As the U.S.-Israel-Iran war reaches the three-week mark and Iranian military forces step up attacks against its Arab neighbors — even threatening to target recreational areas and tourist sites — the fate of Disney’s announced Abu Dhabi theme park has come into question.
However, there are indications that the project for a Disney theme park and resort on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is not being shelved, despite the current Middle East mayhem.
At Disney’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, new CEO Josh D’Amaro noted that the Abu Dhabi theme park — which was announced in May last year when he was in charge of the Disney Experiences theme parks, cruises and consumer products division — is still planned.
In addition, Miral, the Abu Dhabi-based maker of immersive destinations and experiences, last week reaffirmed its commitment to bringing Disney to Yas Island. In a LinkedIn post congratulating Thomas Mazloum on his appointment as new chairman of Disney Experiences, Miral CEO Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi expressed enthusiasm for the project’s future, underlining ongoing collaboration with Disney leadership and the shared vision of creating something “truly extraordinary” for the region.
As outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger explained when Abu Dhabi Disneyland was announced, the park is not owned by Disney, but part of a licensing deal with Miral. “It is all their capital, and we will get a royalty. So there isn’t ownership. We own our IP and license it to them, is essentially the arrangement,” he said.
The Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi, described as its most tech-centric park to date, would become Disney’s seventh global resort, joining established parks in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
“I think any iconic U.S. brand would be reconsidering its investments in the region,” international lawyer Joseph Gulino, managing partner at DRRT, told Variety. “This doesn’t mean canceling plans, but could mean at least a delay in moving forward for some time until everyone better understands the political situation and whether or how long Abu Dhabi and other cities in the region remain targets.”
Disney Experiences did not respond to a request for comment from Variety.
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