Disney made the news of the year with plans to build a new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi. This represents a huge creative expansion of their global entertainment portfolio. The announcement comes after years of focused advocacy and planning.

Disney and Miral announced an agreement to create a landmark Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Disney's new theme park will be located on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, about 8,400 miles away from Anaheim, California – the site of the first Disneyland that opened in 1955. "You start thinking about what is possible, actually envisioning a castle rising up in this case from the sand and also being on the water," Iger said.