Disney Announces New Theme Park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

The Walt Disney Company is to build a new theme park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Miral.

It will be the seventh Disney location around the world and will be located on the island that already hosts Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld theme parks.

Set to be located on the waterfront, the new park will include Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions.

The new resort will be fully developed and built by Miral, while Disney’s imagineers will lead creative design and operational oversight.

The new park will be located within a four-hour flight for one-third of the world’s population, with 120 million passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year.

Josh D-Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, said: “This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development.

“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.”

Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, added: “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.

“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.”