Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore — Disney’s Whole New World: Disneyland Abu Dhabi Is Disney’s Next Major Resort Destination 🏰 🇦🇪
This month's newsletter includes thoughts on Disneyland Abu Dhabi, Lilo & Stitch's box office and future, Andor, and so much more.
Welcome back to Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore!
In this issue, we will be covering:
Disney’s Whole New World: Disneyland Abu Dhabi Is Disney’s Next Major Resort Destination 🏰 🇦🇪
Lilo & Stitch: Synergy, Box Office, and Future 🍿💰
Andor Concludes An Astounding Run 🏆
Podcast Plugs 🎙
Links of the Month 📰
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Disney’s Whole New World: Disneyland Abu Dhabi Is Disney’s Next Major Resort Destination 🏰 🇦🇪
The Walt Disney Company has officially announced the development of its seventh theme park resort destination in Abu Dhabi. This is the first time a new Disney theme park resort destination will be created since Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016. This massive project was a well-kept secret until a few days before Disney’s Q2 earnings call. Although nobody expected this Abu Dhabi project to be on this scale, many expected it to be a Disney Springs/Downtown Disney-level venture.
Disney is entering a whole new world in the Middle East, and the reaction was something. This isn’t the stereotypical Disney Parks project. It’s an entirely new market for Disney on multiple fronts:
A different culture, with the closest comparison likely being Shanghai.
Disney’s first resort that will be heavily indoors due to the heat.
Disney isn’t paying a dime during the design and construction process, but Disney will be paid royalties.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi is not made for the typical American tourist. The target audience for the park is the Middle East and the emerging and expanding middle class in India. The closest Disney theme park resort to India is Hong Kong Disneyland, which is a six-hour flight. Disneyland Abu Dhabi will only be a three-hour flight from India.
Disney is hoping that planting the flag down in Abu Dhabi will create demand across the Middle East’s 500 million residents for the entire Disney flywheel. Yes, Disney wants Disneyland Abu Dhabi to create momentum for their other businesses within the Middle East, whether that be Disney+, Disney Cruise Line, Disney films, or simply Disney Consumer Products.
Also, Disneyland Abu Dhabi isn’t the official name. It could stick, and that could be the name. I wouldn’t rule out Disneyworld Yas Island or Disneyworld Abu Dhabi as Miral’s other parks include the word “world” in them. I could also see Disney/Miral naming this Disney Oasis Abu Dhabi or something that is truly a first. I just wouldn’t rule out anything when it comes to this project. I could even see Miral paying extra to use the “Disney World” name, but with a slight asterisk, as they would likely style it as “Disneyworld” all one word.
Walt Disney Imagineering will design the entire Disneyland Abu Dhabi destination: shopping, hotels, and the theme park experience. Miral will be doing the construction, but it seems like there will be operational oversight from Disney in the building and operations phases. There are concerns about construction practices over in the UAE, but Disney’s partner in this project, Miral, seemingly has a good track record. Miral is paying for a Disney-level destination and will likely follow Disney’s lead on design, construction, and operations.
Why is this happening now? Disney has resisted the temptation to expand into the Middle East in the past. Saudi Arabia desperately wanted a Disney theme park resort, and Disney refused due to various factors. Yet the reason for Disneyland Abu Dhabi is obvious, but the timing is curious.
Miral made Disney a hard-to-refuse financial offer.
Disney will receive royalties and other fees from Disneyland Abu Dhabi. It also seems like Miral will spend an exuberant amount on this destination, and this won’t affect any of Disney’s prior investment commitments. It also seems that Disney believes that if they want a future in the Middle East, the UAE/Abu Dhabi is a safer choice than Saudi Arabia or other countries. The Middle East strategy is also part of Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro’s global strategy. “For every one theme park visitor that we have around the world,” D’Amaro states, “There are 10 more that we know actually want to participate in Disney experiences, but they just don’t have an opportunity to do so.” Abu Dhabi gives them a location that is a four-hour flight from one-third of the world’s population. It’s a market expansion move for Disney’s division that constantly makes money. It’s also a move from Miral to get more people to Yas Island, which already has a few theme parks.
