Disneyland Abu Dhabi
A new waterfront Disney resort
Please note: this park is not open yet. In May 2025, The Walt Disney Company and Miral announced that a Disney resort is coming to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It will be the seventh Disney resort in the world and the first in the Middle East. Here you can read what has been officially announced about it.
What do we know?
On 7 May 2025, Disney and Miral, the developer behind the theme parks on Yas Island among other things, announced the resort. In his statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger calls the park Disneyland Abu Dhabi. According to the press release:
- the resort will be located on the waterfront on Yas Island;
- Miral will build the resort and will also be its operator;
- Disney's Imagineers will handle the creative design and oversee how the park is run;
- there will be Disney shows and attractions, themed hotels, restaurants and shops;
- the park will blend Disney's stories with the culture of Abu Dhabi.
Disney calls it the company's most advanced and interactive destination, with modern architecture and the latest technology. The Yas Island website mentions a striking modern castle.
When will it open?
Disney and Miral have not yet announced an opening date (as of November 2026). Exactly which attractions and hotels will be built has not been made official yet either. Disney says it will share more as the project progresses.
Want a sneak peek anyway? According to Yas Island, the series Disney Worldbuilders on Disney+ gives you a first glimpse of the future resort.
Location:
Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, on the waterfront.
Who is building it:
Miral is building and operating the resort; Disney handles the design and oversight.
Coming soon: Disneyland Abu Dhabi
Why Abu Dhabi?
According to Disney, a third of the world's population lives within a four-hour flight of the United Arab Emirates. Around 120 million passengers travel through the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year. Yas Island is already home to other Miral theme parks, which the new Disney resort will join.
Until the park opens, you can find Disney closer to home at Disneyland Paris. Or read our guides to the big Disney resorts in Florida and Japan.