Disneyland Abu Dhabi by Private Jet, on Yas Island

Disneyland Abu Dhabi: what Disney and Miral announced

The announcement was made on 7 May 2025, alongside Disney's quarterly results, by Robert Iger, Disney's chief executive, and Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral. The official release refers to a "Disney theme park and resort"; in his statement, Bob Iger used the name "Disneyland Abu Dhabi", describing it as "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati". The final commercial name is not yet fixed.

The agreement is built on a licensing model. It is Miral, the Emirati operator already behind the Yas Island parks, that will fund, build, own and operate the resort. Disney and its Imagineers lead the creative design and oversight, and receive royalties, without committing capital to the construction. Disney presents the project as its seventh destination worldwide, after Anaheim, Orlando, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and the first in the Middle East according to the press.

The resort will sit on a waterfront on Yas Island. The Yas Island page describes a striking "modern castle" as the signature of the future park. Its location is an asset: 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi, 50 minutes from Dubai, within an island already designed for leisure tourism.

No opening date yet: what remains to be confirmed

This is the point many articles blur, and we prefer to be clear: no opening date has been communicated. No construction cost, surface area or number of attractions has been officially disclosed either. Disney's executives have only mentioned a rough order of work, a year or two of design followed by four to six years of construction, which does not amount to an opening schedule.

In May 2026, Disney reaffirmed that the project remained unchanged, still without announcing a date. We therefore stick to the official facts and will update this article at each confirmed step. For a trip to Abu Dhabi today, it is the already-open parks of Yas Island that welcome you.

Yas Island, the island of five major parks

The Disney resort will become the fifth major park on Yas Island, an island entirely dedicated to entertainment and bordered by an international airport nearby. The four parks already open give a sense of the place:

• Ferrari World (4 November 2010): the island's first park, home to some of the fastest roller coasters in the world.
• Yas Waterworld (22 January 2013): a large water park with dozens of attractions.
• Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi (opened to the public on 25 July 2018): an indoor, climate-controlled park with the DC and Looney Tunes universes.
• SeaWorld Yas Island (23 May 2023): the first SeaWorld outside the United States and the first without orcas.

This concentration is unique, and the Disney resort will complete it. Yas Island is presented as a global destination connecting travellers from the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia and Europe.

Private jet access: three airports around Yas Island

This is where Abu Dhabi stands out. The emirate is one of the Gulf's leading business-aviation hubs, and its airports exceeded 33 million passengers in 2025. Three gateways serve Yas Island by private jet.

Zayed International (formerly Abu Dhabi International, renamed on 9 February 2024) is the closest airport to Yas Island, about fifteen minutes by road. It has a business-aviation terminal (FBO) and two 4,205-metre runways. Al Bateen Executive, in the city, is presented as the only airport exclusively dedicated to business aviation in the region; open 24/7, with no slot constraints, its runway was resurfaced and widened in 2022. Finally, Al Maktoum, south of Dubai, is an alternative about one hour by road via the E11 motorway. See the role of the private terminal (FBO).

Which private jet to reach Abu Dhabi?

From Europe, allow in the order of 6 h to 6 h 30 of flight from Paris or Geneva, and about 7 hours from London, to be confirmed depending on the aircraft, payload and winds. These routes can be flown non-stop with an ultra-long-range aircraft (Global 7500, Gulfstream G650, Falcon 8X) or a heavy jet; a lighter aircraft may require a technical stop. See our ultra-long-range fleet and our full private jet fleet.

From the Gulf, these are short hops: in the order of one hour from Riyadh, under an hour from Doha, typically in a light or midsize jet. We handle the flights, the slots and the ground handling at every stop.

Planning your Abu Dhabi stay with IBC Aviation

Whether you are travelling as a family for the Yas Island parks or on business, IBC Aviation arranges your journey to or from Abu Dhabi and coordinates everything with our concierge service. Our Dubai office, backed by our presence in Fujairah, ensures local proximity in the Emirates. To go further, see our private jet to Abu Dhabi guide, our article on the Louvre Abu Dhabi and our Dubai destination.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and arrange your journey to or from Abu Dhabi. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 81 808 2866
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

When does Disneyland Abu Dhabi open?

No opening date has been announced. Disney and Miral unveiled the project on 7 May 2025 and, in May 2026, confirmed it remained unchanged, without disclosing a schedule, cost or surface area.

Where will the Abu Dhabi Disney park be located?

On a waterfront on Yas Island, in Abu Dhabi, about 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai. Yas Island is already home to Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld.

Is it the first Disney park in the Middle East?

Yes. Disney presents the Abu Dhabi resort as its seventh destination worldwide, after Anaheim, Orlando, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and the first in the Middle East.

Which airport to reach Yas Island by private jet?

Zayed International (AUH) is the closest, about fifteen minutes by road, with a business-aviation terminal. Al Bateen Executive, dedicated to business jets, and Al Maktoum in Dubai (about one hour by road) complete the access. IBC Aviation arranges charters to or from these airports.

How long is the flight to Abu Dhabi by private jet?

In the order of 6 h to 6 h 30 from Paris or Geneva and about 7 hours from London, to be confirmed depending on the aircraft and winds. A non-stop flight requires a long-range or heavy jet.