News Disney and Miral Announce New Seventh Theme Park Planned for Abu Dhabi

[Disstevefan1]

So the idea is to "call out" a company...for doing what every multi-national company does?

Why should we start now? Disney has parks in China.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Should have one hell of a Cave of Wonders

 

[celluloid]

Looking forward to the "Abandoned" episode from Bright Sun Films

Exactly. All I can think of is we have a theme park that is much more likely ot be

"Did you know this was once a Disney theme park" title before Shanghai ever does.

 

[rd805]

Has there ever been a project THIS BIG / "Announced" that was scrapped by Disney? I don't see any reason why this won't happen.

 

[celluloid]

Has there ever been a project THIS BIG / "Announced" that was scrapped by Disney? I don't see any reason why this won't happen.

Arguably some. And a lot easier to fall thorugh due to the partnership.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

The Disney Five Keys are a set of guiding principles that shape Disney's culture and interactions with guests and cast members. These keys, Safety, Courtesy, Inclusion, Show, and Efficiency, are used across all Disney properties to create a magical and positive experience.

 

[Eric Graham]

I think I'll pass....the country frowns upon public displays of attention....actually, you should probably avoid it there.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Why should we start now? Disney has parks in China.

That's only a part of the point. EVERYONE is in China.

Manufacturing, textiles, goods. Hell, about 1/8 the world population is in China. If your a multi-national company, are you simply ignoring 1/8 of the planet

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I know where they can get some stuff real cheap for a “cool” SW themed hotel that’s collecting dust…

There’s never been a Star Wars hotel

 

[Nubs70]

Sell a franchise where the whales live - good move.

 

[Robbiem]

I'm British too and know several people who go there.

I’m British and I’ve been to Dubai in the UAE. It was a nice holiday. We didn’t have any issues, I stayed in a room with my parents as three adults.
We didn’t plenty of tourist things like a desert safari, wild wadi water park, palm island, visiting the Burj hotel for afternoon tea etc. we had plenty of great meals but none of us drink so I can’t say anything about alcohol. We did have ham which I wasn’t expecting. One thing we did everywhere was people smoking ‘hubbly bubbly’ water pipes.

What surprised me was the humidity though it was brutal in late September - you realise why the bus stops and cab stands are air conditioned!

I’d happily go back - I did look at Abu Dhabi and if it wasn’t for covid I might have gone to expo 2020 but now they are building a Disneyland I will hold off for a few years

 

[Bocabear]

Has there ever been a project THIS BIG / "Announced" that was scrapped by Disney? I don't see any reason why this won't happen.

Well....Disney's America was a huge announcement with more developed art than what we have seen from this...
I believe property weas even purchased before it was voted down by the local government. and they just quietly folded...

 

[Bocabear]

I’m British and I’ve been to Dubai in the UAE. It was a nice holiday. We didn’t have any issues, I stayed in a room with my parents as three adults.
We didn’t plenty of tourist things like a desert safari, wild wadi water park, palm island, visiting the Burj hotel for afternoon tea etc. we had plenty of great meals but none of us drink so I can’t say anything about alcohol. We did have ham which I wasn’t expecting. One thing we did everywhere was people smoking ‘hubbly bubbly’ water pipes.

What surprised me was the humidity though it was brutal in late September - you realise why the bus stops and cab stands are air conditioned!

I’d happily go back - I did look at Abu Dhabi and if it wasn’t for covid I might have gone to expo 2020 but now they are building a Disneyland I will hold off for a few years

Have they announced an opening date? The development of the ideas for this park could take many many years before ground is even broken.....and then probably 5 years for construction....unless they have a bunch of direct-lift stuff all ready to go....2030 at the earliest I would guess..... Though who knows with Oil money they may be able to do it sooner....

 

[Disstevefan1]

Have they announced an opening date?

Probably before Villains land in MK Maybe before Carsland in MK

Disney is not paying for it or building it so I bet it goes up "faster than a DVC tower at WDW".

 

[Lilofan]

That's only a part of the point. EVERYONE is in China.

Manufacturing, textiles, goods. Hell, about 1/8 the world population is in China. If your a multi-national company, are you simply ignoring 1/8 of the planet

Our medical industry would collapse if not for China. 75% of our meds annually come from there.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I don’t think the article (of which I can see only a preview) is calling them out but praising them. The Telegraph is a conservative paper.

Disney is to open its first Middle Eastern theme park in a country where homosexuality is illegal after the US media giant watered down its diversity policies.

The company has unveiled plans to open a new resort in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which it said will be “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati”.

