The Walt Disney Company announced plans Wednesday to build its seventh global theme park destination—and first in the Middle East—on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island in partnership with regional developer Miral Group.
The waterfront resort represents the entertainment giant’s first major new theme park in nearly a decade and will join existing attractions on Yas Island, a tourist hub that drew over 34 million visitors in 2023.
“Abu Dhabi was an ideal location for us,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, in an interview with Reuters. The planned resort will be located on Yas Island, a popular tourist destination that is home to other family-friendly attractions, including Warner Bros World, SeaWorld, and Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi.
In a significant departure from Disney’s typical development model, the company will not fund or construct the new resort. Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based leisure group, will finance, build and operate the destination while Disney’s Imagineers will lead creative design and provide operational guidance. Disney will earn royalties based on park revenue.
Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger described the future park as “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati” in the announcement, though specific details about the project’s timeline, size, and attractions remain undisclosed.
The resort will feature themed lodging, dining, shopping and entertainment aligned with the “futuristic and cultural essence” of Abu Dhabi, according to company statements.
For Abu Dhabi, securing a Disney-branded destination represents a substantial win in its broader tourism strategy. The emirate is working to grow tourism as part of its larger economic plan to reduce its reliance on the oil sector. Last year, Abu Dhabi announced plans to invest more than $10 billion in infrastructure to grow its tourism business.
The Yas Island location positions Disney among an established entertainment district that features several major international brands. Opened in 2010, the island currently houses Warner Bros World, SeaWorld, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World—all developed by Miral—alongside 44 hotels, dozens of restaurants and a racetrack.
Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, called the addition of a Disney theme park to Yas Island a “historic milestone” in the company’s efforts to establish the island as a global entertainment destination.
D’Amaro revealed the partnership originated when Miral approached Disney about their plans for creating a tourism hub in Abu Dhabi. Disney executives visited the prospective theme park site last September, with a follow-up trip in February leading to serious discussions that culminated in Wednesday’s announcement.
The new park joins Disney’s existing global portfolio that includes destinations in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.