Disney and Miral to Launch First Disney Theme Park and Resort on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI , UAE ,
 May 8, 2025 /JamNewsWire/ — The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:
 DIS ) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading provider of destinations and experiences, announced an agreement to develop a Disney theme park in
 Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates. The waterfront resort is located on
 Yas Island , a world-class destination for entertainment and leisure that attracts travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe and beyond. This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning coastlines and breathtaking architecture.

” Abu Dhabi is a place where heritage and innovation meet, where we preserve our past while shaping the future,” said His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral . “The collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Disney demonstrates the remarkable results of combining visionary leadership and creative excellence. What we are creating with Disney in Abu Dhabi is a whole new world of imagination—an experience that will inspire generations in the region and globally, creating magical moments and memories that families will cherish forever. By developing unique attractions and experiences, Abu Dhabi will continue to be a destination of choice for the world.

The new resort will be entirely developed and built by Miral. Disney and its legendary Imagineers will lead the creative design and operational oversight to deliver a world-class experience. Miral, which has developed a range of family entertainment offerings on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with American and European brands, will operate the resort.

“This is an exciting moment for our company as we announce plans to build a thrilling Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi , whose culture is rich with art and creativity,” said Robert A. Iger , Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “As our seventh theme park, it will rise spectacularly from this land, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to deliver profound entertainment experiences for guests in a unique and modern way. Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati—an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world, bringing our timeless characters and stories to life in many new ways and becoming a source of joy and inspiration for the people of this vast region for generations to come.”

Just four hours’ flight from one-third of the world’s population, the UAE is a major gateway for tourism. The UAE is home to the world’s largest global air transport hub, with 120 million passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year .

“This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences. “Our Abu Dhabi resort will be the most modern and interactive destination in our portfolio. Our park’s location is incredibly unique—it’s right on the water—and will allow us to tell our stories in entirely new ways. This project will reach guests in a whole new part of the world and invite more families than ever before to experience Disney. Ultimately, it will be a celebration of what’s possible when creativity and progress come together.

“Bringing a Disney theme park to Yas Island is a historic milestone in our journey to further enhance the island’s position as a global destination for exceptional entertainment and leisure,” said Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi , Group CEO, Miral. Together, we are creating a place of limitless innovation, where our leadership’s vision inspires the world. The development of unique experiences will foster sustainable economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

Once completed, the new theme park resort will feature signature Disney entertainment, themed accommodations, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling in a way that celebrates both the Disney heritage and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi .

Further details will be provided as the project progresses. Further details regarding this agreement can be found in the Company’s 10-Q filing filed today.

Media material for download can be found at https://disneyconnect.com/dxpress 

For more information about Miral, please visit www.miral.ae .

For more information about Yas Island, please visit https://www.yasisland.com/