Global Village Dubai 2026–27: Season 31 Tickets, Timings and Tips

The short answer: Global Village Season 31 opens on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 6pm and runs until May 2027. Entry costs AED 25 Monday to Thursday and AED 30 Friday to Sunday and on public holidays (Sunday moved to the weekend price this season). The park opens at 4pm every day and closes at midnight Sunday to Wednesday, and at 1am Thursday to Saturday and on public holidays. Tuesdays are kept for families, couples and ladies. You can buy at the gate or on the official app, or book our Dubai Global Village entry ticket from AED 30 with free cancellation up to a day before.

Every October, a stretch of desert off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road turns into the busiest, most argued-about and most loved night out in Dubai. Ask ten residents how to do Global Village and you'll get ten plans. One family heads straight for the chaat stalls, a couple only goes for the Friday fireworks, and there's always a colleague who swears the Yemeni honey is worth the drive on its own. This is our plan. It covers the Season 31 prices announced on 8 October, the timings, how to get there without losing an hour in the car park, and what's worth your evening once you're through the gate.

Global Village Season 31 at a glance

	Season 31 (2026–27)
Season	14 October 2026 to May 2027 (last day not yet announced)
Opening night	Wednesday 14 October, gates open at 6pm
Hours	4pm–midnight Sunday to Wednesday; 4pm–1am Thursday to Saturday and public holidays
Entry	AED 25 Monday to Thursday; AED 30 Friday to Sunday and public holidays
Tuesdays	Families, couples and ladies only, except on public holidays
Free entry	People of determination, with one companion
Inside	29 pavilions, more than 90 cultures, 3,500+ shops, 250+ places to eat
Where	Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), Wadi Al Safa 4, Dubai
By bus	RTA routes 102, 103, 104 and 106 from Metro and bus stations
Time to allow	At least four hours
Our ticket	From AED 30, free cancellation up to 1 day before

What is Global Village Dubai?

Global Village is an open-air park where countries put up pavilions, part landmark replica and part bazaar, and fill them with traders selling what they'd sell at home. Around the pavilions sit a funfair, a main stage, street performers and more food than one evening can handle. It started in 1996 as a handful of kiosks on the Creek, spent a few years in Oud Metha, and moved to its current home in Dubailand in 2005. It opens only for the cooler months, from October to May, and closes for the summer.

It isn't a theme park and it isn't a mall, which is why people who expect either are sometimes thrown by it. It's closer to a world fair with a night market attached: loud, crowded at weekends, cheap to get into, and easy to spend more inside than you planned. Season 31 brings together 29 pavilions representing more than 90 cultures, under the theme "A More Wonderful World".

What's new in Season 31

• Pavilions: Sri Lanka gets a pavilion of its own (last season it shared Bangladesh's), the Russia pavilion now includes Azerbaijan, and Syria and Kuwait come back with new façades.
• A new roller coaster: Tokyo Rush, with a loop and sharp turns, opens later in the season. No date had been given when we checked.
• New shows: the stunt show Fast Live 2: The Police Strikes Back, plus two new anchor shows, Bollywood Idol and Bank Heist. Slam returns, and Care Bears and PJ Masks play the Kids Theatre.
• New food: Trabzon Turkish Restaurant; Robo Al Sham (Levantine), Hawawshi Al Rabie (Egyptian) and Chicking at Restaurant Plaza; three new cafés, Vinci Dolci, Emir Bey Gourmet and Uzungol Café; and a new look for the Dessert District.
• Passports: a redesigned Season 31 Passport and, for the first time, a separate Kids Passport, with a stamping station in every pavilion.
• Easier exits: VIP parking can now be paid at machines before you reach the exit, and there are more ticket counters at the Happiness Gate, extra family washrooms and a WhatsApp chatbot for questions.
• Sunday pricing: Sunday is now charged at the weekend rate of AED 30.

Global Village ticket prices for Season 31

Ticket	Price	Valid
Weekday	AED 25	Monday to Thursday, not public holidays
Weekend and public holiday	AED 30	Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
People of determination	Free	Any day, with one companion
Holidayys entry ticket	From AED 30	The date you choose; free cancellation up to 1 day before

The price hasn't moved since last season. What changed is Sunday: in Season 30 the AED 25 ticket covered Sunday to Thursday, and from this season Sunday costs AED 30. Children pay the same as adults once they're old enough to need a ticket.

Where to buy Global Village tickets

Official tickets are sold on the Global Village website and app, and at the gate counters from opening day, so yes, you can still buy at the gate. Travel agencies (we're one) sell entry too, sometimes bundled with transfers, meals or rides. Two things we tell our own customers. Buy from the official channels or a licensed agency, because fake Global Village ticket sites pop up every season. And if you're going on a Friday or Saturday evening, buy before you leave home: the counter queues are longest at exactly the time you'll arrive.

