Rapunzel And Her Holiday Wish opens the pantomime season in Dubai on Friday 5 December 2025, bringing a West End style family musical to the New Covent Garden Theatre at Mall of the Emirates. Running from Friday 5 December to Wednesday 24 December 2025, the show anchors the new venue’s first festive programme with a mix of humour, pop songs and classic pantomime audience interaction. Lythgoe Family Productions, working with New Covent Garden and Live Nation Middle East, presents the piece as a modern, musical twist on the Rapunzel story written by Kris Lythgoe. For the early evening family matinee on Friday 5 December, the production aims squarely at families looking for a pre bedtime festive outing inside the mall rather than a late night show. Tickets for the opening day family performance are expected to be popular with families planning their December weekends (children/family friendly, also suitable for grandparents and solo carers).
Rapunzel story with a modern musical twist
Rapunzel And Her Holiday Wish brings together a cast of musical theatre performers, dancers and comic actors who lean into the traditional British pantomime style. The script reimagines Rapunzel as a determined heroine who escapes her tower, outwits the wicked Madame Gothel and discovers her true identity on the way to an enchanting Festival of Lights. Along the way, the show blends big musical numbers, slapstick comedy and the usual on stage “baddie” that children love to boo. Because the production comes from a team experienced in family pantomimes, you can expect slick choreography, colourful sets and plenty of jokes pitched at both kids and adults. Expect proper pantomime call and response moments throughout the show, where the audience is encouraged to join in loudly (children/family friendly, also fun for adults who enjoy interaction).
Dates timings and the 5 December family matinee
The Rapunzel run at New Covent Garden Theatre is scheduled from Friday 5 December to Wednesday 24 December 2025, with multiple performances across that period. The show runs for around two hours including an interval, with doors opening thirty minutes before the start time. External family event guides mention two daily performances on many days, typically a morning show around 10:30 and a later performance in the afternoon to early evening window. On Friday 5 December, the early evening family matinee sits in that later slot, designed to finish early enough for younger children to get home comfortably. Because exact showtimes can vary by date, the precise start time for your chosen performance will always appear on your ticket or confirmation email. Check the time printed on your ticket carefully and plan to be at the theatre at least thirty minutes before doors open, especially for the 5 December early evening family matinee.
Festive themes music and on stage magic
Although Rapunzel And Her Holiday Wish follows the well known outline of the fairy tale, it weaves in new characters, local references and a strong holiday theme. The story builds toward the Kingdom’s Festival of Lights, which creates space for illuminated set pieces and a “sprinkle of snow” effect that usually delights younger children. The production also uses familiar pop songs alongside original music, with promotional material highlighting singalong hits from artists such as Taylor Swift and Stevie Wonder to keep adults engaged. Children can cheer for Rapunzel, laugh with the comic sidekick and hiss at Madame Gothel, while parents enjoy the layered jokes written for older ears. The overall tone stays upbeat and reassuring, emphasising courage, family and kindness rather than dark or frightening moments. If your child enjoys bright lights, pop music and fairytale heroes, this show will likely fit them very well (children/family friendly, suitable for school age kids and older preschoolers).
Ticket prices seating and booking advice
Ticketing for Rapunzel And Her Holiday Wish starts from around 195 AED for Bronze seats, with Silver seats advertised from approximately 245 AED, Gold from about 295 AED and Platinum seats reaching around 345 AED per person. Because this is a family show, many parents choose mid range Silver or Gold seats to balance budget and sightlines, while some treat Platinum seating as a one off festive treat. Age guidance indicates that children aged three and above require a full ticket, while children under three may sit on a parent’s lap without a ticket; however, a separate seat for them does require a paid ticket. These details make it important to count exactly how many seats your family needs before you select a section. Tickets start from approximately 195 AED per person, so larger families should total their likely spend early and book in one transaction where possible (children/family friendly, suitable for extended family groups).
Age guidance and what families should expect
The show is clearly marketed as a family pantomime rather than a toddler sing along, so the ideal age range sits around four to twelve, with plenty of fun for teenagers and adults as well. Pantomime tradition includes loud audience participation, occasional mild “boo the villain” tension and energetic music, so very noise sensitive children may need some preparation in advance. Nevertheless, the tone remains light and the humour broad, without heavy themes or frightening visuals that would be unsuitable for a mainstream mall theatre. Because the theatre expects children to remain seated during the performance, parents often find it helpful to choose aisle seats for younger kids who may need a quick stretch during the interval. Overall, this is strongly positioned as a children and family friendly event rather than a drop off activity, so adults should plan to stay and enjoy the show with their kids (children/family friendly, especially suitable for primary school age groups).
