Disney is to open a theme park and resort within the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The American media and leisure big is linking up with Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based firm, which plans to construct the brand new park on Yas Island, on the outskirts of the town.
Miral already operates a sequence of sights on the location, together with SeaWorld and Warner Bros. World.
The joint announcement got here forward of a go to by President Trump to the area subsequent week by which he has promised a sequence of enterprise offers with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
The theme park shall be constructed and operated by Miral, whereas Disney will deal with the design and improvement though it’s not funding the undertaking.
Disney will earn royalties and repair charges, nevertheless it has not been revealed which characters and franchises may function within the park.
In April, Common was given the inexperienced mild to construct its first European theme park and resort, which is about to open in Bedfordshire in 2031.
In a joint assertion on Wednesday, the corporations stated the resort will embrace themed lodging, eating places and shops and “storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi”.
Picture:
Disney’s idea picture reveals little about which of its characters or franchises may function. Pic: Disney
“Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio. The location of our park is incredibly unique – anchored by a beautiful waterfront – which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways,” stated Josh D’Amaro, chair of Disney Experiences.
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The UAE is positioned inside a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s inhabitants, and hosts the biggest international airline hub on the earth, with 120 million passengers travelling via Abu Dhabi and Dubai annually.
Disney presently operates six resorts, the primary of which opened in California in 1955, adopted by websites in Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The announcement concerning the UAE resort coincided with Disney releasing better-than-expected quarterly outcomes, helped by a lift in its Disney+ streaming enterprise and robust outcomes from its theme parks.
Income rose 7% to $23.6bn (£17.6bn) whereas working revenue got here in at $4.4bn (£3.2bn).
