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Universal UK theme park in Bedford

I would hate it if they didnt include a Harry Potter land but I'd also semi understand it from a business perspective. Harry Potter is a huge draw for British and European tourists to the Orlando Parks, even more so with the new Ministry bit at Epic Universe. Are Universal concerned that having 'Potter at home' would negatively impact the appeal of the Orlando parks?
 
Chris Brown said:
I would hate it if they didnt include a Harry Potter land but I'd also semi understand it from a business perspective. Harry Potter is a huge draw for British and European tourists to the Orlando Parks, even more so with the new Ministry bit at Epic Universe. Are Universal concerned that having 'Potter at home' would negatively impact the appeal of the Orlando parks?
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I think this would be far more likely than any clash with Studio Tours.

If there's no HP, hopefully that area on the right is for Monsters, as the Epic Monsters area looks incredible! LotR would be really nice, but I would hope for more than a couple of show buildings if they went with this theme, would be hoping to see Rivendell on that concept.
 
I would be very surprised if there wasn't at least some Potter featured in the park, Universal won't want to miss out on the sales of wands, butterbeer, robes etc they would be missing out on multi million pound worth of merchandise sales.
 
That area between the Waterworld arena and the Minions corner seems like a placeholder to me. It’s oddly simplistic visually compared to everything else.
 
So, the "four lands + 500-room hotel" rumour from February was true...

...

Back to the Future - Good choice for the sci-fi land. One of the best films ever made, although the coaster looks more extreme than the theme, if you know what I mean? Great choice - I'd rather it didn't have the switches and spikes, personally, and was more "full circuit" like Velocicoaster.

Jurassic World - Great theme, and the Beijing dark ride makes sense. The B&M junior hyper looks excellent - just what the UK needs.

Minions - Hopefully it's Dreamworks as well, not just Minions. The building on the right looks like there's room for a large family boat ride. Still hoping it's Paddington's London, with you floating down the Thames.

Fantasy land - I really hope that arena isn't Waterworld. That would be a terrible waste of space here. Hopefully it's all How to Train Your Dragon, which would probably make sense with the "dark ride" being slightly smaller.

Other thoughts...

Room for two more lands - One on the left between BttF and Jurassic, and one on the right between Minions and the Main Street.

No Harry Potter - Maybe one of the future expansions.

No Nintendo - Great theme, but might be better when some newer rides have been developed (Metroid, Zelda).

No family coaster - apart from, presumably, a very small one inside Minions Land.

...

Exciting news though, bring it on!
 
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Matt N said:
Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and the head of Comcast did a speech at a college in the local area earlier:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1909904043117535698

One thing that concerns me slightly is that most of the comments under Starmer’s livestream appear to be overwhelmingly negative…
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Of course they are, it's X. X is full of people who believe Starmer is destroying the country, gives free homes and a Ferrari to anyone who arrives by small boat, hates Britain, loves Grooming Gangs and will arrest you if you say 'Starmer isn't very good'. I wouldn't pay too much attention to it.
 
The best thing about this isn't even experiencing it myself. I can't wait for non-enthusiast friends/family to experience a world class park and world class dark rides who otherwise would never visit Orlando.

Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk
 
GoDUIngWsAAFTX-

Per @odysseusproj on twitter, don't think this has any solid evidence other than speculation but the show being themed to james bond is an interesting idea.
 
This quote is from the BBC article;

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hailed the "landmark investment" as "fantastic news" for the economy.

"This is not just about bringing great American creations to Britain, this is also about showcasing great British creations to the world," she told the BBC Breakfast.

"These are things like James Bond, Paddington Bear, these are things like Harry Potter. We've got so much to be proud of."
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Interesting that she has explicitly mentioned James Bond, Paddington and Harry Potter there. I hadn't heard the first two linked with the project before, but have seen them come up from a few people today, and both feature on the speculation map above!
 
The red and blue spinner ride, jars of marmalade and row of pretty terraced houses screams Paddington to me. I'd say my niece will be delighted but who knows if she'll still be into the show in 6 years, haha.
1000011279.jpg

Annoyingly, I had just written about the Shrek theory only for Niles to steal my thunder before i could press send! But yeah, that seems to be the main contender for that part of the park ATM, and with no other areas appearing to show DreamWorks rep, it would make sense.
 
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I almost shed a tear watching this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjeEP1km6m8&ab_channel=AttractionSource (higher quality of VOD of the live posted earlier in the thread.)

Not because we're building a park, I'm not that bloody soft... But just because of the positive feel of it all, on a national level. After what feels like 5 years of endless doom and gloom, it finally feels like a glimmer of positivity is around the corner.


Niles said:
Is the little area in the top Shrek?
View attachment 36917

Tavern from the second film.
View attachment 36919

🤔
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I think that's spot on... Well done. LotR didn't feel right to me, not there, not without a big incredible Rivendell landscape.

Still doesn't explain what that big plain building to NE of it will be, it won't remain plain, as it has a plaza out front, but what?


Georgie-M said:
The red and white spinner ride, jars of marmalade and row of pretty terraced houses screams Paddington to me. I'd say my niece will be delighted but who knows if she'll still be into the show in 6 years, haha.
View attachment 36914

Annoyingly, I had just written about the Shrek theory only for Niles to steal my thunder before i could press send. But yeah, that seems to be the main contender for that part of the park ATM, and with no other areas appearing to show DreamWorks rep, it would make sense.
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I think this makes sense too.

This is definitely a jam / marmalade jar!!!

Screenshot 2025-04-09 133814.jpg
 
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