Majid Al Futtaim announces opening date and ambassador for Orbi Dubai the supercharged indoor nature

Dubai, UAE: Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, today announced that Orbi Dubai, a game changing multi-sensory experience and a first in the Middle-East, will open to the public on 7th May in City Centre Mirdif.

Collaboratively developed by SEGA Holdings Co., Ltd.and BBC Worldwide, Orbi Dubai fuses BBC Earth’s world-renowned Natural History content with SEGA’s innovation and plunges visitors into the heart of the natural world. Through its exclusive partnership with SEGA Holdings Co., Ltd., Majid Al Futtaim will provide guests with unprecedented access to the unique nature experience.

Featuring innovative audio visual technology and interactive walk-through touchpoints, Orbi Dubai’s immersive offering will feature 12 spectacular exhibits. Revealed for the first time today, the attraction will include:

• Animalpedia: a giant interactive screen featuring life-size visuals of animal shapes. Visitors can virtually reach out to an animal on screen and it responds with pop-up facts. 
• Earth Palette: a 360 visual treat with a wealth of natural images in a spectrum of colours, as visitors are enveloped by countless images of animals, landscapes and plants.
• Base Camp: projection mapping to exhibit beautiful images captured by BBC Earth onto walls and a standalone sculpture. The sculpture changes character to represent different animals, which interact when touched.
• Time Slice: hugely immersive,visitors gauge their abilities in relation to some of the speediest animals on our planet.
•  Extreme Photo Spot: a captivating, green screen experience encouraging visitors to step into the wild and pose alongside their favourite animals.       

Orbi Dubai’scenterpiece is undoubtedly the Theatre space. At 35 metres wide, ‘Theatre 23.4’ will  play custom made BBC Earth films, amplified by two massive screens behind viewers to create a 360°, fully immersive edutainment experience. The theatre also boasts 3D sound and cutting-edge technology that generates wind, fog, vibrations and even smells. Theatre 23.4’s debut showings include: The Magic of Yellowstone, which follows the stories of four iconic park inhabitants, and The Meerkats featuring this ever-popular creature on adventures in the Kalahari Desert.

Nabil Al Busaidi, the renowned Arab explorer, has also been appointed as a Nature Ambassador for Orbi Dubai. Otherwise known as ‘The Arab Adventurer’, Nabil was the first Arab to walk to the magnetic North Pole and has rowed 4,600 km across the Atlantic Ocean; an accomplishment achieved by less than 500 people.

Damien Latham, Chief Executive Officer, at Majid Al Futtaim – Leisure and Entertainment, said, “Orbi Dubai is set to transform the way people in the UAE explore the mysteries of nature, inviting them to see, hear and feel the planet in a unique and enchanting way. As we get closer to opening Orbi Dubai’s doors to the public we’re even more excited about sharing this attraction with the UAE - there’s simply nothing like it in the world when it comes to being right at the heart of nature. We’re also delighted to partner with Nabil Al Busaidi - his spirit of exploration and adventure perfectly embodies Orbi Dubai’s approach and we look forward to working with him as we approach our launch date.”

Nabil Al Busaidi, Adventurer and Orbi Dubai’s Nature Ambassador comments, “I’m passionate about the world we live in and the extraordinary elements that make up our planet. It is so important to educate children about the natural world and also to encourage them to take ownership of it for future generations. I’m so excited to partner with Orbi Dubai; I’ve undertaken some incredible expeditions and seen many of the unique sights that the world has to offer. Now the UAE will be able to experience this first hand too.”

Orbi Dubai will open on 7^th May in City Centre Mirdif, where it will complement other family favourite Majid Al Futtaim – Leisure and Entertainment offerings such as Magic Planet, Little Explorers and iFly. For further information, please visit www.orbidubai.com. As part of its commitment to education, Orbi Dubai will also host school visits and birthday parties, providing and educational and fun experience for children as they learn vital facts about nature and earth.