On Wednesday, the Walt Disney Company announced plans to build a new theme park in Abu Dhabi, marking its first Disneyland in the Middle East and its first global expansion in over a decade.
The project, named Disneyland Abu Dhabi, will be Disney’s seventh resort destination worldwide. The park is expected to open in the early 2030s and will be located on Yas Island, a major tourism and entertainment hub in the United Arab Emirates.
The announcement came as Disney reported strong second-quarter financial results. Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based development firm, will lead the construction and day-to-day operations of the resort.
Disney’s creative division, known for designing parks worldwide, will oversee the project’s creative and operational standards.
During an interview in Abu Dhabi, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, explained that design, food, and the park’s overall feel must reflect the location. He added, “And so here in, in Abu Dhabi, we want the same thing.”
The new waterfront resort in Abu Dhabi – Disney’s seventh theme park resort – will be located on @YasIsland, a world-class destination for entertainment and leisure, connecting travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond. #YasIsland #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/JW4f6dFT79
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) May 7, 2025
Yas Island already houses attractions such as SeaWorld, Warner Bros. World, and Yas Waterworld. The area is about 20 minutes from central Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai. It features multiple parks, retail centers, a golf course, a marina, and more than 160 dining outlets.
D’Amaro said easy access to regional travel routes was important for Disney’s decision. Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports can reach one-third of the global population within a four-hour flight. That includes India’s 1.4 billion residents, many of whom would find Abu Dhabi more accessible than Disney parks in East Asia.
D’Amaro explained that approximately 500 million people in this region could travel in this area easily. “There was no question that for our seventh resort, this is where it was going to be.”
Disney stated that the new resort will be its most technologically advanced. The central castle, a signature feature of Disney parks, will boast a modern, spiral design resembling crystal rather than the traditional fairytale look. Additionally, it will be the company’s first park situated directly on a waterfront.
disneyland in abudhabi
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— ّ (@Glncta) May 7, 2025
The park will feature new immersive technologies, including tools like Unreal Engine, which Disney has used in its film production. These systems will allow real-time storytelling from films and games into park attractions.
This is Disney’s first new resort announcement since it revealed plans for Shanghai Disneyland in 2010. The news follows Universal’s recent confirmation of a planned resort in the United Kingdom, which comes just ahead of the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe in Florida.
In 2023, Disney Parks welcomed more than 140 million guests globally. The Magic Kingdom in Florida and Disneyland Park in California each attracted over 17 million visitors.
Despite a slight drop in U.S. park attendance last year, Disney reported a strong recovery in the first quarter of 2025. International parks showed mixed performance, with declines in Shanghai and Hong Kong due to trade-related challenges.
Disney reported $23.6 billion in revenue for the quarter, a 7% increase from the prior year, and $4.4 billion in operating income. The company said it remains cautiously optimistic amid ongoing global economic uncertainty.
