PHOTOS: Miral Celebrates the Birth of Disney Abu Dhabi With a Spectacular Drone Shone
Just hours after The Walt Disney Company announced that it was bringing a new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, their new partner Miral threw a regal celebration.
As a quick recap, just minutes before Bob Iger was set to present Disney’s Q2 earnings, the CEO shocked the theme park industry by announcing that Disney was coming to Abu Dhabi.
Iger had been exploring the idea of bringing a Disney resort to the region since 2017 or 2018. Abu Dhabi was chosen due to the capital’s location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Disney Abu Dhabi. Photo: Disney
“This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity,” Iger said.
Disney Will Not Own the New Abu Dhabi Park
Unlike most Disney Parks, the new Abu Dhabi resort will not be owned and operated by Disney. Instead, Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based company specializing in the creation of immersive destinations and experiences, will provide the upfront capital to construct the resort and oversee its development and operation.
Photo: Disney
Disney, on the other hand, will license its intellectual properties and contribute the expertise of Walt Disney Imagineering. It is a similar arrangement to that of Tokyo Disneyland.
A Regal Celebration
To celebrate the start of a new partnership and the birth of the seventh Disney resort, Miral hosted a spectacular drone show.
Photo: Disney
In photos shared by Disney, we can see that a Disney castle, the words “Disney Abu Dhabi,” and the mysterious “modern castle” depicted in the new park’s concept art were all featured throughout the show.
Here is another look.
Photo: Disney
As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news coming out of Abu Dhabi as a new chapter in Disney history unfolds.