Who gets in free

People of determination and one companion enter free, and get reserved parking, accessible toilets and wheelchair access to every attraction. In past seasons, children under three and visitors aged 65 and over also got in free. That hadn't been restated for Season 31 when we checked, so carry ID for anyone who might qualify.

Ticket offers, family tickets and VIP Packs

Global Village rarely discounts the entry price itself. The real savings are boring but reliable: go Monday to Thursday and pay AED 25 instead of AED 30, and use the free car parks rather than the paid ones. "Offers" from resellers are usually bundles of entry plus a meal, rides or a transfer, which are good value only if you'd have bought those anyway. Global Village runs its own deals from time to time; last May, near the end of the season, it sold unlimited rides for AED 99 a day. Deals like that are announced on its own channels, at short notice.

There's no family ticket. A family of four with two children over three pays AED 100 on a weekday and AED 120 at the weekend. What people searching for a "family pack" usually mean is the VIP Packs. Season 31's run from AED 1,890 for Silver (100 VIP entry tickets, VIP parking and two Wonder Pass cards) and AED 2,490 for Gold (140 tickets) to AED 7,900 for Diamond (200 tickets). The Mega Silver (AED 3,490) and Mega Gold (AED 4,990) add Dubai Parks and Resorts passes. They were sold only through Coca-Cola Arena from late September and go quickly. A pack pays for itself only if you'll visit many times or bring a crowd; for one or two evenings, ordinary tickets win easily.

Global Village timings, day by day

Day	Hours	Entry	Worth knowing
Sunday	4pm–midnight	AED 30	Weekend price, weekday closing time
Monday	4pm–midnight	AED 25	One of the quieter nights
Tuesday	4pm–midnight	AED 25	Families, couples and ladies only
Wednesday	4pm–midnight	AED 25	One of the quieter nights
Thursday	4pm–1am	AED 25	Weekday price, late closing
Friday	4pm–1am	AED 30	Fireworks night last season
Saturday	4pm–1am	AED 30	Fireworks night last season; the busiest
Public holidays	4pm–1am	AED 30	The Tuesday rule doesn't apply

If you're checking Global Village timings for today, the rule is simple: the gates open at 4pm every day, and the park closes at midnight Sunday to Wednesday and at 1am Thursday to Saturday and on public holidays. Entry stops before the park closes, so arrive at least an hour before closing time if you want it to be worth the ticket.

Opening night, Ramadan and New Year's Eve

Opening night, Wednesday 14 October, the gates open at 6pm instead of 4pm. It will be packed. If crowds aren't your thing, go the following Monday.

During Ramadan the hours move later. Last season the park opened at 5pm and closed at 1am Sunday to Wednesday and at 2am Thursday to Saturday. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, and Global Village usually announces its Ramadan hours shortly before.

New Year's Eve is Global Village's biggest night. On 31 December 2025 it counted down seven times, with fireworks and drone shows for China (8pm), Thailand (9pm), Bangladesh (10pm), India (10:30pm), Pakistan (11pm), the UAE (midnight) and Turkey (1am), and stayed open until 2am, all on a standard ticket. Plans for this New Year's Eve hadn't been announced when we checked, but if you have small children, a 10pm or 10:30pm countdown with real fireworks is a very good way to call it a night.

When does Global Village close?

Season 31 runs "until May 2027", and the last day hasn't been announced. For reference, Season 29 closed in mid-May 2025. Season 30 was due to close on 10 May 2026, but the park shut for several weeks from early March as a precaution, reopened on 20 April and was extended to 31 May to cover Eid Al Adha. Eid Al Adha 2027 is expected in mid-May. Either way, don't leave your first visit for the final week, when everyone else has had the same idea.

Which night to go: our honest take

• Best value: Thursday. You pay the AED 25 weekday price and the park stays open until 1am.
• Quietest: Monday or Wednesday, early. Arrive at 4pm, see the pavilions in daylight, and the Carnaval queues are short until about 7pm.
• For families: Tuesday. Entry is for families, couples and ladies, so groups of men on their own aren't admitted and the evening feels calmer. The rule lapses when a Tuesday is a public holiday.
• For fireworks: Friday or Saturday. These are the busiest nights, so take the bus or arrive before 6pm to get a free parking space near the gates.
• Least value: Sunday. It now costs AED 30 but closes at midnight like a weekday.

The weather matters as much as the day. October and early November evenings can still feel close to 30°C, December to February is the best stretch, and by late April the heat is back. Early in the season, arrive after sunset and save the indoor attractions for the warmest hour.

