What MOTIONGATE does

MOTIONGATE Dubai is a theme park operating within the Dubai Parks & Resorts destination in the United Arab Emirates, owned and managed by Dubai Holding Entertainment LLC. The park is structured around five themed studio zones — Columbia Pictures, Lionsgate, DreamWorks Animation, Smurfs Village, and Studio Central — built on exclusive licensing agreements with four major Hollywood IP holders. The facility offers 27 rides, 1 water ride, 2 toddler play areas, 7 restaurants, and 15 gift shops, complemented by on-site accommodation at the Lapita Hotel. It is positioned as the largest Hollywood-inspired theme park in the Middle East.

The business operates a hybrid monetization model anchored on direct-to-consumer ticketing through its own website, the Tickit mobile app (iOS/Android), and on-site gate sales. Revenue streams include single-park and multi-park admission tickets, recurring annual passes, food and beverage, retail merchandise, venue rental for corporate events and birthdays, group bookings for school trips, and brand sponsorships with corporate partners (McDonald's, BMW, Soueast). QFAST provides a virtual-queue system and Tickit Rewards operates as a destination-wide loyalty program within Dubai Parks & Resorts.

The customer base is split across families, tourists, thrill-seeking young adults, school groups, and corporate clients. Marketing is conducted through the website, mobile apps, email, social media, and co-marketing with brand partners. The park is also IBCCES-certified for autism and hidden-disabilities accessibility. MOTIONGATE operates within a larger destination ecosystem alongside Real Madrid World, LEGOLAND Dubai, LEGOLAND Water Park, Neon Galaxy, RIVERLAND Dubai, and T-REX Glamping, enabling cross-park ticketing and shared loyalty mechanics that differentiate it from standalone parks.

Name

MOTIONGATE

Legal name

MOTIONGATE Dubai (operated under Dubai Parks and Resorts)

Website

https://motiongatedubai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

MOTIONGATE Dubai is the largest Hollywood-licensed theme park in the Middle East, operating five studio-themed zones with 27 rides, dining, and retail within Dubai Parks & Resorts, serving families, tourists, thrill-seekers, school groups, and corporate clients in the UAE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theme Park Entertainment

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Destination Theme Parks (Large-Scale, Multi-Attraction Parks) (THAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Amusement Parks & Theme Parks (THAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Theme park operations
• Family entertainment
• Licensed IP attractions
• Hollywood themed rides
• Venue rental events

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Theme Park Admission Tickets: Primary revenue from selling admission tickets to MOTIONGATE Dubai theme park, with various ticket tiers including single-park and multi-park options
2. Annual Passes: Recurring revenue from annual pass subscriptions offering unlimited access and exclusive benefits to pass holders
3. Food and Beverage: Seven themed restaurants and dining facilities within the park generating revenue from food and beverage sales
4. Retail Merchandise: Fifteen gift shops selling branded merchandise, souvenirs, and themed products
5. Venue Rental and Events: Corporate event hosting, birthday celebrations, school trips, and venue bookings
6. Sponsorship: Brand partnerships and sponsorship deals with corporate partners

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MOTIONGATE™ Dubai operates a Hollywood-licensed theme park in Dubai, UAE, organized into five studio zones (Columbia Pictures, Lionsgate, DreamWorks Animation, Smurfs Village, and Studio Central). The park delivers 27 rides and attractions, on-site themed dining, retail, corporate event hosting, and integrated accommodation through the adjacent Lapita Hotel, all anchored on exclusive licensed intellectual property from major film studios.

Product overview

MOTIONGATE Dubai is the largest Hollywood-inspired theme park in the Middle East, operated by Dubai Parks and Resorts. The park is organized into five distinct themed studio zones—Columbia Pictures, Lionsgate, DreamWorks Animation, Smurfs Village, and Studio Central—featuring 27 rides, 1 water ride, 7 restaurants, and 15 gift shops. The portfolio includes thrill rides like the Now You See Me: High Roller roller coaster, family attractions like Dragon Gliders, and immersive experiences based on major Hollywood franchises. Adjacent amenities include the Lapita Hotel for on-site accommodation and the Tickit Rewards loyalty program accessible via mobile apps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hollywood Studio Zones: Zones themed around major Hollywood studios: Columbia Pictures (Ghostbusters, Underworld), Lionsgate (The Hunger Games, John Wick, Now You See Me), DreamWorks Animation (Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Madagascar, Shrek), Smurfs Village, and Studio Central.

