Disney theme park coming to the UAE: Disneyland Abu Dhabi to open on Yas Island

Abu Dhabi is about to become one of the “most magical places on Earth” after it was announced that the first Disney theme park in the Middle East will be built in the UAE capital.

Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be built on Yas Island by Miral, with Disney leading the creative design and operational oversight.

Explained: Everything we know about Disneyland Abu Dhabi, opening date to jobs

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.

The park "will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati, an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment that is at the crossroads of the world", Iger said.

In a recorded message played at the launch, he said: "In Disney's 102-year history, there have been many defining moments and countless achievements. Today, we celebrate another thrilling moment, the creation of a new Disney theme park resort coming to Abu Dhabi."

Al Mubarak described Disneyland Abu Dhabi as a "whole new world of imagination" and "an experience that will inspire generations across the region and the world".

"The seventh Disney theme park resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park innovations," said D'Amaro. The Abu Dhabi attraction will be the "most advanced and interactive destination" in Disney's portfolio, he added.

"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.

"Obviously, building a theme park in a location is a huge endorsement of the location."

"Everywhere we looked, we were convinced that this was a perfect place for us," he added. "Of all the places that we could choose from, there did not seem to be any place that is better than this."

Disney shares jumped 10.3 per cent to $101.64 at 6.26pm UAE time on Wednesday, following the Disneyland Abu Dhabi announcement.

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 join other major attractions on the island, including Ferrari World, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld.

A launch party was held at the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island later in the day. The glitzy event featured a 9,000-drone show and fireworks spectacle at Yas Links. Grammy-nominated pianist Lang Lang performed alongside Emirati singer Rashed Alnuaimi, West End singer Kerry Ellis and classical singer Sonya Balsara.

Global celebrities were also at the event including actor Tyrese Gibson, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram, blogger Chiara Ferragni and actor Ed Westwick.

Disney locations around the world

In a major milestone for the region, the Disney theme park will be the first to open in the Middle East. It will be the company’s first all-new location since the Shanghai Disney Resort opened in 2016.

The company has 12 parks across six destinations in California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. In North America, there are four parks at Walt Disney World, Florida, and two parks at Disneyland Resort, California. In Asia, there are two parks at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan, and one park at both Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort in China. Disneyland Paris in France, a resort with two parks, is the only one in Europe.

Florida's Walt Disney World is the largest of the six resorts. There are four parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom – and two water parks – Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach – in addition to more than 25 hotels. The California resort has two parks: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Disneyland in California was the first Disney park to open in 1955.

Tokyo Disney Resort is home to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. The former became the first Disney theme park outside the United States when it opened in 1983. In Asia, it was followed by Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 and Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

Disneyland Paris opened in 1992 and comprises Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.

What is the difference between Disneyland and Disney World?

Traditionally, Disneyland is one park. It is the name of the original park in Anaheim, California, as well as flagship parks in each of the destinations, apart from Florida. In 2001, when Disney California Adventure opened, Disneyland lent its name to the overall resort, becoming Disneyland Resort.

Disney World is the name for the collection of four parks near Orlando, Florida.

Disney in the UAE

The announcement of a resort in Abu Dhabi follows Disney’s growing interest in the country. In March, the first stand-alone Disney Store opened at Yas Mall, followed shortly by a flagship shop in Dubai Mall.

Although no details have been released about which rides or lands will be included, there’s hope that popular Disney franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars and Toy Story will be included.

Last year, more than 38 million visitors visited Yas Island, 10 per cent more than the previous year, and theme park visits grew by 20 per cent.

In addition to the Disney attraction, there are plans to expand Yas Waterworld and add new rides to Ferrari World and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.