The global themed entertainment industry is entering a new phase of expansion, with the Middle East rapidly emerging as one of the most strategically important regions worldwide.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Universal Studios is currently in the early planning and concept design stage for a potential theme park in Saudi Arabia. The report indicates that the project may be supported by Saudi government-backed entities, forming part of a long-term licensing and investment framework.

🔗 Source – The Wall Street Journal
https://www.wsj.com/business/media/universal-studios-plans-theme-park-in-saudi-arabia-1ecdcf06

At this stage, the project remains conceptual. No attractions, ride systems, or intellectual properties have been officially confirmed, and any potential opening is expected to take place in the 2030s, consistent with the long development cycles of destination-scale theme parks.

Entertainment, tourism, and cultural experiences sit at the core of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.

Projects such as Six Flags Qiddiya City, which will feature record-breaking roller coasters and large-scale attractions, demonstrate the scale and ambition behind the Kingdom’s leisure infrastructure investments.

Industry coverage from Blooloop highlights that global operators are increasingly drawn to Saudi Arabia due to a combination of sovereign-backed funding, young demographics, and long-term policy commitment. Within this context, a potential Universal Studios park would likely form part of a broader, integrated entertainment destination, rather than operate as a standalone attraction.

Universal’s reported Saudi Arabia plans closely follow a landmark announcement by The Walt Disney Company, which confirmed the development of its first Middle East Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi.

The project will be located on Yas Island and developed, built, and operated by Miral Group, the same company behind Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, and Yas Waterworld.

Announced in May, the new resort is expected to become Disney’s sixth global destination, with a potential opening timeline around 2030. Disney has emphasized that the park will integrate its iconic storytelling with local culture, coastal geography, and regional architectural identity, reflecting a broader industry shift toward localization rather than replication.

The Middle East is not Universal’s only focus. In parallel, the company has also received approval to develop its first-ever Universal theme park in the United Kingdom, with an anticipated opening around 2031.

Taken together, these projects suggest that Universal is entering a new international expansion cycle, targeting both emerging and mature markets through long-term, high-capital developments supported by local partnerships.

From an industry-wide perspective, several structural trends are becoming increasingly clear:

• Capital is shifting eastward, with Middle Eastern sovereign-backed entities playing a growing role in global entertainment investment

• Asset-light licensing models are now the preferred expansion strategy for global IP owners

• Cultural integration and localization have become strategic requirements, not optional design elements

• Competition is intensifying, as Disney, Universal, Six Flags, and regional operators expand simultaneously

These forces are redefining how large-scale entertainment destinations are financed, designed, and delivered worldwide.

Recent market data confirms that the global attractions and indoor entertainment sector is entering a sustained growth phase.

According to industry research published by Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM, the global theme park and attractions market continues to recover strongly, with long-term growth increasingly driven by emerging regions such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

At the same time, the global indoor playground and family entertainment center (FEC) segment is experiencing faster-than-average growth. Industry analysts estimate that indoor entertainment formats—including indoor playgrounds, interactive play zones, and mixed-use family entertainment spaces—are growing at an annual rate of approximately 8–10%, outperforming many traditional outdoor-only attractions.

This growth is being fueled by several structural factors:

• Climate considerations, particularly in regions such as the Middle East, where indoor attractions provide year-round operability

• Urbanization and mixed-use development, with indoor play integrated into shopping malls, residential complexes, and lifestyle centers

• Changing consumer behavior, as families increasingly seek safe, controlled, and repeat-visit entertainment environments

As large-scale destination projects led by global brands such as Universal Studios and Disney expand into these regions, indoor playgrounds are increasingly positioned as core components rather than supplementary facilities—supporting both visitor dwell time and recurring revenue models.

From the perspective of Dream Garden, a China-based manufacturer and solution provider with over 15 years of experience in indoor playground and themed entertainment projects, the expansion of global entertainment giants into the Middle East reflects a fundamental shift in project expectations.

Rather than focusing purely on scale, new-generation entertainment developments increasingly prioritize customized design, climate-adapted engineering, cultural relevance, and long-term operational sustainability. These requirements are reshaping procurement standards and raising the bar for manufacturers, designers, and project partners across the global supply chain.

Stefan Zhang, CEO of Dream Garden, shares his perspective:

“What we are seeing in the Middle East is not a short-term construction boom, but a long-term redefinition of how themed entertainment projects are planned and delivered.

Global brands such as Universal Studios and Disney are entering the region through carefully structured licensing and partnership models. This places far greater emphasis on design quality, cultural relevance, and operational sustainability.

For manufacturers and project partners, success will depend less on scale alone, and more on the ability to deliver customized, market-specific solutions that can perform reliably over decades.”

Looking beyond large-scale theme parks, Stefan Zhang also outlines how these global developments will influence the indoor playground equipment industry:

“As global entertainment investment accelerates, indoor playgrounds are no longer treated as secondary or supporting facilities. They are increasingly designed as core, revenue-generating experiences within shopping malls, family entertainment centers, theme parks, and mixed-use developments.

The future of indoor playground equipment will be defined by three key factors: customization, durability, and adaptability. Operators are looking for environments that reflect local culture, withstand high foot traffic, and remain flexible as visitor expectations evolve.

From a manufacturing perspective, this means moving beyond standardized products toward integrated, project-specific solutions, where design, safety compliance, climate adaptation, and long-term maintenance are considered from the earliest planning stage.”

Universal Studios’ early-stage planning in Saudi Arabia and Disney’s confirmed Abu Dhabi project are not isolated announcements. Together, they point to a broader realignment in the global entertainment and attractions industry.

The Middle East is no longer an emerging market for theme parks and indoor play facilities.
It is becoming one of the defining regions for future standards in design, quality, and long-term performance.

Global entertainment giants such as Universal Studios and Disney are accelerating expansion into the Middle East, driven by long-term government-backed investment strategies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. According to The Wall Street Journal, Universal Studios is in early-stage planning for a potential Saudi theme park, while Disney has confirmed its first Middle East resort in Abu Dhabi. From an industry perspective, Dream Garden views these developments as a signal of rising demand for culturally localized, climate-adapted, and long-term sustainable entertainment solutions. CEO Stefan Zhang notes that the future of indoor playground equipment will be defined by customization, durability, and adaptability rather than scale alone.