Universal Studios is reportedly setting its sights on the United Kingdom for its next major theme park project. Following the successful launch of their Beijing location and the near completion of the Epic Universe park in Orlando, the entertainment giant is now rumored to be planning a full-scale park in England.

This development comes as intriguing documents surface, revealing land purchases by Universal in the UK. These documents hint at the potential properties and attractions that could be featured in the new park. There's also speculation about the possible opening timeline for this exciting venture.

Comcast's Universal Destinations and Experiences division is looking to expand its reach globally by introducing new theme parks and themed experiences in various locations. This ambition is evident in smaller scale projects like the Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, and Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada, which exemplify the company's strategy for growth.

Despite speculation and discussions on forums and social media about a potential Universal park or experience in Europe, concrete information was scarce. However, recent developments have shed more light on where exactly this expansion might take place.

In the quest to identify the likely site for their next major theme park, it seems that the company has taken a significant step by registering domain names "universalstudiosgreatbritain.com" and "universalgreatbritain.com."

These domain names, along with their British counterparts ending in “.co.uk,” have been registered under NBCUniversal. The same domain registrar that has been used for the web domains of other Universal parks is also associated with these new registrations.

The registration of these URLs took place in September 2023, coincidentally soon after the company reportedly acquired land in the area.

An SEC report published following Comcast's third quarter in October 2023 revealed an expenditure of $271 million, described as being for "the acquisition of land for potential theme park expansion opportunities." While it's not explicitly confirmed that this investment is linked to a park in Great Britain, the timing of these events is intriguing.

Available public documents indicate that in 2023, Comcast completed the acquisition of a construction and development firm, "Cloud Wing UK Limited." Official records confirm that Comcast assumed ownership of the company on August 31, 2023, although the finalization of the transaction occurred later in the fall, with Comcast subsequently listed as having complete control.

Following the acquisition of Cloud Wing, Comcast inherited its land holdings, notably a 240-acre (95-hectare) plot in Bedford, England.

This land, part of the "Kempston Hardwick New Settlement," was previously a brickworks site. Currently designated for agricultural purposes, it has seen various proposed commercial developments over the years, though none have come to fruition.

A Bedford Business Park proposal from 2020 gives us a look at the property outline that Universal may be working within when designing their new theme park. The red outline on this map shows most or all of what we believe to be Comcast’s newly acquired property.

This site in Bedford, which we believe is where Comcast will be building their new Universal Studios Great Britain, is about 46 miles (74 kilometers) north of London.

Even though there are rumors for a Universal Studios Great Britain, and we have found evidence of a land sale, that does not mean that the company will definitely go through with it.

According to circulating rumors, the timeline for this project aims for the completion and opening of a new theme park by 2030. The strategy might involve finalizing Epic Universe before commencing major construction on Universal Great Britain. This approach would allow the company to focus on building one full-scale theme park at a time, effectively distributing the costs over a longer period.

Rumors also say that the new theme park would contain mainly indoor rides and experiences. Similar to Universal Studios Beijing this is to fit in with local weather concerns in mind.

There is also a rumor that this new park is being designed to not open with any cloned attractions from the Universal Orlando Resort. It is assumed this consideration is being made so as to not cannibalize the company’s overseas travel market. 

X user @aalllllyyyyyy - Shared what is believed to be a concept from a presentation about future ventures - Currently, there’s a lot of misinformation and speculation, so take everything you see with a grain of salt.

Would you like to see Universal Studios build a Park in the UK? 

Sources:

Orlando Park Stop  

@aalllllyyyyyy

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