Disney announces new theme park coming to Abu Dhabi
Disney CEO Bob Iger made the announcement on "GMA" Wednesday.
Get ready for a "whole new world!"
A seventh Disney destination is coming to Abu Dhabi.
The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger made the major announcement Wednesday on "Good Morning America," describing it as "the most technologically advanced theme park that we've ever built."
"I am excited for the UAE and Abu Dhabi. Bringing a Disneyland to a land in the world is, I think, a big deal and it makes a big statement and it's just a great moment," Iger said.
A new chapter of Disney storytelling will rewrite a land known for its architecture, culture, coastlines and desert. Excitement is already brewing in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
"We've decided that we want to build a very modern Disneyland," Iger continued. "It will obviously incorporate a lot of our intellectual property and some of the typical stories that we tell in our theme parks."
Disney's new theme park will be located on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, about 8,400 miles away from Anaheim, California – the site of the first Disneyland that opened in 1955.
"You start thinking about what is possible, actually envisioning a castle rising up in this case from the sand and also being on the water," Iger said.
"We haven't decided everything that will go into it but we do know it will be anchored by a castle," Iger continued. "And again – the modernization that is Abu Dhabi – the castle will be the first real modern castle that we built."
Iger said the selection of Abu Dhabi as the next Disneyland site was a key decision.
"The UAE and Abu Dhabi is a crossroads of the world," said Iger. "This is a hub in many respects but also, because it is located where it is, it's accessible to so many different regions, places where we typically have only scratched the surface in terms of attendance to our parks."
Disney's new theme park has been in the works since 2017 but crystalized after Iger visited the region last year and discovered there was already a lot of excitement surrounding Disney.
"This is a place that has a very ambitious and very exciting vision for its future," Iger said. "So this will give us an opportunity to build something very, very high quality as evidenced by so much of what's already been built here, but also the most technologically advanced theme park that we've ever built."
Disney is partnering with Miral, the operators of world-class immersive experiences and attractions in Abu Dhabi, to bring the new theme park to life. Miral will oversee the building and development of Disney's resort.
"Our company is based on creating smiles," Miral Chairman H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said. "We're here to create happiness. And this is what Disney's all about. What I truly love about Disney is that it engulfs you in their magic. I'm passionate that we are here building something that is for the next generation. It's a legacy piece – we are a part of something great."
Mubarak said Miral plans to bring the new Disney theme park to life "as fast as possible."
"I think it's imperative for us to bring these new experiences to the region and the world," he said. "And, of course, we're not going to compromise on quality. We're going to make sure that what we build here in Abu Dhabi is going to be special and it's going to create everlasting smiles and memories for every visitor to come here."
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."
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