I rode the world’s first John Wick roller coaster in Dubai’s Motiongate theme park and it was like getting punched in the stomach and then kicked in the head – but in a good way.
Let me explain.
John Wick: Open Contract, as it's called, is a 10-storey-high 4D free spin roller coaster set over a 310-metre track that delivers G-force of up to 2.8 Gs.
It's just opened at Dubai Parks and Resorts and it is in no way for the faint-hearted.
Riding a roller coaster is supposed to release endorphins. These hormones, released by the brain, are a pain reliever and happiness booster. This ride sent mine wild.
For those unfamiliar, the film franchise is a stylish, ultra-violent action trilogy starring Keanu Reeves that's made mega bucks at the box office.
This ride begins with a journey through the Continental Hotel, a mocked-up version of the property from the movies. Cocooned in safety, accompanied by the paraphernalia of the John Wick franchise, one has little idea of what is to come. It's all about the anticipation.
Just before you see the ride itself, you hear the unmistakable sounds of clanking metal against metal and heavy chains, the massive pistons, hydraulics and Victorian strength open up before you as you come up against a four-seater carousel waiting for you to be strapped into your deep, snug seat.
From there, ride-goers race down a 4D track that features backwards and forwards freestyle spins.
"So you're really going to be one of the first people to ever ride this 10-storey-high, first-of-its-kind, massive machine?" my brain says to me.
"It's all been checked," I say to myself. "Are you sure?" And round and round this internal monologue goes before I switch off my thoughts and brace myself.
How did it go?
It was terrifying. But I loved it.
I never shy away from a thrilling experience, but a roller coaster is almost like a commitment to terrorise yourself, volunteering to be beaten up (without the pain and bruises, of course). We know we're going to be thrilled, shocked and scared, but we do it anyway, taking in every single detail of our surroundings along the way.
Motiongate has also launched another ride based on the film franchise Now You See Me, which follows four magicians as they attempt to pull off major heists, starring the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson.
It's the world’s fastest single-car spinning roller coaster on which riders will reach speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour with non-inverted loops and a 500-metre-long track. The first drop is almost seven stories high and there's also an underground segment.
When I say rides, I don’t mean like the local funfair, where you pick the chewing gum off the headrest. Dubai Park and Resorts takes the idea of a theme park to another level. Visitors become part of a movie set, with an accompanying soundtrack and ambience. One is encouraged to become a voyeur and participant in whichever zone one finds themselves in.
Suffice it to say, John Wick: Open Contract left me wanting more. While it offers thrills, spills and belly aches, it is all over far too quickly. Next stop, Now You See Me: High Roller.
See photos of Dubai Parks and Resorts' new Legoland Hotel:
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Legoland Hotel is open in Dubai and offers a brick-themed stay where children are the VIPs. -
More than 4.5 million bricks and 2,100 models were used to build the hotel. Giuseppe Cacace / AFP -
The hotel is geared towards families with children aged 2 to 12. -
Junior reviewers Aaron, left, and brother Aden check in at Legoland Hotel Dubai. -
A lifeguard Lego model overlooks the swimming pool at Legoland Hotel in Dubai. Giuseppe Cacace / AFP -
All guests staying at Legoland Hotel get free entry to Legoland Theme Park or Water Park. -
The four Lego themes – Pirates, Ninjango, Friends and Kingdom – spill over from the hotel rooms to the floor, corridors, lifts, walls and more. -
A Pirate-themed suite has a separate bunk-bed room for little ones. -
Lego brick architecture features all around the hotel. -
Lego models stand guard outside the adventure-laden Legoland Hotel in Dubai. -
A Ninjago-themed room at Legoland Dubai. -
Breakfast at Bricks Family Restaurant is included in every stay at Legoland Hotel Dubai. -
The restaurant is filled with fun touches, such as Lego models and placemats children can colour in. -
Lego models in the lobby at Legoland Hotel in Dubai. -
Legoland Hotel opened to guests on January 21. -
Children can learn how to create their own Lego models, or watch master model makers at work. -
All rooms have a seperate area for children, with bunk beds and their own television. -
A Lego Friends-themed room at Legoland Hotel. -
A room in a Pirates-themed suite at Legoland Hotel. -
Children can also enjoy a castle soft play area and temperature-controlled swimming pool.
