Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[tielo]

On the topic of TLOTR has anyone heard any rumours surrounding the reason it is suddenly close to happening and specifically in this location? (just heard a pretty compelling rumour from someone close to the Tolkein estate).

That is interesting especially when the Embracer Group owns the THEME PARK rights, not the Tolkien estate....

 

[FBarnhill]

On the topic of TLOTR has anyone heard any rumours surrounding the reason it is suddenly close to happening and specifically in this location? (just heard a pretty compelling rumour from someone close to the Tolkein estate).

That's pointless to ask. Chris Tolkien hated theme parks and has always refused to sign off on LOTR attractions. He's that much protective of the rights.

Don't forget, he's always been bitter (understandably) that something his father made specifically for him was packaged and sold like Remember Me from Coco.

 

[tommyhawkins]

Just putting this into the world, I may be wrong but I have receipts, I am saying the green coaster is Jurassic World, will probably feature the Aviary, and is probably a B&M Hyper

That is fabulous Tommy, excellent work! Thank you for doing it, and for sharing it.

The expansion pad space behind Paddington is particularly interesting to me, because when I was zoomed far too far into the concept art yesterday I thought it felt like there were some very square lines "almost there" if you know what I mean, like they'd been erased from the art, as the tree fill there feels different to elsewhere on the map. So maybe a dark ride show building is behind the London facade, or was at some point anyway.

I felt like they start with the Frisco style mini land, but then build a nice E-ticket in phase 2?

Where could any future second gate go? The patch of land north of manor road?

It's my belief a second park would be a smaller Frisco style kiddie park, something to rival lego land, they have a mixed use allocation up there they could build a few resort hotels and maybe a 50-60acre park, alternatively they build a waterpark there like Europa has.

There are plenty of other parts of the UK and France that arent London or Paris.

The population of the UK and France are around the same. Have to factor in the fact this will be an english speaking park which will attract more visitors than if it was french speaking park.

On the topic of TLOTR has anyone heard any rumours surrounding the reason it is suddenly close to happening and specifically in this location? (just heard a pretty compelling rumour from someone close to the Tolkein estate).

London gets 22 Million visitors per year. 2 Million people visit WB Studios Tour each year. it's been put close enough to London that a 35min train journey is going to be very appealing for tourists spending a week in London.
Theres an estimated 124Million people in a 300mile radius of the park, so as far as Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Brussels these sorts of trips are easy, I am about to go fly 400 Miles just to go Europa Park, for example.

 

[rob@rar]

That's pointless to ask. Chris Tolkien hated theme parks and has always refused to sign off on LOTR attractions. He's that much protective of the rights.

Don't forget, he's always been bitter (understandably) that something his father made specifically for him was packaged and sold like Remember Me from Coco.

Christopher Tolkien died five years ago. Since then much of the rights to Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit have changed hands, from Saul Zaentz Co to Embracer Group. It’s arguable that the Tolkien Estate haven’t had control of JRR’s most famous works since he sold them to United Artists in 1968.

This is what Embracer Group stated that they bought in 2022.

 

[Freak]

I know they specifically said “No attractions from UOR will be present”, but do you think they will make an exception for Minion Mayhem? With Minions present there, literally every other Universal park has one, it’s small and cost effective, and no one is gonna book their trip to UOR to see that ride, do you think they might as well include it?

With that said, the Brits are going to have a fantastic park. I am for SURE flying out to see this when it opens! This will bring some much needed competition to the UK landscape of theme parks.

 

[BBPH]

I know they specifically said “No attractions from UOR will be present”, but do you think they will make an exception for Minion Mayhem? With Minions present there, literally every other Universal park has one, it’s small and cost effective, and no one is gonna book their trip to UOR to see that ride, do you think they might as well include it?

With that said, the Brits are going to have a fantastic park. I am for SURE flying out to see this when it opens! This will bring some much needed competition to the UK landscape of theme parks.

I thinks it’s safe to assume that’s a fair clone, nobody is travelling to Orlando for MM.

I’m holding out hope we get SLOP also.

 

[Alicia]

I know they specifically said “No attractions from UOR will be present”

that's the thing about rumors though, they're not official info...

who knows what's really true when it comes to that topic!

