Warner Bros. World, Ferrari World to Return Next Week

These parks are on my to-visit list for sometime in the future. I wonder if a Disney or Universal park would be welcomed by the current theme parks in the UAE. Sure its competition but they're such established names in the theme park industry that they can bring in more visitors to the area which will increase attendance for these parks and the ones in Dubai even. Just a thought.

The reason these companies have agreed to these parks is because they are getting sweetheart deals from developers, I don't think any company would actually build a park in the UAE if they were operating it with their own money on the line. Both Universal (pre-Harry Potter success) and Six Flags have been burned in the UAE (Six Flags twice lol), Sea World appears to actually be happening.

I'll just say there is a reason the companies that agree to these deals are the second rate, Six Flags and Sea World are desperate for money and will make deals with anyone if they think they can make a dollar (see the recent debacle of the Six Flags China parks which was entirely predictable and par for the course). Warner Bros, other than DC, is mostly IP that has been dead for a long time. If some idiot will pay for way past its prime IP like the Flinstones they will be happy to cash that check.

I know Disney has been approached and they basically say "hell no" ... until something changes I don't think Disney wants their brand wants to be associated with anything in the middle east. Bob Iger said the prince of Saudi Arabia has offered him a huge sweetheart deal to build a Disneyland there and...well that's not going to happen. Remember these companies in the entertainment business have a lot of gay people and women not only as employees but also as executives, they wouldn't even be allowed to legally go there (I am sure there is a general understanding in Dubai that certain things are let to slide for international investment...but if I were gay I sure as hell wouldn't risk it).

Of course they would welcome a Disney or Universal park. Building everything as big as possible and buying the most prestigious brands/expertice to do so is pretty much their businessplan. It worked out up to a point. They did go far beyond that point multible times aswell. Some of it is private money, the big stuff like the airports, worlds highest building or the theme parks are pretty much government projects for tourism development. They also love to anounce even bigger plans than the ones they go through with. Dubais dream is to have a Theme Park resort with Orlando like dimensions where all big operators that are willing to do so run their own department. They sure asked Disney and Universal multible times, offering them very generous conditions. But not just them, it is public knowledge they asked Europapark for example and at some point even Six Flags. The princple is not new - they also paid big money to have transplants of prestigious universities. Abu Dhabi which is swimming in oil money anyway - Dubai has far less of that is in all likelyhood even willing to run substancial losses on the long run just to keep up with the poorer neigbhour in international recognition.

At least regarding Disney i don´t see how that could possibly work out. Those magic kingdom type parks need an insane number of visitors with high per capita spending to be remotely close to profitabiltiy. Maybe Dubai would be happy to slap the name Disney onto a much smaller park than anyting Disney is running now, Disney sure will allow that kind of brand dillution

Hmmm....do i go to the Middle East where they may randomly think I’m gay and tell me off, or do I go to the USA where I may get shot up because I’m black?

You should try both and see what happens. Go to the USA as a black person, then go to one of those Muslim theocracies and be openly gay, and let me know which one works out better for you.

There are huge differences among middle eastern countries. Dubai is relativly liberal which is part of its local tourism appeal. Still sure no nice place to live. Either way, political risk for western tourists should be a non issue in practical terms. More akin to the someone dies on a roler coaster type stories which do happen, but are less likely than getting killed by lightning.

I’m happy to try different places and experiences with an open mind. All places have their negative aspects but generalizing and making sweeping statements about something is just plain ignorance, especially if you haven’t experienced it yourself.