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

[doctornick]

Only if there is a third party running the domestic parks.

Domestic parks being run by a third party would be so much worse. It wouldn’t be a someone like OLC. I actually fear for Uni going forward - the parks are going to suffer with Comcast.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Perhaps, but I also think having a third party run park will be potentially beneficial to the domestic parks. There’s the obvious infusing capital with low risk. There’s opportunities to maintain WDI more robustly without the rise and fall of employment we see as projects come and go. And I think there’s definitely handed for shared expenses to build new attractions with Abu Dhabi and elsewhere, especially indoor climate controlled attractions that would make sense in WDW.

It took decades for some of the most advanced technologies developed for Tokyo to make its way to other parks and the desire to accelerate that “cost sharing” caused serious strain in the relationship.

And I’m really baffled by the idea that this would increase the willingness to pay for more climate controlled spaces at Walt Disney World. The big hurdle is simply cost to build.

 

[ChrisFL]

Probably not. Doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on it.

Of course. I wasn't pointing out anyone here, I'm just mentioning it. Disney is saying this exclusively for their shareholders.

 

[HMF]

Domestic parks being run by a third party would be so much worse. It wouldn’t be a someone like OLC. I actually fear for Uni going forward - the parks are going to suffer with Comcast.

Depends on the third party in question.

 

[DL-fan]

Disney Says Abu Dhabi Park Is Still Happening, Despite Middle East Conflict​

CFO Hugh Johnston confirmed during Disney's Q3 FY26 earnings call that the Abu Dhabi theme park project is moving forward despite regional conflict, stating the company is "fully committed to seeing that project through." The park, announced in May 2025 in partnership with Miral on Yas Island, has no construction or opening timeline yet.

Disney Says Abu Dhabi Park Is Still Happening, Despite Middle East Conflict

CFO Hugh Johnston reaffirmed Disney's full commitment to the Abu Dhabi theme park during Q3 FY26 earnings, saying the project is designed with a long-term view despite regional conflict concerns.

www.wdwmagic.com

This thing is still alive??? Abu Dhammit!!!!!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Disney Says Abu Dhabi Park Is Still Happening, Despite Middle East Conflict​

CFO Hugh Johnston confirmed during Disney's Q3 FY26 earnings call that the Abu Dhabi theme park project is moving forward despite regional conflict, stating the company is "fully committed to seeing that project through." The park, announced in May 2025 in partnership with Miral on Yas Island, has no construction or opening timeline yet.

Disney Says Abu Dhabi Park Is Still Happening, Despite Middle East Conflict

CFO Hugh Johnston reaffirmed Disney's full commitment to the Abu Dhabi theme park during Q3 FY26 earnings, saying the project is designed with a long-term view despite regional conflict concerns.

www.wdwmagic.com

I hope Mickey has a good supply of drone interceptors.

 

[mattpeto]

I'm guessing 95% of guests attending the US parks won't care about Abu Dhabi having a park

It has to have more interest than the bizarre Storyliving developments in flight. Right?

I can’t think of something less impactful to us all than Contino.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

It isn't always about money.

Yes it really is.

 

[Comped]

My sources and friends in the UAE and the wider Gulf region, oddly enough, are still saying things are much more up in the air than Disney and Miral claim. Until a certain event is over, and likely after, we're not going to see much movement (in any sense of the word) on the project, and its survival depends on the government not shifting priorities post-event. Which may still happen. Disney can claim it's going forward as much as they like (mostly to protect their stock price)... But it's highly unlikely we're going to see any real progress on this for quite some time. If ever.

 

[wdwmagic]

My sources and friends in the UAE and the wider Gulf region, oddly enough, are still saying things are much more up in the air than Disney and Miral claim. Until a certain event is over, and likely after, we're not going to see much movement (in any sense of the word) on the project, and its survival depends on the government not shifting priorities post-event. Which may still happen. Disney can claim it's going forward as much as they like (mostly to protect their stock price)... But it's highly unlikely we're going to see any real progress on this for quite some time. If ever.

That seems to follow things I've been hearing.

 

[BrianLo]

its survival depends on the government not shifting priorities post-event. Which may still happen.

What do you think the governments priorities will be instead? Not an antagonistic question, I'm curious. I didn't terribly expect their broader tourism strategy and economic diversification to change.

 

[Comped]

What do you think the governments priorities will be instead? Not an antagonistic question, I'm curious. I didn't terribly expect their broader tourism strategy and economic diversification to change.

Quite literally put the money either into building up their own IP, or shoring up existing institutions (and rebuilding from said event).

Disney is a great showpiece, but in the end the park as planned is... rather western and counterintuitive to the government's Emiratization programs. They have worked incredibly hard (including sending students to Rosen, where i went to undergrad/grad school, to learn theme park, entertainment, event, and hospitality, management) to uplift their domestic workforce, it wouldn't surprise me to see them want to have something in Yas that is much more culturally adapted for the local market. It's not a WDW-sized resort inland (which was always my preferred plan), it's a smaller version (when you take in the back of house and resort areas) of Hong Kong... Not ideal to say the least, with almost no expansion options. Could they go forward? Sure, but it's not in their best interest to do so except to be able to point at the sign and say to Saudi, Qatar, or Bahrain "We have Disney, you don't". Which is effectively what they're doing. Building up their own IP, or using the rich history of the surrounding region to create something much more unique? That's a moneymaker... And something people will fly to see if sone right, instead of a small castle park. I hope, but do not know, if that was ever thought of when deciding what to do with the space.

