This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrgr2zzv00o
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Disney to open its first theme park in the Middle East | Disney to open its first theme park in the Middle East |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| The Disney Theme Park in Abu Dhabi will be the company's seventh resort | |
| Walt Disney has announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East. | Walt Disney has announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East. |
| The resort, which will be in the United Arab Emirates on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, is a collaboration between Walt Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral. | The resort, which will be in the United Arab Emirates on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, is a collaboration between Walt Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral. |
| Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Its most recent opening was in 2016 in Shanghai. | Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Its most recent opening was in 2016 in Shanghai. |
| Miral is responsible for the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination and already operates SeaWorld and Warner Bros World where it is developing a Harry Potter-themed park. | Miral is responsible for the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination and already operates SeaWorld and Warner Bros World where it is developing a Harry Potter-themed park. |
| In a statement announcing the new facility, Disney said the UAE was located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world's population, making it a "significant gateway for tourism". | In a statement announcing the new facility, Disney said the UAE was located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world's population, making it a "significant gateway for tourism". |
| It added that 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the Emirates the biggest global airline hub in the world. | It added that 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the Emirates the biggest global airline hub in the world. |
| Disney chief executive Robert Iger described the plans for the new park as a "thrilling" moment for the company and said Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati". | Disney chief executive Robert Iger described the plans for the new park as a "thrilling" moment for the company and said Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati". |
| The 25 sq km Yas Island is 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai. | |
| Miral's boss Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said bringing a Disney theme park resort to the area marked a "milestone in our journey to further advance the island's position as a global destination for exceptional entertainment and leisure". | |
| He said the development would "support sustained economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond". |