2 Hours Transit Time In Dubai... Any Ideas To Utilize The Time Effectively?

So, here is the time for booking my family's tickets for another vacation.

The office booked us through Emirates, with a transit time of 9 hrs. Personally, I would love 9 hrs in Dubai, because the airport has a lot to offer, especially in December. I love shopping.
But the connecting flight is long if we chose the 9 hour lay over in Dubai. The connecting flight will go to Male, and then to Colombo Sri Lanka. There is 1 hr lay over in Male, and the trip from Male to Colombo will be around 2.5 hrs. So, altogether we will be on-air for 3.5 hrs longer if we chose this option. This flight lands in Colombo at 7pm.

There is another option, which I am going to accept, with a 2 hr transit time in Dubai.
The connecting flight goes directly to Colombo, and that saves 3.5 hrs fly time; hence lands in the morning.
Shorter transit and shorter flight is what my body prefers these days. Needless to say, my 70+ year old mom, my H and 2 kids are travelling with me.

But, what can we do in Dubai in a shorter transit?

Given the airport is huge, and it takes considerable time to pass the security checks, and to be there at least 30 mins before at the gate to the connection flight. We just have 2 hrs in hand, and I don't wanna miss shopping, given there will be sale, discounts etc..etc.. during seasons time in December.

Any ideas to utilize these 2 hrs effectively?

 

Oh no.... I thought 2 hrs would be perfectly enough to transit, given my previous experiences transiting through Dubai airport.
But, I forgot the fact about taking my family along. Of course H is there to help, carry the luggage, find a stroll and push the kids up.
I can take care of mom.
We can of course book/ask for airport taxi services, which will save a lot of time and tension in walking towards the gate.
I've done that a couple of times before, and it will be easy if you go with an elderly or kids.
But not sure about the Taxi's availability in December.

Once you are at the sight of the gate, you are free to shop or even use the rest room. I think that's the only time I can think of shopping.

 

Hi dears,

Thanks for all your valuable comments.

I have left out the first option of having 9 hour layover in Dubai. Of course we may invest in a launch, but I hate the idea of having a much longer 7-8 hrs of flight on the second leg of our journey. It will be too draining for all of us, especially kids and mom.

The second option seemed handy, with just 2 hrs layover in Dubai, and then 3.30hrs flight back home from there. This will save half a day, and that will make us land in Sri lanka in the morning. So, we liked it.

As for quick shopping in Dubai airport, I understand the hassle and I would rather leave it for our return trip. Or any other trips as we might be passing via Dubai or Qatar once in every 6 months.

For now, the target will be to reach the gate on time. We are planning to use airport free taxi service to navigate inside the airport & to reach the gate after the security check. It is mostly available, especially if you are with an elderly person.
Hope this will serve a lot of time in locating the gate and walking towards it.

Once we are at the sight of the gate, we will divide into 2 groups (H and son + Me, mom and DD) to access our respective washrooms. When one person is inside the other can watch out for the luggage. This will also save some times.
Kids are not too small, they are 11 & 9 and can take care of themselves without our support.

Once we are freshened up together, we can either have some coffee or snack in a place next to our gate, or look for quick shopping close by. This will be only depending on the time left for boarding.

Will update how it all went once I reach home. So excited to visit home for Christmas