SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is an upcoming marine life theme park and animal research, rescue & rehabilitation center that is slated to open in 2023 on

Yas Island Yas Island ( ar, جزيرة ياس) is an island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It occupies a total land area of . It is a popular leisure island and one of the top tourism projects in Abu Dhabi. Yas Island holds the Yas Marina Circuit, w ...

in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

. It will be the first

SeaWorld SeaWorld is an American theme park chain with headquarters in Orlando, Florida. It is a proprietor of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, animal theme parks, and rehabilitation centers owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (one park will be ...

park outside of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

and the first park without

killer whales The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white pat ...

. The Abu Dhabi-based company Miral will be the owner and operator of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi under a license from

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is an American theme park and entertainment company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company is a subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. and owns and operates thirteen recreational destinations in the Unite ...

History

In 2007,

announced a proposed theme park in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

, including a manmade island shaped like an

Orca The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...

hosting Busch Gardens, Aquatica, and

. The project was soon cancelled due to the 2007–2008 financial crisis. On December 13, 2016, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announced a new partnership with Miral to bring SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to

. The park would be situated near the Island's other attractions such as

Ferrari World Ferrari World Abu Dhabi ( ar, عالم فيراري أبوظبي) is a mostly indoors theme park located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is the world’s first Ferrari-themed park and features Formula Rossa Formula Rossa ...

. SeaWorld licensed the brand to Miral who fully funded the project. On October 5, 2020, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announced that SeaWorld Abu Dhabi was "64% finished" and would finish construction in 2022. By September 2022, it was announced that the park was 90% completed and set to open in 2023. Miral announces the opening of Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the first dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return center in the region.

Attractions

Once completed, the park will feature six marine environments that will be home to immersive experiences and interactive exhibits. In addition, the park will host 150 species of marine animals, who will live in environments that replicate their natural habitats.

References

{{SeaWorld Entertainment Amusement parks in the United Arab Emirates Proposed buildings and structures in the United Arab Emirates SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi