Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[Dinosaurus]

This is only semi-linked to the news about Universal Great Britain, but in nearby Stewartby, the plans for Home of Production have fallen through after the developer pulled out. So that leaves another parcel of land in the area available for development - it's not right next to the 480 acres, but there's enough land for an Endless Summer-style resort a short bus ride away.

 

[Della]

This is only semi-linked to the news about Universal Great Britain, but in nearby Stewartby, the plans for Home of Production have fallen through after the developer pulled out. So that leaves another parcel of land in the area available for development - it's not right next to the 480 acres, but there's enough land for an Endless Summer-style resort a short bus ride away.

I can't find news about this, do you have a link at all?

 

[Dinosaurus]

I can't find news about this, do you have a link at all?

It's in a newsletter from one of the local villages. Check out the second to last paragraph.

 

[ZeroSight]

It was light enough to see the site well from the train this morning. There’s a digger on site now marked at red circle. It could have been there a while - last time I travelled it was dark, but it could be new. View attachment 20741

I saw 2 diggers there in that exact location, actively working, from the train in mid December last year.

 

[bedfordmassive]

Stay tuned for regular digger updates!

 

[yepthatguy]

Stay tuned for regular digger updates!

I found your digger mate. You were right.

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

sees @BBPH's list, gets dumb thought

Hollywood/Studio Central
- Bond Stuntacular
- Lights, Cameras, Action! with Christopher Nolan (Replace Steven with Nolan due to UK association)
- Paddington Dark Ride in the style of Cat in The Hat

Illumination
- Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash (is not a UOR Attraction)
- Super Silly Fun Land from USJ
- Despicable Me/Minions Water Dark Ride, similar to Kung Fu Panda

Pokemon
- Custom Pokemon Land exclusive to UK, with unique attractions and elements separate from whatever is coming to USJ and UOR.

Jurassic World
- Version of Beijing with more shade (perhaps including the mountain more as part of core land design)

Wildcard IP (Be that Potter or LOTR)
-Wildcard suckers

Might as well do my version, mostly prediction-esque with some wishes put in there

Hollywood Boulevard
- It's own Tribute Store, as I feel it's success could see it ported to this new resort
- Light's, Camera, Action (Featuring Spielberg or potentially a different, British Director), a show attraction that's proved successful in numerous Parks and isn't in Orlando

New York
- Bond Dark Ride, KUKA Arm Ride System and would be a big, flashy action ride akin to something like Spider-Man at IOA
- Fast & Furious Coaster, uses same ride system as Hollywood Coaster but is distinctly different
- Paddington Indoor Show, as to provide something for kids

Jurassic World
- Fairly similar to lineup of IOA's Jurassic Park on opening. Anchored by Jurassic World Adventure, and then piecemeal bits to support it
- Camp Jurassic-esque Explorable Area
- Flat Ride or Small Coaster
- Meet & Greet show of some kind similar to Raptor Encounter, but unique
- Take the mountain centerpiece from Beijing and include a climbing attraction like at Adventure Isle in Shanghai Disneyland (This is just a personal wish tbh)

Middle Earth
- Large impressive Ride set within Mt. Doom (Either Dark Ride or Dark Ride Coaster akin to Hagrids)
- Some kind of Show

WaterWorld
- Because I think it would be really funny if WW continues to be at every Resort except for Orlando

Animated Kids IP Land (Minions/Illumination, Spongebob, etc)
- Medium Size Dark Ride, similar in scope to Off The Leash or Sesame Street Dark Ride at Universal Singapore
- 2 or 3 Flat Rides
- Soft Play Area

Video Game IP Interactive Land (Pokemon, Nintendo IP that isn't Mario, etc)
- Large Dark Ride
- Physical Interactive Games akin to Power-Up Band games
- Another Supporting Attraction, either a show or smaller ride

 

[BBPH]

I honestly have no idea on who holds the rights but worth remembering we have a Nickelodeon Land at Blackpool.

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

True, but also in America, considering stuff like Circus Circus's new Spongebob Dark Ride, Nickelodeon Universe in Mall of America, AND Spongebob Storepants at Universal and the upcoming Spongebob Area at Universal Kids, that all leads me to believe that Nickelodeon don't give exclusive Park rights to any one party when giving them out, so it seems like something like a Spongebob land would be eligible

 

[Jamesh22]

True, but also in America, considering stuff like Circus Circus's new Spongebob Dark Ride, Nickelodeon Universe in Mall of America, AND Spongebob Storepants at Universal and the upcoming Spongebob Area at Universal Kids, that all leads me to believe that Nickelodeon don't give exclusive Park rights to any one party when giving them out, so it seems like something like a Spongebob land would be eligible

Not necessarily. The UK is approx 1.7 times the size of Florida so wouldn't be surprising to see rights covering the whole country.