The deal will also line Disney’s pockets for the foreseeable future. Despite the political and cultural implications, Wall Street will cheer this move as Disney will earn revenue without major investments. (Disney’s only investment will come in the work that will be done by its Imagineers, operational experts, and their legion of PR and marketing maestros working on this project.)
When it comes to the actual design of this resort, it’s extremely early to tell. The concept art wasn’t that real, although it seems like they want to do a “modern castle” which sort of looks like a glass flower. I think there is a good chance that this is a primarily indoor castle park, but with IP-centric lands attached. The waterfront will also be mixed into the park, which makes me wonder if the park truly is all indoor or if there will be some outdoor portions.
I have been studying the Emirati box office more than I like to admit since this announcement. After some preliminary research on the region, I’m thinking Marvel could have a significant presence at this resort. Aladdin is another IP that will likely get space as well. I’d expect a mix of IP from across Disney’s portfolio, and I wouldn’t be shocked if we see some surprise choices for the park. The resort destination will also be embracing technology. Disney has teased Abu Dhabi as their most “tech-forward” resort.
There are still a lot of cultural concerns about Disney’s pick of Abu Dhabi, especially on the human rights front, and whether Disney’s values align with the UAE’s. Disney CEO Bob Iger even said that wherever Disney builds a theme park resort is a huge endorsement of that location. From a pure business point of view, Abu Dhabi is a no-brainer, but from a cultural view, it’s a tougher equation. Yet Iger and D’Amaro must be confident in Miral and the future of Abu Dhabi/United Arab Emirates. I’ve spoken to a few folks who have had nothing but positive things to say about the UAE. It seems like there could be a shifting perspective about the region as time goes on. It also depends on what Abu Dhabi/United Arab Emirates looks like as a whole by 2030? The sentiment may change, and Disney may become a positive force for the region. The theme park resort destination is expected to open in the early 2030s. Who knows what our world will look like by then?
There is another scenario, too.
This entire resort may not happen.
So many things can change within a few months. For example, if Disney selects Dana Walden as their next CEO, and Josh D’Amaro departs Disney. Could we perhaps see the Walden regime rethinking its entire Disney Experiences strategy? So many things can change, and Disney could pivot at any point.
But if this project does move forward. Walt Disney Imagineering gets to design a brand new theme park resort destination, and The Walt Disney Company doesn’t have to pay for it. The whole ordeal makes Disney Experiences’ turbocharging efforts look even better. Disney would be able to invest in the markets it wholly owns, while Walt Disney Imagineering will be working on more projects than ever before. It seems like a dream-like win-win scenario that will appease the business side and the creative side of Disney.
Yet no matter how you slice it, Disney is entering a whole new world with this project in Abu Dhabi.
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Lilo & Stitch: Synergy, Box Office, and Future 🍿💰
Box Office for Lilo & Stitch 🍿💰: A record-breaking weekend for Lilo & Stitch. The film made $183 million over its four-day Memorial Day opening weekend. The film has a global total of $341.7 million so far. Just a historic number all around. This crowd-pleasing film will make waves at the box office.
Just remember this film was originally set to be a Disney+ Original…
One of Disney’s Fastest-Growing Franchises 🚀: President of Disney Live Action David Greenbaum confirmed that Lilo & Stitch is one of Disney’s fastest-growing franchises. “What people may not realize is that Stitch is actually one of our fastest-growing franchises, and he’s global,” Greenbaum said. “There’s real affinity for Stitch among boys and girls, men and women.”
A Consumer Products Cash Cow 💰: Lilo & Stitch is on a short list of nine examples of Disney’s “major” licensed properties. That esteemed list includes Winnie the Pooh, Star Wars, Avengers, Mickey Mouse, and more. “He is one of those special characters who is simply fun to bring to life through products,” Tasia Filippatos, the president of Disney Consumer Products, told The New York Times.
Stitch has become a consumer products cash cow, and there is plenty of evidence in Stitch’s surging popularity. Retail sales of Stitch products grew to $2.6 billion in Disney’s 2024 fiscal year. Five years earlier, Stitch products made $200 million. That is some serious growth, and it’s what propelled Stitch into one of Disney’s top 10 bestselling franchises.
