Dubai with Kids in the 2026/27 Season: What’s Worth It by Age, What It Costs and Where to Stay

Dubai with kids works differently from Dubai for couples on a long weekend. Instead of rooftop bars, you are thinking about where there is shade, where you can swim, what a three-year-old can manage and how much it all costs. This guide is for families from the Czech Republic and Slovakia planning the autumn half-term, Christmas or the spring holidays in Dubai, and we write it as people who live here and let apartments to families. We have sorted the attractions by children's age, give a price in dirhams for each one and say right at the start what is closed in the 2026/27 season, so that you do not plan something you will not get to see.

One thing up front: admission prices in Dubai change even during the season, and operators publish them on their websites. We last checked the figures and the operating status of the attractions on 12 October 2026 (the article was first published with the status as of 13 September), and each comes with a link to the source where you can check it before you travel.

When to go to Dubai with kids?

From the end of October to April. In summer Dubai is over 40 °C and with small children you cannot be outside for more than a few minutes, whereas from November to March the weather is similar to June in Central Europe. Long-term averages from Dubai airport according to timeanddate.com (measured 1992 to 2021): October 36 °C by day and 26 °C at night, November 31 and 22 °C, December 27 and 18 °C, January 24 and 16 °C. January is the wettest month, and even then the average is 12 millimetres for the whole month.

For Czech families, this fits three dates. The autumn holidays this year fall on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October 2026; with the public holiday on 28 October, that makes five days off. The Christmas holidays run from 23 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, and the spring holidays are staggered by region from 1 February to 14 March 2027. The dates are set by the Czech Ministry of Education in its organisation of the 2026/2027 school year (page in Czech). October is still hot, but the evenings are pleasant. December and January are the most pleasant and also the most expensive, because the whole of Europe comes to Dubai for the warmth.

Neither children nor parents need to deal with a visa. Citizens of the Czech Republic can stay in the Emirates without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period; they only need a biometric passport valid for six months from entry, according to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (page in Czech). This also applies to children with their own passport.

What is closed in the 2026/27 season, and what can you count on?

The biggest loss is the Museum of the Future. One of the city's most photographed buildings has been closed since the beginning of September 2026 for a complete overhaul of its exhibitions; according to Time Out Dubai, the last day for visitors was Tuesday 1 September. The museum's website only says that it is temporarily closed. According to Gulf News, it is due to reopen in the first quarter of 2027, with new experiences replacing the current exhibitions. You can still photograph the building from outside, but you will not get inside this season.

Ain Dubai, the world's largest observation wheel on Bluewaters Island, is also closed. According to Gulf News, it has been temporarily out of operation since March 2026, and no reopening date has been announced. The operator's website, however, shows no closure notice as of 12 October and displays tickets, so the status is unclear; check it directly with the operator before you travel. Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped hotel, is undergoing an eighteen-month renovation and, according to Time Out Dubai, is not due to return until October 2027. For families this only means no interior tour, and that a photo from the beach may have scaffolding in the background.

The good news: seasonal attractions have already opened or are opening these days. Global Village starts season 31 on Wednesday 14 October 2026, running until May 2027. Miracle Garden has been open again since 8 October after its summer break and, according to Khaleej Times, runs until 31 May 2027. Dubai Safari Park opened its eighth season on Monday 12 October 2026. LEGOLAND, MOTIONGATE and Real Madrid World at Dubai Parks and Resorts reopened on 7 October 2026 after a six-month break, according to Gulf News, and LEGOLAND has a Halloween season until 2 November. As of 12 October, however, its opening hours page also still shows an older closure notice, so check before you travel. Wild Wadi, according to its website, is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.

Where to go in Dubai with children under 3?

To the water, the fountains and the aquarium. With a toddler there is no point paying for theme parks the child cannot use, and the best things for the youngest are free anyway.

