Some things are hard to describe and the experience of Dubai’s Garden Glow is one of them. Set in a corner of Zabeel Park (not to be confused with the rest of Zabeel Park on the other side of Sheikh Zayed Road), it promises an afternoon of fun and adventure for the whole family.
We arrive just after 4pm, purchase our tickets and make our way to the Ice Park which we are advised to check out first. Partly because it’s still light and the glow gardens aren’t yet underway and partly because it will get busy later on. It’s not as close as I imagine and we have to ask for directions several times, not really sure what we’re looking for or where, exactly, to go.
Eventually we find them and enter into an empty looking shed. We don big parkas and while the boys are excited, I have only worn slip on shoes and brought a light cardigan – I’m not at all equipped to be heading into a frozen wonderland.
Still, as the arctic blast hits me and I enter the door, the excitement of the boys is worth it. There are frozen camels and a Burj Al Arab, buildings and bridges and all sorts of animals – penguins, polar bears, dinosaurs and dragons. There’s even a flying unicorn, an airplane and a mosque.
The boys run around and laugh as their breath turns to clouds of fog. Harley finds ‘snow’ falling from the ceiling and squeals with delight. The lighting makes everything look magical, even though I feel I’m inside some giant freezer (which, we are!). The Ice Park isn’t particularly large but it keeps us all amused for about 20 minutes. Then I’m ready to head out and defrost.
Back outside we peel off our puffy parkas and make our way back towards the entrance where the Dinosaur Park is located. “Daddy!” I hear and Jason has arrived and is waiting for us at the entrance. We find a couple of little dinosaur hatchlings, only for them to be eaten up for dinosaur dinner along the way!
Jason, Grandma & I stop for a karak tea and send the boys onto the playground for a little bit. They run up the hill and disappear whilst we enjoy our hot and spicy chai. Then we go to retrieve them from the playground, passing the first of the dinosaur displays along the way. They’re quite realistic looking and some of them make threatening moves and even more threatening sounds. I’m quite glad that I can see the feet tethered to the ground as one has a fairly menacing glint in its eye.
We catch up with the boys. There are lots of things in the playground. Grandma & Jasper are playing ‘Mary had a little lamb’ on the xylophone and Harley is doing some exercise on the exercise equipment. I spot a flying fox and harness myself into the chair. Jason grabs hold of it and I give a surprised little squeal as he gives me a push and I go flying along with everyone laughing at my surprise.
We round up the boys and keep going. There are the usual suspects: tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus and pteranodon as well as triceratops, diplodocus, coelophysis and a number that I can neither pronounce or remember although Jasper seemed to know them all.
By now it’s nearly dark and the boys are getting hungry. We stop by the lake for something to eat – pizza and a cheese borek. The boys are delighted with a glowing balloon each as we finish our meal. It is dark now and the glow gardens are underway.
We start wandering and discover sea themed displays, animals of all kinds, insects and patterns. There are love heart shaped glowing and flashing tunnels and butterflies lit up in trees. A giant coffee pot pouring coffee into awaiting cups and of course, another miniature Burj Khalifa.
We wander around. The grounds are large and there is no one route to take. The boys delight in the animals and insects all the while playing with their balloons and being distracted by something else, always just around the corner.
I snap away as we walk around. It’s after 8pm though and the boys are growing tired. I’d love to stay as Grandma hasn’t quite seen all of it yet but, wisely, Jason herds us to our cars before there is a tired tantrum that could have been avoided.
We make it to the car. Jason has taken Jasper and Harley hops in the back, still chatting away. It’s a good half hour drive home though and that’s if I don’t get lost. After a little while, Harley asks us not to talk and five minutes later, he’s asleep. I carry him into bed and put my own pyjamas on. Mum has made a cuppa and we talk about the night. It certainly was fun and adventure for the whole family.
Would I Return?
Yes. It’s not something that I would want to wander around every week as part of the fun of it is the surprise of the glowing spectacle and the size of the exhibits. However, the Dubai Garden Glow is something that visitors, particularly those with children would love, and I’d be happy to accompany friends for an evening every so often.