Amid reports of mass layoffs at The Walt Disney Company in California, it’s been reported that the launch of Disney’s newest theme park will create as many as 30,000 jobs.
As confirmed last month, Disney has plans for Disneyland Abu Dhabi, its first theme park in the Middle East and seventh globally. Set to open at some point in the next decade, the park will be located on Yas Island, an entertainment hub already home to attractions like Warner Bros. World (which is set to receive its own Harry Potter land in the coming years) and Ferrari World.
Developed in partnership with Miral – which will run the park with a licensing deal, similar to Tokyo Disney Resort – the park aims to blend Disney’s storytelling with Emirati cultural elements, featuring themed accommodations, dining, and retail experiences.
30,000 New Jobs Linked to Disneyland Abu Dhabi
According a recent report from Khaleej Times, the new theme park will lead to a surge in job opportunities in the local area.
“More than 30,000 jobs are expected to be created in the construction, operations, and tourism-related service sectors as a result of Disneyland Abu Dhabi,” said Pedro Lacerda, Senior Vice President and Executive Team Member at TASC Group. “It is projected that the park will create more than 20,000 jobs in the retail, transportation, and hospitality sectors in addition to direct employment. The project will open up new business prospects in real estate, logistics, and entertainment industries related to Disneyland’s growth.”
Disneyland Abu Dhabi is expected to generate thousands of jobs across hospitality, entertainment, retail, guest services, food and beverage, and back-of-house roles like HR and finance. Fragomen’s Shayan Sultan told Khaleej Times that many positions will require specialist skills or multiple languages, with Emiratisation targets – a process intended to secure a certain percentage of roles for Emirati citizens within local companies – also likely influencing local hiring. The project may also trigger immigration policy changes to support large-scale international recruitment.
In addition to creative and technical talent—think costume designers, animators, and stage managers—experts expect a growing need for AI professionals. As the park pushes technological boundaries, it will rely on behind-the-scenes infrastructure powered by real-time systems. Roles like prompt engineers and experience designers will help connect physical environments with responsive, AI-driven tools that enhance but don’t replace the human touch of Disney cast members.
Jobs Cut in California
While thousands of job opportunities seem to be on the horizon for those local to Disneyland Abu Dhabi, today saw reports of huge job losses in California.
Disney has enacted another sweeping round of layoffs, marking the latest in a line of layoffs. This time, the cuts hit the company’s television division for the likes of ABC, impacting roles across corporate finance, casting, development, marketing, and publicity.
Most of the affected employees are based in Los Angeles. While Disney hasn’t released an official headcount, insiders confirmed that the layoffs began Monday.
The shake-up reflects a broader industry reckoning, as traditional TV continues to lose ground to streaming. In the past year alone, Disney cut 7,000 jobs to meet CEO Bob Iger’s $7.5 billion cost-reduction target. Disney CEO Bob Iger has, however, pledged new investments in its parks and experiences.
What are your thoughts on the latest moves from Disney?
