The Walt Disney Company Announces New Disney Theme Park In Abu Dhabi

The Walt Disney Company has announced a plan to build a new Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in partnership with Miral. The waterfront theme park resort will be located on Yas Island, which is known for its entertainment and leisure offerings like Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World. This will be the seventh Disney theme park resort, and will showcase Disney storytelling combined with Abu Dhabi’s culture and iconic architecture.

“Abu Dhabi is a place where heritage meets innovation, where we preserve our past while designing the future,” said His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman at Miral, in a press release. “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.”

The new resort will be developed, built and operated by Miral, while Disney and Walt Disney Imagineering will lead the design process and operational oversight. This structure is similar to how Tokyo Disney Resort operates.

“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 Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, in a press release. “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. Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati – an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world that will bring to life our timeless characters and stories in many new ways and will become a source of joy and inspiration for the people of this vast region to enjoy for generations to come.”

Disney’s Success With International Theme Parks

The Company has had great success with its international theme parks in destinations like Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo over the past decades. Currently, Disney has a 47% ownership interest in the operations of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and a 43% ownership interest in the operations of Shanghai Disney Resort. Disneyland Paris is fully owned by The Walt Disney Company.

The International Theme Park’s cash flows for the first six months of the fiscal year, ending March 29, 2025, were $700 million provided by operating activities, $557 million used in investing activities, and $40 million for financial activities.

In today’s earnings report, Disney cited its Experiences segment, comprising all theme parks, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Cruise Line, consumer products and more, had an operating income of $2.5 billion, an increase of $0.2 billion versus Q2 in fiscal year 2024. The segment had $8.8 billion in revenue in this quarter, an increase over the same time period last year, when revenue was $8.3 billion.

Why Build A Disney Theme Park in Abu Dhabi

Disney has a great opportunity on the horizon to reach more fans in a way that’s not been done before in the UAE. One-third of the world’s population is within a four-hour flight of the new Disney destination, making this area of the world prime for tourism. Additionally, the UAE has the largest global airline hub in the world. 120 million people travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year.

“This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences in a press release. “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. Ultimately, it will be a celebration of what’s possible when creativity and progress come together.”

No opening timeline or exact themes and attractions for the Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi have been announced.