New Universal United Kingdom Resort officially named as development moves toward opening in 2031
Universal plans to build a theme park near London in the U.K. According to a newly released fact sheet, the project is now officially known as Universal United Kingdom Resort and has entered the destination development phase. The project follows Universal’s December 2023 purchase of nearly 500 acres in Bedford and the April 2025 announcement of its intent to build the resort.
Universal Destinations & Experiences formally announced its plans for the new park on April 8, 2025. The company purchased the property of the intended theme park — located close to Bedford in England, about 45 minutes from London — in late 2023 as a possible spot for future development. Now, it’s full steam ahead.
Universal’s plans for Universal United Kingdom Resort include a “world-class” theme park (i.e., not a scaled-down attraction such as the upcoming Universal Kids Resort in Texas) and a 500-room hotel. The company released new concept art for the U.K. park in its April 8 announcement:
Universal has not announced what stories or characters would be represented in the proposed U.K. theme park’s attractions. The company often draws inspiration from such franchises as “Harry Potter,” “Jurassic Park,” “Despicable Me,” and its in-house DreamWorks Animation studio, as well as partnerships with outside brands like Nintendo and Nickelodeon.
On Oct. 30, 2025, during a quarterly earnings call, Universal said the company
“continues to advance plans for a new Universal park and resort in the U.K. anticipated to open in 2031.”
Latest Universal UK Resort facts
- Official name: Universal United Kingdom Resort
- Location: Bedford, England
- Target opening year: 2031
- First Universal theme park and resort in Europe
- Approximately £50 billion projected economic impact
- More than £5 billion planned construction investment
- 20,000 construction jobs projected
- 8,000 operational jobs projected
- Expected to attract millions of visitors annually, including more than one million international visitors each year
Universal says approximately 80% of employees are expected to come from Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, which is a significant local economic pledge.
‘A significant opportunity to reach new fans’
Bedford is accessible to over half of the U.K.’s citizens in two hours’ time, according to Universal. The company was drawn to the U.K.’s population size, tourism appeal, transportation infrastructure, and presence of creative industries.
“Bringing the Universal brand to the United Kingdom is another exciting step forward in generating future growth,” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences. “Expanding into Europe presents us with a significant opportunity to reach new fans and share the incredible experiences our team creates.”
History of Universal in Europe
Universal says the U.K. theme park property would be the company’s first “entertainment resort complex” in Europe, which is perhaps technically true, but Universal does have a history in another European country. PortAventura World in Spain was previously a Universal park and known as Universal Mediterranea. The company sold its 37% ownership of the park in 2004; it still operates today.
Photos by Blake Taylor
The location of the future Bedford park is about 80 miles away from Rainham Marshes, where Universal reportedly considered building a resort three decades ago, as chronicled in the Los Angeles Times. That project never came to be.
Universal currently operates parks in Florida, California, Beijing, Japan, and Singapore. The company will open the aforementioned kids-focused park near Dallas, Texas on July 1, 2026. Of course, this is in addition to the new Universal Epic Universe theme park, which officially opened May 22 in Orlando, Fla.
Are you excited about a Universal theme park opening in the U.K.?
This article was originally published in October 2025, most recent update June 3, 2026 by Dani Meyering.
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