Disney Announces New Theme Park to Be Built in Abu Dhabi

The resort will join parks built by Warner Bros. and Ferrari on Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates.

The Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on July 14, 2023. John Raoux/AP Photo

A seventh Disney theme park is planned on a recreation destination island of Abu Dhabi in the Persian Gulf, the company announced May 7.

The new waterfront resort will be located on Yas Island, a popular entertainment and leisure destination in the United Arab Emirates, Disney announced on X.

“In Disney’s 102-year history, there have been many defining moments and countless achievements. Today, we celebrate another thrilling moment—the creation of a spectacular new Disney theme park resort, coming to Abu Dhabi,” Disney’s CEO Robert Iger said in a video.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has become a luxury destination for recreation and offers shopping, five-star resorts, fine dining, and multiple family-friendly entertainment parks.

Yas Island is already home to Ferrari World, SeaWorld Yas Island, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and the world’s largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

Disney Parks described its new theme park as “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati,” combining the company’s iconic stories, characters, and attractions with the country’s culture, shorelines, and architecture.

The Burbank, Calif., entertainment giant is teaming with the Miral Group, a leading creator of immersive destinations based in Abu Dhabi, to create the theme park anchored on a beach.

Miral will build and operate the park, while Disney will provide some development and management services.

The Miral Group’s Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said in the video that the theme park “marks a historic milestone in our journey as a global family destination.”

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences at the Walt Disney Co., described the project as “what’s possible when creativity and progress come together.”

“The seventh Disney theme park resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park ambitions. Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our entire portfolio,” D’Amaro said.

Disney CEO Bob Iger. Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney

“The location of our park is incredibly unique,” D’Amaro said. “It’s anchored by a beautiful waterfront, which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways.”

Disney did not announce an opening date for the new park, but D’Amaro said the project could take a year or two to design and another four to six years to build.

Disney “imagineers” are expected to lead the park’s creative design, according to the company.

The United Arab Emirates is a four-hour flight away from one-third of the world’s population and a tourism hub, according to Disney. It is also home to the largest global airline hub, which 120 million passengers travel through each year.

Visitors take photos of the Castle of Magical Dreams in Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland Resort in Hong Kong on June 18, 2020. Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images

The city of Abu Dhabi has a population of about 2.5 million, and Yas Island reported more than 34 million visits in 2023, a 38 percent increase from the year before, according to Miral.

The theme park resort will offer Disney entertainment, themed accommodations, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling to celebrate Disney heritage and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi, according to the Walt Disney Co.

The newest park will expand the company’s theme park locations, which also include California, Florida, France, Japan, Hong Kong, and China.

The Walt Disney Co. will not provide capital for the project but will earn royalties based on the park’s revenue and some service fees, according to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7.

Reuters contributed to this report.