The future of Disney’s Abu Dhabi theme park is in doubt as the US-Israel-Iran war reaches its third week and Iranian forces step up attacks on neighboring Arab countries, threatening to even target recreational areas and tourist attractions.
But despite the current Middle East conflict, there are indications that the project to build a Disney theme park and resort on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island has not been shelved.
At Disney’s annual general meeting on Wednesday, new CEO Josh D’Amaro said the Abu Dhabi theme park (announced last May when he was head of Disney Experience’s theme parks, cruises and consumer products division) was still being planned.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi-based maker of immersive destinations and experiences, Miral, last week reaffirmed its commitment to bringing Disney to Yas Island. In a LinkedIn post congratulating Thomas Mazloum on the appointment of Disney Experience’s new chairman, Miral CEO Mohamed Abdallah Al Zaabi expressed his enthusiasm for the future of the project, highlighting continued collaboration with Disney leadership and a shared vision to create “something truly extraordinary” for the region.
As outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger explained when announcing Abu Dhabi Disneyland, the park is not owned by Disney but is part of a licensing agreement with Miral. “It’s all their capital and we’ll receive royalties. So there’s no ownership. The basic arrangement is we own the intellectual property and license it to them,” he said.
Said to be the most technology-centric park ever, Abu Dhabi’s Disney Theme Park will become Disney’s seventh global resort, joining existing parks in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
“Any of America’s iconic brands will reconsider investing in the region,” DRRT managing partner and international lawyer Joseph Gulino told Variety. “This does not mean a cancellation of the plan, but it may mean that progress on the plan will be delayed, at least for a while, until we all have a better understanding of the political situation and whether and for how long Abu Dhabi and other cities in the region will continue to be targeted.”
The Disney Experience did not respond to Variety’s request for comment.