Reaching New Covent Garden Theatre by car or taxi
New Covent Garden Theatre sits inside Mall of the Emirates, with the venue itself located on Level 2 and primary access from the mall concourse. Directions recommend using the Orange parking area, A5 and A6 on Level 2, or the Ski Dubai parking zones if you want to be closest to the theatre entrance. For families driving in for the Friday 5 December early evening matinee, it helps to enter the mall earlier than usual, because December Fridays can bring heavy traffic around Sheikh Zayed Road and the Al Barsha area. Taxi drivers are usually very familiar with Mall of the Emirates; you can ask to be dropped near the main entrance closest to the Orange parking elevators, then follow mall signage to the theatre on Level 2. Because families often arrive with strollers and shopping bags, allowing extra time to move between parking, lifts and the theatre foyer keeps the mood calm. Parking capacity near the Orange A5 and A6 zones can feel limited at peak times, so allow extra minutes for finding a space and walking to the theatre (children/family friendly, suitable for prams and strollers if you give yourselves enough time).
Public transport and visiting from other emirates
Mall of the Emirates sits directly on the Dubai Metro Red Line, so many families choose to arrive by metro and avoid parking altogether. You can take the Red Line to Mall of the Emirates station, then walk through the air conditioned bridge into the mall and follow signs to the theatre, which is especially convenient with older children who enjoy train journeys. For visitors from Abu Dhabi, the most straightforward route usually follows E11 toward Dubai, exiting for the Al Barsha area and then following signs to Mall of the Emirates; however, Friday afternoon traffic can stretch the drive to two hours or more. Families coming from Sharjah, Ajman or the northern emirates often prefer to park at a metro station on the Dubai side and complete the rest of the journey by train, which avoids the heaviest bottlenecks near the mall. If you are travelling from another emirate for the Friday 5 December early evening performance, treat the outing as a half day trip and build generous time into both your outbound and return journeys (children/family friendly, suitable for families who are comfortable with later bedtimes on weekends).
Making the most of your 5 December family matinee
Because the early evening performance on Friday 5 December is likely to attract many families, it can help to plan your entire mall visit around the show. One common approach is to arrive in the late afternoon, let children enjoy a short visit to another attraction such as the public mall play areas, then move toward the theatre about forty five minutes before doors open. After the two hour performance and interval, you still have time for a simple bite to eat inside the mall or a quick hot chocolate before heading home, without stretching bedtime too late. Planning ahead also helps parents decide whether children will wear costumes or festive outfits, bring a favourite soft toy or share snacks during the interval. Treat the performance as the centrepiece of your afternoon and early evening rather than something squeezed between errands, so everyone can relax into the show and leave with enough energy for a smooth journey home (children/family friendly, suitable for siblings of different ages).
Weather traffic and practical closing tips
On Friday 5 December 2025, Dubai weather is typically mild, with daytime highs around the upper twenties and evening temperatures near 20 degrees, with similar conditions expected through that weekend. Because almost all of your time will be indoors at Mall of the Emirates, light clothing is comfortable for travel, while a cardigan, light jumper or shawl is useful if your child feels cold in strong air conditioning. Traffic around the mall usually peaks on Friday afternoons and early evenings, particularly between 16:00 and 19:30, so it makes sense to arrive early for the matinee and leave calmly after the show rather than rushing straight into the busiest period. Public transport options such as the Red Line metro help you bypass parking pressures entirely, especially if you are already staying near a station on the same line. Ticket prices and parking policies mentioned here are approximately correct and can change as December approaches, so always double check your confirmation email for any updates on start times or access instructions. Regular families who follow local listings often rely on dedicated event editors, and in recent seasons several Dubai residents have mentioned that they first discovered New Covent Garden’s pantomime plans through winter roundups shared by platforms like www.few.ae. Make your reservation before it is too late, build in plenty of travel time and carry a light extra layer, so you can watch your children focus on Rapunzel’s adventure instead of worrying about queues, weather or logistics (children/family friendly, suitable for parents, grandparents and festive visitors).
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