Pros and cons of living in Dubai Festival City: Peaceful community living or an overpriced development
Built by Al Futtaim Group, Dubai Festival City is a residential and commercial development in Dubai. It is also known as a “city within a city” and has all essential residential, leisure, academic and commercial elements within it. If you have been considering this upscale development, be sure to take stock of the advantages and disadvantages of living in Dubai Festival City.
About Dubai Festival City
Spanning 2.5M sq. ft of a retail and residential area, Dubai Festival City (DFC) is a residential-cum-commercial development in Dubai. In addition to commercial, academic and residential elements, it also has the world’s largest water screen projection, a.k.a. “IMAGINE.” This attraction holds a Guinness World Record for featuring latest technology related to dramatic light effects, lasers, pyrotechnics and water.
DFC is a situated along the 3.3-km Dubai Creek, which means people living in Dubai Festival City also enjoy convenient access to Dhow rides! DFC is a good choice for everyone, singletons, couples and families with kids. The schools and universities in this area make it family-friendly, while the social scene makes it equally attractive to singles and couples. So before you move to the area, it’s essential you develop a wholesome perspective so you are well aware of what to expect while moving to Dubai Festival City.
Advantages of Living in Dubai Festival City
From its ideal location to convenient lifestyle elements to the many leisure spots, there is so much that people living in Dubai Festival City enjoy. Let’s have a look at the pros of living in Dubai Festival City.
The Ideal Dubai Festival City Location
DFC has the edge over a lot of other areas of the city due to its ideal location. It is located a 10-minute drive from the Dubai International Airport and a 20-minute drive from Dubai Academic City. One can easily access the area from the Business Bay and Al Garhoud bridges. This is one of the biggest benefits of living in Dubai Festival City, especially for working professionals.
Quality Homes
Another benefit of DFC is the fact that the community has excellent residential options available. The area is divided into these sub-communities – Al Badia Hillside Village, Marsa Plaza and Al Badia Residences. These areas have a few villas and several well-appointed apartments available for sale. Flats for rent are available within a range of AED 46k – AED 270k per year.
You can get a good freehold studio or a 1-bedroom to 3-bedroom apartment in these sub-communities depending on your needs. The apartments are housed in low-rise buildings having landscaped gardens and offering all essential amenities, making life in Dubai Festival City easier. People who prefer to rent an apartment in Festival City can find convenient options available within a range of AED 57k – AED 270k per year, including studios, 1-bed, 2-bed all the way up to 4-bedroom flats.
Convenient Living
DFC offers a very convenient lifestyle, having every facility you could think of, including shopping malls, grocery outlets, schools and hospitals. There is Carrefour hypermarket and the Dubai Festival City Mall which is frequented by people all over the city since its home to the only IKEA outlet in Dubai. For medical emergencies, residents can head to nearby hospitals including Mediclinic Welcare Hospital located 9 minutes away in Al Garhoud.
Has Plenty of Dining Spots
Foodies will have no shortage of dining options while living in DFC! Having 19 bakeries and cafes and 35 restaurants, this is the perfect haven for food lovers. Popular restaurants include Hard Rock Café, Sugar Factory, P.F. Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory. People can enjoy the waterfront view while having delicious food at their favourite restaurants.
Tight Security
This area is a very safe one. This is one of the huge benefits of living in Dubai Festival City.
Sufficient Parking Spaces and Good Transportation System
While many neighbourhoods are known for their traffic issues, one of the advantages of DFC is the fact that both traffic and parking are not challenging. There are designated parking spaces in residential units in DFC, and many public parking spaces are also available for visitors.
The transport system at DFC is a top-notch one! It is serviced by the Creek Metro Station located 10 minutes away and Al Jaddaf Metro Station located 5 minutes away. The Dubai Metro Green Line is available at these stations. Bus stations in Al Jaddaf also cover the area. Since Dubai Festival City witnesses a lot of tourists, taxis are readily available in the area.
Family-Friendly Community
Several factors make DFC a family-friendly community. For one, it has adequate medical facilities. Second, it has some prestigious academic institutions parents can enrol their children in. These include the British-curriculum Deira International School, the Universal American School and Cambridge International School at a 5-minute drive away from Al Garhoud. The best universities in the area include Al Falah University and The American College of Dubai.
Features Good Relaxation Spots
There are many leisure and relaxation spots in Festival City including Festival Bay at Dubai Festival City Mall. This makes life in Dubai Festival City exciting for youngsters and couples. The mall also has a Novo cinemas, so catching a mid week movie is not a hassle.
Disadvantages of Living in Dubai Festival City
While there are many reasons to love life in DFC, when you are thinking of moving, you should also know the cons of living in Dubai Festival City. It’s always good to be aware of what you are getting into. Let’s review the challenges of living in Dubai Festival City.
Leasing rates are expensive
Compared to other areas of the emirate, the leasing and residential sales are costly in Dubai Festival City.
No Dogs Allowed
Unfortunately, you can only have cats as pets in Dubai Festival City. Dogs are not allowed.
Distance from beaches
The commute is a bit of a stretch for beach lovers in DFC. The nearest beach is around 20 minutes away.
All in all, living in Dubai Festival City is a great experience, if you are not averse to spending a few extra bucks. The pros indeed outweigh the cons, making it a reliable, safe and fun place to be at in Dubai.
In contrast, you can also consider other areas of Dubai to move to. Residents living in Bur Dubai enjoy a better mix of religious diversity. For people looking for a quieter space, living in Al Nahda Dubai could prove to be a good choice.
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