could do to them, especially if there's a sand or dust storm). Did they even planned to have enough infirmaries everywhere for people suffering heat strokes, dehydration, etc.? I can't even imagine how many maintenance technicians, attraction operators, etc. they would have had to hire to make everything run smoothly. All these people would have needed the proper training (and likely previous work experience) AND would have wanted to live in Dubai (possibly with their families, so there would have been a high demand for international schools where their children could go to). I can't imagine how this would have been even remotely a success. Most of the world population can't afford to travel to Dubai for a few days and this theme park sounds incredibly expensive and like you need to stay at least for a week or two to experience most of it. I could probably go to Disneyland Resort Paris at least 4 times for the same amount of money this would probably cost and I'd choose Disneyland over this for multiple reasons, one would definitely be the weather and how close to my home country it would be, plus the beneficial treatment I get there for having a disability (I'm autistic and not having to wait in lines makes it all a much better and less stressful experience). I'm sure they wouldn't have been really inclusive of people with disabilities. I'd also prefer to stay in a country where their laws protect me and treat me equally to men and not like a second class citizen or something. 😬

[@naseerahvj]

I lived there for over 2 years and never knew about this. I did visit the global village 4 times.

[@sidguernsey1393]

Love the architect outfit 🙂

[@Gerryjournal]

Re "The snow dome". During summer, the local rich Arab population (all the local Arab population, the entire 9% are rich) leave for colder climes as the summer temperatures soar to, and past, 50 degrees C. Consequently their money goes with them and Dubai shopping centers etc suffer financially. For a number of years I supplied Ice Shows to Dubain during the summer. The aim being to keep the locals and their wallets at home. There were ice shows, entire shopping malls turned into winter wonderlands and even skiing in the desert where sand dunes were sprayed with artificial snow. These events came under the name of The Dubai Summer Surprises.

[@myplane150]

Well, at least they got an area where they can film post-apocalytic movies by using the sand covered roads that they built...☺

[@2011blueman]

It was moronic from day one. Unless you provide air condition to the entire place it was DOA because even in winter it would be too hot for tourists. Everything in Dubai is indoors and air conditioned for a reason.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Peter is the most engaged Audience ever

[@michaelmurray2595]

Even the manmade islands off the coast are desolving into the sea...

[@lee5105]

Thanks

[@Hillbilly001]

Somebody needs to check the Prince's hookah because I don't think he has only tobacco in it. Allegedly. Cheers from Tennessee

[@TheFarCobra]

Kinda like “the world” islands and a good predictor of what “the wall” is going to do.

[@MariaPerez-sb1xp]

It's as if a person with borderline created Dubai. There was no control of impulsion with the idea, and now the palm island is left completely unfinished just because of that, including a decent sewage system. It's a big red flag how the world islands and the other palm island are abandoned as well.

[@csk4j]

I hope they dream again..what a great project

[@RenilReniluRavindran]

Good video. However, Global Village was operational since 1997 IIRC and has almost always been seasonal.

[@Fox1223]

Dubai seems more like a hyper kid telling a story. Just a lot of directionless excitement that's not really completed/ fully thought out. But means well

[@_GntlStone_]

Sound's much like President Erdogan and Turkey's "AnkaPark", which is worth a video of it's own.

[@katherinebrubaker7788]

Thank you Peter :)

[@calec22]

Dubai was not dependent upon oil in this time. In fact it was actually the oil based economy of Abu Dhabi that bailed them out. It was the property crash that was dubai's biggest issue from the financial crisis not the price of the barrel.

[@peterbrown1571]

I'm here for you bro

[@jasonthompson6594]

Whoa!

[@Dugga22]

The glory of heated seats 😅

[@sistertidy]

Well, they managed to build the doors of Dubailand, an impressive structure just next to Outlet Mall on the highway to Ajman. I have wasted 16 years of my life in this country.

[@henriroggeman7267]

Simon should actually do a Brain Blaze about this.

[@sardonicspartan9343]

One of many.

[@edwardbrownfield3710]

Snow dome. LOL 😅

[@donsandsii4642]

Did simon already cover the indoor ski resort that actually got built?

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I still can’t believe that the Six Flags Qiddiya park still hasn’t been canceled and is still being built

[@BloodFallenRTX]

Many ambitious buildings that were actually built are simply empty. They are just decorations to fool tourists.

[@suhailshafi]

Who knows ? Dubailand may still be built. So many other projects in the city were eventually completed.

[@fernandojr7854]

I was super excited for the marvel theme park.

[@josephforrest3713]

How about a video on the SU57? That would be awesome. Love the channels!!

