As the conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran extends into its third week, with Iran intensifying its military actions against neighboring Arab nations and even threatening leisure and tourist sites, questions have arisen about the future of Disney’s planned theme park in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, there are signs that the Disney theme park and resort project on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island remains on track. During Disney’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, new CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed that the Abu Dhabi theme park, announced in May last year, continues to be part of their plans.
Moreover, Miral, the Abu Dhabi-based company known for creating immersive destinations, recently reiterated its dedication to establishing Disney on Yas Island. In a LinkedIn post celebrating Thomas Mazloum’s appointment as the new chairman of Disney Experiences, Miral CEO Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi expressed excitement for the project’s future, highlighting ongoing cooperation with Disney’s leadership and a shared vision for delivering something “truly extraordinary” to the region.
When the Abu Dhabi Disneyland was initially announced, outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger explained that the park is not owned by Disney but is part of a licensing agreement with Miral. “It is all their capital, and we will get a royalty. So there isn’t ownership. We own our IP and license it to them, is essentially the arrangement,” he stated.
Envisioned as Disney’s most technologically advanced park yet, the Abu Dhabi theme park would become the seventh Disney resort globally, alongside established locations in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
International lawyer Joseph Gulino, managing partner at DRRT, shared with Variety that any major U.S. brand would likely reconsider its investments in the region. “This doesn’t mean canceling plans, but could mean at least a delay in moving forward for some time until everyone better understands the political situation and whether or how long Abu Dhabi and other cities in the region remain targets,” he said.
Disney Experiences did not provide a comment for Variety.
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