Abu Dhabi Week previews a host of attractions at the newly renovated Hili Fun City.
The whole family will find something new at Hili this year
A firm family favourite in Al Ain since it opened in 1985, Hili Fun City had for some time fallen into a state of disrepair, but with TDIC now on board, and Viviane Paturel Mazot, senior manager, leisure and hospitality standards, driving its renovation, the park is well on its way to reclaiming its position as a regional entertainment destination.
Mazot, with stints at Disney and Six Flags under her belt, is all about fun, fun, fun, and it’s something she takes very seriously indeed. Bursting with enthusiasm, she tells us why Hili Fun City should be on everyone’s list of places to visit this holiday season.
“In total we have seven completely new rides, plus a further three that have been moved from the west of the park and renovated, making ten new rides for people to enjoy when the park reopens for Eid al-Fitr,” says Mazot.
“We only had a month to complete the first phase of the renovations, so we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to do. This is largely due to the dedication of our staff, some of whom have been working at the park for 25 years.
“Even the Hili Fun City logo has been redesigned so that it’s instantly recognisable from a distance and reflects the philosophy of the park as a destination for traditional family fun.
“Hili isn’t just for the kids; it’s a place for parents to relive their childhood. When I speak to local families, many of them say that their first experience of driving was in one of the park’s antique cars on Sinbad’s Farm!”
The cars have now been replaced by brightly coloured tractors, personally chosen by Mazot for their fun design, friendly faces and ease of use for local families in traditional dress.
Twister Mountain promises to thrill
“Our number one priority in the park is the safety and comfort of our guests. Even if parents tell us they will take responsibility for their children, we will not allow them to get onto the rides if they are below the minimum height limit,” says Mazot.
“We closed over the summer, as the park has done every year to perform maintenance on the rides, but this year we have created something new.
“Visitors can identify the latest rides on the park map by looking for stars. My favourites are the children’s ‘Circus Train’, the ‘Crazy Clown’ teacup ride and the ‘Circus Swing’. These have all been created with smaller children in mind, and have been decorated by a team of specialist airbrush artists from Germany.
“Then for the big kids we have the Hili Swinger (a much larger and faster version of the Circus Swing), Twister Mountain and the completely remodelled 3D Action Cinema. Twister Mountain is a high-thrill ride; it may not have loops and turn you upside-down, but I promise you it will get the adrenalin pumping.”
We were treated to a ‘ride’ inside the 3D Cinema, and can safely say that the Robot Soldier show was as stomach churning as it was enjoyable.
“Our classic double-decker carousel was completely renovated by an acclaimed artist from Poland. It really is something special.”
The park also now has two types of bumper cars, for adults and children, as well as a new team of bumper boats, all painted with animal faces.
“We’ve introduced lots of new characters, but Sinbad is still the mascot of the park, and we are working to develop him a team of friends. Hopefully in the future, we’ll have scores of colourful characters to welcome visitors, perhaps even performing on stage in our newly remodelled amphitheatre, or making parades around the park.”
The amphitheatre, which forms something of a central point in the park, is planning to stage live shows, in both Arabic and English, with colourful teams of performers to entertain the crowds. TDIC has added new lighting and sound equipment, as well as a new backstage area for the performers.
Visitors can enter another world in the 3D Cinema
With the park open until 10pm, and sometimes later if people are having too much fun, there’s plenty of time for people to enjoy a show and every one of the rides in the park.
“We have 28 open for this season, with more in phase two, due to open to visitors in 2014,” says Mozat.
“Hili Fun City has always been a place for families to come and enjoy. Yes, we are renovating the rides, and adding new attractions, but many visitors who are now returning after a long time are finding things they remember.”
The philosophy at Hili seems to be that people can come for the day and do what they like, within reason of course. The park lets people bring their own food, with some even pitching tents for the day!
“Since November 2009 we’ve had 189,000 visitors to the park, and we hope that this year, with the new renovations, we’ll exceed that figure. We’re up 21 percent on the same period last year,”
says Mozat.
“The ticket price has increased to AED 35 on weekdays and AED 40 on weekends [from AED 15 – 20], but before many of the rides in the park cost extra. Now people pay one amount and can enjoy all 28 different rides, as many times as they like.”
