‘Authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati’: Disney announces new theme park in Abu Dhabi

Disney is about to enter “a whole new world” with the announcement of its seventh theme park in the United Arab Emirates.

On Wednesday, The Walt Disney Company announced its plans to create a Disney theme park on the waterfront of Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. According to a Disney Parks Blog post, the new park will combine beloved Disney stories with Abu Dhabi’s “vibrant culture, stunning shorelines and breathtaking architecture.”

Disney will partner with Miral Group, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of leisure and entertainment destinations and experiences, to develop and build the park, while Disney’s team will lead creative design and operational oversight.

Miral Group is largely responsible for making Yas Island the entertainment juggernaut that it is today. It is behind attractions such as Yas Waterworld; Ferrari World Abu Dhabi; Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi; SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; and several Yas Island hotels.

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“Abu Dhabi is a place where heritage meets innovation, where we preserve our past while designing the future,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman at Miral Group and of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. “The collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Disney demonstrates the remarkable results of combining visionary leadership and creative excellence. What we are creating with Disney in Abu Dhabi is a whole new world of imagination — an experience that will inspire generations across the region and the world, creating magical moments and memories that families will treasure forever. Through the development of unique attractions and experiences, Abu Dhabi continues to be a destination of choice for the world.”

When asked during Disney’s second-quarter earnings call how the company chose Abu Dhabi for the location of its seventh theme park, CEO Bob Iger told investors, “Building a theme park in a location is a huge endorsement of that location. It speaks volumes in terms of the ability of that location to sustain a Disney theme park. … [Abu Dhabi] demonstrated a number of things that were really important to us.”

Iger noted the destination’s appreciation of the arts, creativity, quality and innovation, as well as its commitment to new technology.

“We were impressed with all of that,” Iger said. “It was very, very clear to us that of all the places that we could choose from, there didn’t seem to be any place that was better than this.”

Iger also said on the earnings call that Abu Dhabi is far enough away from other Disney parks “that we don’t really view this as in any way cannibalistic to the places we already operate.” Disney feels the new park will better connect travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe and beyond.

This approach is similar to that of the upcoming Disney Adventure cruise ship, scheduled to sail out of Singapore beginning in December. The ship will be Disney’s largest and the first to sail from Asia, allowing the company to reach new audiences.

According to the Disney Parks Blog post, “the UAE is located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s population” and “[it is] home to the largest global airline hub in the world, with 120 million passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year.”

It’s too early to know which lands and attractions Disney plans to build in Abu Dhabi or when the park will open, but Disney did share that the resort will feature Disney’s signature style of entertainment, themed accommodations, dining and retail experiences.

Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro shared in the blog post that it will be “the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio.” He added that “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.”