The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is no stranger to breaking world records. Home to the world’s largest mall, tallest tower, and biggest water park, the UAE has long set the bar for grandeur and innovation. So when Disney announced last week that its first-ever theme park in the Middle East would be on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, it was almost inevitable that new records would be shattered — and quickly.
Less than 12 hours after Disney dropped the bombshell news, it had already broken one of the region’s most prestigious records. The UAE has become captivated by drone shows over the past decade, especially since night falls early in the region, making evening entertainment a highlight. Unlike traditional fireworks, drone shows are modern, high-tech, and environmentally friendly — adding a new kind of magic to celebrations.
Drone light shows are still a relatively new form of entertainment. The first public drone display took place in 2012, with a modest 49 drones dancing above a festival in Linz, Austria. For several years, the technology remained niche until 2015, when Intel flew 100 drones in a German airfield, setting a new world record that caught the attention of the UAE.
As the UAE’s economy transitioned from oil and gas to tourism, spectacular drone shows became a natural fit for promoting its world-class resorts, museums, malls, and theme parks. Breaking records in drone performances became a strategy to attract global attention, especially as competition intensified both within the Emirates and internationally.
Initially, the key to setting records was simply to increase the number of drones in the sky. But as rivals competed to outdo each other, the bar was raised. Unique achievements like Ras Al Khaimah’s largest aerial seashell image and Abu Dhabi’s record for the most fireworks passed through a drone ring have added flair to the UAE’s display portfolio.
But Disney’s announcement took things to a whole new level.
The afternoon press conference unveiling the park was followed by a dazzling nighttime son et lumière event that rivaled any Hollywood premiere. Celebrities such as Naomi Campbell and Ed Westwick witnessed a magical performance featuring superstar pianist Lang Lang accompanied by a 107-piece orchestra and a 100-voice choir on a pontoon in the Arabian Gulf. Grammy Award-winning conductor Steve Sidwell led the ensemble as renowned vocalists including Kerry Ellis and Sonya Balsara performed beloved Disney songs.
Behind them, lasers and fountains danced in time with the music, culminating in Yas Island’s largest-ever fireworks display paired with an unprecedented drone show.
More than 9,000 drones created a flawless 650-meter-wide replica of Cinderella Castle from Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando — a masterpiece visible from up to 5 kilometers away. The level of detail was astonishing, capturing every tower and turret perfectly. At the show’s climax, drones formed an arc mimicking a shooting star before transforming into the crystalline centerpiece of the forthcoming Abu Dhabi park.
“Disney Abu Dhabi is not yet one day old, and already it has staged one of Disney’s all-time best nighttime spectaculars,” said Robert Niles, editor of ThemeparkInsider.
The event was helmed by Disneyland Paris show director Arnaud Feredj, known for the award-winning “Mickey and the Magician” show. He collaborated with Disney Live Entertainment veterans Matt Almos and Andrew Brothers, plus Omar Kamal from Disney’s Cirque du Soleil show in Orlando.
Though Disneyland Paris pioneered drone shows among Disney parks, their current nightly show features only a fraction of the drones used in Abu Dhabi — about ten times fewer.
Dubai-based HQ Worldwide Shows (HQWS) managed the grand event. HQWS is a leading organizer of high-profile Middle Eastern events, from state visits to WWE matches and theme park openings. The Yas Island parks, including the new Disney park, are owned and operated by Miral, a government-backed developer, which contracted HQWS to coordinate the announcement show.
For the drone display, HQWS partnered with Lumasky Drone Show — a cutting-edge drone display company with over 200 shows worldwide for major brands like McDonald’s, Nike, and Samsung, and multiple Guinness World Records to its name.
Lumasky builds its own drones and software, giving it complete control over design and animation capabilities. This enables unparalleled creativity, such as projecting scannable QR codes in the sky or creating interactive drone “screens” where audiences can play games.
Their drones are the brightest in the Middle East, each emitting 3,200 lumens of light. Despite their experience, the Disney Abu Dhabi show pushed Lumasky’s team to its limits due to tight deadlines and the need for perfect synchronization with live music.
The team worked around the clock for a week to perfect frame-accurate animations and make final adjustments after live tests. To avoid public leaks, test flights were conducted late at night or with lights off, with performance evaluated through detailed drone logs.
Remarkably, the core creative team consisted of just three animators, a director, and a creative director — all following a strict script to create the flawless show that dazzled audiences.
