For years, British theme park fans have just a few choices when it comes to getting their fix: stay local and visit the familiar line-up of Merlin-owned parks like Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and Chessington World of Adventures or head abroad to experience the full-scale magic of Disney or Universal. With no real competition at home, the UK market has long been dominated by Merlin Entertainments, whose flagship parks have largely operated without serious pressure to innovate.
But that’s all about to change. Universal Great Britain is officially coming. Yes, really.
Confirmed earlier this year, Comcast and Universal Destinations & Experiences are laying the groundwork for a massive new theme park resort in Bedford, just an hour north of London.
It’s not just a rumour anymore. It’s happening, and it’s expected to open sometime around 2031.
But here’s the real question:
Could Universal Great Britain be the game-changer the UK theme park scene has been waiting for?
And will it deliver the same kind of jaw-dropping, immersive experience as Epic Universe, or end up playing it safe with a rehashed lineup of familiar franchises?
A Game-Changer on British Soil
For British theme park fans, Universal opening a resort in the UK is monumental.
Until now, Universal Parks have only existed in the US, Japan, and more recently, Singapore and Beijing. They’re big, bold, brash and designed with a global audience in mind.
Bringing that energy to Bedford? That’s a flex.
The location is certainly strategic: just off the M1, with strong rail links and relatively easy access from London, Birmingham, and even Manchester.
The timeline is ambitious: targeting an opening around 2031, with planning and infrastructure already being scoped out.
And the potential impact is massive. Not just for British families, but for the entire European theme park scene.
For many Brits, a Universal park on home turf means fewer flights and, in terms of quality, a very real alternative to Disneyland Paris.
And yes, you’d better believe the folks in Marne-la-Vallée are watching.
The Disneyland Paris Dilemma
Disneyland Paris has long positioned itself as Europe’s premier theme park and for many British families, it’s been the default choice for a European theme park holiday. Not because it offers the same scale or prestige as Walt Disney World, but because it’s considered a short-break type, cheaper and heavily marketed alternative getaway within relatively easy reach. It’s also the most expensive of the European parks, which gives it that sense of being a special occasion trip.
But with Universal Great Britain on the horizon, that dominance may finally be challenged.
For the first time, families will have a high-profile alternative that doesn’t require travel abroad. No passports. No language barriers. No Eurostar delays. Just a direct route to a world-class experience, right here in the UK.
Disney will always carry that emotional pull, and there’s nothing quite like walking Main Street, U.S.A. to the sound of a magical musical score. But Universal isn’t trying to copy that formula. It’s offering something different. Something bolder, more tech-driven, and arguably more in tune with audiences who crave innovation and IP-rich environments.
International Appeal
And it’s not just domestic visitors who’ll benefit. For international tourists, especially those flying into London, Universal Great Britain could become an easy add-on to an existing city break. With the park’s proposed Bedford location just over an hour from Central London, overseas guests could base themselves in the capital and enjoy both the city’s iconic sights and a blockbuster theme park experience in one trip. This isn’t the type of visitor that usually graces the gates of the likes of Alton Towers or Blackpool Pleasure Beach, whose visitor numbers are purely reliant on domestic guests.
For British visitors, especially those who’ve already ticked off Disneyland Paris or found that it’s not for them, Universal Great Britain could be a very appealing alternative. It won’t replace Disney but it may finally give it some real competition. And that’s something the UK theme park scene hasn’t seen since 1992, when EuroDisney entered the market.
What Will Be in the Park?
Universal hasn’t confirmed which franchises will be featured but all signs suggest this won’t be a carbon copy of Epic Universe. Instead, Universal Great Britain is likely to lean into a Universal Studios-style park: a mix of immersive lands, screen-based attractions, and family-friendly experiences, shaped by both global and British IP.
Franchises that seem most likely to appear include:
- Paddington – charming, wholesome, and already beloved by families. A well-themed dark ride or character-led area could work brilliantly, especially if it captures the warm, storybook style of the films.
- Minions – like them or not, they’re globally bankable, instantly recognisable, and an obvious merchandising juggernaut.
- James Bond – a cinematic legend, and a uniquely British one. But it’s a tricky fit for families, and there’s the challenge of making it work in a park that’s not just aimed at thrill-seeking adults.
