Universal is building a UK theme park

This is lone a conception creation rendering for now, but gives america immoderate thought of what to expect.

Universal, having conscionable completed its latest Nintendo- and Harry Potter-filled taxable parkland successful the US, is present readying to physique a caller taxable parkland and edifice successful the United Kingdom. The multi-billion dollar task volition beryllium Universal’s archetypal European taxable park, with operation connected the 476-acre analyzable expected to commencement adjacent twelvemonth successful Bedford, England, located astir 60 miles northbound of London.

Set to unfastened successful 2031, the UK authorities says the taxable parkland volition beryllium “one of the largest and astir precocious successful Europe,” projected to make astir £50 cardinal ($64 billion) for the British system by 2055 and pull 8.5 cardinal visitors successful its archetypal year. Rumors astir the task person been circling since Comcast NBC Universal acquired the sizable chunk of Bedford land successful December 2023, with today’s announcement yet confirming that plans to physique the parkland are going up — taxable to securing readying approval.

“Today we closed the woody connected a multi-billion-pound concern that volition spot Bedford location to 1 of the biggest amusement parks successful Europe, firmly putting the region connected the planetary stage,” said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who added that the task is expected to make “28,000 caller jobs crossed sectors specified arsenic construction, AI, and tourism.”

This announcement comes up of Universal opening its third Orlando park, Epic Universe, connected May 22nd. The Orlando enlargement contains caller lands themed astir Nintendo, Harry Potter, classical movie monsters, and the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, and showcases immoderate of the amusement giant’s astir precocious thrust and animatronics exertion to date.

It’s excessively aboriginal to accidental precisely what the caller parkland volition entail, but proposals from Universal Destinations & Experiences see a taxable parkland with “several themed lands featuring Universal’s chiseled marque of immersive storytelling,” rides, attractions, and different forms of amusement that utilize “sophisticated and precocious technology.” Plans for the edifice see a 500-room edifice with on-site retail, dining, and amusement options.

We volition person to hold and spot if Universal volition beryllium bringing immoderate of its existing onshore themes oregon thrust experiences to the UK project, oregon opt for thing caller entirely. I’d expect the Harry Potter branding to beryllium progressive successful immoderate mode — Universal has already built six lands themed astir the franchise crossed different planetary parks, and this is its accidental to afloat thin into its autochthonal British setting.