Things to do at Global Village

Walk the 29 pavilions

Each pavilion is fronted by a large replica of a landmark from home and lined with stalls inside. The best of it is in the detail: lamps, carpets and brassware in the Turkey and Egypt pavilions; honey, dates and spices from Yemen and Saudi Arabia; handicrafts and textiles in India; woodwork, instruments and natural beauty products in the Africa pavilion; skincare and pop-culture finds in Japan and Korea. New this season, Sri Lanka has its own pavilion instead of a corner of Bangladesh's.

Bargaining is normal in most pavilions. Start lower than feels polite, and walk away smiling if the number doesn't move; it often moves as you leave. Carry some cash, because plenty of traders take cards but not all of them do. One route tip: the crowd piles up just inside the entrance gates, so walk to the far side of the park first and work your way back.

Pick up a Season 31 Passport and collect a stamp in every pavilion. Children get their own passport this year, and it turns a long walk into a game that will keep a seven-year-old going for three hours. When your legs give out, the redesigned Gardens of the World, the landscaped walk between the Egypt and China pavilions, is the calmest place in the park to sit down.

Rides at the Carnaval

The Carnaval is the funfair end of the park: more than 190 rides, games and attractions, from the Festival Wheel (the Ferris wheel) to arcade games and walk-through attractions. Rides are not included in your entry ticket. You pay with a Wonder Pass, a rechargeable card loaded with points. Last season the card cost AED 5, AED 175 of credit bought 185 points, and most rides cost the equivalent of AED 15 to AED 30, with the Ferris wheel at AED 30. You can top up in the Global Village app or at the counters.

The big attractions are back: The Dragon Kingdom (40 points last season), The Horror Hotel, Secrets of the Lost City (70 points) and Exo Planet City. The new Tokyo Rush roller coaster opens later in the season. Go to the Carnaval between 6pm and 7pm, before the queues build, and keep the Ferris wheel for after dark, when the whole park is lit up below you.

Shows, stunts and fireworks

The programme runs to 40,000 shows over the season. New for Season 31 are the stunt show Fast Live 2: The Police Strikes Back and two anchor shows: Bollywood Idol, about two brothers who take different paths, told through music and dance, and Bank Heist, an acrobatic crime caper. Slam is back, and the Kids Theatre has Care Bears and PJ Masks. Show times shift during the season, so check the Global Village app on the day; the stunt show and the main stage fill up first. Last season the fireworks went up every Friday and Saturday at 9pm; the Season 31 fireworks calendar hadn't been published when we checked.

Eat your way round

There are more than 250 places to eat, and the trick is not to sit down for one big meal. Share three or four small things in different corners instead. If last season is a guide, that means East Asian street food along the canal at the Floating Market (skewers started at AED 5), grab-and-go plates on Happiness Street, pani puri and aloo tikki at the Indian Chaat Bazaar, then something sweet in the redesigned Dessert District. New this season: Trabzon Turkish Restaurant, Robo Al Sham, Hawawshi Al Rabie and Chicking, and the three new cafés. Stalls and prices change each season, so treat last year's favourites as a starting point.

What an evening at Global Village costs

A rough budget, using Season 31 entry prices and last season's ride and food prices. It's our estimate, not a quote.

	Couple, weekday, by bus	Family of four, Saturday, by car
Entry	AED 50	AED 120 (two adults, two children over three)
Getting there	About AED 40 (four bus trips)	Free parking, or AED 75–120 for a paid zone
Carnaval rides	Optional	About AED 180 (a Wonder Pass with AED 175 of credit)
Food and drinks	AED 100–150	AED 200–300
Total	About AED 190–240	About AED 500–600 with free parking

The shopping is the part nobody budgets for. Decide on a number before you go in.

How to get to Global Village

Global Village is on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) in Wadi Al Safa 4, Dubailand, inland from the city. Most of Dubai is 20 to 35 minutes away by car outside rush hour.

Global Village by Metro and bus

Four RTA routes run in season, from about 3:15pm to 11:15pm, and the ride takes about 30 minutes:

Bus	From
102	Centrepoint Metro station
103	Union Metro station, via Al Rebat Street
104	Al Ghubaiba bus station, via Max Fashion Metro station
106	Mall of the Emirates Metro station, via Al Barsha and Al Quoz

A single trip has cost about AED 10 on a Nol card in recent seasons. Watch the last bus: if you're relying on it, you'll leave around 11pm even on a night the park stays open until 1am. For stops and timetables, call RTA on 800 9090. From Dubai Mall there's no direct bus; take the Metro to Union and change to the 103, or take a taxi.

By taxi

Careem, Uber and RTA taxis all serve Global Village. Getting there is easy. Getting home at 11pm on a Friday is the slow part, when the fireworks crowd leaves at once, so go twenty minutes before the rush or wait it out over a karak.

