The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new theme park in the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the country’s emergence as a financial and entertainment global hub.
The waterfront resort will be located on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, and built in conjunction with local firm Miral, Disney said, adding it hoped to attract tourists from “the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond.”
Disney’s announcement came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be the seventh since Disneyland was opened in Anaheim, California in 1955.
Other resorts are in Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The new resort will combine Disney’s “iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture,” the company said in a statement.
The California-based entertainment giant reported Wednesday a robust increase in quarterly revenues.
The company said overall sales increased seven percent to $23.6 billion in the January to March period, with subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service growing to 126 million, adding 1.4 million new subscriptions.
The gain in subscribers came as analysts widely expected a decline.
The Experiences segment, which includes theme parks, saw revenue increase to $8.9 billion.
