Shares of the company rose nearly 10% in early trading as it posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.45 for the January-to-March quarter.

Disney's new theme park will be located on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, about 8,400 miles away from Anaheim, California – the site of the first Disneyland that opened in 1955. "You start thinking about what is possible, actually envisioning a castle rising up in this case from the sand and also being on the water," Iger said.