In late 2023, Universal Comcast announced that land had been purchased in England, which Theme Park Shark previously covered [here]. Still in the early stages of development and approval with the UK government, no official use for this land was given while approval was still pending. However, due to the size of the plot purchased, rumors began to fly almost immediately in theme park news circles about the potential for a UK park that would be added to Universal’s already impressive portfolio of parks worldwide.
Patience has finally paid off, as Universal Comcast announced earlier this week that plans for a new park in Bedford, England – where the company had purchased the plot last year – were finally able to be revealed.
As the very first Universal-branded theme park and resort in Europe, this marks a huge milestone for Universal Comcast, who have had a successful history with expanding their global footprint through their theme parks, like the ones currently in operation in Singapore and Beijing.
Universal has not only announced its intent to pursue its first-ever themed entertainment destination location in the UK and Europe as a whole, but also debuted the very first concept art for this park.
Described by Universal Comcast as a “world class theme park with several themed lands featuring Universal’s distinct style of immersive and thrilling rides, innovative attractions and exciting entertainment,” this park will also feature a luxurious 500-room hotel and retail, dining, and entertainment complex that will be upheld to the standard of quality expected from any Universal property.
The park will be located just south of Bedford, England, which is only 35 minutes north of London by train. This announcement comes after the recent revealing of details on two other groundbreaking attraction projects that Universal has added to its portfolio of vacation destinations: [Universal Kids’ Resort] in Texas and [Universal Horror Unleashed], a year-round Horror experience set to open in Las Vegas later this year. These investments represent more than ten billion that Comcast NBCUniversal has put towards the Universal Destinations & Experiences segment of the company, and comes hot on the heels of the grand opening of Universal’s newest and most ambitious theme park to date, Epic Universe, which is set to open May 22nd, 2025 as the world’s largest theme park that will set a new standard for themed entertainment worldwide.
The new location in Bedford is a 476-acre property that enjoys connectivity with London, the greater UK area, and the rest of Europe, promising a growth in tourism and hospitality industries in the area as Universal anticipates this park to be “one of the highest-attended attractions in the continent” that will “bring in millions of new visitors to the UK.” While this project does not yet have an opening date, Universal Comcast has announced that construction is expected to start in 2026 after a planning proposal is submitted and approved by the UK Government.
Check back soon, as Theme Park Shark will continue to report on Universal’s newest theme park in the UK, as well as other theme park news from Disney, Universal, and theme parks from all across the world!