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

Looked into this and a few years ago, an indoor Nickelodeon Park thingy opened in Essex, so it does seem like the Thompson Family (Who own Pleasure Beach Blackpool) don't own the exclusive Park rights in the UK. It's not exactly a Theme Park, per say, but it's in the same kind of ballpark that something like that would be under

New indoor play experience Nickelodeon Adventure opens its doors at intu Lakeside leisure development - Park World Online - Theme Park, Amusement Park and Attractions Industry News

Saturday 15th February, saw the official opening of children’s indoor adventure experience Nickelodeon Adventure, within a new leisure development at intu Lakeside, Thurrock, Essex.

parkworld-online.com

 

[Altonsky]

I honestly have no idea on who holds the rights but worth remembering we have a Nickelodeon Land at Blackpool.

For now. The way Blackpool Pleasure beach is being run into the ground I can’t see it being open come 2030.

 

[BBPH]

For the time being, I consider Potter, DreamWorks & Nickelodeon to be off the table.

Would like the DreamWorks part to change however.

 

[Wesker69]

For now. The way Blackpool Pleasure beach is being run into the ground I can’t see it being open come 2030.

That's sad to hear. I remember it always being featured on Travel Channel, back when they had multiple theme park, water park, ride specials.

 

[Altonsky]

That's sad to hear. I remember it always being featured on Travel Channel, back when they had multiple theme park, water park, ride specials.

It is! But until there’s a change of owner it’s just going to keep getting worse and worse unfortunately.

 

[yepthatguy]

The next section of East-West Rail has been approved by the UK Gov.

“Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said works would be accelerated to allow services from Oxford to Bedford to run by 2030.”

Next stretch of East West Rail line approved in Budget

Accelerated work should allow services to run between Oxford and Bedford by the end of the decade.

www.bbc.co.uk

By “Bedford” I think they possibly mean Kempston Hardwick Station?

 

[bedfordmassive]

Good news.

I think they mean the main Bedford Station - there has been a long running dispute about the rail line going through Bedford (entering from the south and leaving from the north of Bedford) and bypassing Bedford to the south. The former is clearly preferable for connectivity, but there’s some nice villages to the north. I believe the mayor owns a farm to the north which is entirely coincidental to his desire for the rail route to bypass to the south (with a new “Bedford Parkway” station I’d guess near Wixams).

Kempston Hardwick will, under the current plans (which look pretty final) be a stop before the train line heads into Bedford via Bedford St John’s and the main Bedford Station.

This is the phase they’re talking about - the next phase then covers widening the lines to the north of the main station and building the new line to Cambridge.

 

[yepthatguy]

Good news.

I think they mean the main Bedford Station - there has been a long running dispute about the rail line going through Bedford (entering from the south and leaving from the north of Bedford) and bypassing Bedford to the south. The former is clearly preferable for connectivity, but there’s some nice villages to the north. I believe the mayor owns a farm to the north which is entirely coincidental to his desire for the rail route to bypass to the south (with a new “Bedford Parkway” station I’d guess near Wixams).

Kempston Hardwick will, under the current plans (which look pretty final) be a stop before the train line heads into Bedford via Bedford St John’s and the main Bedford Station.

This is the phase they’re talking about - the next phase then covers widening the lines to the north of the main station and building the new line to Cambridge.

Nice one, that explains the homes that need to sadly be knocked down near Bedford station. Cheers for the info.

I’ve just noticed my digger picture didn’t upload.

My friend who lives on Hansons Reach in Stewartby sent it. He said he took the dog for a walk behind the house opposite on the bridle path and there was a big orange digger, and also some sort of excavator that separates material. He said the digger was on top of a massive pile of crushed concrete the type that he uses at work in use for roads driveways etc, and a few signs saying “Heavy traffic crossing footpath”. And a load of old “Kerbs” that he said had probably been there a while.

 

[Chessy]

I wonder if they could have a dedicated train service running from London up to whichever station will serve UGB?

If they are to heavily redesign a station for capacity purposes, for the resort I’m guessing they’d call it Universal Great Britain Station. Similar to how Disneyland Paris has its own station.

 

[bedfordmassive]

I wonder if they could have a dedicated train service running from London up to whichever station will serve UGB?

If they are to heavily redesign a station for capacity purposes, for the resort I’m guessing they’d call it Universal Great Britain Station. Similar to how Disneyland Paris has its own station.

That would be to the proposed new Wixams station which is on the London main line - few hundred metres from site. Likely it would be a Thameslink fast service - would probably go into central London via Gatwick, then would stop at Luton Airport after leaving St Pancras i
to pick up Europeans, then stop at Luton before Wixams and Bedford.