Global Village parking

Car park	Cost	Distance to the gates
P1 and P3	Free	About 400 m from the Gate of the World
P5	Free	About 450 m from the Gate of the World
P7 to P11	Free; open weekends, public holidays and busy days	About 1 km from the Cultural Gate; free shuttle bus, or a rickshaw from AED 10
Paid Parking 2	AED 75 a day	About 350 m from the Happiness Gate
Paid Parking	AED 120 a day	Distance not published
VIP Parking	AED 200 a day (free with a VIP Pack)	Pay at the new machines before you reach the exit

There are also dedicated car parks for people of determination and for A Sticker holders. On Friday and Saturday evenings the free car parks closest to the gates are usually full by early evening, which is when the overflow zones and their shuttle come into their own.

Before you go

• Download the Global Village app for the map, show times and Wonder Pass top-ups. Wi-Fi in the park is free.
• Wear comfortable shoes. You'll walk further than you think.
• Carry some cash for the smaller stalls.
• Dress modestly. Pets aren't allowed, and neither are segways, scooters, bicycles, hoverboards, skateboards or roller skates. Filming needs a permit.
• Guest services hire out wheelchairs (from AED 10), baby carts and lockers (from AED 15), phone chargers (from AED 10) and seated electric scooters (from AED 75).

Pair it with another Dubai day out

Global Village doesn't open until 4pm, so it fits neatly after a morning somewhere else. IMG Worlds of Adventure is on the same side of the city, which makes indoor rides by day and Global Village by night possible, though it's a long day for small children. Miracle Garden and the Butterfly Garden next to it in Al Barsha South make a gentler morning, and our Miracle Garden guide explains how to get from there to here by bus. If you're visiting Dubai for the first time, a morning desert safari and an evening at Global Village on different days is a good balance of the old and the very new.

Book your Global Village ticket with Holidayys

Our Dubai Global Village Entry Ticket is from AED 30 per person, the same price for adults and children, with instant confirmation and free cancellation up to one day before. It covers entry and every pavilion. Parking, food, Carnaval rides and transfers are extra. If you're planning a few days in Dubai, or bringing family over on a UAE visit visa, we can put Global Village on the same booking as your desert safari, dhow cruise or Burj Khalifa tickets. Message us on WhatsApp at +971 4 589 0001 or use the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

When does Global Village open in 2026?

Season 31 opens on Wednesday 14 October 2026, with gates opening at 6pm, and runs until May 2027. After opening night the park opens at 4pm every day.

How much is the Global Village ticket for Season 31?

AED 25 Monday to Thursday and AED 30 Friday to Sunday and on public holidays. People of determination and one companion enter free. Our entry ticket is from AED 30 per person with free cancellation up to a day before.

What are Global Village's timings?

4pm to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, and 4pm to 1am Thursday to Saturday and on public holidays. Hours move later during Ramadan.

Is Tuesday only for families at Global Village?

Yes. Tuesdays are reserved for families, couples and ladies, except when a Tuesday is a public holiday.

Can I buy Global Village tickets at the gate?

Yes. Ticket counters at the gates sell entry from opening day, alongside the official website and app and travel agencies. On Friday and Saturday evenings, buy before you arrive to skip the counter queues.

Are rides included in the Global Village ticket?

No. Entry covers the pavilions, the main-stage and street shows, and the fireworks. Carnaval rides and games are paid separately with a Wonder Pass card, which you can load in the app or at the counters.

How do I get to Global Village by Metro?

Take the Metro to Centrepoint, Union or Mall of the Emirates, or go to Al Ghubaiba bus station, and change to RTA bus 102, 103, 106 or 104. The buses run in season from about 3:15pm to 11:15pm and take about 30 minutes.

How long do you need at Global Village?

Allow at least four hours. That's enough to walk most of the pavilions, eat and catch a show; add an hour or two if you want the Carnaval or the fireworks too.

Related guides

• Dubai Miracle Garden 2026–27: tickets, timings and how to visit
• Dubai with kids: theme parks, costs and what to skip
• Dubai on a budget
• The best time to visit Dubai
• Dubai desert safari guide
• New Year holiday in the UAE
• UAE public holidays 2027

Last checked 9 October 2026 against Global Village's official Plan your visit page (hours, Tuesdays, parking, buses, guest services), the Season 31 announcements reported by Khaleej Times on 8 October 2026 (ticket prices, pavilions, shows, dining), Gulf News's Season 30 food and ride prices, and Global Village's New Year's Eve 2026 programme. Prices, show times and the fireworks calendar change during the season; check globalvillage.ae before you go.