RIYADH: Zombies dancing, clowns performing, fireworks lighting the city sky — this is how visitors were welcomed to Winter Wonderland, part of Riyadh Season’s 14 zones.

Some families even skipped school and work to make sure they were the first to enter the zone.

Mustafa Usman, a logistics operation manager from Uzbekistan, told Arab News how he had loved Winter Wonderland during the last season and could not wait for it to open again this season.

“The reason why I came on the first day of Winter Wonderland is that last season I visited the zone twice, and this time I wanted my kids to enjoy the experience; they were excited. That is why I got an excuse from my job to be here,” Usman said.

Usman said that he has visited almost all the zones and events during the first ten days since the launch of Riyadh Season. “I went to almost all events, the grand opening for Riyadh Season . . . the WWE Crown Jewel show... I went to Combat Field… and today here at Winter Wonderland… and on Friday I’m going to the (Egyptian) Orchestra in (Riyadh) Boulevard, at Muhammed Abdu’s arena . . . I am excited to go to (Riyadh) Safari once the weather gets better.”

Winter Wonderland opened its doors yesterday with a sense of huge anticipation from a large audience of game-lovers. The zone consists of six primary areas including, for the first time, the children’s corner. The corner is dedicated to the nursery and care of children from one year to 7 years old and is equipped with games for toddlers.

Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the board of the General Entertainment Authority, revealed earlier in a tweet that more than 60,000 entry tickets were sold during the first minutes of the ticket portal opening. This confirms visitors’ enthusiasm, especially after the zone’s area capacity increased 40 percent from last season.

The zone includes more than 103 games that meet all age groups’ tastes — from adults to children — and with cosy snowy scenes and lights where people can enjoy hot drinks and different types of foods. Visitors can also try out the snow maze and skating rink.

The winter atmosphere attracts visitors from all over the world to enjoy experiences that bring back memories of their childhood, with decorations that mix reality with dreams.

Many visitors from GCC countries such as Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait have come to visit the zones of Riyadh Season.

Eisa Adnan, a civil engineer visiting from Kuwait, told Arab News that he would stay for two weeks in Riyadh to attend most of the events during the season. “We want to go to Al-Murabba zone, and I heard that there is a play coming up for Mohammed Hunaidi, a very famous actor; we would love to see that play,” he said.

“I thank all the girls and boys who are organizing and preparing these amazing events. I never came to the previous seasons; this is my first season to attend, and it is luxurious.”

The zone opens its doors to visitors from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m. daily throughout the season, and entry tickets can be booked online through Riyadh Season’s website or application.