 

[EllieB]

I know they specifically said “No attractions from UOR will be present”, but do you think they will make an exception for Minion Mayhem? With Minions present there, literally every other Universal park has one, it’s small and cost effective, and no one is gonna book their trip to UOR to see that ride, do you think they might as well include it?

With that said, the Brits are going to have a fantastic park. I am for SURE flying out to see this when it opens! This will bring some much needed competition to the UK landscape of theme parks.

If we're going to get a version of a minions ride that's in Florida, I'd rather we got a version of VillainCon Minion Blast. I love a blaster attraction! And it could be possible to have an attraction that isn't the same as Florida's but can cost effectively reuse tech and plans from there.

 

[BBPH]

If we're going to get a version of a minions ride that's in Florida, I'd rather we got a version of VillainCon Minion Blast. I love a blaster attraction! And it could be possible to have an attraction that isn't the same as Florida's but can cost effectively reuse tech and plans from there.

I know where I want my shooter attraction.

 

[JT01]

I would be disappointed if we got minion mayhem, everyone complains how lackluster the ride system is. i'm surprised it's still being rolled out to all the parks as we all know Universal can do much much better attractions than this.

 

[Ludus]

Please no shooter rides, I've never done that that doesn't feel like just an arcade game and ruins the immersion. Controversial opinion I know.

 

[BBPH]

Please no shooter rides, I've never done that that doesn't feel like just an arcade game and ruins the immersion. Controversial opinion I know.

MIB?

 

[tommyhawkins]

If we're going to get a version of a minions ride that's in Florida, I'd rather we got a version of VillainCon Minion Blast. I love a blaster attraction! And it could be possible to have an attraction that isn't the same as Florida's but can cost effectively reuse tech and plans from there.

Secret life of pets comfortably fits inside the Beijing Minion building with room to spare for something else or inside(warm) queue system

 

[EllieB]

Secret life of pets comfortably fits inside the Beijing Minion building with room to spare for something else or inside(warm) queue system

As a Brit we'll stand outside and queue in any weather, but that notwithstanding a warm indoor queue sounds lovely, haha.

I will take any blaster ride going, though I do think there's great potential for a "help Q test his new tech" Bond-themed shooting experience.

 

[DrStarlander]

Well, I guess it's too late for this idea. But anyway...given that Bedford is so close to the Silverstone circuit and Milton Keynes, a Formula 1 themed racing attraction would have been really cool. I don't know about British fans, but I know a lot of American fans that would go to Universal UK specifically if there was an F1 experience who otherwise are not interested in theme parks or the Universal movies, etc. That's how rabid they are about F1.

I can imagine a high-speed ride similar to Radiator Springs Racers, perhaps with three tracks and Bobsled-style seating.

Maybe it's themed after Monaco with a yacht bar docked on the main lake (you know, for champagne of course) and a hillside backdrop of forced-perspective buildings.

I'd like a vintage 1960s feel but I'm always in favor of vintage/mid-century anything.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

that's the thing about rumors though, they're not official info...

who knows what's really true when it comes to that topic!

I was just about to ask whether they confirmed that or if people are mixing up what's a rumor and what's official. Because right now, the only official thing is "park in 2031".

 

[tommyhawkins]

As a Brit we'll stand outside and queue in any weather, but that notwithstanding a warm indoor queue sounds lovely, haha.

I will take any blaster ride going, though I do think there's great potential for a "help Q test his new tech" Bond-themed shooting experience.

Ellie babe, im not built for my own British weather, i need back sweat inducing heat when im in theme parks.

What about if the park opens with the Bond Stunt show and then that expansion pad behind is what it expands with

 

[FBarnhill]

I get them not wanting to do Harry Porter again. They already have the WB set. That's more immersive than anything Universal could ever hope for.

 

[imagineer89]

RE: Paddington being mentioned for the land at 7 o’clock — is there a snowball’s chance in hell that it could be Munchkinland from Wicked? The curvy style of road right in front of the show building seems Yellow Brick-ish and the spinner ride looks like tulips to me. The only element that makes me think “Paddington” is the thing that looks like a giant marmalade jar in the playground area. My eyes hurt from squinting at this concept art!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I do have to say, from the concept art, this is my favorite studio park entrance concept. It's a throwback of style but with modern amenities and theme park design. Also yay water features.