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

The Qiddiya project wants to be the capital of entertainment, sports and the arts, and it is the largest entertainment city in the world I think huge entertainment and tourism projects are coming, especially in the Arab Gulf countries Saudi Arabia has 8 huge, innovative and distinctive tourism projects that will soon make Saudi Arabia one of the most important tourist countries in the world

[@zaco-km3su]

I have some doubts. Saudi Arabia doesn't like theatres. If they try something like that there's going to be some religious extremists that will kill themselves. It happened in the past, it will happen again.

[@niteslayer11wjot71]

i want to see the plans about that egypt obelisk tower

[@stephen9958]

I got a question do u think you can do a review on to ships that might make some sense for space travel the drake cutter and the drake Corsair from star citizen cuz the ship look like something we could make in the future

[@BigSnipp]

Who wants to go to a theme park that's 110 degrees?

[@katashworth41]

Me when I’m rich “I’m building a 500ft+ T Rex” probably a good thing I’m not rich.

[@Binsonhope]

Stop it! Your channels are becoming the only reason I watch KZbin! 🙏🙏

[@Joshua-uw7wm]

That would have been badass

[@bogansrun]

Vampire Jet, HMAS Melbourne (The Carrier, not the destroyer) or what about that nukeplane video?

[@marypringle7186]

Beard looking good 🙂

[@CB-fn3me]

$61 billion sounds like a grossly underestimated cost for this megalomaniac project even if they use slave labor.

[@Lakshmi1118]

Wait wait wait! Snow dome, with penguins?! Who is the child coming up with these things in one of the hottest places in the world?! Brilliant !

[@chaoticdevil9520]

Felt like that thank you Peter was aimed at me 😂 as I'm called Peter... except I don't really like rollercoasters so I wouldn't of put my hand up

[@kevinmcqueenie7420]

0:27 AM I RIGHT PETER?

[@bhew7409]

Peter: "shocked pikachu face"

[@asjad_ahmad]

While the Dubailand never got finished they picked up all those ideas & implemented them around Dubai. So the giant Ferris Wheel exist around JBR Beach & the snow dome is now a whole ski slope inside one of the malls.

[@marcussheen]

I'm a theme park nerd, and just want to say well done for such an accurate and well-researched video.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

Except for the part where he referred to Walt Disney World as a theme park.

[@michaelhall7546]

They should have tried to bribe FIFA son! 🤣🤣🤣

[@joeyindahl2593]

Dubai is like Las Vegas without any of the fun

[@motorsr20]

To be fair, anyone who just watched BB and is now here raised their hands, too.

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

It's great to know that even after this park didn't happen, they still went forward with other plans , I've done motiongate a yr after opening, detail was amazing but its bloody empty only about 200 in there when we were there , a lovely indoor shopping mall next door , there was a site there also advertising 6 flags but dont know what happened there, that was in 2018.

[@constantinvaldor3742]

I F's with audible Warhammer for the Emperor!

[@SparkBerry]

The Etihad Rail project in the UAE is progressing well, and is a large rail network built from scratch in the desert sand. Definitely worth a video.

[@joelc9439]

It was in the works for many years..

[@nunyabiznez666]

As business people say.....location, location, location 😂

[@boldandthebeautifulgimbal2881]

0:38 Simon, you know I HATE that ducking pot plant. Are you intentionally trying to aggravate me? WHERE IS ETA Simon, what did you do?!!!!!

[@sandybarnes887]

It's in the basement

[@kristophersnyder6502]

Dubai had already shifted their economy to focus on tourist prior to 2008 financial crisis

[@pronoydutta614]

Are you saying we missed out on all those Dubaicreams, Dubai-coasters and other Dubai related sand snorkeling paraphernalia? Gee, now we'll never get to witness theme park history and help the impoverished Dubai economy while we're at it. This is a great loss, my friends.

[@jevinday]

I remember a couple years ago that they announced a six flags park in Dubai too and then canceled it like a couple weeks later haha

[@cameronmccreary4758]

The Dubai leaders are " stinking" rich; they don't care if Dudailand was really going to be built or not.

[@peterkirby1753]

I did, but I was actually waving to my daughter who was outside my window.

[@Tential1]

Lol, I would love to smoke what they smoke in Dubai when they think of these mega projects

[@onlocationkat]

If they had just rooked Disney into this, Eiger probably would have at least built Disneyworld Dubai there.

[@sameddy2729]

And then the age of the combustion engine ended, and all the money dried up

[@johnfox7149]

Can I get a beer in Dubailand?

[@_Ben___]

I put my hands up

[@anderander5662]

All this infrastructure in a desert is unsustainable without oil revenue...