Disney is coming to the UAE capital. It was announced today that Disneyland Abu Dhabi is set to be built on Yas Island.
And while this will mark Disney's first theme park in the Mena region, it is a new high point in Disney's long love affair with the Arab world.
The region has served as a point of inspiration for Disney-owned properties for nearly a century, inspiring beloved cartoon characters, planets in a galaxy far far away, and even popular superheroes.
And Disneyland Abu Dhabi won't just be a carbon copy of the other Disneyland parks around the world, chief executive Bob Iger confirmed. It will draw influence from Arab culture.
The park “will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati, an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment that is at the crossroads of the world”, Iger said.
The new location will be built by Miral, with Disney leading the creative design and operational oversight.
But from where in the brand's rich history could Disney draw inspiration? Let's take a look at some of the most likely examples.
Disney's Aladdin
The 1992 film Aladdin, inspired by the classic tale in A Thousand and One Nights, is one of the most beloved cartoons in Disney's long history. Its 2019 live-action remake grossed more than $1 billion.
Set in the fictional Arab kingdom of Agrabah, the story follows a boy who uses a magic lamp to transform himself into a prince in order to win the heart of a princess named Jasmine.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi will surely feature aspects of Aladdin. Perhaps there will be a roller coaster inspired by Aladdin's magic carpet ride, or Disneyland's famed Sleeping Beauty Castle will instead be the Sultan's palace.
Aladdin-inspired attractions are already up and running at Disney parks around the world. Florida's Walt Disney World is home to the The Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride, in the Magic Kingdom, with similar aerial carousel rides such as Jasmine's Flying Carpets at Tokyo DisneySea and Flying Carpets Over Agrabah at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. Disneyland Park in the French capital also has a walkthrough attraction inspired by the film, Aladdin's Enchanted Passage.
Tokyo DisneySea has an Arabian Coast area, which takes design inspiration from Aladdin and A Thousand and One Nights, and contains rides and restaurants. Similarly, there is Adventureland Bazaar in Adventureland, in Disneyland Paris.
Fans can also have meet and greets with characters from the film – Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie and the Sultan – at each of the parks.
Marvel's Moon Knight
While Moon Knight was long considered one of Marvel's most underrated characters – a dark, Batman-type antihero who draws his power from gods of ancient Egypt, the character found renewed popularity in 2022 when actor Oscar Isaac donned the cowl for the Disney+ series of the same name.
Directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mohammed Diab, the series ended on a cliffhanger – introducing actress May Calamawy as the superhero Scarlet Scarab.
Both are likely to make an appearance in the park, and perhaps feature in an interactive experience. In March 2022, Moon Knight made his meet and greet debut at the Avengers Campus, at Disney California Adventure Park.
Mickey in Arabia
One of Mickey Mouse's earliest adventures found the Disney mascot riding camelback with Minnie Mouse in the Arabian Desert. Released in 1932, Mickey In Arabia laid the groundwork for Aladdin, as they went on a dangerous adventure through a sultan's palace.
While aspects of the cartoon and depictions of Arab culture have aged poorly, an updated version honed to modern sensibilities – perhaps reworked with Arab animators – could make for an excellent attraction at Disneyland Abu Dhabi.
Tatooine from Star Wars
The desert planet of Tatooine is one of the most recognisable locales in Star Wars lore. It is the home of characters such as Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett – not to mention the “scum and villainy” of Mos Eisley Cantina.
In the 1977 original film, the Tatooine sequences was filmed in Tunisia. In 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, they were shot in Abu Dhabi's Liwa Desert.
Walt Disney World in Orlando features an area called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, set on the fictional planet of Batuu. Could Abu Dhabi once again be transformed into Tatooine, set at the edge of the galaxy?
A new original character designed by Emiratis
It is hard to imagine, especially considering Iger's comments, that there won't be a character designed specifically for the Disneyland Abu Dhabi theme park.
And such a character is not without precedent. In Disneyland Shanghai, a pink fox named LinaBell welcomes visitors to the park. And while LinaBell has never appeared on the big screen, she is a cult sensation in China.
It seems likely that Disney will work with local creatives to design a similar character – perhaps an Arabian leopard or red fox, or even a houbara. Or maybe it won't be an animal at all – instead a new avatar for the Emirati people. And if that character gets popular enough, perhaps they could star in an original Disney animation.
With so many possibilities, it seems inevitable that Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be an incredible and unique park that people will flock to visit, again and again.
