Worlds Largest Theme Park

Sorry, Mickey and Minnie. Your Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has ruled the theme park industry for nearly 40 years as the planet's largest, with the 55-year-old Disneyland in California holding second place. Now, across the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf, and into the little Middle Eastern United Arab Emirate of Dubai, a huge new park is emerging that will far surpass all Disney parks throughout the world combined in size and attractions.

Despite financial problems that Dubai suffered with the downturn in the global economy during the past two years, the oil-rich emirate opened the first phase of Dubailand in 2009 with five of what will eventually become at least a dozen world-class amusement park attractions.

Already functioning today, there are kid and adult rides at the Dubai Autodrome in MotorCity. For the golfer who wants pro-quality courses, there's the Ernie Els Championship Golf Club and the Butch Harmon School of Golf. Although it may not impress Americans, there's now one of the world's largest and most modern cricket stadiums at Dubailand, where championship teams will vie for dominance in cricket, English football (soccer), Olympic-style meets and various other major sports events.

Dubailand has also joined with Royal Caribbean International, so that many of the major line's ships will offer passengers who visit the Emirate, combination cruises and attendance of the amusement park facilities.

Soon, Universal Studios Hollywood will open another of its amusement parks within Dubailand, and will offer its classic film and cartoon characters, including Yogi Bear, the Flintstones, Huckleberry Hound,Scooby-Doo and many others in attractions, entertainment and themed rides.

There will also be a section for younger kids featuring Sesame Street and all of its famous characters, including Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and the Muppets. With new digital technologies, many of the new amusement rides will give the illusion of being actually taking part in 3D dimensions with the characters. There will also be interactive attractions, where kids can talk live with Kermit and Miss Piggy in one-on-one conversations.

Other entertainment giants, including Hollywood's film-making giant, Dreamworks, and amusement park veteran producers, Six Flags and Legoland, are all scheduled to present their latest entertainment creations at Dubailand.

As the Walt Disney theme parks have done, Dubailand is building many luxury hotels on its properties, while the monster enterprise is attracting scores of other hotels, restaurants, golf courses and tourist businesses, and they're now emerging throughout the area.

Sorry, Mickey and Minnie, that your rule over the theme park world is ending, but you've had a great run of almost 40 years in Florida and 55 years in California. Don't be too discouraged, because you still have one advantage over the new entertainment giant. Your excellent facilities will still be much more convenient to reach for most American families than far-off Dubailand, and almost certainly less costly.