• JBR beach and The Beach promenade. Shallow water, a gentle entry, showers and shade under the towers from the afternoon. According to Visit Dubai, entry is free, a children's train runs along the promenade and there is the Splash Pad, a small water park for children from one to twelve years (this one is paid). From our apartments in the Marina, the beach is a 600-metre walk.
• Kite Beach in Jumeirah. A public beach with children's zones such as XPark Jr, a wide promenade for pushchairs and lifeguards, free and open around the clock according to Visit Dubai. Roughly a quarter of an hour by car from the Marina.
• The Dubai Fountain by Burj Khalifa. According to Visit Dubai, it plays every evening from 18:00 to 23:00 every half hour, and you can watch from the promenade by Dubai Mall without a ticket. The boardwalk closer to the water costs 25 AED and is only for ages four and up, so with a toddler you stay on the promenade.
• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall. You can see the giant aquarium from the mall without a ticket; the tunnel beneath it and the zoo upstairs require admission, and children under two get in free. No problem with a pushchair, as the whole mall is step-free.
• Miracle Garden and Butterfly Garden in Arjan. For a toddler, the flower garden is mainly a big meadow of colour, and the butterfly house is an experience for every age. Since 8 October the garden has been open daily from 9:00 to 21:00.
• An abra across Dubai Creek. A wooden boat between Deira and Bur Dubai for 1 AED per person, paid in cash, according to the transport authority RTA. An adventure for a child, the cheapest boat trip in the city for parents. Hold on to small children, the boat is open.

What do children aged 3 to 8 enjoy?

Animals, snow and Lego. At this age admission is worth paying, because a child can manage half a day in a park and will remember it.

• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. A tunnel among sharks and rays, with otters, a crocodile and penguins upstairs. According to the operator, the tunnel takes 15 to 30 minutes and the zoo one to one and a half hours.
• The Green Planet at City Walk. An indoor rainforest with sloths, parrots and bats, two hours at a pleasant temperature, ideal for the hottest part of the day.
• OliOli in Al Quoz. A children's museum where everything can be touched, with entry for a two-hour slot and one adult free with each child. Buy a day ahead, as online sales for the same day close.
• Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates. Snow in the middle of the desert, with a snow park with sledging and penguins for smaller children and a ski slope for bigger ones. Clothing and equipment are included, and children from two to thirteen only with an adult holding their own ticket.
• LEGOLAND Dubai at Dubai Parks and Resorts. A park built precisely for ages 2 to 12, with LEGOLAND Water Park next to it. It lies near Jebel Ali in the south of the city, roughly half an hour by car from the Marina outside rush hour, and open again since 7 October.
• Global Village. Country pavilions, a market, a funfair with rides, fireworks, and above all the evening, when it is no longer hot. It is open from 16:00 to midnight, and until 1:00 from Thursday to Saturday and on public holidays. According to Khaleej Times, admission is the same as last year, 25 AED on weekdays and 30 AED from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays; in previous seasons children under three got in free.
• Dubai Safari Park in Al Warqa. An open safari park with lions, elephants and giraffes, toured by bus. It opened its eighth season on 12 October, is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, the Safari Park Pass costs from 50 AED and children under three get in free.
• KidZania in Dubai Mall. A child-sized city where children try out jobs, open from Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 to 22:00 and on Friday and Saturday until 23:00, according to the operator. KidZania lists its prices on its website; check them when buying.

What appeals to schoolchildren aged 8 to 14?

Height, speed and records. A schoolchild wants to see the world's tallest building from the inside and ride a roller coaster, and Dubai can deliver both.

