Dubai Atlantis AquaXpress just got better!
We wrote about AquaXpress in the past. We argued that the fast-track pass was worth it but was expensive. For some, it was too expensive. That has now changed. Aquaventure has dramatically lowered the price of AquaXpress. It is still costly but not as outrageously priced as half a year ago. In the past, the ticket price of AquaXpress was linked to how busy the park was. Atlantis used dynamic pricing to set the price for the ultimate skip-the-line ticket. Now that has changed. The price is the same on any given day: AED 195 (53 USD / 42 GBP / 49 EUR).
Although a price tag of 50 USD is still high, especially if you are traveling with a large family, it brings excellent value for money. That is because Atlantis’ Aquaventure is known for having very long queues for each and every slide. With the orange AquaXpress wristband, you can skip every single one of those.
BTW: Atlantis offers no consumer protection. GetYourGuide does: buy tickets (AED 299) with flexible cancellation. This post contains affiliate links on which we could earn a commission.
What is AquaXpress at Aquaventure?
Atlantis’ Aquaventure gets crowded, too crowded on some days. With many people in the park, there can be (very) long waiting lines to go down the water park’s thrill rides. AquaXpress allows you to enter the rides in a separate line with either no, or a small waiting line.
The AquaXpress pass allows you to skip the line at most water slides and rides. You get an additional orange wristband that gives you access to a separate express line. This line is much shorter and prioritized over the regular line. The express pass cuts your waiting time from 60 minutes at some attractions to 5 minutes or less.
Personally, we experienced lines that were well over 60 minutes where we could walk right in without any waiting involved. Once down, we could walk right into the attraction again. If you are only visiting Aquaventure for one day, it is the only way you can fully experience all the park offers.
You can see the AquaXpress wristband in the photo. This was our third wristband. The other wristbands are the day tickets and our small locker.
AquaXpress will get you the additional orange wristband. With this wristband, you get access to special skip-the-line entry lines at almost all the rides at Aquaventure. Staff checks the wrist bands thoroughly and it will save you serious waiting time at Atlantis’ Aquaventure.
How bad are the waiting lines at Aquaventure Dubai?
We visited the park in late 2021 and noticed long queues. For some attractions, there were waiting lines that took well over 60 minutes. This is also what you can read in all the water park reviews.
People give the park overall very high ratings, with 4.5 out of 5 stars on Tripadvisor. That sounds like an excellent general opinion of the park, but if you dig closer, there is one common theme of criticism: the long waiting lines. When we did our research into Aquaventure, we noticed a few topics surfacing in many reviews:
- First of all, the park can get relatively busy, especially in the afternoon.
- We read and experienced that you should think about your feet as the ground can get pretty hot.
- Third, you should bring a waterproof carry bag for your phone and a credit card to make purchases at the water park.
- Buying tickets through authorized resellers might save you money on a day pass; read more.
Is the AquaXpress pass value for money?
Previously the price of AquaXpress was unreasonable. A single AquaXpress wristband was priced higher than the regular entry ticket. This has changed as the pass costs about 2/3 of a standard entry ticket. Although this is still expensive, we believe that we think that the high price is worth it if you can afford it. On busy days, the AquaXpress is the only way to experience everything the park offers. Arguably, without AquaXpress, Aquaventure is not worth going to.
If you are visiting Dubai on a short trip and going to Aquaventure for just one day, we highly recommend taking the AquaXpress pass. This will be the only way to experience the park with relative ease and comfortable fashion. Alternatively, you will be stuck in waiting lines for most of the day.
If you are a guest of Atlantis Park and can enter the water park any day, we wouldn’t recommend opting for the Express Pass. You can visit the park around the opening and closing hours when lines aren’t too bad. If you are not a thrill-seeker and want to skip most of the slides and rides, it is also not worth it.
Where to buy AquaXpress?
The easiest way to buy the express pass is while you enter the park. You can buy the ticket at the regular ticket counters even if you pre-purchased your entrance ticket. We booked our pass, including the upgrade, on our mobile phone.
All upgrades, including the AquaXpress upgrade, can be purchased at the park entrance. Alternatively, you can buy the upgrades online on your mobile. Somehow, you can’t obtain the upgrade while buying a ticket on a desktop computer.
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