Expo City Dubai's festive pop-up Winter City is back for 2026, and this year it has a heavyweight partner: Disney+. Running from December 11 to 31 under the theme 'Once upon a holiday', the event folds characters and stories from Disney, Pixar and Marvel into its snow-dusted setting at Al Wasl Plaza.
The headline additions for 2026 are themed zones built around family favourites — Frozen, Toy Story and Home Alone among them. Expect princess meet-and-greets, toys coming to life, and outdoor screenings of classic festive films. For anyone travelling with kids who have strong opinions about which princess they'll queue to meet, this is the detail that matters.
The elements that have made Winter City a Dubai fixture over the past four years return too. Every evening, snow falls beneath the Al Wasl Dome, backed by large-scale projections. There's a grotto with Santa and Mrs Claus, a letters-to-Santa station where children can post wish lists to the North Pole, and Mrs Claus' Bakery for sweet treats. A festive market rounds it out, with seasonal food and stalls from local vendors — a reasonable bet for Christmas shopping if you're in town over the holidays.
Practically speaking, the event runs daily from 4pm to 10pm, which suits Dubai's winter evenings well — December afternoons are mild, and the whole thing is timed for when the heat has dropped away. Standard entry is Dhs60 (roughly £13 / $16), while a fast track ticket costs Dhs175 (about £37 / $48). If you're visiting during the peak Christmas week, the fast track option is worth considering; Dubai's school holidays make for busy evenings at events like this.
Winter City sits inside Expo City Dubai, the former Expo 2020 site, so there's plenty else to see on site — Al Wasl Dome itself is the architectural centrepiece, and the wider district has gardens and pavilions to wander before the gates open at 4pm. Tickets and details are available via expocitydubai.com.
For travellers, this fills a real gap: Dubai has long marketed itself as a warm-weather Christmas escape, and Winter City gives families a proper festive fix without the cold. Pair it with a beach stay and you get snowfall and 25-degree afternoons in the same day. It's also a smart option for those based in the region looking for a short December city break with the kids — the event runs right through to New Year's Eve, and Dubai's flight connections make an easy long weekend of it.
