Disney is famous for keeping fans on the edge of their seats and this week’s announcement that one of its theme parks will be built in Abu Dhabi was no exception.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi, which will open ‘in the early 2030s’, was unveiled at a ceremony which had all the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood premiere.
Celebrities, including Naomi Campbell and Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick, looked on as superstar pianist Lang Lang played classic Disney tunes accompanied by a 100-piece orchestra floating on a pontoon on the Arabian Gulf.
Overhead, more than 9,000 drones formed the shape of Cinderella’s Castle.
There was just one thing missing – details!
Disney said the park will be the ‘most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio’ and the concept art shows how far it may go to cast a powerful spell.
The concept art was deliberately blurry in order to keep fans guessing about what will be in it.
But one landmark that stuck out was the centre-piece castle, with a similar style to Elsa’s ice palace from Frozen.
Which rides could Disneyland Abu Dhabi include? Disney revealed this week the waterfront resort located on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island on Wednesday will open in the early 2030s…and could include attractions inspired by some of the most popular recent Disney characters
Keeping things vague: The concept art unveiled at a high glamour ceremony this week was deliberately kept blurry in order to keep fans guessing, says theme park expert Sylt
Could Disney favourite Elsa play a big part in the new Abu Dhabi park? The centre-piece ‘castle’ in the digital artist’s impressions suggest she might (right)
The shimmering structure is Disney’s first castle not based on a classic fairytale and it suggests that a Frozen ride could be hidden underneath its icy turrets. And that’s just the start.
Hidden in the background of the concept art is a tall orange tower with a curve which looks like a ski slope stretching from the top.
It could be a groundbreaking attraction which was originally planned for Disneyland Paris and would see the ride car rocket up the tower before gliding down the slope.
The ride was based on the stories of Jules Verne which are also the setting for a land in Tokyo DisneySea, widely considered to be the world’s most immersive theme park.
It could be joined by Disney’s Florida-favourite roller coaster, Expedition Everest as a mountain looking like it is tucked away in the corner of the concept art.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi is The Mouse’s first waterfront park and it appears to extend right onto the beach and beyond, with craggy artificial rocks creating a harbour-like area in the sea.
It’s clearly not for cruise ships but could well be for a groundbreaking version of classic Disney ride Pirates of the Caribbean with boats which actually float out onto the ocean.
Aladdin will almost certainly feature in the line-up of rides, as Disney’s live-action remake of the classic cartoon is the highest-grossing movie in the Middle East.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has proved one of the biggest hits in Orlando in recent years – and a Marvel-themed ride, or land, is likely to feature in the Middle East
Details have been scant…but Disney’s Imagineers could look to both Frozen and another Disney hit – the Marvel franchise – for ride inspiration (Pictured: The park’s opening being announced in Abu Dhabi this week)
Disney stated that it aims to attract tourists from ‘the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond’ with its newest resort. Pictured, Minnie and Mickey Mouse in a promotional video for the resort
It explains why the actress who plays Princess Jasmine in the Broadway version of Aladdin belted out A Whole New World at the extravaganza to announce the new Disney park.
A feelgood video of scenes from Disney movies was also part of the celebration, with one of the most prominent moments showing Marvel super hero Iron Man zooming through the night sky.
There may be good reason this was included. Disney’s theme parks are designed by its Imagineers whose name comes from their imaginative use of engineering.
There are more than a thousand of them around the world and one of the leading lights behind Disneyland Abu Dhabi is Zach Riddley, who led the recent redevelopment of the futuristic Epcot park at Disney World in Florida.
That involved building Disney World’s first Marvel ride – a groundbreaking, spinning roller coaster based on the smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Called Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, it features Hollywood A Listers Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista who set the scene on screens before the ride begins.
A promotional video (pictured) about the new resort was shared to Instagram by Yas Island on Wednesday
With this man behind the wheel, it’s very likely a Marvel land in Abu Dhabi is to be joined by one themed to Star Wars, which also featured in the video promoting the new park.
The Star Wars lands at Disney World and its counterpart Disneyland in California cost an estimated $1 billion to develop, but money is no object for Disneyland Abu Dhabi as it will be built and developed by Miral, the local government’s theme park operator.
It is part of a strategy to diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy with leisure attractions due to its declining oil reserves.
Abu Dhabi is already home to SeaWorld, Warner Bros. and Ferrari theme parks which all sit on the man-made Yas Island where Disneyland will be built.
The more visitors it gets, the greater the boost to Abu Dhabi’s economy which is why the park needs to be spellbinding.
Due to the extreme heat in Abu Dhabi, where daytime summer temperatures can hit 45 degrees, expect lots of shady foliage and indoor rides throughout the park.
A jungle-like setting would be about as escapist as you can get in a region famous for its deserts.
Disney’s Imagineers will have a high mark to beat – theming is common across the region. It is seen as a way of driving traffic to a business with opulent restaurants, shopping malls, hotels and shops all featuring high standards of theming.
It will take more than the wave of a magic wand to make a splash in Abu Dhabi…but if anyone can do it it’s Disney.
HOW DISNEYLAND ABU DHABI WILL ASK GUESTS TO FOLLOW ‘RESPECTFUL’ DRESS CODE
Speaking to MailOnline, Corina Goetz, a Middle East Specialist who focuses on helping companies and entrepreneurs understand the nuances of the Gulf market, explained guests at the new park will need to be careful with their attire…
The specialist said that ‘dress codes for visitors would likely reflect local norms’.
She added: ‘While foreign visitors will not be expected to wear traditional clothing, they should follow local rules in regards to revealing clothing.
‘Disneyland parks in other conservative countries already enforce respectful dress codes, so this would not be unprecedented.’
More conservative dress will be expected of theme park goers, said cultural nuances expert Corina Goetz (Pictured, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, as well as guests, in a promotional video for the resort)
On the Disneyland Resort website, visitors are told to ‘dress comfortably, wear good walking shoes and check the local weather report before you leave for the parks’.
The statements adds: ‘Ensuring that the parks are family friendly is an important part of the Disney experience. In that spirit, we ask you to use your discretion and common sense.
‘Attire that is not appropriate for the theme parks (and which may result in refusal of admittance or ejection) includes but is not limited to: Clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics,
‘Clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment, clothing with multiple layers are subject to search upon entry
‘Visible tattoos that could be considered inappropriate, such as those containing objectionable language or designs, bare feet.’
Asad Khan added: ‘Women won’t be allowed to walk around in bikinis, only on the beach or poolside.’
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