Why I’m excited for a potential Universal theme park in England – DePaoli on DeParks
It was recently made public that Universal Destinations & Experiences purchased land in Bedford, England. Although they haven’t committed to building a theme park on the land, they have said that it’s being considered. The idea of a Universal theme park in England makes me very happy, and here’s why.
For themed entertainment fans, this location just 45 minutes from London is a fantastic epicenter near so much that we love. Of course, London has tons to offer in and of itself. But if you’re a fan of live entertainment in theme parks, there’s a pretty good chance you’re a fan of live theatre as well. The West End (The U.K. equivalent of Broadway) features a phenomenal theatre district. In fact, Universal is already represented on The West End with Universal Stage Productions involvement in the smash-hit musical “Wicked.”
Considering Universal Studios Japan previously featured a 30-minute version of the musical “Wicked” at that park, perhaps the potential England theme park could do something similar to promote The West End production. The Japan park even offered a Land of Oz. I would love to see some “Wicked” representation in an England theme park. If the upcoming Universal Pictures “Wicked” movie release does well in cinemas, that could make the potential even greater.
Given the runaway success of Harry Potter in Universal theme parks, it seems like a given for a park in England. But considering the nearby “The Making of Harry Potter” experience at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, there could be potential contractual conflicts. The Warner Bros. location is just 42 miles from the land Universal purchased.
Granted, their use of Harry Potter doesn’t include theme park rides. The Warner Bros. Tour features actual sets from the film presented at the movie studio location where the movies were shot. I was lucky enough to experience it myself, and even as a not-so-big Harry Potter fan, I loved the experience. It’s very well done.
Speaking of working movie studios, perhaps some version of that could be potential for what Universal decides to do with the land. I’m not sure how much more production space England needs. But if they were in need of some soundstages, I would love to see a Universal theme park attached to a working studio as was originally intended in Orlando and how it still is today in Hollywood.
Disney theme park fans will be happy to read that approximately three-hour train rides are available from London, England directly to the stunningly beautiful Disneyland Paris Resort. Therefore, if Universal does decide to build a theme park in the U.K., themed entertainment fans could visit Universal Studios, The West End, the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and Disneyland Paris on the same vacation. It would take a bit of hopping around, but it’s totally doable. And that excites me very much.
It’s also worth mentioning that for visitors from the U.S.A., ticket costs are considerably cheaper overseas than they are in the states. For example, a one-day ticket to Disneyland Paris starts at $66.64 per day, versus a Walt Disney World ticket starting at $109.00 per day. That’s quite a difference in price. Even if the flight overseas might cost more, you could potentially spend less money going to a different country and having a new themed entertainment experience versus visiting a domestic park. Similarly, prices for tickets to The West End can be one-third the price for the same show’s Broadway ticket.
Overall, I’m hoping Universal does decide to build a theme park in England. It would be a worthy excuse for me to hop the pond once again. Although frankly, it wouldn’t take that much convincing at all.
What do you think? Would you consider heading to England if Universal built a theme park there? Do any of the other nearby attractions intrigue you enough to make a vacation out of it? Leave a comment and let me know.
Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
I’d love a Universal park in Bedford. We never visit Universal when in Florida these days as we hate leaving the Disney bubble since becoming DVC members, but a Universal less than 2 hours drive from home would be great. No conflict of interest for us!
Thanks for reading. Universal has a lot of great stuff to offer. If you haven’t visited in a while, I suggest leaving that Disney bubble for a bit the next time you’re in Orlando.