The much-anticipated Disneyland Abu Dhabi is set to bring a whole new world of fun to Yas Island
“Walking the site of what will one day be Disneyland Abu Dhabi!”
That was the caption that Disney CEO Bob Iger shared on social media on January 26, alongside two photos of himself walking Yas Island.
Looking at the photos, which show the Yas Island sign in the distance (backwards facing) and water to the right of Iger as he’s facing, seemingly deduce that the location of Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be Yas North. Although Miral, the developers behind the new Disney theme park in the UAE capital, haven’t confirmed the exact location, it would make sense: this is the only remaining plot of suitable scale on Yas Island.
Per AGBI, Miral chief executive Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi told Dubai Eye in an interview that expanding the island would be ‘considered’. So, it could also mean that while this is the approximate area of the new theme park, upgrades and extensions may be made to the site to accommodate it.
Everything we know so far about Disneyland Abu Dhabi
First announced in May 2025, Disneyland Abu Dhabi is set to become the world’s seventh Disneyland theme park, and will join an already-impressive array of leisure treasures on Yas Island, including Warner Bros World, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
Miral will be responsible for the development and construction of the project, while Disney will oversee the creative aspects and provide operational support.
Among those creative aspects, Abu Dhabi’s theme park will, of course, have its own Disney castle. And in September 2025 it was announced that, for the first time ever, a water element would be incorporated directly into the design.
Previously, Bob Iger has said that, “Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati – an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world that will bring to life our timeless characters and stories in many new ways and will become a source of joy and inspiration for the people of this vast region to enjoy for generations to come.”
When will Disneyland Abu Dhabi open?
Although a date hasn’t been given, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Josh D’Amaro previously told Reuters that the project would likely take “a year or two to design, and another four to six years to build”.
On those calculations, we can expect Disneyland Abu Dhabi to open its magical gates somewhere between 2030 and 2033.
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