Disney has announced that a seventh theme park will be built in Abu Dhabi, bringing a world of immersive expereinces to a whole new world.
Today, Disney revealed big plans: A seventh theme park destination is in the works.
A landmark Disney theme park resort will come to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to an agreement with Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, The Walt Disney Company will build a waterfront resort on Yas Island, a popular destination in Abu Dhabi for top-tier entertainment and leisure (and a place that’s home to other theme parks).
Disney’s Abu Dhabi theme park is the first new Disney Park announced in 15 years. It will also be Disney’s first theme park and resort complex in the Middle East.
What’s Coming to Disney’s Abu Dhabi Theme Park?
We don’t yet know much about the plans for Disney’s seventh theme park and resort. However, Disney has noted that the destination “will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters, and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture.”
Disney’s new Abu Dhabi resort will be fully developed and built by Miral, though Disney and its Imagineers will lead the creative design and operational oversight.
Miral is a well-known company, particularly when it comes to Yas Island, where it has developed a number of family entertainment destinations in partnership with American and European brands. When Disney’s theme park and resort open in Abu Dhabi, Miral will manage its operations.
When it comes to attractions, experiences, and entertainment in this new Abu Dhabi Disney theme park, Robert Iger, current CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said the destination will blend “contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways.”
Similarly, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, noted, “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.”
Though much is still to come regarding what, exactly, Disney’s seventh theme park in Abu Dhabi will look like, future guests can expect Disney staples like entertainment, themed accommodations, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling that celebrates both Disney’s past and the future and cultures of Abu Dhabi.
When Will Disney’s Abu Dhabi Theme Park Open?
Construction has yet to begin on Yas Island, the location of Disney’s upcoming seventh theme park. However, Iger told CNBC that it takes anywhere from 18 months to two years to develop a theme park, then approximately five years to build. So, it’s likely that it will be anywhere from five to seven years before this new park welcomes its first guests.
