Thursday 14 November 2024 (UAE)

Burj Dubai Observation Deck

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Burj Dubai Observation Deck - At The Top, tel 0800-28843867

The Burj Dubai (renamed as the Burj Khalifa on 04 January 2010) has an observation deck on the 124th floor, with the complete experience called "At The Top", which sounds better than the more accurate but clumsy sounding "A Bit Over Halfway To The Top " (the Burj Dubai has another 36 floors above the observation deck). Getting to the observation deck of the Burj Dubai will not be just a matter of pulling up outside in your Toyota Corolla and catching the elevator up. The whole experience starts at The Dubai Mall nearby, where you buy a ticket, catch a travelator to the Burj Dubai, and then take the elevator to floor 124. Along the way will be displays about Dubai and the Dubai Tower, also a photo opportunity stop near the base of the skyscraper.

The official opening date of the Burj Dubai tower was 04 January 2009, and "At The Top" opened to the public from 05 January 2009.

When to buy tickets to the Burj Khalifa Observation Deck?
Burj Khalifa observation deck ticket prices

When the Burj Khalifa first opened, queues to obtain At The Top tickets were quite long (about an hour wait). Try going early in the morning to avoid queueing when buying your tickets. The ticket desk opens at 0930 (or earlier?).

  Adults Children < 3 years old
Advance bookings (also online, telephone) AED 100 125 AED 75 95 free
On site purchase for immediate entry AED 210 400 AED 400 AED 400 free?
Burj Dubai observation deck opening times
  Sunday-Wednesday Thursday-Saturday
New opening hours (Aug 2013?) 0830-2400 0830-0100
Lastest entry start time 2315 2345-2400?
Opening hours 2012-2013 0830-2400? 24 hrs?
Last entry time 2315  
Old opening hours 1000-2200 (10am-10pm) 1000-2400 (10am-midnight)
Last tour starts 2115 (9:15pm) 2315 (11:15 pm)
Burj Dubai Observation Deck experience

There are 10 parts to the observation deck trip.

  1. Start at The Dubai Mall where you buy tickets, and watch LED displays of the Burj Dubai.
  2. Reception area in Dubai Mall has a large scale model of the Burj Dubai
  3. Dubai Now And Then - part one of the travelator trip from the Dubai Mall to the Burj Dubai, with the story of Dubai and the Burj Dubai
  4. Burj Dubai Skylight viewing point part way along the travelator journey for a photo opportunity of the Burj Dubai
  5. From the Vision to Reality - the remainder of the travelator journey, show about the making of the Burj Dubai
  6. Elevator trip to 124th floor.
  7. Walk around, floor to ceiling glass, 360 degree views, go outside to the open-air deck
  8. Super duper telescopes that show Dubai at night or day, past or future, whatever the weather (well, that's what the press release said).
  9. Return trip to The Dubai Mall
  10. At The Top boutique at the end for Burj Dubai souvenir shopping.

At the time of the press release (22 September 2009) announcing the observation deck experience, The Dubai Mall website had the Burj Dubai Observation Deck experience listed as "Experience124" or "Experience 124". Not clear if the name has changed or both will be used.

At The Top events and news

The Burj Khalifa Observation Deck reopened to the public on Saturday 03 April 2010 after a two month closure prompted by "maintenance" issues according to Emaar, or a broken elevator according to the tourists who were stuck At The Top.

Burj Khalifa Observation Deck closed

The Burj Khalifa "At The Top" observation deck was closed from 07 February 2010 to 03 April 2010 (ticket refunds or rebooking available from the Burj Khalifa counter at The Dubai Mall). Dubai media reports quoted an Emaar spokesperson as saying "Due to unexpected high traffic, the observation deck experience at the Burj Khalifa, At the Top, has been temporarily closed for maintenance and upgrade. Technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and sub-contractors and the public will be informed upon completion."

A Gulf News report 09 February 2010 reported that one of the visitors at the time the observation deck was shut down, Michael Timms from the USA, said "I was walking around the observation deck when I heard this really loud noise and what looked like smoke or dust coming out from one of the elevator doors."

Some visitors did manage to sneak onto the closed observation deck however.

Tallest or highest observation decks in the world (top ten) - April 2013

Highest as in distance from base of tower to observation deck, not height above sea level (otherwise the International Space Station ISS would probably be in number one position, and someone with a picnic table on top of Mt Everest would be number two).

Building height and year of completion in brackets. Based on Emporis press release list issued 02 May 2013 - "The World's Highest Observation Decks", reported in April 2013. However there appear to be some apparent conflicts or errors (noted when found).

  1. 488m - Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China (618m, 2011).
  2. 474m - SkyWalk 100 (Sky Walk 100), Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China (492m, 2008).
  3. 452m - Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE (828m, 2010). Observation deck called At The Top (sort of).
  4. 450m (or 451m?) - Tokyo Sky Tree or SkyTree, Tokyo, Japan (634m, 2012).
  5. 447m - CN Tower, Toronto, Canada (553m, 1976).
  6. 427m - KK100 (KK 100), Shengzhen, China (442m).
  7. 415m - Guangzhou International Financial Center, Guangzhou, China (438m).
  8. 413m - Willis Tower, Chicago, USA (442m, 1974) (renamed from Sears Tower in 2009).
  9. 392m - Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan (509m, 2004).
  10. 388m (or 393m?) - Sky100 Observation Deck, International Commerce Center (ICC Tower), Hong Kong (484m, building completion 2010, observation deck open 2011). Sky 100 information says "'sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck': 393 metres above sea level" but does not give a height from tower base, which might be 388m according to Emporis.
Burj Khalifa At The Top contact details
Last update Wednesday 21-Aug-2013
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