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Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, seen from the air

Home›Tomorrow›Amazing Things Being Built›Disneyland Abu Dhabi

Amazing Things Being Built

Disneyland Abu Dhabi Theme Park on Yas Island

The Disneyland Abu Dhabi theme park on Yas Island will be Disney's seventh resort destination and its first in the Middle East, a waterfront resort built by Miral with Disney Imagineers leading the design.

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At a glance

Disneyland Abu Dhabi at a glance

Status
To be confirmed
Developer and operator
Miral
Creative design
Walt Disney Imagineering
Location
Waterfront, Yas Island

What has been announced

Disney and Abu Dhabi's Miral announced the partnership in 2025. Miral will build and operate the resort, while Disney's Imagineers lead the creative design and provide operational oversight. Plans include Disney-themed lands and attractions, themed hotels, dining and shopping, in a setting described as Emirati in style and fully Disney in experience.

The project fits Abu Dhabi's plan to grow family tourism and make Yas Island one of the world's leading leisure destinations. For visitors it means more reasons to stay longer: a Disney day can sit beside a Formula 1 weekend, a waterpark, a concert at Etihad Arena or a beach afternoon. Themed Disney hotels are planned as part of the resort, so a stay on property should be possible once it opens, as at Disney's other resorts around the world.

A gentoo penguin on an icy ledge in the Antarctic realm of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on Yas Island.
Photo: Tashmetova808 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Status and timeline

To be confirmed

Disneyland Abu Dhabi

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Disney has said design will take a year or two and construction four to six more, so reports point to the early 2030s; neither Disney nor Miral has announced an official opening year.

Family vacation on Yas

A family vacation on Yas Island today

Families already come for Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, with Sphere Abu Dhabi also on the way. Find Yas Island hotels, and see our tips for family travel and theme parks across the region.

Abu Dhabi is about 13 hours nonstop from New York; the cooler months from November to March are best for park days.

Abu Dhabi property near Disney

Yas Island's residential communities sit beside the future resort. Read Abu Dhabi Luxury Real Estate and investing near the new landmarks.

What makes this Disney

What makes this Disney resort different

Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be the company's first new resort destination in many years and its first in the Middle East. It is designed for a waterfront setting, and Miral, which created Yas Island's existing theme parks, brings deep local experience. Disney has described a resort that blends modern Emirati architecture with Disney storytelling, and early concept art suggests open-air areas and fireworks over the water.

Abu Dhabi sits within about four hours' flight of a third of the world's population, so the resort is expected to draw families from across the Gulf, India, Europe and Africa as well as the United States.

Getting there and staying

Etihad flies nonstop to Abu Dhabi from six US cities, including New York JFK, Washington Dulles and Chicago, and Zayed International Airport is about ten minutes from Yas Island. The island's hotels range from the five-star W Abu Dhabi, which straddles the Formula 1 track, to family-friendly resorts with free shuttles to the parks.

Beyond Yas, Saadiyat Island offers quiet beach resorts and world-class museums about 15 minutes away, a good pairing for a family trip. For other new landmarks, see amazing things being built.

Questions travelers ask

When will Disneyland Abu Dhabi open?

No official year has been announced. Reports point to the early 2030s; we will update this page when Disney or Miral confirms.

Who is building it?

Miral develops, builds and operates the resort; Walt Disney Imagineering leads creative design and provides oversight.

What can families do on Yas Island now?

Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, beaches and the marina are all open today.

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Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.