Disneyland Abu Dhabi Set to Open on Yas Island, Bringing Magic to the UAE

Abu Dhabi is set to transform into one of the "most enchanting destinations worldwide" following the announcement that the inaugural Disney theme park In the Middle East, construction will take place in the capital of the UAE.

Disneyland Abu Dhabi Will be constructed on Yas Island by Miral, with Disney overseeing the creative design and operations.

Explained : All the information available regarding Disneyland Abu Dhabi, from its projected launch date to employment opportunities

The announcement was made by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak , chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and Disney chief executive Bob Iger at the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island on Wednesday and follows a strategic partnership agreement between Miral and the Walt Disney Company.

Iger stated that the park will be "authentically Disney and uniquely Emirati, a haven offering exceptional Disney amusement, situated at the junction where the world meets."

In a pre-recorded video shown during the unveiling event, he stated, "Throughout Disney’s 102-year legacy, numerous pivotal milestones and remarkable accomplishments have taken place. Today, we mark yet another exhilarating chapter as we announce the development of a brand-new Disney-themed resort set to open in Abu Dhabi."

Al Mubarak referred to Disneyland Abu Dhabi as a "entirely new realm of creativity" and "a venture that will motivate numerous generations locally and internationally."

"The seventh Disney-themed resort destination marks a new era of innovation in theme parks," stated D'Amaro. He further mentioned that the attraction in Abu Dhabi will become the "most technologically advanced and engaging location" within Disney’s collection of destinations.

"The location of our park is incredibly unique," added D'Amaro said. He described it as "anchored by beautiful waterfront, which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways".

A two-and-a-half minute video was shown to announce the new theme park, showing clips from some of Disney’s most famous franchises, including The Lion King , Moana , Star Wars and Marvel films.

The park announcement came ahead of a Disney earnings call. Speaking to investors, Iger said of the choice of location: "We did study the region very carefully, and we know we had many opportunities.

Evidently, constructing a theme park in an area serves as a significant seal of approval for that place.

As far as our eyes could see, we felt certain that this was an ideal location for us," he mentioned further. "Out of all the options available to us, none seemed more preferable than this one.

Disney's stock surged by 10.3 percent to reach $101.64 at 6:26 pm UAE time on Wednesday after the announcement of Disneyland Abu Dhabi.

An opening date has yet to be confirmed, but Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairperson Josh D'Amaro told Reuters that a project of this scale could take a year or two to design and another four to six years to build.

The new park will be added to other key attractions on the island, including Ferrari World , Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi remains unchanged as it is already named in English. If you have more text following this that needs paraphrasing, please provide it! Yas Waterworld .

The grand unveiling took place during the evening at the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island. This dazzling affair included an impressive display of 9,000 drones along with a spectacular firework show staged at Yas Links. Renowned pianist Lang Lang graced the stage with performances alongside Emirati vocalist Rashed Alnuaimi, Broadway star Kerry Ellis, and classically trained artist Sonya Balsara.

Celebrities from around the world were present at the event as well, featuring actor Tyrese Gibson, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Lebanese pop icon Nancy Ajram, blogger Chiara Ferragni, and actor Ed Westwick.

Walt Disney destinations globally

A significant achievement for the area, the Disney theme park will debut as the inaugural one in the Middle East. This marks the company’s first new site since the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort back in 2016.

The firm operates 12 theme parks spread over six locations: California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Within North America, you'll find four parks situated within Walt Disney World in Florida, along with another pair of parks at the Disneyland Resort in California. Over in Asia, there are two parks located inside the Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan; additionally, each of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort in China hosts one park apiece. As for Europe, Disneyland Paris—a resort featuring two distinct parks—is currently the sole such destination on the continent.

Walt Disney World in Florida is the biggest among the six resorts. It includes four theme parks - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom - along with two water parks - Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach - not to mention over 25 hotels. In contrast, the resort in California features only two parks: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Notably, Disneyland in California was the inaugural Disney park, opening its doors back in 1955.

The Tokyo Disney Resort encompasses both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. When it debuted in 1983, Tokyo Disneyland marked the debut of a Disney theme park beyond U.S. borders. It was succeeded in Asia by Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 and then Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

Disneyland Paris was inaugurated in 1992 and consists of two main areas: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.

How does Disneyland differ from Disney World?

Historically, Disneyland consists of just one theme park. This designation applies specifically to the initial park located in Anaheim, California, along with similar main attractions found in various locations except for Florida. When Disney California Adventure debuted in 2001, the term "Disneyland" was adopted for the entire complex, thereby transforming into what is now known as the Disneyland Resort.

Disney World refers to the set of four theme parks located close to Orlando, Florida.

Disney in the UAE

The announcement of a resort in Abu Dhabi comes as Disney shows increasing interest in the emirate. Earlier this year, in March, the company first stand-alone Disney Store Opened at Yas Mall, soon after came a flagship store in Dubai Mall.

Even though specifics haven’t been disclosed regarding which attractions or areas will be part of it, there’s optimism that beloved Disney franchises like Marvel might be involved. , Star Wars and Toy Story will be part of the list.

Last year, more than 38 million visitors explored Yas Island, which saw an increase of 10 percent compared to the prior year, and visits to theme parks rose by 20 percent.

Besides the Disney attraction, there are also plans to expand Yas Waterworld and introduce additional attractions at Ferrari World and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.