Top things to do during the last month of Expo 2020

Top things to do during the last month of Expo 2020

The Expo 2020 is hands down one of the most momentous events for Dubai and the region. With more than 11 million visits at the time of this writing, the Expo managed to attract people of all ages and backgrounds for the opportunity to experience a wealth of exploration, entertainment, and dining options. It truly is a ground-breaking spectacle that brought together many countries, entrepreneurs, companies, and people. 

I've experienced my fair share of one-of-a-kind events during my visits to the Expo, and with less than a month left before it draws to a close, here are the top things you need to know and do: 

First, it's never too late to visit if you haven't yet! The dazzling 192 pavilions are still there, and you can see more concerts, shows, parades, and festivals! Make sure you make the most of it. Experience the best of art, music, architecture, sports, science, and culture that these pavilions have to offer. 

Tickets: The pricing structure changed. You now have two options: The Season Pass Finale and the Premium Experience SE for a 1-Day Ticket. The price has been significantly reduced for the regular pass to just AED 50, which is a great deal considering unlimited access during the Expo. Kids and youth (6-17 years), senior citizens (60+ years), and people of determination can still enter for free.

Here are the features for each ticket: 

AED 50 Season Pass Finale for Adults (18-59 years): 

- Unlimited entries

- 10 Smart Queue Bookings per day (Some days require prior reservation) 

AED 275 Premium Experience SE 1-Day (1-Day Ticket for adults 18+)

- Get 20% off when Mastercard is used

- Gate Fast Track entry to Expo 2020

- Entry to the Premium Lounge

- Dedicated concierge

- Priority access to select business events

- Valet parking and Garden in the Sky voucher

I highly recommend visiting the Jubilee stage and Al Wasl Plaza. The Jubilee Stage is an open-air festival stage that hosts large concerts, performances, and other entertainment events, whereas Al Wasl Plaza is the beating heart of Expo 2020. It's located at the vibrant center of the Expo's three thematic districts, and the real magic happens at night. 

The plaza suddenly converts into a 360-degree projection screen, covered by more than 250 advanced projectors (the likes of which I have never seen before). These two stages are where international artists and musicians like Cold Play, Amr Diab, Nancy Ajram, and Alicia Keys perform. 

The other thing I highly recommend is visiting the Alif Mobility Pavilion. It's an immersive, cinematic, movie-like experience that explores humanity's innate dream for progress. You'll love how it connects the past with the present and the future using creative storytelling tactics and state-of-the-art technology. 

This is where you'll be dwarfed by 9m tall mobility scholars (Ibn Battuta, Ibn Majid, and Al-Bakri) whose innovations helped navigate the world and advance technology to where it is today.

These statues are not only on a monumental scale; they're also life-like to the point that you can notice the hairs on their arms and the glint in their eyes! According to CNN, "Each statue's clothing is made of almost a mile of fabric, and they had to be dressed using forklifts and cranes. About 20,000 individual holes had to be drilled into the faces to insert the beards."

The following experience will blow your mind as you move into modern technology, including satellites, AI, and space exploration. Make sure your loved ones project their faces onto the astronaut's helmet! The most outlandish act is where two* children are talking to their mother, who is driving a vehicle on Mars as if it's a typical day- in a hundred years from now, of course. 

Move beyond earth's frontiers as you reach for space and feel empowered to explore uncharted territories and create the future you want. These larger-than-life statues will leave you in awe. 

According to the Expo, "Step into the future where smart cities are created through artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, machine learning, and autonomous transport. Learn about the complexity of moving goods around the world and how mobility could evolve in the human-centered city of the future. Throughout our existence – from our very first steps out of Africa to space travel to our interconnected digital world – mobility has driven the development of humankind. We've moved from the desert to Mars and from the distant past to the near future. See how mobility will continue to transform the way we live, connect with people, understand different cultures, and exchange knowledge and ideas."

Don't miss out on sports and wellness!

The Expo 2020 provides 5,400 sqm dedicated to sports, fitness, and wellbeing- all for free! The facility is located right across the Alif Mobility Pavilion near the mobility entrance. This is one of my favorite things about the Expo, and you'll have a fantastic mix of activities for all ages, interests, and fitness levels. If you want to book a session, you'll need to download an app called "Glofox" from the app store and choose the classes you want. 

It's convenient and impressive, and you get to attend classes hosted by top fitness experts and instructors that will leave you wanting more. I took my kid to AC Milan soccer classes, and I was very impressed with the quality sessions that my kid enjoyed from a professional soccer coach. 

The wellness hub was designed to promote an active lifestyle and to help educate the public on the importance of health and exercise. 

You get the following amenities for free:

- A state-of-the-art gym, five-a-side football pitch, two 'Big Bash' cricket nets

- A multi-purpose court for basketball, netball, volleyball, and tennis

- A global fitness stage with daily classes to get your blood pumping

- A wide range of running and cycling activities and races, including the Expo 2020 Run and Ride the World

- Open daily from 09:00 to 00:00, adjacent to Alif – The Mobility Pavilion

Now that you're sufficiently motivated to visit the Expo, make sure to check out the latest event program first so that you don't miss out on any exciting events. You can download the program here.

For more information about the Expo, please visit the official website here. 

https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en/support/-/media/c3306b4fc3d9495283ae59329102a6a1.ashx

To visit the Expo's official site:

https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en/tickets-and-merchandise/tickets?gclid=Cj0KCQiA64GRBhCZARIsAHOLriK9gseu4SlYIzyjDp1o2RJR1jQU2fVVc2q6