07:25AM - 14.03.'14
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News Source: autoblog.com
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If you're a Ferrari fan and are looking for the place to plan your next vacation, Italy is surely the place to go. There's the headquarters, factory, museum and test track in Maranello, the new Enzo Ferrari Museum in neighboring Modena, and the circuit named for Enzo and Dino Ferrari in the nearby Bolognese suburb in Imola. The thing is that, aside from looking at collections of classic cars – which we wouldn't thumb our noses at, mind you – you might not find that much to do there. Especially if you're traveling with your family. That's where Ferrari World comes in. The Abu Dhabi theme park is built around the Ferrari brand and lets kids and adults alike ride on Ferrari rides, shop in Ferrari shops, eat in Ferrari restaurants (prancing horse meat, anyone?) and take in Ferrari shows. It may be a far more artificial an experience than a pilgrimage to northern Italy, but for the family-minded, there's more to do. When Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi was first being built, there was already talk that it wouldn't be the last such theme park, and now the racing team turned automaker turned worldwide branding powerhouse has announced another. Not unlike the difference between Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, the second Prancing Horse theme park will be called Ferrari Land. It is to be built as part of the PortAventura resort on eighteen and a half acres of land outside Barcelona by PortAventura Entertainment SAU, a subsidiary of the same Investindustrial that acquired over a third of Aston Martin late in 2012; previously owned Ducati and maintains strong ties to Mercedes-AMG. In other words, it's a company that knows a thing or two about European performance brands. The project involves an investment of some 100-million euros – $139M US – and is set to open in 2016. When completed, the complex will include a Ferrari-themed five-star hotel with 250 rooms as well as restaurants and a driving simulator. |
