ABU DHABI: Walt Disney announced plans on Wednesday (May 7) to open a theme park in the United Arab Emirates capital, Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with regional developer Miral Group, its first major new theme park in nearly a decade and its first in the Middle East.
The planned waterfront resort will be located on Yas Island, a popular tourist destination that also hosts Warner Bros World, SeaWorld, and Yas Waterworld.
The city of Abu Dhabi has a population of about 2.5 million, but Yas Island recorded more than 34 million visits in 2023, a 38 per cent rise from the year before, according to Miral.
“We’ve always been interested in this part of the world – to bring our Disney stories to new, younger fans,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences. “Abu Dhabi was an ideal location for us.”
Miral will finance, build and operate the resort. Disney’s Imagineers, the creative and technical minds behind its parks, will lead design and provide operational oversight. The US entertainment company will earn royalties based on the park’s revenue, according to a regulatory filing.
Disney will not provide capital for the park but will license its intellectual property and receive service fees in addition to royalties.
The announcement comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE next week.
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