Disney CEO Bob Iger took to Instagram on Sunday to share a pair of photos that he clearly hopes will be for the history books. Both images show Iger from a distance, first on a beach and then at sunset against a backdrop of sand and power lines, as he strolls through the future site of Disneyland Abu Dhabi.
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He captioned his post, “Walking the site of what will one day be Disneyland Abu Dhabi! Lots of work ahead, but all very exciting!” How much of that work he will personally oversee remains unclear, as Iger is expected to step down in 2027. But Iger appears eager to solidify this moment as part of his legacy.
Licensing a Legacy
Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney Experiences, has said that the project could take one to two years to design, and another six years to build. An official opening date has not been announced, but the company hopes it will happen sometime in the early 2030s. By that point, Disney will almost certainly be under new leadership—possibly D’Amaro’s.
Concept art for the new Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi – Disney
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When the project was announced last May, Iger said Disneyland Abu Dhabi “will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways.”
However, as was reported at the time, Disney Imagineers will only oversee creative direction. Miral, the entertainment firm behind Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, will fully fund the construction. Critics noted that for Disney the arrangement is simply a licensing of the brand, and not a true expansion of Walt’s vision.
Image vs. Execution
Iger’s Disneyland Abu Dhabi scouting trip and photo op seems to intentionally echo pictures of Walt and Roy Disney working on Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the 1950s and 60s. It may be an ironic coincidence that Iger made his post the same weekend that Disneyland: Handcrafted, a documentary on the building of the theme park, was released on YouTube and Disney+.
Walt Disney in Disneyland: Handcrafted – Disney, YouTube
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The film was directed by Leslie Iwerks, whose grandfather, Ub, was an early Disney animator and co-creator of Mickey Mouse. Through recorded interviews and never-before-seen footage, the documentary showcases how involved the Disney brothers were in the process of bringing Disneyland to life. Ruth Shellhorn, a landscape architect, recalled an art directors’ meeting, where Roy said, “Don’t ever bother [Walt] with a problem. If you have a problem, come to us. Let him dream.”
Roy Disney in Disneyland: Handcrafted – Disney, YouTube
Disneyland Abu Dhabi is being built and paid for by an outside company. It will likely begin construction and have its grand opening after Iger’s retirement. It will succeed or fail under another’s leadership. Ultimately, Iger’s main contribution was negotiating the deal and walking the property. Walt Disney, by contrast, was involved in everything from land acquisition and layout to storytelling and day-to-day problem solving
Whether or not his Instagram post is memorialized in documentaries and history books remains to be seen. Like Walt, Iger understands the power of an image. In the age of social media and corporate storytelling, a single carefully framed image can substitute for years of hands-on involvement. What matters more, however, is what Walt embodied: vision, creativity, and the resolve to see it through.
What do you think of Bob Iger’s Disneyland Abu Dhabi photo op? Let us know in the comments!
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He loves to film himself, waist up, patting hisself on the back. Meanwhile, off camera, he’s pissing all over the mouse and the rest of us in contempt. Fuck bob iger where he breathes.
He’ll break his arm if he pats himself any harder.
Normally when I say I “hate” someone it means, based on the information I know, this person seems like someone I wouldn’t want to associate with, not real hate. How can you hate people you have never met or gotten to know?
But there are a special few that I hate+hate, meaning I dislike them to the extent I wish ill upon them. I know, not very Christian, but it seems like some people are an extension of the devil which makes me feel better about the anger/hate I have for them. Iger is one that I don’t just hate but I hate+hate.
You perfectly encapsulated my feelings, as well, one of Vallor.
I hope he gets Abu Dhabi AIDS.