Disneyland Abu Dhabi could become a growth engine for the company in the region. It could also expose Disney and its vaunted brand to criticism.

Mickey Mouse is headed to the Middle East.

In a new test for its singularly American brand, the Walt Disney Company said on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with the Miral Group, an arm of the Abu Dhabi government, to build a theme park resort on the Persian Gulf. The property, the seventh in Disney’s global portfolio, will have a castle and modernized versions of some classic Disney rides, along with new attractions tailored to the climate and local culture.

“It’s not just about ‘If you build it, they will come,’” Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said in brief phone interview from Abu Dhabi. “You have to build it right. And quality means not just scale, but quality and ambition. We are planning to be

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