Walt Disney announced on Wednesday that he plans to open a Disney themed park in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the regional developer Miral Group. It is the first major themed park launched by Disney in almost a decade and the first in the Middle East.
Walt Disney opens a new themed park in the year Dhabi Photo Archive
The new Disney complex will be located on the island of Yas, a popular tourist destination that houses other families, including Warner Bros World Yas Island, Seaworld Yas Island and Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, writes Daily Mail.
Although the city of Abu Dhabi has a population of approximately 2.5 million inhabitants, the island of Yas registered over 34 million visits in 2023, an increase of 38% compared to the previous year, according to Miral.
“We always interested this part of the world-we want to bring Disney stories to new, younger fans.”said Josh d’a Amaro, president of the Disney’s Experience Division. “Abu Dhabi is an ideal location for us,” he added.
Miral, the entertainment group in Abu Dhabi that develops the island of Yas, will finance, build and operate the new complex. The team of Disney creators and engineers, known as Imaging, will lead the creative design part and will ensure operational supervision.
Disney will receive royalties according to the income generated by the park, according to a document submitted to the regulatory authorities.
Abu Dhabi is known for its oil wealth, but last year announced investments of over $ 10 billion in infrastructure to develop its tourist sector.
The International Airport in Dubai, the main commercial center of EAU, aims to increase its capacity at 120 million passengers annually by 2026.
Disney has not announced an official opening date for the new park. D’A Amaro said that a project of this extent could require a year or two for design and between four and six years for construction.
Once completed, the complex will include Disney thematic attractions, restaurants and shops, in a way that combines the characteristic narrative of the Burbank studio with the local heritage in Abu Dhabi, explained D’A Amaro.
The Park in Abu Dhabi is the first launched by Disney after the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 and is part of the company’s plans to develop the Experiences Division, which includes the six global thematic complexes, a cruise line and a family resort in Hawaii.
In 2023, Disney announced an investment of $ 60 billion over a ten-year period to double its cruise ship and expand its thematic parks.
