The Walt Disney Company announced on Wednesday that it will open a new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, its first major global expansion in 15 years and the company's first-ever resort in the Middle East.
The new destination, titled Disneyland Abu Dhabi, will be Disney’s seventh resort worldwide and is expected to open in the early 2030s.
It will be located on Yas Island, the UAE’s growing entertainment hub, which is already home to attractions such as SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Bros. World.
The project will be developed and operated by Abu Dhabi’s Miral, with creative design and oversight provided by Disney Imagineers.
The development is expected to include a theme park and multiple hotels, although exact numbers and attractions remain undisclosed.
“This is where it was going to be,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, in an interview with CNN. “We want each park to reflect the location it’s in — its people, food, and culture.”
The announcement comes as Disney posted strong second-quarter earnings, with its theme parks accounting for nearly 60% of the company’s operating income in 2024. While international growth has been strong, Disney has seen softening attendance in China due to trade-related headwinds.
The Abu Dhabi park will aim to attract guests from across the region, with D’Amaro noting that nearly 500 million people live within a short travel radius. The new park is also expected to be Disney’s most technologically advanced, with integrations such as real-time gaming tools like Unreal Engine to enhance storytelling.
Artist renderings depict a futuristic spiraling castle, diverging from traditional fairytale designs, and the location will be Disney’s first resort built directly on accessible waterfront property.
Industry observers say the project could rival even Shanghai Disneyland in terms of innovation and regional importance. “We likely won’t see an opportunity like this again in our lifetimes,” said DisneyTouristBlog co-founder Tom Bricker.
The announcement follows rival Universal's recent declaration to build its own resort in the UK and precedes the opening of its new Epic Universe park in Orlando later this year.
Despite rising global competition, Disney executives remained confident. “Anytime something opens up in Central Florida, we get more tourists,” D’Amaro said on CNBC. “You’re not going to come into Central Florida and not visit Star Wars.”
Disney’s global theme parks hosted over 140 million visitors in 2023, with Magic Kingdom and Disneyland California retaining their status as the most-visited parks globally. The company sees the Abu Dhabi resort as a key move to diversify geographically and balance economic fluctuations worldwide.
A whole new world awaits ✨ Disney and Miral have announced an agreement to create the seventh Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi. https://t.co/Z3II42opKF #YasIsland #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/7MskZjXuvz
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) May 7, 2025
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