It’s official! Universal announced they do intend to build their first Universal branded theme park and resort for Europe in the United Kingdom. Releasing the first piece of official concept art, the resort is planned to feature a world-class theme park, 500-room hotel, and retail and dining complex, all set to open in 2031.

Let’s discuss the details of the announcement, and see what we can learn from the concept art for the Universal Studios Resort UK in today’s news update. See the video version of this story below for additional visuals.

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Official Announcement

Comcast NBCUniversal announced this week that they do intend to build a Universal entertainment resort complex in the United Kingdom.

Being planned for a the 476-acre section of land they own just south of Bedford, 35 minutes north of London by train, the company promises the new park will bring unparalleled storytelling and technological innovation that the Universal brand is known for.

This announcement comes after they’ve spent more than a year conducting feasibility studies and engaging in talks with government officials.

Universal confirms the new entertainment resort complex will include a world-class theme park with several themed lands. When discussing the park Comcast president Mike Cavanagh said there are 4 such lands in the current plan.

The resort will also feature an on site 500-room hotel, as well as a retail, dining and entertainment complex.

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Concept Art and New Details

As part of the announcement, Universal has released the first official piece of concept art for the UK project.

This art is still preliminary, and may change as plans are finalized, but it does give us an idea of what the entry area for the site could look like, as well as what types of attractions they are looking to include here.

From large-scale roller coasters to smaller kiddie rides, and several large indoor spaces as well, it does look similar in scope to projects like Universal Studios Beijing, which was the last major theme park to open, back in 2021, before the next park opens, Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, next month.

The updated timeline for the UK project has major construction beginning next year, in 2026. They have now said that the resort is targeting a 2031 opening date, assuming the next year of planning approvals and preparations go smoothly.

They are expecting the first year of the resort’s operation to attract 8.5 million visitors.

A new letter was sent out to local residents around the site in Bedfordshire, letting them know of the project’s intent to move forward.

The letter reiterated how local reaction to the project has been overwhelmingly positive in the past year, with 92% expressing their support.

Universal says the next steps will be to submit a planning proposal to the government in the months ahead, which will need to be approved before construction starts next year.

The government has expressed its support, boasting that Universal expects the site to generate nearly £50 billion for the economy by 2055, bringing 20,000 jobs during the construction period, and 8,000 new jobs to help run the resort when it opens in 2031.

Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said “This is a special and historic milestone moment for our company as we continue to accelerate the growth trajectory of our theme parks business and delight audiences around the world.”

Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences said “Expanding into Europe presents us with a significant opportunity to reach new fans and share the incredible experiences our team creates.”

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Construction Progress

Looking at the actual site, a fence was erected last month around a large portion of the property. This fence has been expanded just this week to surround even more of the property.

Universal’s proposed buildout plans, which were released one year ago, included concepts for two train stations that will serve the upcoming resort.

These plans include a replacement for the rarely used Kempston-Hardwick station located at the possible future entrance to the resort’s entertainment complex, and the walkway to the theme park. This would be similar to how Universal CityWalk works at other Universal resorts. Work on this proposed East West rail station has not yet begun.

Work has apparently begun on the second station that will be serving the upcoming resort. This new Wixams station will be serving the Midland Main Line once completed, which means people traveling from London will have direct access by train to the new resort.

Looking at recent footage from TheJackSilkstone on YouTube, it appears that work on this station has already begun.

The local government already has plans to expand this station as needed in the future to serve the new resort.

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Map Speculation

Taking a closer look at the new official concept art for the proposed Universal Studios Resort UK, I do want to stress that things can certainly change from what we’re seeing here.

Universal Beijing similarly released artwork a year ahead of finalized plans, and it changed quite a bit in that time before construction actually started.

That said, it is fun to discuss speculation based on the current art we do have, and theme park fans across the internet certainly have their theories based on what we’re seeing. If you were to take a look at a handful of these speculation maps you would start to see some similarities.

One idea that everyone seems to agree on is that the land on the left side of the park appears to be based on Courthouse Square in Hill Valley, from the Back to the Future trilogy. Could we be looking at an 88-mph launched roller coaster concept?

Two properties that seem to be all but confirmed appear to be Jurassic World and Minions. BBC News even said in their reporting that the park will contain lands based on these properties.

Now, it may just be for the purposes of this early concept art, but the Minion Land pictured in the art, on the right side of the park, is a near carbon copy of the already built Minion Land in Universal Studios Beijing. This version of the land features the Minion Mayhem ride, an indoor Super Silly Fun Land area with flat rides inside, and the Sing stage show.

At the back of the park, the largest indoor structure could be for the Jurassic World area. Whether that could be a clone of the impressive Jurassic World Adventure ride from Beijing, or an entirely new attraction, remains to be seen. Keep in mind that the new Jurassic World Rebirth film, which features all new actors for the series, hits theaters this summer, so new attractions may reflect a different part of the franchise.

Then there are some unknowns, like what the theater in the Hollywood-themed main street area could contain. What the small kids area seen above could be based on?

Whether the arena show at the back of the park is yet another Waterworld Stunt Show clone, or something new?

And what this fourth themed land is based on, shown above, pictured behind the possible Minion Land on the right. Comparisons of the art to locations from Shrek seem to make sense, but Universal has been known to hide the true nature of IPs in their early art, by changing colors or other characteristics, so we won’t know for certain until we see updated plans in the future.

According to new reporting from the BBC, it’s possible that we could see British properties like James Bond, Paddington and Lord of the Rings at the park, which were early rumors over a year ago. But for whether or not those early rumors pan out or not, we’ll just have to wait and see.

That’s all for now, but be sure to check out the video version of this story for additional visuals. Subscribe to our news feed or our YouTube Channel to stay up to date with our coverage of the Universal Studios UK Resort project.

Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update. Official Art & Graphics: Universal Destinations & Experiences | Other Images as Captioned

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