28-Hour Abu Dhabi Layover: Exploring 2 Theme Parks

An 28-hour layover might seem like a travel inconvenience, but not for someone who's crazy about roller coasters. Of course, this layover wasn't intentionally planned out. My roommate and I had booked our flight tickets well in advance, only to find ourselves repeatedly dealing with flight rescheduling resulting with a 28-hour layover after our 2-week adventure from South Korea to Dublin.

We flew via Etihad and lucky enough, we were eligible for Etihad stopover package - so our hotel is basically free! It's worth having a look if you are eligible for a stopover package. We stayed at Premier Inn Abu Dhabi International. It was really convenient because there's no need to leave the airport, we eliminated the stress of making sure we need to be at the airport on time.

Here's the layover breakdown:

0 - 8 hours

We arrived at night, it was easy to get to the hotel by foot. Once we checked in, it was basically a good night's sleep after a long flight.

8 - 19 hours

The next morning, we got to know that our hotel offers a convenient shuttle bus service to various attractions, and we're particularly excited about visiting the theme parks - Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World. On the breakfast table, we basically bought 2 park pass from Klook.com on mobile - it was super easy.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi: Cartoon Capers and Thrills

We started with Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi because the opening times is much earlier than Ferrari World, they open at 8:30am. All we did was scan the Klook tickets at the gate and we're in. It's an indoor theme park that is suited for people of all ages. It is a very family/kids friendly theme park. From the action-packed Gotham City to the whimsical Bedrock, this park boasts six immersive lands featuring characters like Batman, Superman, and Scooby-Doo. It wasn't too crowded on a Monday morning. We were able to experience 5 out of the 8 thrill rides without any special passes. It started getting busier around noon, apart from the last ride, most of the queues were really short.

1. Scooby-Doo: The Museum of Mysteries
2. The Joker Funhouse
3. Scarecrow Scare Raid
4. The Riddler Revolution
5. The Flintstones Bedrock River Adventure
6. Batman: Knight Flight
7. Fast and Furry-ous
8. Tom and Jerry: Swiss Cheese Spin (This had the longest queue)

Lunch

After all the fun, we're definitely hungry. We had lunch and quickly head to Ferrari World.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi: Where Speed Meets Entertainment

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a must-visit for those who crave high-octane excitement. Home to the world's fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa where it accelerate to speeds from 0 to 240 km/h in just 4.9 seconds! Same as Warner Bros. World, it wasn't too busy. We were able to enjoy most of the thrill rides without any special pass. Personally, the rides here are my all time favorite so far. They're all so fast!

1. Formula Rossa (Waited for a long time due to maintenance)
2. Flying Aces
3. Turbo Track (3 times)

19 - 25 hours

We decided to leave around 7pm, well because we're quite exhausted with all the rides. Also, we had to get ready and pack for our flight. We had dinner and took a nap because we had a 3am flight. It was convenient to checkout from our hotel just head to our departure terminal.

25 - 28 hours

Basically we checked in our baggage without any hassle and waited near the boarding gate.

Total Cost For 28 hours layover in Abu Dhabi

Worth it

In hindsight, those 28 hours in Abu Dhabi turned out to be an adventure packed with excitement and unforgettable memories. The thrill rides, the laughter, and the sheer joy of exploring two incredible theme parks in such a short time frame was a great ending to our South Korea trip. I didn't expect such layovers can offer a unique opportunity to explore an attraction, even in a limited time. So, if you find yourself facing an extended layover, consider taking a cue from my journey—embrace the thrill, make the most of the hours you have, and let your layover become an adventure of its own.