Products and services

• MOTIONGATE™ Dubai Theme Park Admission Single-park and multi-park admission tickets to MOTIONGATE™ Dubai, sold online, via the Tickit mobile app, and at the gate. The offering provides access to 27 rides and attractions, two toddler play areas, seven themed restaurants, and fifteen gift shops. Targeted at families and tourists visiting Dubai.
• Lapita Hotel Accommodation Polynesian-themed resort hotel located within Dubai Parks & Resorts, offering on-site accommodation and spa facilities to theme park visitors. Targeted at families and tourists staying at the destination.
• Birthday Party Packages Booked birthday celebration experiences hosted at the park, sold as dedicated packages with venue and event services. Targeted at families arranging children's parties in Dubai.
• Group Bookings (School Trips & Corporate Events) Dedicated group sales channel covering school field trips and corporate event bookings, with volume pricing and event support handled by a direct sales team. Targeted at educational institutions and corporate clients.
• Corporate Venue Rental Bookable venue spaces within the park for corporate events, team building, and branded activations, including sponsorship partnership opportunities with major brand partners (e.g., McDonald's, BMW, Soueast). Targeted at companies seeking differentiated event venues in Dubai.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia PicturescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partnership bringing Columbia Pictures intellectual property to the theme park including Ghostbusters, Underworld, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs themed attractions
• LionsgatecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partnership featuring Lionsgate franchises including The Hunger Games, John Wick, and Now You See Me themed attractions and experiences
• DreamWorks AnimationcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partnership featuring DreamWorks Animation franchises including Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Madagascar, and Shrek themed attractions across four indoor lands
• IMPS (The Smurfs)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partnership for Smurfs Village featuring five immersive attractions, family rides, interactive play zones, and a theatre show
• Lapita HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolynesian themed resort hotel located within Dubai Parks & Resorts, offering accommodation and spa facilities for park visitors
• McDonald'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with McDonald's as a proud partner of Dubai Parks & Resorts
• BMWminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with BMW as a proud partner of Dubai Parks & Resorts
• SoueastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Soueast as a proud partner of Dubai Parks & Resorts
• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTripAdvisor integration for reviews and ratings, and recognized recipient of TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
• IBCCESminorOthersInternational Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards - certified autism-friendly and hidden-disabilities friendly destination

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Merlin Entertainments: Global operator of branded attractions (LEGOLAND resorts, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, Peppa Pig); directly relevant given its ownership and operation of LEGOLAND Dubai within Dubai Parks & Resorts.
• Disney Parks: Global category-defining theme park operator with Disney-owned IP; comparable scale, multi-park destination model, and pricing/annual-pass monetisation structure used by MOTIONGATE.
• Universal Studios: Global leader in movie-IP-themed theme parks (Hollywood, Orlando, Japan, Beijing, Singapore); comparable business model using licensed IP to drive ride and attraction content at scale.
• Six Flags Entertainment: Large regional theme park operator in North America with a mix of thrill rides and family attractions; comparable operating model around admission pricing, season passes, and in-park spend.

Direct peers

• Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi: UAE water park on Yas Island that competes for family tourist visitors; part of the same Yas Island destination cluster as Ferrari World and Warner Bros., forming an integrated competitor to Dubai Parks & Resorts.
• IMG Worlds of Adventure: Largest indoor theme park globally, located in Dubai, featuring Marvel, Cartoon Network, and IMG-branded zones; most direct non-Dubai-Holding competitor for Hollywood/IP-based family entertainment in the UAE.
• Ferrari World Abu Dhabi: Destination theme park on Yas Island featuring Ferrari-branded rides including Formula Rossa; competes for thrill-seeking tourist visitors in the UAE alongside MOTIONGATE.
• Real Madrid World: Newest theme park at Dubai Parks & Resorts built around Real Madrid's football IP; directly competes for family and tourist visitation within the same destination complex.
• LEGOLAND Dubai: Co-located theme park within Dubai Parks & Resorts targeting families with younger children; competes directly for the same tourist wallet at the shared destination.
• Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi: Indoor theme park on Yas Island featuring Warner Bros. and DC franchises (Batman, Superman, Looney Tunes, Harry Potter); closest Hollywood-IP-themed competitor within a one-hour drive of Dubai.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/motiongateDubai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MOTIONGATE