Disney's newest theme park will be its 'most advanced and interactive'

Disney is to open a theme park and resort in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The American media and entertainment giant is linking up with Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based company, which plans to build the new park on Yas Island, on the outskirts of the city. Miral already operates a series of attractions on the site, including SeaWorld and Warner Bros.

World. The joint announcement came ahead of a visit by President Trump to the region next week in which he has promised a series of business deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

The theme park will be constructed and operated by Miral, while Disney will handle the design and development although it is not funding the project. Disney will earn royalties and service fees, but it has not been revealed which characters and franchises could feature in the park.

In April, Universal was given the green light to build its first European theme park and resort, which is set to open in Bedfordshire in 2031. In a joint statement on Wednesday, the firms said the resort will include themed accommodation, restaurants and retail outlets and "storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi".

"Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio. The location of our park is incredibly unique - anchored by a beautiful waterfront - which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways," said Josh D'Amaro, chair of Disney Experiences.

Sky News approached Disney and Miral about the timescales for the project, but were told it was too early to speculate as an agreement had only just been reached. Read more from Sky News:Disney's Snow White pannedUniversal's first theme park in UK The UAE is located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world's population, and hosts the largest global airline hub in the world, with 120 million passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year.

Disney currently operates six resorts, the first of which opened in California in 1955, followed by sites in Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The announcement about the UAE resort coincided with Disney releasing better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by a boost in its Disney+ streaming business and strong results from its theme parks.

Revenue rose 7% to $23.6bn (£17.6bn) while operating income came in at $4.4bn (£3.2bn)..