This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is quietly but steadily moving ahead with plans for a new Disneyland theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, setting up its first-ever presence in the Middle East.
The project, called Disneyland Abu Dhabi, will be built on Yas Island and will become Disney’s seventh global theme park resort. It will sit alongside major attractions like Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and Yas Waterworld, putting Disney right in the middle of a fast-growing entertainment and tourism hub. Disney executives have described the park as authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati, blending familiar characters and storytelling with local culture, futuristic architecture and a waterfront setting.
The resort is expected to feature a full-scale Disneyland-style park with a signature castle, themed hotels, dining and retail, with water woven directly into the park experience. Disney first announced the project publicly in May 2025 with partners Miral and UAE officials. While there’s no opening date yet, Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro told Reuters that projects of this size usually take 1 to 2 years to design and another 4 to 6 years to build.