Sequels 🎥: Disney is so confident in Lilo & Stitch that it is already thinking about sequels, according to the Wall Street Journal. “It feels like it’s going to work very well, and it’s the kind of property that lends itself to more,” Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman told WSJ.
It’s shocking that more Disney live-action remakes don’t get sequels (*cough cough* Aladdin), but I’d bet Lilo & Stitch will be one of the few to get a sequel or two due to the sheer popularity and the potential to tell new stories with these iconic characters.
Disney Parks: Lilo & Stitch is one of Disney’s fastest-growing franchises, and many are wondering how long you will have that property on the sidelines at the Disney Parks. I’d expect some rumblings later this year, but similar to Inside Out 2 last year, Disney may have just discovered— or better yet, rediscovered— a new cornerstone IP for its parks. Stitch as an IP also has some elasticity as it can fit in with a ton of different themes, whether it be Tomorrowland, Adventureland, or beyond.
Andor Concludes An Astounding Run 🏆
Andor had a unique release schedule of three episodes per week. It was a grueling release schedule for podcasters, but it made for must-see television every week. Each arc was compelling and superb. The critical acclaim and fan engagement were off the charts.
Andor’s viewership also seems to be stronger, according to initial reports from data firms Luminate and Nielsen. It seems like the audience grew week over week. We won’t get official internal streaming data from Disney, so we have to utilize third-party data firms. The initial results seem promising, though.
Andor concluded an astounding run, although Disney didn’t fully take advantage of its potential in consumer products and at the Disney Parks. I would say it’s been a missed opportunity in both areas. There is still time for Disney to act on this, so hopefully they realize it and make the pivot.
However, there will be one final stop on this Andor run, and that’s the Emmys.
Disney submitted Andor in 23 categories. Will the Television Academy honor the excellence of Andor? It will be intriguing to see what the voters decide. Andor had superb performances, brilliant direction, sharp writing, and an overall phenomenal production. There’s a lot to honor there, and I’m sure fans will be watching intently to see what gets a nomination and what doesn’t.
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Podcast Plugs 🎙
The Zach Perilstein Show with Ryan Williams of Parkineer dives into Epic Universe and the greater themed entertainment industry. (Spotify) (Apple)
Richard Nebens returns to the Boardwalk Times Multiverse of Marvel podcast to discuss Thunderbolts*, including that asterisk and pivotal post-credit scene. (Spotify) (Apple)
The Lowdown on the Plus-up had their season finale and their first LIVE episode discussing all things Tomorrowland from the Howard Johnson Retro Future Suite. (Spotify) (Apple)
This is the Waycast celebrated 100 episodes this month with a special, and This is the Waycast: Andor concluded its run with an epic finale. (Spotify) (Apple)
LINKS OF THE MONTH
— Boardwalk Store celebrated its second anniversary. Check out some of our latest items and get ready for more FANTASTIC and EPIC gear for the rest of the year. (Boardwalk Store)
— Epic Universe is now open, and Universal says it’s just the beginning. (CNBC)
— Epic Ride will be a three-part docuseries on the Universal Parks and will feature the story of Epic Universe. (NBC)
— Thunderbolts* marketing revealed the asterisk after the opening weekend. I’d say it was a tad bit too fast for my liking. (Marvel.com)
— A great piece from WSJ on Kevin Feige and guiding Marvel Studios out of the tumultuous streaming and pandemic era. Feige clearly wanted to tell more stories and be a good corporate citizen, but it came at the cost of the MCU. (Wall Street Journal)
— Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will now release in December 2026 and December 2027. A smart move by Marvel Studios and Disney to take advantage of that holiday corridor. (The Hollywood Reporter)
— Disney Pin Trading turns 25 this year. It’s such a memorable part of the Disney Parks experience. (USA Today)
— The Story Behind Storyliving: Is Disney’s Planned Desert Community Really the Oasis It’s Marketing? (Fodor’s)
— Andor Finale: Creator Tony Gilroy Breaks Down the Star Wars Spy Saga’s Gut-Wrenching Ending. (Vanity Fair)
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