Universal Studios Dubailand, Unfinished theme park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Universal Studios Dubailand was a planned theme park on a large desert site east of Dubai. The construction site showed only the entrance gates with Universal branding before work halted and the grounds remained bare.
The project started construction in 2008 but paused that same year during the global financial crisis. Development was later abandoned entirely and the venture was officially cancelled in 2016.
The park design included five sections named Hollywood, New York, Surf City, Epic Adventures, and Legendary Heroes, representing different entertainment themes.
The site is not accessible to visitors since construction halted early and the location has remained abandoned. The remnants of the work site lie in the desert east of Dubai and can only be viewed from a distance.
The striking entrance arch stood alone in the empty desert for years before being dismantled just before the project was officially abandoned. This made it an unusual relic of a never-realized leisure destination in the Gulf region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.