Disney Announces Plans for New Theme Park in Abu Dhabi
A new Disney theme park is set to be built in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as part of a partnership between The Walt Disney Co. and immersive destination and experiences company Miral. According to a report by CNBC, the park and resort will be located on Yas Island and will be Disney’s seventh theme park resort.
The development of the park will be fully handled by Miral, with Disney’s imagineers leading the creative design and operational oversight. Disney will not be investing capital in the project but will receive royalties. The theme park is not part of the $60 billion that Disney has pledged to invest in its theme parks over the next decade.
"This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity," said Disney CEO Bob Iger, in a statement, as quoted by CNBC. "As our seventh theme park destination, it will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways."
The announcement was made after Disney reported a top- and bottom-line beat for its fiscal second quarter, with its experiences business – including parks, cruises, and resorts as well as consumer products – reporting 6% year-over-year revenue growth. The segment represented 37% of the company’s overall revenue in fiscal 2024 and nearly 60% of its operating income.
According to CNBC, Disney has slowly been entering the UAE in recent years, adding retail locations and touring entertainment shows like Broadway’s "The Lion King" and "Disney on Ice." Iger told CNBC that the company first started eyeing the region as a potential new resort location in 2017 or 2018, but Covid and a CEO change delayed expansion into the UAE.
The new Disney park will have themed accommodations and unique dining and retail experiences that integrate the storytelling heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi. Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney experiences, told CNBC that the park will be "much larger than anything that’s currently here."
Yas Island is a hub of entertainment and retail experiences, already home to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, as well as the Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit. The area also hosts Abu Dhabi’s largest mall and an award-winning golf course.
The development of the park is expected to bring in a significant number of tourists to the region, with around one-third of the world’s population living within a four-hour flight of the UAE and an addressable tourism market of around 500 million visitors.
As quoted by CNBC, D’Amaro said: "This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development. Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio. The location of our park is incredibly unique – anchored by a beautiful waterfront – which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways. This project will reach guests in a whole new part of the world, welcoming more families to experience Disney than ever before."
The construction timeline for the park has not been officially announced, but Iger told CNBC that it typically takes Disney between 18 months and two years to design and fully develop, and approximately five years to build.
