Disney announces new theme park coming to the United Arab Emirates

Show Caption

Surprise! Disney is building a new theme park.

The company unveiled plans on May 7 for a whole new resort in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Miral, a regional leader in immersive experiences.

“This is going to be one of the most advanced theme parks that we've ever built," Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said in an interview with Paste BN. “We've got an opportunity here to build from the ground up and really put on display all of this ambition, all this innovation, all this new technology that we have at hand to create something incredibly special for our fans.” 

Here’s what Disney fans and other travelers should know about the park coming to the United Arab Emirates: 

What is going to be in Disney’s new theme park? 

This will be Disney’s first new park since Shanghai Disney Resort opened in 2016.  

Echoing his description of Shanghai Disney, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger said in a joint press release with Miral, “Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.” 

“When you walk into it, it will feel Disney,” D’Amaro elaborated. “But it will also reflect the Emirati culture. It will reflect the cultures from around the world that come into this beautiful place.” 

Fans can expect Disney themed attractions, accommodations, dining and retail. Water will also play a special role in the park on Yas Island. 

“We will be right up against water, so we'll be able to play with water in a completely new and unique way that we haven't been able to do in some of our other destinations,” D’Amaro said. “You can think about that water coming into our resort, almost playing a character in a way.” 

Make your journey as magical as possible: Sign up for Paste BN's Travel newsletter.

What does Miral do? 

Miral is the company behind some of Abu Dhabi’s biggest tourist and entertainment attractions, including Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; and Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. 

“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,” Miral’s chairman, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, said in the press release. 

Miral will build, develop, operate and fully fund the new resort with Disney Imagineers leading its creative design and Disney leading operational oversight. 

Where will Disney’s new park be located? 

Like many of Miral’s offerings, the park will be located on Yas Island, less than 30 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and less than an hour from Dubai. 

In addition to theme parks, Yas Island is home to Abu Dhabi’s largest mall, a marina, a golf course, numerous hotels and restaurants, Etihad Arena, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Why Emirates? 

D’Amaro called the Emirates a crossroads of art, creativity, celebration of heritage and history:

This is an incredibly special part of the world ... At the same time, anyone who's visited Abu Dhabi will realize that there's a very aggressive lean into technology and innovation. And when you think about those characteristics, they're very similar characteristics to The Walt Disney Co. ...

Walt started this when he built Disneyland in 1955. He leaned into the technology that was available to him at the time and created what we know now as the Disneyland Resort, a global icon, and now we have the opportunity to do that again with all the technology that's available to us, all the advancements that are taking place day by day. We will be able to bring stories together like no other park that we've built before.

The location will also allow Disney to reach new audiences. Disney notes that a third of the world’s population is within a four-hour flight of the United Arab Emirates, and when Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s airports are factored together, they make up the largest airline hub worldwide with 120 million travelers annually.  

Not just for thrills: The real-life magic Disney is working to save animals

Are there 6 Disney parks? 

There are 12 Disney theme parks across six destinations: 

◾Disneyland Resort (California): Disneyland, Disney California Adventure 

◾Walt Disney World Resort (Florida): Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom 

◾Tokyo Disney Resort: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea 

◾Disneyland Paris: Disneyland, Walt Disney Studios 

◾Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: Hong Kong Disneyland 

◾Shanghai Disney Resort: Shanghai Disneyland 

Walt Disney World in Florida is also home to two water parks that are not included in the theme park count: Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. 

“Every single one of our parks is special,” D’Amaro said. “In fact, we'll be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Disneyland Resort this summer and that park, 70 years old, is still as special and unique to our fans as this one will be in this part of the world.” 

When will Disney’s new park open? 

It’s not yet clear when the new destination will open, but Disney shared that Miral is eager to move quickly. 

In the meantime, Disney is working its way through a $60 billion investment into its existing properties and previously announced expansions. 

“A couple of years ago now, we talked about turbocharging the Disney Experiences segment,” D’Amaro said. “We're investing $30 billion in the U.S., creating 10,000 new jobs by virtue of that investment. We're investing on the sea, doubling the size of our fleet. We’re even investing online and creating new communities with our partner Epic Games. And now we've got an opportunity to come to a part of the world that will be able to entertain guests that we just haven't had an opportunity to entertain before.” 

“To say that we're excited is an understatement,” he added. “We think this is going to be the next big chapter in Disney experiences.”