Disneyland Abu Dhabi

Proposed theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Disneyland Abu Dhabi

Concept Art

Location| Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Coordinates| 24°30′36″N 54°35′46″E﻿ / ﻿24.51°N 54.59606°E﻿ / 24.51; 54.59606
Status| Planned
Owner| Miral Group, under license from Disney Experiences
Operated by| Miral Experiences
Theme| Disney characters and fairy tales
Slogan| A whole new world awaits

Disneyland Abu Dhabi is a proposed theme park and resort for Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The resort will be owned and operated by the Miral Group under a license from The Walt Disney Company, which will design the resort and its various attractions through Walt Disney Imagineering.[1] It will be Disney's first theme park resort in the Middle East, the fourth in Asia, the seventh resort worldwide,[1] and the second not to be operated by Disney Experiences in any capacity.[2]

## History

[edit]

Disney previously ruled out developing a theme park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in May 2009.[3] Disney refuted rumors in January 2011 that they were involved in a Haifa, Israel theme park development funded by Shamrock Holdings, a Disney-affiliated investment firm.[4]

Plans for a park in the region began in 2017.[5] Development of Disneyland Abu Dhabi was announced on May 7, 2025.[6][2]

## Overview

[edit]

The resort is planned for Yas Island, which also has other theme parks such as Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, and Ferrari World. Disney CEO Bob Iger described the project as "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati", similar to a statement he made about Shanghai Disneyland, "authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese."[1][2]

The park will be owned, operated, and funded by the Miral Group, but designed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Bruce Vaughn, Tom Fitzgerald, and Zach Riddley of Imagineering lead the park's design.[7] An opening date has yet to be announced.[1]

Disneyland Abu Dhabi is Disney's first new theme park announcement since the unveiling of Shanghai Disneyland in 2010 and will be their first in the Middle East.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Durkee, Alison. "Disneyland Abu Dhabi: Here's What We Know About Disney's New Theme Park". Forbes. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
2. ^ a b c d Chen, Natasha (7 May 2025). "Disney announces a new theme park in Abu Dhabi, its first new resort in a generation". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 May 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
3. ^ Bharadwaj, Vinita (3 May 2009). "Disney animated about Dubai's tourism boom". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
4. ^ Ungerleider, Neal (5 January 2011). "Disney to Open Theme Park in Israel?". Fast Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
5. ^ "Disneyland Abu Dhabi Was Nearly A Decade In The Making, Quickly Greenlit Following Iger's Return as CEO". BlogMickey. 10 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
6. ^ "Disneyland Abu Dhabi: Yas Island Real Estate Boom | NOVVI Properties". www.novviproperties.com. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
7. ^ Reid, Caroline (15 May 2025). "Revealed: Key Disney Imagineer Behind New Park In Abu Dhabi". Forbes. Retrieved 16 May 2025.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Disneyland Abu Dhabi.

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