Disney has announced it plans to build a new theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi, the company’s first location in the Middle East and its seventh park around the world.
The Walt Disney Company reached an agreement with the Abu Dhabi-based company Miral, which will build the theme park in the United Arab Emirates capital, the announcement said.
The park is set to be built on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, which was developed by Miral and is already the location of multiple theme parks, including Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld.
The attraction will “offer signature Disney entertainment, themed accommodations, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi,” the company said.
Disney hopes to attract visitors from the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia that aren’t close to its other parks in Florida, California, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
The company did not give a timeline for completion or an expected cost to build the Abu Dhabi park.
The United Arab Emirates has had a history of alleged labor abuses with a largely migrant workforce, among other human rights concerns.
“Migrant workers continue to face widespread abuses like wage theft, illegal recruitment fees, and passport confiscation, which leave workers in situations that may amount to forced labor,” according to the Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2025.
Additionally, outdoor migrant workers, who are “among the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and death,” face “inadequate heat protections,” the organization said.
Nicole Brown Chau is a deputy managing editor for CBSNews.com. She writes and edits national news, health stories, explainers and more.
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