The project has taken a new step on August 24, 2026, with a memorandum of understanding between France and Saudi Arabia outlining three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, in the Val-d'Oise, slated for completion by 2032 on the former Mirapolis site in Courdimanche. The first park will focus on the world of manga, with Dragon Ball as its centerpiece, while the other two keep their themes under wraps.
One point still needs securing. Toei Animation, which holds part of the franchise rights, said in late August 2026 that it had not granted any license for the project and was not aware of any. The use of the Dragon Ball universe therefore remains subject to an agreement with the Japanese rights holders. What follows at this stage is purely speculative.
Behind this unprecedented construction site lies Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, which is already building, near Riyadh, the world’s only Dragon Ball theme park. Observing this model suggests what could one day take shape in Île-de-France. Nothing is confirmed yet on the attractions side, but Saudi ambitions are already hinting at serious possibilities.
The choice of territory is no accident: France is the leading manga market outside Japan, and Dragon Ball ranks among the best-selling licenses there. A theme park catering to fans of Japanese pop culture could well be imagined just a few RER stops from Paris.
In Saudi Arabia, the centerpiece is a 70-meter-tall statue of the dragon Shenron, whose framework houses roller coasters. A symbol like this could inspire the French version, even though the park in France is marketed as more modest than its Saudi big brother.
Note that the images of this giant Shenron, which have been widely reused since the announcement, actually depict the Qiddiya park and not a prospective site in Île-de-France, which currently has no official visuals.
The Qiddiya park is recreating seven zones drawn from the seven Dragon Balls, complete with iconic landmarks like the Kame House, the Capsule Corporation, and Beerus’ planet. If the planned Val-d’Oise park follows this blueprint, fans could wander between these legendary locations and follow Goku’s arc—from the early saga all the way to Dragon Ball Super.
The Saudi model unveils more than 30 attractions, including five rides touted as world premieres, along with themed hotels and restaurants. The France version would be smaller in scale, but the ambition remains immense: Emmanuel Macron speaks of a project unseen since Disneyland Paris, while Valérie Pécresse envisions an undertaking on the scale of Disney.
The specifics of the rides remain under wraps, but the park’s layout (seven zones and a Shenron-housing set of roller coasters) points to a few likely directions. One can easily picture an interactive Kamehameha experience, where each visitor charges their own energy wave aboard a shoot-and-launch ride train—an format already proven in leading parks. The famous Capsule Corp would suit a themed drop tower centered on the Doctor Brief’s inventions, for the day’s big vertical thrill.
Another plausible angle consistent with the saga’s universe: a life-size quest for the seven Dragon Balls, a scavenger-hunt linking the different zones, in the spirit of the Dragon Radar. It would let fans move from one set to another, from Kame House to Beerus’s planet. None of this has been confirmed, especially since the license still needs to be secured, but these formats fit current theme-park standards and what Qiddiya has already hinted at.
Patience will be required. According to early information, the opening of the first park is targeted for 2032, with the other two to follow afterward, though no precise timetable has been set. Asked by franceinfo, a park-industry expert notes that a project of this scale typically requires five to six years, which would place the opening around 2030–2031. For reference, six years elapsed between the signing of the deal for Euro Disney (1987) and its opening (1992).
The lingering question that could shape everything remains: the rights. In a statement issued at the end of August 2026, Toei Animation, which holds part of the franchise’s rights, said it had not granted any license for this project and was unaware of it. The studio also noted that the park visuals for Dragon Ball circulating in the press pointed to Qiddiya’s site in Saudi Arabia, not to a future park in France.
This denial does not signal the end of the francilien project, but it shifts its center of gravity. Without the approval of the Japanese rights holders, neither the name, the characters, nor the saga’s universe can be exploited. Negotiations remain possible, and the leisure complex announced in the Val-d'Oise remains on track. The question is whether it will indeed be a Dragon Ball park at the gates of Paris, or a yet-to-be-defined theme park.
To reiterate, what was signed at the end of August 2026 is a memorandum of understanding, not a building permit and not yet a licensing agreement. The exact location of the three parks, the identities of the other two universes, the ride details, and the rights holders’ approval for Dragon Ball still need to be clarified, as does the site access, located about thirty kilometers from Paris. In the meantime, you can review the project in our article on the confirmation of the three parks, or learn what the Dragon Ball park at Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia will look like.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