- Jurassic World – a Universal staple. Expect dinosaurs, water features, and the potential for a high-thrill centrepiece ride, always a safe bet for drawing crowds.
Do these IPs actually excite British theme park guests?
After all, it’s not Paddington or Bond that send Brits booking flights to Florida. It’s Super Nintendo World. Hogsmeade. The sheer scale and storytelling of attractions you can’t find at home. Many of the British IPs Universal may use feel more appealing to international tourists coming to the UK for a dose of British charm — rather than to local families looking for something bold, escapist, and new.
If Universal leans too heavily into “what’s British,” it risks building a park that feels more quaint than thrilling. British guests are picky. We know our franchises. And unlike the US, where brands like Despicable Me are huge, the UK’s cultural tastes might not align perfectly with Universal’s IP strategy.
That’s where Super Nintendo World becomes even more important — it’s global, it’s nostalgic, and it cuts across all age groups.
If Universal wants to win over UK guests, they’ll need:
- Merch, merch, and more merch (Loungefly collabs, anyone?)
- Engaging environments built for selfies and storytelling
- Fresh attractions, not just copies of old rides
But if it can strike the right balance, combining recognisable characters with cutting-edge ride design and the cinematic flair Universal is known for, it could finally offer UK guests something they’ve never really had: a truly world-class theme park experience on home turf.
Surprisingly Missing: Harry Potter
Unfortunately for some, there’s no confirmed Harry Potter presence in the Universal Great Britain resort, and judging by concept art released by Universal, there’s no sign of a Hogwarts castle.
Disappointing to say the least. Especially considering the franchise’s British roots.
The likely reason is Warner Bros. they own the rights, and they’re already building a major expansion to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden, which is just an hour away. That limits Universal’s options to use the Wizarding World in another UK-based attraction.
It’s a big omission, and it raises a question, can a Universal park in Britain thrive without Harry Potter?
Short answer, yes. That is if it offers something new. Nintendo, DreamWorks, and Universal’s growing roster of immersive lands could fill the gap, especially if the park leans heavily into technology and storytelling, not just thrill rides.
Will Universal Great Britain Dazzle Us or Play It Safe?
There’s a risk that Universal GB ends up feeling like a UK remix of Orlando’s old material and British guests, who’ve already seen a lot of this online, might shrug.
But if they draw from Epic Universe’s bold new direction, which again, the concept art doesn’t seem to allude to at this stage, we could see:
- Multi-level lands with layered pathways and exploration areas
- Augmented reality ride elements like in the Mario Kart attraction
- Dynamic show lighting and land-wide storytelling
- Highly themed restaurants and retail zones
That kind of immersion could be a game-changer in the UK, where we’re used to slightly, shall we say, “rustic” park theming.
Universal Might Not Dethrone Disney, But It Will Shake Up The UK Market
Let’s be clear, Disneyland Paris isn’t going anywhere. The nostalgia, the characters, the emotional pull of a Disney park is unmatched. Families will still make the pilgrimage, especially for those once-in-a-lifetime trips. And for many, it has to be Mickey.
But Universal Great Britain doesn’t need to dethrone Disney to make a massive impact.
Its real shake-up will be closer to home and it’s the UK domestic parks that should be watching nervously.
Theme parks like:
- Alton Towers, with its ageing ride line-up and inconsistent theming.
- Thorpe Park, more thrill-led but light on family offerings.
- Chessington, charming but dated and has always struggled to evolve beyond regional appeal.
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach, location, location, location – I personally enjoy a visit to Blackpool, but for some, it’s a no-no.
They’ve all had the UK market more or less to themselves. A few new rides here and there, a seasonal overlay, a splash of IP — that’s been enough to stay relevant.
But a fully immersive, high-tech, internationally branded park backed by Universal?
That changes everything.
Families who might have planned a weekend to Alton Towers could start saving for Universal GB instead. Theme park fans who currently hop around UK Merlin parks might suddenly have a world-class alternative in their own country — and one that feels new, exciting, and far more ambitious in scale and design.
So no, Universal won’t steal Disney’s crown. But it might just reset the bar for what British guests expect from a theme park. And that could be the biggest plot twist of all.
