Universal is determined to overshadow Disney. The entertainment giant is already revolutionizing the theme park industry with the opening of Epic Universe in Florida, but this feat isn't stopping it from tackling another equally ambitious project. Today is a big day for theme park aficionados. Across Europe: Universal formalizes the construction of its first tourist destination on our continent. And it will only take a few hours to get there directly from France, enough to compete with Disneyland Paris. First mentioned in 2023, the Universal Studios Great Britain park has finally received the green light from local authorities to fully launch its development.
The news was confirmed by the British Prime Minister last night. The initial stages of the project remain unchanged and the first Universal Studios park in Europe will therefore open its doors in Bedford, north of London. This impressive complex of almost 200 hectares will soon be rise from the ground: work is scheduled to begin next year, with an inauguration planned for 2031.
Between two and four hours from France
Universal is thinking big and estimates that 8.5 million visitors will visit the park during the first year of opening. To achieve this goal, the entertainment giant has left nothing to chance. The park will be accompanied by a first 500-room hotel, as well as a retail area similar to Universal CityWalk in Hollywood. No doubt tourists will want to flock there, but how will they get there?
In addition to being served by a major road, the resort will also be surrounded by two railway lines, the Marston Vale Line and the Thameslink. The latter will be the most important, as it connects central London to the town of Bedford, and will certainly receive an additional stop closest to the park. Arriving in London by Eurostar, it will only take an hour to reach Bedford from St. Pancras station. Better still, visitors who choose to land at London Luton Airport will only have a 20-minute journey to reach the theme park.
Purposefully vague concept art
Unsurprisingly, the announcement was accompanied by a first visual of the park, but it is far from unanimous. The image gives an idea of the park's layout, but it is still difficult to recognize the franchises represented. For now, only the Jurassic World, Back to the Future, and Minions lands, as well as the Waterworld show, seem to be confirmed. Rumors and theories suggest that Shrek and Paddington are also part of the project. For our part, we imagine that the green coaster in the upper part of the concept art could well be a Wicked: Defying Gravity Coaster. But it is above all the absence of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World that is the subject of debate.
The absence of the wizard at The lack of glasses on his homeland could be explained by copyright concerns, as well as a desire to respect the presence of Warner Bros Studios London. Some also mention the importance of British visitors to the parks across the Atlantic, who would no longer have any interest in making the trip if the Harry Potter land were present at home. But let's remember that these first glimpses are only temporary, and could differ greatly from the final result. Indeed, the final authorizations must still be granted and modifications are certainly to be expected. The final concept art for Universal Beijing Resort had almost nothing to do with the original drawings, which also lacked Harry Potter and other major franchises. It's not a done deal yet, so all that's left is to wait.
0 Comments