A spiraling castle that looks like it's made of crystal is featured at the center of renderings of a new Disney theme park planned for Abu Dhabi, where the new destination will join a massive entertainment complex that already holds several other theme parks, including Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2018. Concept art also shows a number of waterfront attractions.
Development on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island began less than 20 years ago, but it's grown to become a global theme park destination, with some of the most technologically sophisticated attractions in the world. Existing parks include attractions such as a 3D movie theater, the fastest roller coaster in the world and the coaster with the highest non-inverted loop. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi also holds a Guinness World Record as the planet's largest indoor marine theme park.
The Walt Disney Company plans to partner with a company based in the United Arab Emirates called Miral, which developed all of the other theme parks on Yas Island.
"This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney's iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi's vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture," Disney said in a statement.
Miral advertises itself as "being progressive" on its home page and touts its social responsibility strategy. The international organization Human Rights Watch lists a number of deeply repressive practices in the United Arab Emirates that include imprisoning academics, activists and arresting LGBTQ+ people.
"We did study the region very carefully, and we know we had many opportunities," Iger said during an earnings call on Wednesday. "Obviously, building a theme park in a location is a huge endorsement of the location."
A Disney spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
The Walt Disney Company has been criticized, including by its own employees, for not taking stronger stances against anti-LGBTQ+ policies in Florida, the home of the massive Walt Disney World Resort and the corporate headquarters of a number of its ventures, including Disney Cruises. All are part of the company's "experiences" sector, that includes theme parks and cruises. "Experiences" make up a major part of Disney's business, accounting for 60 percent of annual profit even during the current era of economic uncertainty, according to an earnings call on Wednesday.
A date for the opening of Disney Abu Dhabi has not yet been announced.
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