Disney lands in Abu Dhabi, the first themed park of the Emirates are coming (and it will be on an island)

« Authentically Disney and distinctly Emiratine ». Described in this way, in the words of the AD of the Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, the announcement of A new themed park in Abu Dhabi, the first in the Middle East for the Topolino company.

The park on the island of Yas

Disneyland Abu Dhabi, this is the temporary name of the new resort, the seventh in the world, will be built, financed and operated by the company from Emiratina Miral, on the island of Yas, on Disney concession. Yas, an area already strongly suited to entertainment tourism, houses a Warner Bros and Seaworld park, a park dedicated to marine fauna, both operated by Miral herself, in short: zero competition. An announcement that has seen an immediate effect on the stock exchange with the shares of the Walt Disney Company at the Nyse climbs by 7%, in reaction to the announcement but also to the positive results of the Disney report to shareholders.

A park in « Franchising »

The agreement between Miral and Disney makes the park a sort of franchise, a formula that is not unpublished for Disney: the first Asian resort, Tokyo Disneyland, dates back to 1983 and is owned by the Japanese Oriental Land Company that he manages and finances the two parks under concession of Disney. «Disney and its legendary Imagineers – reads a note – will guide creative design and operational supervision to offer world -level experience ». And it is not even the first joint venture for the Anaheim group: the two Chinese parks, Disneyland Shanghai and Hongkong see the shareholder divided between Disney and Chinese government society.

Disneyland Abu Dhabi will arise by the sea

A project, that of Disneyland Abu Dhabi, closely linked to the rulers of the Emiratine country, so much so that to attend the announcement of the project was present The hereditary prince of Abu Dhabi and president of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed al Nahyan. « Abu Dhabi is a place where tradition meets innovation, where we preserve our past by designing the future, » explained the president of Miral, Mohamed Khalifa to Mubarak.
« Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination of our portfolio – said Josh D’Amaro, driving Disney Experiences, which in addition to the parks also includes Disney cruises – the position of our park is incredibly unique, with a wonderful promenade, which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways ».

Air traffic and the « Grande Hub » of the Emirates

And if for the moment the mouths remain sewn on the time of realization and opening of the park, even if the opening for 2050 is estimated, it is evident as the choice of the location is strategic. « The United Arab Emirates are found four hours of flight from one third of the world population – explains the note -, which makes them an important access point for tourism. The United Arab Emirates host the largest global plane hub in the world, with 120 million passengers passing every year for Abu Dhabi and Dubai ». And if the announcement, in the Emiratine country, took place with a Droni Maxishow that reproduced an iconic Disney castle in the sky, the first criticisms were not lacking on social networks. In particular, from the LGBTQI world it stands out how the choice to open to Abu Dhabi collides with a fanbase, that of Disney, belonging to the LGBTQI community, which however in many countries of the Middle East, is considered failure.