Disney Doubles Down on Abu Dhabi Theme Park Plans Amid Middle East Uncertainty

Disney's plans for its next theme park in Abu Dhabi are moving forward, despite concerns about the impact of the war on Iran. The company has doubled down on its commitment to build a new park in the UAE, with Miral, the Middle East's leading theme park operator, funding and developing the project.

The park will use Disney's characters and Intellectual Property under a license, generating royalties for the company based on ticket and merchandise sales. Disney's Imagineers are designing the park, which is expected to be a multi-year project that will take around four to six years to build.

According to new research from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the theme park industry's global trade body, attractions in the Middle East and Africa attracted 738 million visits in 2024, generating $19.2 billion in direct revenue. The report projects that tourism recreation spending in the region will grow by 19% by 2030, reaching $35.6 billion.

Disney's new chief financial officer Hugh Johnston said during a recent earnings call that 'the new park is being designed with a long-term view' and that Disney is 'fully committed to seeing that project through'. This commitment has been reinforced by the company's participation in the D23 convention in Anaheim, where it showed footage from Imagineering research trips to Abu Dhabi.