Thanks, so the bus has a storage space for carry-on? Also what time will I likely be back at airport with the 8pm tour?
Also, are there free time allocated for shopping? I'd like to buy some souvenirs and dates in Souq Waqif or supermarket, as that's my main goal really so not sure if it's worth sticking with the tour group or just go out the airport by myself.
Storage looked plentiful under the bus (it's a big bus the size of a normal charter or express bus). The 8pm tour got us back to the airport just before 10:30pm; they advertise the tour as maximum 2.5 hours. Premium check-in was open and was a breeze, and we were back in the lounge within minutes. There are 4 stops on the tour, with the first 3 being only 5-10 minutes to look around and snap some pictures, and the last being about 30 minutes at Souq Waqif to grab some quick food or souvenirs (dates should be easy to find). The tour follows the same process for leaving the airport as detailed in
this DIY tour thread. Both the standard and DIY tour would fulfill your goals and can be easily done, it's just a matter of whether you prefer the convenience and peace-of-mind of the organized tour or the leisure of the DIY tour.