Tuesday 19 March 2024 (UAE)

Dubai Fountain

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Dubai Fountain at night - artists impression of aerial view
Dubai Fountain at night - artists impression of colored lights
Dubai Fountain artists impression daytime aerial view
Dubai Fountain sputtering under testing March 2009 with Burj Dubai behind

The Dubai Fountains

The Dubai Fountain or Dubai Fountains is an array of water jets gushing out of a puddle at the foot of the Burj Khalifa (a tall building in Dubai, previously or also called the Dubai Tower) next to the Dubai Mall. Emaar, the developer of the Burj Dubai and the Downtown Burj Dubai area, announced the fountain in June 2008, with the astonishing development cost of AED 800 million, about the same as what it costs to build a moderate sized apartment tower, the new Oasis Center, or half the Yas Island Circuit ... "The total development value of the Burj Dubai Lake, the fountain and its advanced filtrations systems is AED 800 million (US$218 million)" (Emaar press release 09 June 2008).

Dubai Fountain show timings
Dubai Fountain performance time schedule (September 2010)
Sun-Wed   1800, 1830, 1900, 1930, 2000, 2030, 2100, 2130, 2200  
Thu-Sat 1600, 1630, 1700, 1730 1800, 1830, 1900, 1930, 2000, 2030, 2100, 2130, 2200 2230,2300
    Dubai Fountain times (December 2009)  
Sun-Wed 1800-2200 (6pm-10pm) 1800, 1820, 1840, 1900, 1920, 1940, 2000, 2020, 2040, 2100, 2120, 2140, 2200  
Thu-Sat 1800-2300 (6pm-11pm) 1800, 1820, 1840, 1900, 1920, 1940, 2000, 2020, 2040, 2100, 2120, 2140, 2200 2200, 2220, 2240, 2300
    Dubai Fountain times (when first opened)  
Sun-Wed   1800, 1830, 1900, 1930, 2000, 2020, 2040, 2100, 2120, 2140, 2200  
Thu-Sat   1800, 1830, 1900, 1930, 2000, 2020, 2040, 2100, 2120, 2140, 2200 2220, 2240, 2300

If it's windy, call the Dubai Mall (tel +971-4-4373200 or 800-DUBAIMALL) to check on fountain timings, or if it is switched off.

Burj Dubai Fountain show tickets
Grammy Award for Baba Yetu song
Dubai Fountain facts and numbers

Or ... you could go to ACE Hardware and buy a few kilometers of garden hose, a couple of pumps, some of those pretty lights you hang in the garden and assemble a DIY Dubai Fountain. Allow AED 1 million and that leaves AED 799 million to go shopping with at The Dubai Mall.

Dubai Fountain music and performances

The Dubai Fountain does put on quite a spectacular show with several different music themes. Definitely worth a visit (and soon, before Emaar figure out a way to charge an entry fee), although the advertised 500+ foot high spurts of water are somewhat underwhelming - they look more like 100 ft high at best, but we didn't get our tape measure out. You'll know when a performance is about to start because the lights along the lake-edge go out seconds before the beginning. Each display lasts about 5 minutes, and bizarrely, some people clap at the end. Performances are every 20-30 mins during the evening, don't forget to check the wind direction first if you don't want to get wet.

Dubai Fountain list of songs
  1. Original playlist press release 28 May 2009 (said 6 songs but names of only 5 supplied).
  2. Not listed in original playlist press release 28 May 2009, but seen listed on Dubai Fountain sign June 2009.
Dubai Fountain viewing - best places
Dubai Fountain testing

During March and April 2009, The Dubai Fountain was in testing phase, with wetsuited workmen in rubber zodiacs trying to dodge the jet sprays that some geek behind a computer pointed at them. At random times, you could see small dribbles of water, or more spectacular combinations of twirling streams of water, sometimes lit up, and looking more and more impressive as the launch date approached. Dubai Fountain formal opening date Friday 08 May 2009, along with the official opening ceremony of the Dubai Mall.

Dubai Fountain competition

On 01 July 2008 Emaar announced there would be a naming competition to decide what to call the new fountain in Lake Burj Dubai (Burj Dubai Lake), with a first prize of AED 100,000. Only residents of Dubai were eligible to enter. The competition ended 15 September 2008 with over 4,000 entries, 15 of whom suggested "Dubai Fountain", which a panel of senior Emaar management, architects and brand consultants decided was the winning name. Leaving the winners happy and almost everyone else bewildered, not with a case of "Why didn't I think of that" but ... "I thought of that but it seemed too obvious". Now you know why Brand Consultants are so important and deserve every penny, or fil, they earn.

Burj Dubai Lake

The Burj Dubai Lake is expected to have an abra service and an amphitheatre (on the edge, not in it).

Dubai Fountain Lake Boat Ride
Last update Friday 06-Jun-2014
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www.dubaifaqs.com/dubai-fountain.php (PDF and print version).

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