Walt Disney announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East.

The resort will be in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, a partnership between Walt Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral.

Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Its latest opening was in Shanghai in 2016.

Miral is responsible for the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination and has operated Seaworld and Warner Bros World, where a Harry Potter-themed park was developed.

In a statement announcing the new factory, the UAE is located in a four-hour flight of one-quarter of the world's population, making it a "important gateway to tourism."

It added that 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the UAE the world's largest global airline hub.

Disney CEO Robert Iger described the plan for the new park as an "exciting" moment for the company and said Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be "real Disney and obvious UAE".

The 10 square metres (25 square kilometers) of Yas Island is 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai.

Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Miral's owner, said bringing the Disney theme park resort to the area is marked as "a milestone in our journey to further advance the island's position as a global destination for excellence in entertainment and leisure".

He said development will “support economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond”.

Disneyland, the company's first theme park, opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida was followed in 1971.

International expansion began in 1983, beginning in a park in Tokyo. Disneyland Paris opened in 1992 and then arrived in Hong Kong in 2005, most recently in Shanghai in 2016.

Also on Wednesday, Disney announced results better than expected in the first three months of 2025, with revenue rising 7% to $23.6 billion (£17.7 billion).

Disney+'s streaming business added 1.4 million customers. Previously, Disney predicted that subscribers would drop slightly due to higher prices.

Attendance rates are in American Park Rose, visitors spend more time, and cruise bookings have also increased after the launch of new Disney ships.

"I was encouraged by my business strength and resilience despite doubts about any macroeconomic uncertainty or the impact of competition," Mr. Eagle said.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said so many businesses in the United States are “worrying about the potential impact of tariffs on consumer spending and are confident about their family budgets.”