And if they don't? They can shore up the existing Yas Island developments with that money. Expand WB, SeaWorld, and Ferrari World, among others (they have a water park for example that is hardly talked about which could be even more-so world class if they added a few things), or pay for the Sphere they want to build. Or do anything of a dozen other things that are frankly a better investment in the short-to-medium term (I could write a whole 50-page paper on this to be honest). Or even take that bunch of money and use it to rebuild from the event that has clearly devastated much of their economy (and could continue to do so without a deal) to the point that the money Miral was going to spend might be redirected anyway to pay for such repairs and upgrades that are considered more essential for the people who live in the UAE vs visit. It's a tough choice, but it's one that might be made for them.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney is a great showpiece, but in the end the park as planned is... rather western and counterintuitive to the government's Emiratization programs.

Don't worry, the Miral Group will do EXACTLY as they please in Abu Dhabi.

 

[Comped]

Don't worry, the Miral Group will do EXACTLY as they please. in Abu Dhabi.

Excusing the fact that their leadership is heavily tied into the Emirate's government, among other things...

 

[eddie104]

I actually fear for Uni going forward - the parks are going to suffer with Comcast.

How so?

Also isn’t a little premature to be predicting something that’s not even complete yet.

 

[BrianLo]

How so?

Also isn’t a little premature to be predicting something that’s not even complete yet.

It’s not a horribly well capitalized offshoot company with still big and costly expansion plans. Without cash intensive side hustles like a healthy linear market in their back pocket.

We saw how a much larger, much more capital backed Walt Disney Company got shy and made a slew of project cuts to support a new resort (Shanghai). They simply don’t have that much money when they are spun out to pay for all the things people seem to think they are going to do in the next 10-15 years.

They also are still too concentrated and small as a parks business. Disney to their credit has a robust cruise business and their international resorts and California are generally healthier and larger scale.

Nothing bad will happen, but their more aggressive Comcast expansion days may coming to a close.

Now… that said… I still suspect it’s being put out there to be attractive to someone else in a couple years.

 

[BrianLo]

Quite literally put the money either into building up their own IP, or shoring up existing institutions (and rebuilding from said event).

Disney is a great showpiece, but in the end the park as planned is... rather western and counterintuitive to the government's Emiratization programs. They have worked incredibly hard (including sending students to Rosen, where i went to undergrad/grad school, to learn theme park, entertainment, event, and hospitality, management) to uplift their domestic workforce, it wouldn't surprise me to see them want to have something in Yas that is much more culturally adapted for the local market. It's not a WDW-sized resort inland (which was always my preferred plan), it's a smaller version (when you take in the back of house and resort areas) of Hong Kong... Not ideal to say the least, with almost no expansion options. Could they go forward? Sure, but it's not in their best interest to do so except to be able to point at the sign and say to Saudi, Qatar, or Bahrain "We have Disney, you don't". Which is effectively what they're doing. Building up their own IP, or using the rich history of the surrounding region to create something much more unique? That's a moneymaker... And something people will fly to see if sone right, instead of a small castle park. I hope, but do not know, if that was ever thought of when deciding what to do with the space.

And if they don't? They can shore up the existing Yas Island developments with that money. Expand WB, SeaWorld, and Ferrari World, among others (they have a water park for example that is hardly talked about which could be even more-so world class if they added a few things), or pay for the Sphere they want to build. Or do anything of a dozen other things that are frankly a better investment in the short-to-medium term (I could write a whole 50-page paper on this to be honest). Or even take that bunch of money and use it to rebuild from the event that has clearly devastated much of their economy (and could continue to do so without a deal) to the point that the money Miral was going to spend might be redirected anyway to pay for such repairs and upgrades that are considered more essential for the people who live in the UAE vs visit. It's a tough choice, but it's one that might be made for them.

Thanks for the reply. I think that “we have Disney” is exactly the whole pitch and one they’d be hard pressed to let go, unless they are really walking away from the tourism ambitions. This is after all a market paying 9 figures to use a foreign name like “louvre”.

I guess we’ll see, but if one really wants to fast track a market into a tourism meca, the answer is usually Disney and not something home grown. Home grown can take decades.

 

[Comped]

Thanks for the reply. I think that “we have Disney” is exactly the whole pitch and one they’d be hard pressed to let go, unless they are really walking away from the tourism ambitions. This is after all a market paying 9 figures to use a foreign name like “louvre”.

I guess we’ll see, but if one really wants to fast track a market into a tourism meca, the answer is usually Disney and not something home grown.

If the UAE government, or Disney's lawyers, decide that it's no longer the play... Then it's not going to happen. I cannot, at this point, rule out the park getting quietly cancelled (or indefinitely delayed and eventually dropped) if the event continues to go apace, if the UAE gets more direct attacks (especially on its energy and other civil infrastructure), or if there's a recession. Among other things. There's frankly, more reasons why, at this point, the park gets cancelled instead of goes forward. Not like Yas couldn't put something there otherwise.

 

[asianway]

My sources and friends in the UAE and the wider Gulf region, oddly enough, are still saying things are much more up in the air than Disney and Miral claim. Until a certain event is over, and likely after, we're not going to see much movement (in any sense of the word) on the project, and its survival depends on the government not shifting priorities post-event. Which may still happen. Disney can claim it's going forward as much as they like (mostly to protect their stock price)... But it's highly unlikely we're going to see any real progress on this for quite some time. If ever.

I can guarantee you my sources are better than yours and it’s very much happening

 

[dmc493]

I can guarantee you my sources are better than yours and it’s very much happening

I know absolutely nothing but I can guarantee you it may or may not eventually happen