This is not a drill, Mickey fans!

Abu Dhabi is set to welcome the Middle East’s first Disney theme park, thanks to a strategic partnership between The Walt Disney Company and Miral, the developer behind some of the region’s most iconic destinations.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral and the Department of Culture and Tourism—Abu Dhabi, and Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the project on May 7, 2025. The announcement marked a significant milestone in the UAE’s tourism and entertainment landscape. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, also attended the announcement.

The Disney resort will be located on Yas Island, a global entertainment hub known for its world-class attractions and seamless access, just minutes from Zayed International Airport (AUH).

Yas Island is already home to four major theme parks operated by Miral:

• Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
• Yas Waterworld
• Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
• SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

The addition of a Disney theme park will make Yas Island the only destination in the world to feature both Disney and Warner Bros. parks, cementing its status as a global leader in family entertainment.

Disney will lead the creative vision, attraction design, and operational planning, while Miral will oversee development and manage the resort once completed*.

Positioned to serve visitors from the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia, and Europe, the park will deliver Disney’s signature storytelling and innovation, tailored to regional and international audiences.

This project aligns with Abu Dhabi’s broader goal of becoming a premier cultural and family tourism destination, supported by state-of-the-art entertainment infrastructure and a growing portfolio of world-renowned experiences.

When will Disney Abu Dhabi open?

No opening date was given as part of the announcement. Based on past projects, our best guess would be 5-8 years to build, bringing us up to at least 2030, but stranger things have happened in Abu Dhabi construction!

In a follow-up interview with CNBC, Bob Iger indicated it would take ‘at least 5 years’. The project is still in their affectionately coined ‘imagineering’ stage.

Dive in here to all of the top attractions in Abu Dhabi, along with our guides to the city’s most family-friendly attractions

Where Will Disney Abu Dhabi Be Located?

While timing remains the big mystery, one thing that has come to light already is location!

Check out the map below of Yas Island and a comparison of the future construction site vs. the other existing theme parks on Yas.

It will undoubtedly take a much bigger parcel of land, and as confirmed by Disney Chairperson Josh D’Amaro in a later interview

“We’re being incredibly ambitious in terms of the architecture and use of indoor and outdoor space. One of the great things about the piece of land that we’ll be building on is it’s right up against the water and so we’ll be pulling water into this resort.”

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*Disney won’t ‘own’ the Abu Dhabi Disney Resort

Miral will own and operate Disney Abu Dhabi under license from Walt Disney Co. This certainly won’t be the first Disney resort to enter into this type of partnership.

In fact, Walt Disney Co. only owns two US properties and Paris Disneyland; Shanghai, and Hong Kong Disneyland, are operated as joint ventures with Disney, while Tokyo Disney is owned and operated by Oriental Land Co., Ltd under license.

Essentially, the IP still belongs to Disney, but the land, structure, and operational responsibilities lie with the local owner.

So, in short, super exciting news, but stay tuned! It will be some years before we can see visible construction on Yas Island and know anything about themed lands, hotels, ticket pricing, or frankly anything more than it’s going to happen!

Booking.com

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