Yas theme parks and attractions awarded Certified Autism Center designation

Al Etihad

13-05-2025

13 May 2025 14:25
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) has announced that Yas Island's theme parks and attractions, operated by Miral Experiences, a subsidiary of Miral, have been awarded the prestigious Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation. The attractions receiving this accreditation include Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. This certification underscores Miral Experiences' commitment to enhancing accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring a more welcoming experience for autistic and sensory-sensitive guests, as well as their families.To achieve the prestigious IBCCES accreditation, the theme parks demonstrated a significant commitment to serving guests with autism and their families. A key benchmark was the extensive training of guest-facing colleagues, with each park successfully ensuring that over 80 per cent of staff and leadership received specialised IBCCES autism training throughout 2024. This involved the dedication of in-house trainers at each asset who meticulously coordinated and organised these comprehensive training programs. Furthermore, this commitment extended to new hires, guaranteeing that all future guest-facing employees would undergo the same essential training.Beyond staff preparedness, the parks underwent a thorough audit by IBCCES in late 2024 to evaluate the attractions' overall autism-friendliness and identify areas for enhancement. IBCCES provided valuable suggestions, such as the implementation of clearer signage, improvements to the theme parks' webpages to provide relevant information, and the creation of quiet rooms. These recommendations aimed to bolster communication about the park's autism commitment, and with continued implementation, the attractions ensure that guests with autistic family members can enjoy the facilities with greater ease and confidence with every visit.The Certified Autism Center designation is granted to organisations that have completed specialised training and certification in autism and sensory awareness, equipping their teams with the skills necessary to understand and accommodate the unique needs of autistic visitors.Timothy Sau Kin Ng, Senior Vice President of Operations of Miral Experiences, said: 'At Miral Experiences, we are deeply committed to creating memorable and inclusive experiences for all our guests. Achieving the Certified Autism Center designation across our theme parks and attractions represents our team's continuous dedication to understanding and accommodating the diverse needs of autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and signifies a pivotal step in our ongoing journey to enhance accessibility. This commitment reflects our core values of ensuring that everyone, regardless of their individual needs, can fully enjoy the world-class entertainment and experiences we have to offer.'Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman, said: 'IBCCES is honoured to collaborate with Miral Experiences in bringing greater accessibility and inclusion to some of Abu Dhabi's most iconic attractions. By achieving the Certified Autism Center™️ designation, Miral Experiences is taking a meaningful step toward ensuring that autistic individuals and their families feel understood, supported, and welcomed when visiting these world-class theme parks and attractions. This milestone reflects a broader movement toward inclusive travel and entertainment experiences across the region.'To further enhance the visibility of their services and accessible offerings, the five certified Miral Experiences attractions are also listed on the IBCCES Accessibility App directory, which is free for users to download. Through the directory, users can view the attractions' locations, the accommodations they offer and their addresses, contact information and hours of operation. This app provides individuals with information and resources related to finding certified organisations and sensory-friendly spaces, as well as navigating public locations. By connecting users to locations worldwide, employment opportunities, and access to several other accessibility resources, the Accessibility App helps individuals with disabilities better navigate life and get the most out of daily activities.IBCCES has been a global leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for over 20 years, working with healthcare, education, and corporate professionals worldwide. As more families seek destinations that prioritise accessibility, IBCCES remains the only global credentialing board providing comprehensive training and certification led by subject-matter experts and autistic self-advocates.IBCCES also provides access to resources such as CertifiedAutismCenter.com and AutismTravel.com, free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals.
Each organisation listed on the site has met the Certified Autism Center (CAC) requirements.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi