30,000 jobs, AI growth: What Disneyland Abu Dhabi means for the UAE

Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be a “major driver of job creation”, generating a broad range of roles, from construction to retail operations, said experts.

“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 & 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 the real estate, logistics, and entertainment industries related to Disneyland’s growth.” 

According to Shayan Sultan, Partner at Fragomen Middle East and North Africa, the theme park will create a “diverse array of jobs”, including in guest services, retail, entertainment, ride operations, food and beverage, hospitality, facilities management, and corporate roles such as HR, finance, and marketing.

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“Many of these roles will require specialist experience or multilingual skills, which may lead employers to source local and global talent,” he said. “A considerable number of jobs would be created for local nationals to comply with the Emiratisation requirements depending on the specific location of Disneyland.”

It was earlier this month that Disneyland announced its first park in the region, in partnership with Miral. It will be located on Yas Island. Although no opening dates have been announced yet, it has been confirmed that Miral will oversee development and operations, while Disney will lead creative design and attraction development. This is different to the usual Disney model of owning and operating its theme parks.

Diverse roles, opportunities

The project is expected to create opportunities for a wide variety of professionals. “To create captivating visitor experiences, the need for artists, actors, costume designers, and animators will be indispensable,” said Pedro. “While creative teams work on creating new rides, characters, and immersive environments, show technicians and stage managers will make sure that performances run smoothly.”

Shayan said the project will require a “strong workforce pipeline with backgrounds in hospitality, live entertainment, technical operations, and customer experience” and that the “massive job creation could shift the local labour market”, increasing competition for talent. This could require changes to the immigration processes as well.

“It may lead to an uptick in demand for long-term employment residence permits, short-term mission visas, and bulk processing solutions, particularly during the initial phase,” he said. “Selecting the most appropriate visa pathways for different types of assignments will be necessary for the timely deployment of international resources for the success of the project.”

Increase in demand for AI professionals

During the launch, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, said the resort would “push the boundaries of theme park design,” showcasing groundbreaking technology. Some experts say this indicates that the park will require more AI professionals.

“Experiential destinations today are designed to be immersive, responsive and seamless, which means they’re increasingly powered by real-time technology behind the scenes,” said Andreas Hassellöf, CEO of Ombori and Phygrid. “While there is clear growth in frontline roles, what’s really accelerating is the demand for AI-enabled infrastructure and the talent to build, monitor, and adapt it.”

He said this will create demand for a “new class” of positions that “haven’t traditionally existed” in theme parks.  “We’re talking about professionals who keep AI systems running behind the scenes, technicians who manage on-the-ground technology in real time, and specialists who design how systems respond to visitor behaviour,” he said. “There’s also growing interest in emerging roles like prompt engineers, who shape how AI communicates with people, and experience designers, who connect technology, space, and behaviour to create more immersive, memorable experiences.”

He added that this automation will not replacing human roles. “Humans enjoy interacting with other humans, especially in leisure settings like amusement parks,” he said. “Friendly staff will always be a cornerstone of the experience, but now they can be empowered with smart tools that help them deliver more personalised, meaningful service.”