Today's Edition
TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI)
In the first confirmation since the landmark announcement in May 2025, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, has marked the site of the much-anticipated Disneyland Abu Dhabi project on the Yas Island waterfront.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, Iger shared a picture of himself visiting the undeveloped land, writing: “Walking the site of what will one day be Disneyland Abu Dhabi! Lots of work ahead, but all very exciting!”
The Disney theme park resort will reportedly be situated in Yas North, near the E12 Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Highway.
The design will incorporate a water element integrated directly into the park’s signature castle. The park will include a mix of indoor and outdoor attractions specifically designed for the region’s desert climate.
While an exact opening date has not been set, completion is projected for between 2030 and 2032.
It will be the seventh Disney theme park resort globally and the first in the Middle East.
The hype around the groundbreaking project had gone quiet after the initial announcement last May by Disney and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences.
The new resort will be fully developed and built by Miral. Disney and its Imagineers will lead creative design and operational oversight to provide a world-class experience.
At the time, Iger said: “This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity.
“As our seventh theme park destination, it will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways.
“Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati – an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world that will bring to life our timeless characters and stories in many new ways and will become a source of joy and inspiration for the people of this vast region to enjoy for generations to come.”
