Universal Studios planning to build its first European park near London

Universal Studios looking to build its first European theme park near London

Craig Russell/Shutterstock

Currently, there are zero Universal Studios theme parks in Europe, but NBCUniversal is looking to potentially change that.

According to Sky News, Universal Destinations & Experiences, the theme park and attractions subsidiary of NBC Universal, has confirmed that it is in the early stages of exploring the feasibility for a “potential park and resort” for a site it has acquired in the United Kingdom.

The final decision on whether to proceed with the project could be “many months” away.

You might also like:

The recently acquired land is reportedly located in Bedford — roughly a 60-minute train ride or a 90-minute drive from London. Theme park publication Orlando Park Stop also reports 500 acres of land in Bedford have been acquired by NBCUniversal, and web domains for “Universal Studios Great Britain” were registered by the company in September 2023.

Location of Bedford, in relation to its distance from London. (Google Maps)

As the first Universal resort location in the European market, and given the size of the acquired site, a full-sized theme park with ample land for future expansion possibilities is likely.

This appears to continue the current wave of global expansion for Universal Studios. It opened Universal Beijing Resort in 2021, and it is currently in the process of building its biggest theme park yet — Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, which is expected to open in 2025.

Major expansions and improvements have recently been made or are currently underway at Universal’s existing theme parks in Los Angeles, Singapore, and Osaka, including the creation of Super Nintendo World themed lands. As well, there are also plans to build a family-friendly theme park in Texas, and a horror-themed attraction in Las Vegas.

Some of Universal Studios’ most popular attractions are themed after Harry Potter, which could be a natural, or should we say magical, fit for Universal Studios Great Britain. The UK has also seen great success with Warner Bros. permanent Harry Potter studio tour and exhibition, which first opened in 2012, and longstanding theme parks such as Legoland and Alton Towers.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan. (Shutterstock)

Just last year, Disneyland Paris, originally known as Euro Disneyland, celebrated its 30th anniversary. A second theme park — Walt Disney Studios Park — opened at the Paris resort in 2002, and it is currently undergoing a major expansion period with three additional lands and a lagoon, with the 2022 opening of the Marvel Avenger Campus land, and the ongoing construction of the World of Frozen land.

Prior to the pandemic, over two million of the annual visitors to Disneyland Paris were British.

You might also like: