For the first time in almost fifteen years, Disney announced the construction of a new park on theme. But not in America or Asia, but in the heart of the Persian Gulf, in Abu Dhabi. Disney's seventh global destination, which will be built on theYas Island by the early 2030s, promises to be not only an innovative park, but also a point of reference for the future of entertainment globally. The project, developed in collaboration with the Emirati group Miral, will be located on an island already home to major attractions such as Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld, and aims to become the most technologically advanced park in the Disney portfolio. But the real question that remains is: why now and why here?
How many and which Disney parks are there in the world?
The House of Mickey Mouse currently operates six major parks around the world: Disneyland California, Walt Disney World in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, hong kong disneyland e Shanghai Disneyland. With Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the group further expands its global presence.
The agreement with Miral follows the formula of franchise, already tested by Disney in the past. The first example of this collaboration dates back to 1983 with Tokyo Disneyland, which, although under Disney concession, is owned by the Japanese Oriental Land Company, which manages and finances the park. As underlined by Disney itself, "the legendary Imagineers will lead the design and operational supervision to offer a world-class experience". Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneyland are also the result of joint ventures with the Chinese government, with shared ownership.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi: a park that is not only new, but strategic
The Abu Dhabi park will not be a simple replica of Disneyland. It will have a distinct cultural identity, tailor-made for the historical and social context of the United Arab Emirates. It will be, in the words of Bob Iger, “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.” The design, the culinary experiences, the architecture: everything promises to be unprecedented. Even the central castle It will abandon the traditional fairy-tale aesthetic to become a crystal spiral sculpture, a symbol of the future and the avant-garde.
This aesthetic choice is anything but casual: it is the flag of a profound change in the company's vision. Disney today is not just aiming to expand: it wants to redefine the very concept of a theme park.
A booming area (with a willing audience)
The Middle East, and Abu Dhabi in particular, is not an impromptu debut. Yas Island is already an established tourist hub, with 165 restaurants, luxury hotels and world-class infrastructure. In addition, the geographic location plays in its favor: a third of the world's population lives less than four hours' flight from the Emirates, a catchment area potential of over 500 million people. The growing demand for high-end entertainment in the Gulf, where a wealthy audience is ready to spend, is one of the factors that pushed Disney to launch this project.
Josh D'Amaro, president of Disney Experiences, spoke openly about the ambition to intercept this segment of local and regional audiences, no longer forced to travel intercontinentally to “see” Disney. The company is betting on the growth of demand for high-end entertainment in the Gulf, thus responding to a need that is already evident — but so far not satisfied by experiences on a global scale.
The new post-pandemic (and post-streaming) phase
The announcement comes at a crucial time also on the financial level. results of the second quarter 2025 shows a marked improvement: Disney recorded a turnover of $23,62 billion (+7% year-on-year), with solid performances from the division Experiences (+6%) and a significant recovery in streaming subscriptions. Disney + gained 1,4 million users in three months, bringing the total — along with Hulu — to 180,7 million. But if the digital numbers are smiling, it is clear that the company is rebalancing its strategy, bringing attention back to physical, tangible, memorable experiences.
I theme parks, although affected by the pandemic, remain one of the main sources of income operational. With Disneyland Abu Dhabi, Disney is not only consolidating this line of business, but is also relaunching it in a territory where the margins — cultural and economic — are still all to be explored. This park will become not only a luxury tourist destination, but an epicenter of technological innovation and immersive entertainment, leveraging the most advanced technologies, including graphics engines like Unreal Engine, to create experiences never seen before.
Soft Power, Competition and a New Geopolitics of Entertainment
Finally, there is a deeper level: that of the positioning geopoliticalThe opening in the Gulf comes as Universal announces a new resort in the UKoe while competition in the entertainment industry is becoming increasingly global. However, Disney has a historic advantage: the ability to adapt its stories to local contexts, transforming each park into a narrative in itself. Each Disney park is a unique chapter, reflecting the culture of the territory in which it is located, and Abu Dhabi will be no exception.
C'è anche il Emirates soft power: with targeted investments in art, sports, media and technology, Abu Dhabi is establishing itself as the cultural capital of the Middle East. Having Disney among its “embassies of the imagination” is not just a tourist operation: it is a political move. As he said Mohammed Khalifa Al-Mubarak, president of Miral, it is about “creating a new world, which will inspire generations”. This park fits perfectly into a broader strategy of modernization and international projection of the Emirates.