It’s official — Disney is building a seventh landmark theme park in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This announcement comes as The Walt Disney Company announced a partnership with Miral, “Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences.”

This new Disney resort will be located on Yas Island, a spot known for entertainment and tourism. The island is already home to a few other, smaller theme parks, which begs the question — what sort of intellectual property (IP) will Disney bring to its brand new park?

Disney Imagineers will be leading the creative design and operational oversight, and the new resort will be fully developed and built by Miral. Miral has developed other attractions in Abu Dhabi, such as SeaWorld Yas Island, Warner Bros. World Yas Island, and more, so it makes sense that Disney would partner with them to bring this theme park to life. According to Disney, the theme park “will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture.”

Iger referred to the park as Disneyland Abu Dhabi, and Disney confirmed the new theme park resort will offer:

• Signature Disney entertainment
• Themed accommodations
• Unique dining and retail experiences,
• Storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi

But, what sort of storytelling could that be? Disney hasn’t officially revealed what lands or IPs will come to this park, but they did release an announcement video along with the news that could clue us into what’s in store for Disneyland Abu Dhabi. Keep in mind that this is pure speculation and that nothing has been confirmed by Disney so far.

In the video, we see flashes of various Disney IP — which may or may not be a clue to what’s coming to Disneyland Abu Dhabi — including The Lion King…

…AVATAR…

…Iron Man (MARVEL)…

…Zootopia…

…Frozen…

…and Star Wars!

Disney also showed some existing park rides and elements — is this another hint of what’s to come? We spotted the Millennium Falcon…

…TRON Lightcycles…

…Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway…

…Journey of Water: Inspired by Moana…

…and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Disney pointed out that the UAE is located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s population, “making it a significant gateway for tourism.” According to Travel and Tour World, India is one of the largest sources of tourism for the UAE.

CEO Bob Iger commented on the news, stating, “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.”

However, the response to the announcement has been mixed. While some fans are excited — especially those living near the new park — others are concerned about Disney partnering with a government that seems to go against what Disney has previously maintained as a goal: inclusivity.

According to Wikipedia, “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the United Arab Emirates face discrimination and legal challenges. Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and under the federal criminal provisions, consensual same-sex sexual activity is punishable by imprisonment; extra-marital sexual activity between persons of different sexes is also illegal. In both cases, prosecution will only be brought if a husband or male guardian of one of the participants makes a criminal complaint.”

Disney went through a battle with the Florida government regarding the Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the Don’t Say Gay bill, in the not-so-distant past. The company has also made a very clear focus on ensuring a comfortable and accommodating work environment with its Inclusivity Key, so the choice of Abu Dhabi as its next park destination is controversial.

We’ll be on the lookout for more updates on this announcement. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news.

EVERYTHING We Know About the Abu Dhabi Disney Park So Far

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