• Burj Khalifa, At the Top. An observation deck on the 124th and 125th floors. Buy online and for a specific time; the operator counts children from 3 to 8 years, from eight years the full price applies, and under three entry is free. As of 12 October it lists opening hours of 10:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 19:00; check them before you travel. Pushchairs stay at the counter, so you will be carrying the toddler.
• IMG Worlds of Adventure. According to the operator, the world's largest indoor theme park, with Marvel and dinosaurs, a whole day in air conditioning. Under the park rules, ride limits are based on height, not age, and a child under 12 must be accompanied by someone over 16. According to Visit Dubai, children up to 1.05 metres tall get in free.
• MOTIONGATE and Real Madrid World at Dubai Parks and Resorts. Film-themed roller coasters and the football club's park next to LEGOLAND, open again along with it since 7 October. Tickets for both parks start at 295 AED according to the resort's website, and Real Madrid World offers autumn admission for 199 AED including food for 14 to 19 October.
• Aquaventure by the Atlantis hotel on Palm Jumeirah. A water park with slides for the daring and a children's area for the little ones; under the operator's terms, the biggest slides are from 120 centimetres in height, medium ones from 107 centimetres with an accompanying adult, and children under 120 centimetres wear a life vest. Free under two. The Lost World Aquarium, formerly The Lost Chambers, also belongs to the water park.
• Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park. A golden frame with a glass-floored walkway at 150 metres, an hour including the park; according to the operator, open all year from 8:00 to 21:00, and children under 12 only with an adult.
• AYA Universe in Wafi City. Twelve light and mirror rooms for one to one and a half hours, the same price for all ages, and children under three get a free ticket at the counter. For a sensitive toddler, the darkness and flashing may be too much in places.
• Desert safari. Dune driving, camels and dinner at a camp. Operators do not recommend dune driving for pregnant women and the youngest children; a calmer option is the Al Marmoom reserve with wildlife watching. We can arrange it for our guests, see below.

How much do attractions cost for a family?

Expect hundreds of dirhams on a day when you go to a paid attraction, and nothing on a beach day. The table summarises the operators' basic online prices for the 2026/27 season as listed on 12 October 2026. For two adults and two children (aged five and ten), that comes to 796 AED for the aquarium, 716 AED for Burj Khalifa and 1,180 AED for LEGOLAND, so easily several hundred dirhams for a single morning, and more than a thousand at LEGOLAND.

Price sources: Dubai Aquarium, At the Top Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, The Green Planet, OliOli, Ski Dubai, AYA Universe, IMG Worlds, LEGOLAND Dubai, Aquaventure, Wild Wadi, Global Village according to Khaleej Times and Dubai Miracle Garden.

Three rules that save the most: buy online and in advance (at LEGOLAND the difference compared with the gate is 35 AED per person), alternate paid days with beach days, and for longer stays consider combined tickets, which operators offer in packages for four people.

What is free in Dubai with kids?

More than people think. JBR beach and Kite Beach, the Marina Walk promenade with playgrounds, the Dubai Fountain every evening, the aquarium from outside, a walk along Al Seef and through the old Al Fahidi district, the souks in Deira and a ride on the driverless metro along the viaduct above the city. Dubai Mall on its own keeps children busy for half a day, including the waterfall with divers and the dinosaur skeleton. Burj Park on the island by the fountain is also free, except on days when tickets are sold for events there, such as the New Year's Eve fireworks.

How to get around Dubai with kids?

By metro where it runs, otherwise by taxi. The metro is clean, air-conditioned and step-free, it just does not go everywhere: it serves the Marina, Downtown, Business Bay, Deira and the airport, but not Arjan, JVC or Palm Jumeirah. According to the RTA fare table, the paper Red Ticket costs 2 AED and a single journey on it 4 AED within one zone, 6 AED across two zones and 8.50 AED for longer routes; children up to and including five years travel free and do not need a ticket. The last carriage is reserved for women and children and men may not enter it, which is useful for families to know so that you do not end up travelling in different places.

In taxis, rules apply that families from the Czech Republic are not used to dealing with. Under the federal traffic law, as described by Gulf News, a child under four must sit in a car seat, and a child under ten or shorter than 145 centimetres may not sit in the front, with a fine of 400 AED. A taxi hailed on the street does not usually have a car seat; the safe option is ordering Hala Kids in the Careem app, which according to Careem comes with child seats with a five-point harness. A pushchair fits in a taxi and on the metro, but you have to carry it on escalators.

Water and sun matter more than tickets. Even in December the sun is strong, so children need a hat and sunscreen even on the promenade, and carry drinks everywhere, because in a mall water costs several times more than in a supermarket. In an apartment you have it in the fridge.

Where to stay with kids: hotel or apartment?

With children, an apartment, and it is not only about the price. A family needs a kitchen for breakfast and dinner, a washing machine for swimwear and sand, a separate bedroom so the children can fall asleep while the parents are still sitting on the balcony, and a pool in the building for days when you are not going anywhere. Of the ninety apartments in our offer, 78 have a pool in the building. On the apartment rentals in Dubai page you will find how it works with us: stays are priced per night and guests come and go, which is a different model from a long-term lease on an annual contract.

