Is Disneyland coming to Abu Dhabi?

Yes a Disney theme park resort is officially planned for Abu Dhabi. On 7 May 2025, The Walt Disney Company and Miral (the developer behind many Yas Island attractions) announced an agreement to create a Disney theme park resort on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. 

It’s often referred to online as “Disneyland Abu Dhabi,” but what’s been announced is a Disney theme park resort (park + hotels/retail/dining) rather than a confirmed “Disneyland”-branded park name in the same way as California or Paris. 

How long will it take to build?

There’s no official opening date yet, but the timeline Disney executives discussed points to a multi-year build.

What we do have:

• Reuters reported Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro said design and construction would take “over five years.” 

• Separate trade/industry reporting and executive commentary commonly frame projects like this as roughly 5–7+ years depending on scope, approvals, and how much is built at once (park, hotels, transport, utilities, etc.). 

So if work moved quickly, 2030-ish is a reasonable earliest guess range, but it’s still a projection until Miral/Disney publish a target date. 

How is it financed?

This is one of the biggest “why Abu Dhabi?” answers: Disney is not paying to build it.

Multiple reputable reports (and Disney’s own framing) describe a model where:

• Miral finances, develops, builds, and will operate the resort

• Disney (Imagineering) leads creative design and provides operational oversight/standards

• Disney earns royalties and fees tied to revenue, rather than investing capital into construction 

In other words: Miral carries the construction bill and operating risk, while Disney brings the brand, IP, design expertise, and quality control.

What’s expected to be built?

Here’s what’s been consistently communicated so far (without drifting into rumor):

A waterfront Disney resort on Yas Island

The resort is planned for Yas Island’s waterfront, placing it alongside an already dense “theme park cluster” (Warner Bros. World, Ferrari World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, F1 circuit, etc.). 

A “modern” Disney castle icon and tech-forward design

Disney’s announcement emphasises contemporary architecture and cutting-edge technology positioning this resort as a “new kind” of Disney destination. 

Climate reality will shape the park experience

While no final format has been officially locked in publicly, Miral’s CEO has been blunt that a traditional fully outdoor model doesn’t fit Abu Dhabi heat, so expect significant shade, cooling, and/or indoor elements in the design choices. 

We're looking forward to follow all the developments

We hope to visit this park when it opens.