Disney has announced its first theme park in the Middle East. Disneyland Abu Dhabi may not have a set opening date just yet, but the magic has already made its way to the area. To mark the start of the development for the new resort, The Walt Disney Company teamed up with drone light show company Lumasky to light up the night sky with an enchanting, multimedia display.
The result of this collaboration was a record-breaking 9,000-drone show, making it the largest drone show to ever take place in the Middle East. The display was accompanied by pyrotechnics, a water screen, and a 107-piece live orchestra performing “A Whole New World” alongside a choir floating on a pontoon.
The show featured Disney’s signature “fairy dust” swoosh swirling through the sky before a 650-meter (2,132-foot) aerial replica of Cinderella’s castle—10 times the size of the one in Florida’s Disney World—flashed before the guests’ eyes. The castle then morphed into Abu Dhabi’s centerpiece, which distances itself from European castles to have a futuristic look that evokes the avant-garde landmarks being built in the United Arab Emirates.
“To perfect the animation, we optimized every detail—figure sizing, viewing angles, drone trajectories relative to pyrotechnics—all fine-tuned for maximum visibility and safety,” writes Lumasky. The company carried out pre-dawn lights-off rehearsals to make sure everything flowed smoothly, despite the unpredictable desert winds, without spoiling the surprise.
Since Disneyland Abu Dhabi is only in the first stages of its design phase, it is estimated that it could open between between 2030 and 2033 at the earliest, following a projected construction period of four to six years. It will also be the second Disney theme park not to be operated by Disney Experiences in any capacity, after Tokyo Disneyland and its companion, Tokyo DisneySea.
Scroll down to watch the magical drone show, and stay up to date with more spectacular drone shows by following Lumasky on Instagram.
Watch 9,000 drones form Cinderella’s castle during the announcement ceremony for Disneyland Abu Dhabi.
Sources: 9,000 Drones for Disneyland Abu Dhabi: Largest Drone Show in the Middle East; Disney Is Opening Its First Theme Park in the Middle East, Here’s Everything You Should Know
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