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Disney announces first Middle East theme park in Abu Dhabi
Disney unveils plans for a new theme park in Abu Dhabi, its first new resort in a generation
Although the company sees potential in its international resorts, where there’s been more growth in attendance and guest spending, China has been a pain point amid the trade war: park attendance in Shanghai and Hong Kong fell, and international park sales tumbled in the first quarter as a result.Miral, an Abu Dhabi company, will fully develop, build and operate the resort with Disney Imagineers leading creative design and operational oversight. So we’re very, very bullish on this space, and I think for this part, particularly given how tech-forward it’s going to be, we have a huge opportunity.”Park warsDisney hasn’t announced a new theme park or resort since its 2010 Shanghai Disneyland news.The Abu Dhabi announcement comes one month after Universal said it would build its seventh resort, this time in the United Kingdom, and just weeks before Universal opens Epic Universe in Central Florida, the first major opening in 26 years for the country’s biggest hub of theme parks.Disney dismissed concerns that new competition would hurt foot traffic at Walt Disney World.“Anytime something opens up in Central Florida, we get more tourists coming in,” D’Amaro said on CNBC Wednesday morning. Domestic theme park attendance softened last year, as Americans criticized big price increases or started to scale back travel spending in an uncertain economy.
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