Overview
- The project was announced in May 2025 as a public–private partnership in which Miral will finance, develop and operate the Yas Island resort while Walt Disney Imagineering supplies design, branding and creative direction.
- Walt Disney Imagineering is in an advanced design phase using AI-driven digital twins and simulations to plan themed biomes and stress-test attractions rather than following the traditional Disney 'lands' model.
- Reporters observed early site-preparation work in April 2026, and industry sources project construction activity could accelerate in mid-to-late 2027, but neither Miral nor Disney has confirmed a formal construction start or opening date.
- Trade coverage has put the project's value near $10 billion and suggested a Q1 2033 completion as a forecast, yet those figures are unconfirmed and regional shipping disruptions and geopolitical risks could push schedules later.
- Miral and Disney say the resort will be ‘authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati,’ featuring a modern castle, Emirati-inspired placemaking, and thousands of jobs that aim to expand Yas Island’s role as a major tourism and creative-economy hub.