Disney is using AI-powered digital twins to design and stress-test the attractions planned for Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the company said in its quarterly shareholder letter. Published alongside Disney’s Q3 earnings on 5 August, the letter is the first time Disney has said the Abu Dhabi park is being developed with these tools.
The tools sit alongside J.A.R.V.I.S., an internal AI system Disney made available to more than 2,000 Imagineers earlier this year. The letter says it gives them instant access to over 70 years of institutional knowledge — the accumulated archive of a design studio that has built parks since 1952.
The name is borrowed from Iron Man; Disney owns Marvel, so the acronym was already in the building. The tool grew out of Disney’s OpenAI partnership — Business Insider reported in December that staff were testing an internal chatbot, with a more powerful tool then codenamed Jarvis.
D’Amaro’s letter puts the Abu Dhabi work in one sentence:
We’re using AI-powered digital twins and simulation tools to design and stress-test new attractions, including leveraging these tools for the Abu Dhabi park.
A digital twin is the attraction modelled in software — layout, systems and failure modes — so it can be stress-tested before the concrete is poured. The park remains in the planning stages. Disney has not said which attractions have been through the process, or how far along that testing is.
What else is Disney using AI for?
On the earnings call, D’Amaro said the tools let Imagineers design “more ambitious, more exciting experiences” for guests — a lot faster than before. The same letter outlines two other fronts: AI to simplify booking and trip planning for guests, and AI-assisted tools for cast members serving guests. Disney’s research labs are also working on next-generation robots designed to interact with guests “in personal and emotional ways, not just functional ones”.
What does this mean for Disneyland Abu Dhabi?
For UAE readers, it is the first concrete detail of how the park’s rides are being developed. Disneyland Abu Dhabi was announced in May 2025 as Disney’s seventh resort and first in the Middle East. Miral is funding, building and operating it on Yas Island, with Disney overseeing the creative side; Bob Iger has described the park as “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati”.
No opening date has been announced. The closest look at the site so far is the Worldbuilders documentary, which includes footage of the Yas Island site and lands on Disney+ UAE on 20 August. Yas Island’s other marquee project, the Sphere, is due in 2029.
When will Disneyland Abu Dhabi open?
No opening date has been announced. Disney says the park is still in the planning stages — the digital-twin work described in the shareholder letter happens before construction begins.
How much will Disneyland Abu Dhabi tickets cost?
Tickets are not on sale and no prices have been announced. The park has no opening date and is still being designed.
Where is Disneyland Abu Dhabi?
On Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the entertainment district already home to Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.
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