Where exactly depends on what you are planning with the children:

• Arjan, if you are going for the gardens. A quiet family neighbourhood 600 metres from Miracle Garden and Butterfly Garden, with Dubai Hills Mall and Mall of the Emirates within a quarter of an hour by car. For example a two-bedroom apartment with a private pool in Arjan; there are more in the list of apartments in Arjan. We also write about the area on the Arjan page.
• Dubai Marina, if you want the beach within walking distance. From the apartments to JBR beach it is 600 metres, a few minutes to the tram and metro, and the promenade is full of playgrounds and ice cream. For example a one-bedroom apartment a few steps from JBR beach; the full offer is in the list of apartments in the Marina.
• Downtown, if you want the fountains and the aquarium within walking distance. The most expensive of the family options, but Burj Khalifa is round the corner and an evening at the fountain is manageable even with a toddler and without a taxi. For example a two-bedroom apartment on the 34th floor with a view of Burj Khalifa; there are more in the list of apartments in Downtown.
• JVC, if you want the best value for space. A residential neighbourhood with Circle Mall and cafés, 3.5 kilometres from Miracle Garden and a quarter of an hour from the Marina. We have more apartments here than in any other area; you will find them in the list of properties in JVC. Plan on a car or taxi, as the metro does not come here.

How we arrange things for guests with children at CzechIn.ae

We are a Czech real estate and property management company based in Arjan; we live in Dubai, and families with children stay with us throughout the season. Before arrival we send practical instructions in Czech, after arrival we advise on transport and on what is open that week, and we can arrange a desert safari. When something in the apartment does not work, a local team handles it, not a helpline in another time zone.

Are you choosing an apartment for the autumn holidays or Christmas? Have a look at apartment rentals in Dubai and tell us how many of you are coming and when, and we will recommend a neighbourhood and a specific apartment. And if you own property in Dubai and want it to earn money in the weeks when you are not there, read what our property management in Dubai involves.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to go to Dubai with kids?

From November to March. According to long-term averages, daytime temperatures are 31 °C in November, 27 °C in December and 24 °C in January; October is hot at 36 °C, and we do not recommend summer with children. Czech families travel most often during the autumn holidays, this year on 29 and 30 October 2026, at Christmas and during the spring holidays from 1 February to 14 March 2027.

Do children need a visa for Dubai?

No. Citizens of the Czech Republic, children and adults alike, can stay in the United Arab Emirates without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period under the agreement between the European Union and the Emirates. Every child needs their own biometric passport valid for at least six months from entry; an entry in a parent's passport is not enough.

What is closed in Dubai in the 2026/27 season?

The Museum of the Future has been closed since the beginning of September 2026 for a redesign of its exhibitions and is due to reopen in the first quarter of 2027. The Burj Al Arab hotel is under renovation until October 2027, and the status of the Ain Dubai observation wheel, out of operation since March 2026, is unclear, so check it before you travel. Miracle Garden, Dubai Safari Park and LEGOLAND have been open for the winter since October, and Global Village from 14 October.

How much do attractions in Dubai cost for a family?

A family with two adults and children aged five and ten pays 796 AED for Dubai Aquarium, 716 AED for the Burj Khalifa observation deck and 1,180 AED for LEGOLAND when buying online. Beaches, the fountain, the promenades and old Dubai are free.

Does a child need a car seat in a taxi in Dubai?

Yes, up to the age of four, and a child under ten or shorter than 145 centimetres may not sit in the front seat, with a fine of 400 AED. A taxi hailed on the street does not usually have a car seat; you can reliably get one by ordering Hala Kids in the Careem app, which comes with seats with a five-point harness.

Do children pay on the Dubai metro?

Children up to and including five years travel free and do not need a ticket. Older children pay the same as adults: the paper Red Ticket costs 2 AED and a journey on it from 4 AED within one zone to 8.50 AED for longer routes. The last carriage is reserved for women and children, and men may not enter it.