Abu Dhabi celebrates Halloween with brunches, cartoon fun and adult parties
Abu Dhabi has turned Halloween into a city‑wide celebration that caters to every age group, offering everything from family brunches and children’s trick‑or‑treating in expat neighbourhoods to cartoon‑themed adventures at Warner Bros. World and late‑night parties for adults.
On the evening of October 31, children go door to door in the expat residential communities, the closest thing the city has to the classic neighbourhood ritual.
Brunch celebrations across the city
Several hotels have scheduled Halloween‑themed brunches for Saturday afternoon. At Teatro in Park Rotana, the GuiltyFish brunch serves shared dishes from across Asia, with themed entertainment and activities for children from 1.30pm to 5pm.
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr offers a Halloween Grand Brunch with live food stations, children’s activities and trick‑or‑treating.
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island pairs live grills and tapas with activities at its Camp Hyatt children’s club.
The Garden Social at Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate in Al Maqta lets guests eat beside the canal, with live barbecue grills, a mussel bar, a DJ and Halloween cocktails from 1pm to 4pm.
On Hudayriyat Island, Nalu’s “Boo & Brunch” features a DJ, children’s activities and welcomes pets on the deck.
Cooper’s at Park Rotana runs an “Addams Family‑themed” brunch with live entertainment and costumes.
Cartoon‑themed fun at Warner Bros. World
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island has dressed its six themed lands for the Spooktober season, which runs until November 1.
On the Warner Bros. Plaza stage, Scooby‑Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang present a new case in Scooby‑Doo: Full Moon Show, set in a carnival with circus acts, comedy and a musical finale.
In Bedrock, the Flintstones and the Rubbles meet visitors under the banner “Yabba Dabba Boo”.
At Cartoon Junction, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Sylvester are available for photos.
Younger visitors receive a trick‑or‑treat bag and a map and are sent around the park to collect treats, a route that replaces the street with a series of stops.
In the Metropolis and Gotham City zones, seasonal decorations draw inspiration from DC Super Heroes, and rides such as Scooby‑Doo: The Museum of Mysteries and Joker Funhouse have been given a Halloween twist.
The programme changes from year to year; last year the park staged a “Gotham City’s Most Wanted” show featuring villains like Poison Ivy and Two‑Face, and offered a paid candy trail in the late afternoon.
Nearby, Yas Waterworld has in previous years run its own Halloween week, with parades, character meet‑and‑greets and, once the sun went down, music and seasonal surprises.
Evening shifts to adult‑focused parties
As the evening wears on, the crowd changes, costumes become more elaborate and the music grows louder.
At Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island, Coya transforms its dining room into a “Cursed Circus” with magicians, contortionists and live music alongside Peruvian food; the event runs from 6.30pm to 1am and admits no minors after 10pm.
At Lock, Stock & Barrel in Yas Bay, the Saturday Night Live Brunch takes on a Halloween theme, starting at 8pm with live music from 10pm and three hours of unlimited drinks, and is open only to guests aged 21 and over.
Between the cartoon‑character activities of the afternoon and the circus‑acts of the night, the same holiday serves very different purposes – a children’s treasure hunt in one place and a late‑night party in another.