Disney’s decision to build a resort in the Arab country suggests a significant change in outlook at the entertainment giant, which has long prided itself on its LGBTQ+ friendly stance. Homosexuality is outlawed in the Emirati capital and punishable by up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

In 2022, the UAE banned Disney’s animated Buzz Lightyear film from cinemas over a same-sex kiss.

DEI programmes scaled back​

The company was previously locked in a long-running legal dispute with Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, over controversial state laws restricting the teaching of sexuality in schools.

Disney criticised the bill, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay”, prompting Mr DeSantis to strip the company of its right to self-govern its Walt Disney World park, which it had held for more than 50 years.

This year, Disney scaled back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes. It was one of several major US companies to water down their DEI strategies amid pressure from Donald Trump’s administration.

Despite this, in March, the Federal Communications Commission, the US communications watchdog, said it was opening an investigation into Disney’s DEI practices, accusing the company of operating “discriminatory initiatives”. Disney said it would be “engaging with the commission to answer its questions.”

While there have been no known prosecutions for same-sex activity in the UAE over the past decade, there have been numerous accounts of arrests on public decency grounds for kissing in public or cross-dressing.

UAE is a major tourist hub​

On Wednesday, Bob Iger, the Disney chief executive, said the company had studied the Middle Eastern region “very carefully” before choosing Abu Dhabi for its latest park.

He added: “Obviously building a theme park in a location is a huge endorsement of that location. It speaks volumes in terms of the ability of that location to sustain a Disney theme park.”

Disney said it had chosen the UAE because it is a four-hour flight from a third of the world’s population and because of its status as a major tourist hub. Roughly 120m passengers travel through Dubai and Abu Dhabi each year.

Disney has struck a deal with Abu Dhabi-based Miral Group, which will oversee the construction of the site.

The resort will be located on Yas Island, a pleasure hub already home to Warner Bros and Ferrari theme parks. It is the company’s seventh theme park and first new site in 15 years. The original Disneyland was opened in California in 1955.

The new resort will be located on Yas Island which already hosts Warner Bros theme park
Mr 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.”

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, the chairman of Miral, said: “Abu Dhabi is a place where heritage meets innovation, where we preserve our past while designing the future.

“The collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Disney demonstrates the remarkable results of combining visionary leadership and creative excellence.”

The announcement of the new location came as Disney delivered better-than-expected results for the second quarter thanks to a surprise rise in streaming subscribers following price rises and as visitors flocked to its theme parks. This helped to offset the impact of its controversial Snow White remake, which flopped at the box office following its release this year.

A Disney spokesman said: “We are respectful of the countries and cultures where we do business, while always adhering to our own standards and values.”

Disney added that it had operated in the Middle East for decades.

 

[Rockishcoco]

Does anyone know if IMG Worlds of Adventure has exclusivity on Marvel IP in the region? It would be strange to have two different parks with the same IP, only an hour or two away from each other. Could this announcement even lead to a retheme for that park?

 

[nickys]

Another funny fact is that the local airport for AD has a US pre-clearance facility, the only one outside of North America

Just in case no one has corrected you, both Dublin and Shannon airports in Ireland have them.

 

[Disney Irish]

Does anyone know if IMG Worlds of Adventure has exclusivity on Marvel IP in the region? It would be strange to have two different parks with the same IP, only an hour or two away from each other. Could this announcement even lead to a retheme for that park?

I can't find any exclusivity deal for Marvel theme park rights outside of the original one with Uni which only went into IOA and Tokyo. As Disney owned Marvel by the time IMG added Marvel I can't imagine they put a long term exclusivity deal in place, so if anything its similar to whatever OLC exclusivity deal is (5 years?) which would be up already if not by the time this new Park opens.

Also IOA and WDW can co-exist 9 miles apart with the same IP, so I don't think it would be much of an issue here being ~70 miles apart.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I can't find any exclusivity deal for Marvel theme park rights outside of the original one with Uni which only went into IOA and Tokyo. As Disney owned Marvel by the time IMG added Marvel I can't imagine they put a long term exclusivity deal in place, so if anything its similar to whatever OLC exclusivity deal is (5 years?) which would be up already if not by the time this new Park opens.

Also IOA and WDW can co-exist 9 miles apart with the same IP, so I don't think it would be much of an issue here being ~70 miles apart.

The Marvel deal for Islands of Adventure did not cover Universal Studios Japan as they didn’t build a full land. Had it been part of the Islands of Adventure agreement then Universal would still retain the global theme park rights.

IMG Worlds of Adventure’s license predates Disney’s acquisition of Marvel. It is the same deal that was behind the Marvel theme park that had been announced for Dubailand.

Oriental Land Company does not have a long history of exclusivity deals. Those really started with the three land expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland and they are not part of every project at a park with outside ownership.