Disney has announced the opening of a new theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The first in the Middle East and the brand’s seventh will have ultra-long water slides to plunge into the bay, an exclusive water-flush promenade surrounding the artificial island of Yas, and the ever-present Mickey Mouse to welcome visitors. The iconic castle will be replaced by a spiral skyscraper to match the city’s skyline.
Construction and management have been entrusted to Miral Group, the Emirati government company that has developed other luxury resorts such as SeaWorld YAS Island Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Bros. World on the same island. CNN expects the work to finish in the early 2030s, but the cost of the entire project is unclear, especially considering the work needs to make the park accessible even with the extreme temperatures the area reaches in the summer.
The other obstacle for Disney could be ideological differences with the Emirati autocracy, which restricts freedom of expression, considers homosexuality a crime, and women are still discriminated against. It would not be the first time the company has been able to overcome discrepancies by working with the local government, as it did in Shanghai, China, in 2016.
”This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences, in the launching video. “Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio. There was no doubt that our seventh resort would be here.” The new theme park is strategically located: it is a twenty-minute drive from downtown Abu Dhabi, less than an hour drive from Dubai and about three hours by plane from Mumbai in India, compared with six to reach the one in Hong Kong or Shanghai.
Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly said it was the Emirati authorities who courted the company. Over the years, Abu Dhabi has become a tourist hub, bringing in more than 24 million visitors in 2023. The country’s leader, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has set the goal of attracting 39 million tourists in 2030. At the same time, Disney has also begun to consider new investments after attendance declines at the Hong Kong and Shanghai parks in the face of tariffs.
President Donald Trump will be traveling to the region next week. In addition to the stop in Abu Dhabi, he will also visit Doha, Qatar, aiming to further strengthen relations with the Gulf state leaders.
