When Will Harry Potter Open in Abu Dhabi?

Is there an official opening date yet for Harry Potter Abu Dhabi?

No. Nothing has been formally announced, yet.

Whilst we are not an official source, we drive past Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi several times a week and can tell you that, at this point, nearly three years after the initial announcement, there does not appear to be any new building in the vicinity of Warner Bros World**

Now, this could mean a few things:

• They could be adding the Harry Potter area within the existing 1.65 million square foot, entirely indoor theme park – but with existing attractions barely a few years old, it is unlikely they are removing any existing features to make way for a new themed land just yet.
• They could also be opening the Wizarding World attraction at a different location on Yas Island; possible, but why create a second ‘campus’ of WB World when there’s plenty of land surrounding the existing building?

** UPDATE MID-2025: We have now seen new hoarding go up on the main roadside of Warner Bros World on Yas Island. This is in addition to the major construction work going on at Yas Waterworld next door. In July 2025, construction signage, as required by local law, displaying building permits shows ‘Warner Bros World Phase 2 Expansion” as the project being worked on.

Now this does NOT necessarily mean this WILL be the Harry Potter extension we’ve been waiting for.

External sources, such as business publication MEED, have claimed the procurement process has commenced, and enabling works have begun on a 40,000 sqm expansion, but what we lack is official confirmation that this is indeed the Harry Potter area we’ve been waiting for and that all-important finishing date!

The only official word so far in 2025 from Miral’s Chief Executive, Mohamed Al Zaabi, is “there will be a great announcement this year with a great milestone. Stay tuned, you will hear good news. I’m very excited about it, the project is moving in the right direction, and I can’t wait to open that expansion.“

This all very positively points to a commencement in the building phase of this epic Potter project in 2025, but if we were to take bets at this point, a 2027-2028 opening date is now looking likely as the projects we have seen on Yas Island take at least 2 years in the building phase.

Whilst this news might disappoint Potterheads, the great news is that there are still a ton of fun theme parks and activities to enjoy on Yas Island before the opening; we wouldn’t delay a trip to Yas Island until the new Potter land comes to life!

Theme Parks Currently on Yas Island

Yas Island, on the outskirts of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, is currently home to four world-class and award-winning theme parks, all operated by Miral:

• Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi – themed around Looney Tunes classic characters, The Flintstones, and superheroes and villains from DC Comics – learn more here

• Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – mostly famous for having the fastest roller coaster in the world and many thrilling rides with a distinctly Italian sports car theme – learn more here

• Yas Waterworld – an award-winning outdoor water park with a local Emirati theme and over 40 rides and attractions. A further 18 rides were added in July 2025 as part of current expansion works – learn more here

• SeaWorld – the most recent opening in 2023, is focused on marine life and houses the largest indoor aquarium in the world, attached to the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center – learn more here

• Coming soon! Also, fresh off the press in 2025, Miral has announced that they have partnered with Walt Disney Company to bring a new Disney Park to Yas Island—again, no opening date given, but an incredible, exciting addition to an already stellar lineup. Early estimates seem to be leaning toward an opening in 7-8 years – the project is presently only at the ‘Imagineering’ stage.

Can You Get Theme Park Packages in Abu Dhabi?

Many visitors to Abu Dhabi come purely for the theme parks, and you can get great hotel packages that include your daily theme park tickets.

• There are now 10 hotels on Yas Island that you can look to stay in at different budget levels – two are fairly adjacent to WB World – The WB Hotel – Curio Collection by Hilton, and Doubletree By Hilton Abu Dhabi.

• High-end options include the W Abu Dhabi, straddling the Yas Marina Circuit Grand Prix racing track, and the Hilton Abu Dhabi on Yas Bay.

• Value options are available at Yas Hotel Plaza, a group of 6 hotels covering popular chains, including Rotana and Crowne Plaza.

We have a complete guide to navigating Yas Island, including how the shuttle services work, over here.

Frequently, hotels in other parts of Abu Dhabi will also offer Yas Island theme park tickets. Look for hotels and resorts on Saadiyat Island that may have special offers for this (you’re only about 15 minutes away by taxi) or even some city centre hotels.

What will be at Harry Potter World Abu Dhabi?

The exact format and even the name of the Harry Potter theme park in Abu Dhabi remain a closely guarded secret. Will they stick with the Wizarding World as used by Universal theme parks? Will they use the Harry Potter World branding and behind-the-scenes tours without rides, similar to the UK?

Or are they coming up with a brand new name for this Middle East adventure park?

One thing is for sure: You can be almost certain you’ll be buying your butterbeer and walking down Diagon Alley in wonderfully air-conditioned indoor bliss—but when, what, and how much? Stay tuned!

The official source will be via the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi website (we are only providing you with our view ‘on the ground’ as excited Abu Dhabi residents and theme park fans!)

What do you think, Potterheads? What will be on your wish list for this new instalment of Harry Potter in the UAE?

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