It’s been nearly a decade since Disney opened its new theme park (Shangay Disneyland in 2016), and we’ve seen where the next park in our Disney portfolio is heading, and where Abu Dhabi is. Disney’s latest destinations for theme parks and resorts include several existing theme parks, including Ferrari World, Yaswater World, Warner Bros. World, and Sea World.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for Disney to bring its famous storytelling to yet another part of the world, with a whole new theme park experience that will become cultural, entertainment and technical Marvel,” said Bob Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Company, in a statement.
Certainly, with a wide range of family-friendly attractions and upcoming Disney theme parks, Abu Dhabi is on track to become a major player in the international family travel market.
“Through the development of unique attractions and experiences, Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its position as a major global destination for cultural and family tourism,” said His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa al Mubarak, chairman of the Cultural and Tourism Bureau Abu Dhabi, the leading creator of Abu Dhabi’s immersive fate and experience.
The happiest place on the planet in Abu Dhabi is built, funded and operated by Miral. Disney pilots creative and attraction design elements and oversees the park’s operations.
“The resort’s concept pushes the boundaries of theme park designs and shows off groundbreaking technology and visionary architecture,” Josh Damaro, chairman of Disney Experience, said in a press release.
He said, “Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio.”
Why Disney is heading to Abu Dhabi
Following existing parks in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Abu Dhabi will become Disney’s seventh theme park destination and will become the first in the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi “is a city that has a truly compelling vision for future locations, especially from a tourism perspective. The design and infrastructure are elegant, refined and very technical,” D’Amaro said on May 14th in a question-and-answer session at Moffettnathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference.
Home to Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which are set to open at the end of this year, Abu Dhabi is known for bringing innovative design concepts and ideas to the future with its rich heritage and traditions.
“Disneyland Abu Dhabi is a real Disney and will clearly become Emirati,” Iger said.
The upcoming park will feature iconic Disney themes and ride alongside brand new, unprecedented attractions. Disney’s creative team works closely with local developers to provide a globally recognized Disney experience along with regionally specific elements that make the park unique to Abu Dhabi.
D’Amaro provided insight into the potential to attract new Disney visitors to Abu Dhabi Park. “We believe there are 10 more people who want to take part in the Disney experience for all the theme park visitors we have in today’s existing experience. They just didn’t have the opportunity to do so.”
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) located along the Persian Gulf. Disney executives highlighted the fact that a third of the world’s population is within a four-hour flight in the UAE. And about 120 million passengers fly to Abu Dhabi or Dubai every year.
“This is essentially a crossroads of the world,” D’Amaro said in a Q&A. “The numbers were clear. This is part of the world we wanted to run.”
When can we expect Disney Abu Dhabi to open?
In an interview with CNBC, Iger said: “We haven’t fixed the date yet. Usually, it takes 18 months to two years to design and fully developed, and about five years. But now we’re not committed. Obviously, we all want to start.” Based on Iger’s mathematics, that means that we’re the earliest, the new park will be 6.5-7 years later.
