{
  "id": 1671850,
  "title": "Disney showcases Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn during D23 convention",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/disney-showcases-al-ain-oasis-and-qasr-al-hosn-during-d23-convention-1671850",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-18T07:58:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/2026/08/18/disney-showcases-al-ain-oasis-and-qasr-al-hosn-during-d23-fan-event/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At Disney's annual D23 convention, footage was shared of the company's team visiting Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn, potential inspirations for their upcoming theme park in Abu Dhabi. The exact dates of these visits remain unclear, but they highlight Disney's interest in UAE's culture, heritage and architecture. Disney CEO Bob Iger described the planned park as \"authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.\" Imagineers, the creative and technical designers behind Disney theme parks, were shown exploring Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn. Al Ain Oasis, a sprawling 1,200 hectare site with over 147,000 date palms, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest surviving building in Abu Dhabi, dates back to the 1790s and served as the seat of government for the ruling Al Nahyan family. The footage displayed at the Imagineering pavilion in California offers a glimpse into Disney's approach to designing their first theme park in the Middle East, which is set to blend contemporary architecture and cutting-edge technology with UAE's culture and character. The resort, to be developed by Miral, will join other Disney attractions on Yas Island.",
  "summary": "Footage of the Disney team visiting Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn was shared this weekend at Disney's annual D23 convention. Although it is not clear when the visits took place, they point to potential research into the culture, heritage and architecture of the UAE for the company's planned theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi. Disney has not said that either landmark will directly inspire an…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Disney showcases Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn during D23 convention",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/disney-showcases-al-ain-oasis-and-qasr-al-hosn-during-d23-convention",
        "published": "2026-08-18T07:58:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}