Disneyland Abu Dhabi

[Mad Dog]

Several thoughts…

1. Will this ever get built ???
2. Several attempts have been made to build in this region by different companies and they failed.
3. Makes sense to jump in the market since the area is so lucrative and booming.
4. Very controversial political and social implications of this is completed.
5. Do they need another resort at this moment in time ???
6. USGB is definitely gonna open before this.

Speak on it.

I can go a full rant about this topic alone but rather not.

It'll get built. It's really the sheiks' ballgame. They have cash to spare and they've decided tourism is the way to replace future falling oil revenues. They're playing long term. Disney is a win win here. They don't have to pay, just collect fees. .....This isn't an attempt to build by a company, its the country. So its not like all those theme parks companies were going to build in London and it never materialized.......Universal would love a deal like this.

 

[kristenabelle]

Right?

Here's the thing does it surprise me? Not at all. UAE is incredibly wealthy and the biggest travel destination in the Middle East without comparison.

But just because I'm not surprised doesn't mean I don't still have great pause.

As a queer woman, knowing if I decided to make the trip that I'd already have two strikes against me in terms of my personal safety, means I am highly unlikely to take a trip there personally (frankly, Disney won't care about losing my money though, because they will have no shortage of wealthy businessmen and their families willing to make the trip.) It does bother me though - but again, doesn't surprise me - that Disney would without second thought, so readily put shareholders over human rights...and alienate two groups that largely make up their fanbase (Women and queer folks.)

But frankly...as a queer woman living in Florida...the politics are becoming pretty much the same, so I guess you could say I'm already taking my chances living here and going to the parks already...

Anyway...it'll be...interesting...

This is exactly it.

I'm ace/aro, so I'm straight passing. That said, I'm also a woman with... a figure, for lack of a more appropriate phrase? I'd be so concerned about what to wear to stay modest, especially in the heat. I'd also be concerned that anything I've ever said on the internet ever could be held against me. And god forbid, if something happened and I was to get detained, I have no faith that our current administration would care about getting someone like me home.

So yeah, the above may sound like a far-fetched rabbit hole, but the fact that I even have to think about this to visit a Disney park makes me so, so sad.

 

[nickp]

Better be building Aladdin world

 

[Jerroddragon]

I'm just wondering how Disney is going to deal with the Slave Labor, which I had no idea about until I was looking things up

Like....man isn't that going to be a hard sell on a company that wants to have a family image? I mean maybe they just don't care but it will be interesting to see if the negative PR for this could stop the project

I know many will point out no one cared that sea world and other parks there were built with it...this is Disney they are just under a different radar.

Anyway food for thought and, I will do my best not to post too much about this park because....I'm just not a fan of the politics of the area and the more I learn the angrier I get

 

[Galactus]

Assuming this is built (the UAE is littered with tons of corpses of failed theme park projects - even if Disney isn't putting their own money up - I can't tell if Miral is sovereign linked or if it's private) and assuming that Ferrari World and WB World get the expansions they've been promised, is this the best collection of theme parks in one "campus" in the world? Would you take WDW in Florida over this? Or maybe Universal now that Epic is open? I guess there's an argument for Disney West based on how good DL is?

I visited Abu Dhabi in 2020 before Sea World even opened and was blown away with how incredible the parks were, especially WB World. I wonder how strong attendance is given that it was dead dead when I visited (walkons onto Formula Rossa and everything else) although I do admit this was January of 2020 and the early nervousness around COVID may have affected tourism then too.

 

[Myah1220]

So yeah, the above may sound like a far-fetched rabbit hole, but the fact that I even have to think about this to visit a Disney park makes me so, so sad.

NOT far fetched at all unfortunately. Your fears are valid and reflect many of us within the community.

"that I even have to think about this to visit a Disney park makes me so, so sad."
^ BIG emphasis on this part ^.

Like I said before, it's a shame how Disney has nooooo problem taking our queer dollars...but when it comes to ensuring our safety...they go and make decisions like this. Never surprising but very unfortunate nonetheless.

 

[saint.piss]

I'm a huge disney fan (I've been to all the parks except for Hong Kong and Paris) but I'm also trans and lesbian. Unless things change in Abu Dhabi I'll never be visiting this park. I will not risk my safety and also step foot somewhere that is illegal just for my existence alone.

 

[Tbad556]

Yeah, this is straight up trash through and through. Iger can go to hell.

 

[HandsomePete]

It'll get built. It's really the sheiks' ballgame. They have cash to spare and they've decided tourism is the way to replace future falling oil revenues. They're playing long term. Disney is a win win here. They don't have to pay, just collect fees. .....This isn't an attempt to build by a company, its the country. So its not like all those theme parks companies were going to build in London and it never materialized.......Universal would love a deal like this.

Yeah, nothing is ever 100% but the UAE learned their lesson from all the failed projects in the past.

Another interesting storyline is the tourism rivalry between AD and Dubai. AD is the capital of UAE but Dubai is the glitzy/glamour city while AD has kind of been playing second fiddle in the tourism market even with Yas, the museums, and the Grand Mosque. Getting a Disney park doesn’t completely flip things overnight but is a huge shift, especially once Dubai’s main airport shifts out of downtown to basically halfway between the two.

is this the best collection of theme parks in one "campus" in the world?

This is a great question - I don’t think they get there as a collection of theme parks, but Yas also has Etihad Arena and an F1 race and a European PGA event just off the top of my head… so I’d say it may be in the running for the best tourism campus in the world.

 

[Mad Dog]

Disney's family values are kind of limited to the USA. China is a totalitarian communist country that tramps on just about all moral values, but Disney has two 'partly' owned parks there. Shanghai, in particular, was built to get preferential treatment into China's film market. Japan is not owned by Disney. Paris is the French, super unfriendly. So this is nothing new. It's Disney being Disney, which means it's about corporate greed. They don't even treat their USA guests all that great anymore either....Myself, I would never travel to the Middle East Arab nations for anything. Their values are very medieval. And I would never step foot in China.

 

[Jake S]

So yeah, the above may sound like a far-fetched rabbit hole, but the fact that I even have to think about this to visit a Disney park makes me so, so sad.

I don’t disagree with any of this — but isn’t there legitimate reason for visitors to the United States to have similar fears?

 

[Jerroddragon]

I don’t disagree with any of this — but isn’t there legitimate reason for visitors to the United States to have similar fears?

Not making excuses (its ridiculous whats happening right now to foreigners) but our politics change

In 3 years, (maybe even after the mid terms) things can go back to "normal" The current Administration is using war time BS to get around the laws we have in place to protect people and its not our normal

This area is where its at until things change which will not be when this park opens.

 

[Myah1220]

I don’t disagree with any of this — but isn’t there legitimate reason for visitors to the United States to have similar fears?

Yep! 100% as well unfortunately.

 

[kristenabelle]

I don’t disagree with any of this — but isn’t there legitimate reason for visitors to the United States to have similar fears?

Yep! 100% as well unfortunately.

Absolutely. Hell, our VP made a "joke" re: world cup visitors today. Safety isn't something to take for granted anymore, anywhere.

 

[OrlLover]

Yeah, this is straight up trash through and through. Iger can go to hell. He's not even trying to sugarcoat it with moronic quotes like "Obviously, building a theme park in a location is a huge endorsement of the location" and "of all the places that we could choose from, there did not seem to be any place that is better than this."

Iger is literally just following the money and I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone beholden to shareholders.

 

[Tbad556]

Iger is literally just following the money and I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone beholden to shareholders.

Sure. I'm not surprised. Just disgusted. The trash is trashing.

 

[Jake S]

I think it’s important to keep in mind that the United States has one of, if not the, most brutal track records in its behavior abroad. Even going “back to brunch” in four years will not wash those stains clean. I suppose my point is that this badness is not new, nor unique to other parts of the world.

 

[Myah1220]

Iger is literally just following the money and I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone beholden to shareholders.

Yup, I don't think anyone is surprised by capitalists being capitalists...just expressing their frustration at the whole system.

 

[DeadSexeh]

Feels kind of like this thread has gone off the rails. I get the issue of it being in the middle east, but this thread should be about the park not politics (especially US).

 

[Altonsky]

It's a licensing agreement like Japan. There's really no financial risk to Disney. It's a plus plus profit move for them. They'll overprice their Imagineer fees, like they do to even their own parks. Plus licensing fees. Very profitable for Disney.

It might be profitable but it’s amazing how so many companies that put out certain messages whether you agree with them, the way they’re put out or whatever else are so willing to sell themselves out for $$$.

It’s just makes it all rather pointless really doesn’t it, so why do they go all in on bad decisions when it comes to their movies when they’re clearly willing to do things like this.

One country is solely ruled by religion, the other has some right wing slightly religious nut jobs. They’re not really the same.