To be a child again is what it is to be at Adlabs Imagica. I can officially say that I’ve found my Disneyland in India. Yes, a whole new, may I add magical world awaits you at Adlabs Imagica. I recently had the opportunity to visit this larger-than-life space situated in the quaint little town of Khopoli and I got to say I haven’t had so much fun in a very long time! Read on to know more…
I was brimming with excitement as we entered and knew immediately that I had to check out every ride that they have to offer. We started our day with a luxurious breakfast at Arrmada – The restaurant+bar+coffee shop that’s shaped and designed like a classic wooden ship. A personalized omelette, chicken sausages and some fresh coconut water (brilliant beverage option other than the usual tea or coffee) satiated my foodie soul without going overboard… I wanted to go on all the crazy rides (without the uneasiness), remember? 🙂
Once we were done with breakfast, it was time to explore Imagica. We started off with this really cool indoor ride – Mr. India, inspired by the movie. An animated Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Amrish Puri bring back memories of this highly popular film, with a smile on your face. I won’t ruin the experience for you with a tell-all but all I could think of was how amazing it is to finally have our very own Desi version of Universal Studios where rides are inspired by classic movies!
From 3D shows to crazy roller-coasters, spending a day at Adlabs Imagica can be one hell of a stress-buster and a great way to forget the reality we’d like to ignore at times.
There are 5 different restaurants that you can check out:
The Imagica Capital – An Indian buffet restaurant that offers classic cuisines where you are bound to experience the various flavours of India.
Arrmada – A deck experience with a fantastic view and potent concoctions (also where we had breakfast).
Red Bonnet American Diner – This restaurant takes its inspiration from the 60′s American Diner, complete with vintage cars and pop coloured seating. It almost felt like I walked into Pop Tate’s – the popular diner in Archies’ comics.
Zeze Bar and Grill – With a tiki-land inspired decor (and music!) this space is adorned with masks, artifacts and exotic tribal paintings and serves food that’s very African by nature – this of course, with a desi appeal!
Roberto’s Food Coaster – Apparently an all vegetarian restaurant, one can enjoy cuisines ranging from Indian, Mexican, Italian and Pan Asian.
With an express pass for the day in hand (highly recommended if you’d like to cover all the rides), we managed to check out almost everything that included a leisure African-Indian lunch at Zeze Bar and Grill. From Zulu Chicken to Tandoori Chicken, it was an absolute meat fiesta at our table with a whole lot of sangrias and Peri Peri Lemonade (TGLP recommendation) that won our hearts instantly!
Going back to the rides, my funda has always been very simple. The more scary and daring it is, the more I am sure to love it! As much as I don’t come across as an adventurous girl, I am. 🙂
There are 5 thrilling rides that are totally worth going onto at least once while you’re at Imagica.
Nitro – After having experienced the world’s fastest roller coaster at Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, Nitro felt like a cake walk. Visually the most exciting of them all, Nitro is not for the weak-hearted and is definitely the most exciting 150 seconds you’ll experience, while at Imagica. A floor-less effect adds to the thrill factor making it almost like the ‘ride of your life’!
Scream Machine – A sense of achievement dawns upon you along with a hint of dizziness after you’ve survived this one crazy pendulum! Scream Machine is aptly named as it exhausts you (in a good way) to a point where you just go silent because you’ve reached the peak of screaming by the end of it. I on the other hand, went into a state of trance because believe it or not, all that swaying felt very therapeutic.
Dare 2 Drop – If any of you have been to the ‘Tower of Terror’ ride at MGM Studios, DisneyWorld, then this is like a less crazy version of the same. The aim: To achieve that upside down feeling of your stomach reaching your mouth with a gush of adrenaline. The result: Successful. 🙂
Deep Space – India’s first dark roller coaster ride… sounds exciting enough, right? What’s even cooler is that it starts off with an unimaginable speed like you’re being launched right into deep space within a matter of seconds. Not knowing where you’re heading at that crazy speed is what makes this ride unique!
Gold Rush Express – Inspired by the Wild Wild West theme, this coaster is not as extreme as Nitro and is a good way to begin your thrilling journey at Imagica. Some massively steep drops and loops within abandoned mines, there’s a sense of drama with every passing second!
Rajasaurus River Adventure – Almost exactly like the Jurassic Park ride I went on years ago at Universal Studios, Hollywood, I love the fact that they’ve Indianized it for our desi consumers (Rajasaurus = T-Rex of India). An adventurous, fun ride where one massive drop is all that’s required to get you drenched!
If theme based attractions are your thing, then as mentioned earlier, Mr India was my favourite. There’s also something known as I For India where one can experience a high, thanks to our glorious country and a majestic bird’s eye view to devour!
Wrath of the Gods was another theme based attraction that has the power to burn it up, blow your mind and get you drenched. As much as that may not make sense to you, it will, once you’ve faced the wrath of the Gods!
Prince of the Dark Waters – The perfect place to head to after a heavy meal as you can lie down, relax and watch a visually pleasant film on the dome above. It’s like the Imax experience but without the actual seats.
Salimgarh – A dungeon like environment with an eerie story to tell, Salimgarh keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout because you have no idea what awaits you ahead. A haunting experience for me to say the least – yes, I was pretty much caught off guard and attacked by the ghost :p and almost died of shock.
Here I am, re-living the memorable, fun-filled moments (in detail!), I spent at Imagica with a bunch of lovely, super enthusiastic people (you know who you are :p) and all I can think of is when am I going back? Matching upto international standards has never been easy in our country but Adlabs Imagica has turned out to be a fantastic exception. With a colourful street culture that involves human statues, magicians and other live performers, themed and thrilling attractions, multiple restaurants and a scenic view, there’s really no comparing it with an Essel World because Adlabs Imagica is indeed very different and yes, is also safe. Why not check it out for yourself and you can only validate my point of view further! 🙂
The Good Life Potpourri 