Universal Studios Great Britain

I guess they are aiming it at the European market , visitors from Europe just like Euro Disney has done ..

Regarding the weather , I guess the big chiefs at Universal have factored in the UK winter weather and kissing business then ? Euro Disney opens all year round and still attracts visitors in the cold months.

Buildings can be built sympathetically though.

This - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZTSRbSu7KpVEL2KT7 - is the M25 and in the distance, when you zoom in, you'll see some warehouses on the horizon. It's not easily able to be seen because the colours match the sky (they're quite clever really because they're not very noticeable whether it's cloudy or sunny).

These are sound stages at Pinewood Studios, so similar to the types of buildings they would have at Universal.

Trees surrounding the site and painting appropriate colours (the show building for Guardians of the Galaxy in Disney World is also painted a colour that blends in to the sky, but as it's Florida, it's rather more blue than grey like the UK would be!) would disguise them well.

GOTG building - https://maps.app.goo.gl/7rgxs6Q5r1DmVdiu8

We've had a new industrial site built near us - just for retail/warehousing use and they have NOT been designed to blend in and are absolute eyesores.

A company like Universal is more likely to want the properties to blend in, to maintain the "theme", than be a blot on the landscape visible for miles. It kind of ruins the illusion!

Maybe but they said it so can't now move the goalposts...

Interesting point!

Well, that's being reconfigured, isn't it? Who knows what that will achieve!

Thanks for the photos. Not terribly aesthetically pleasing to me but that's my snobbery showing!

My bigger concerns are noise pollution, traffic, infrastructure, damage to the environment and the horror that will be the construction of a flyover on the A421. I am bothered by that bit because when locals protested against warehouses being entered by a weight restricted road bridge into a residential area, the restriction was simply taped over with white gaffer tape!

We were emphatically told by the council that another exit on the A421 was considered too dangerous. Why is it now safe because a corporate giant wants it?

@Piggywaspushed I can only imagine what the black cat roundabout would be like

There was a HUGE traffic jam on the A421 yesterday.

Huge.

And really not uncommon as any posters who live in the area will know.

Universal's only answer to tis is 'people will get the train'.

www.universalorlando.com/web/en/gb/things-to-do/rides-attractions/the-simpsons-ride

www.universalorlando.com/web/en/gb/universal-orlando-resort/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/hub

www.universalorlando.com/web/en/gb/things-to-do/rides-attractions/race-through-ny-starring-jimmy-fallon

Can also look up the Dr Suess area, Jurassic Park area, all very heavily themed, not warehouse looking.

One of my fave photos is of the haunted mansion in Disney, feels like you're going into a "haunted house" but satellite image shows a whopping great big warehouse attached to it that you can't see at all.

Well if they do build it I hope they put on extra trains, because Thameslink is already very busy at peak times. I'm surprised Universal hasn't done this before now, tbh, with Disney having had a park near Paris for 30 years. It makes sense for them to have a presence in the European market, because not everyone can/will travel to California, Florida or Japan.

As for the HP thing - I don't see why they wouldn't - Leavesden Studios is just sets/memorabilia from the films. So while you can walk down Diagon Alley at Leavesden, it's so much bigger at Universal - plus the rides are amazing.

Be happy to see photos. Never been to Orlando.

Been to Universal California.

I think they do, or the ones I have seen not being an aficionado. They are grey and just have big signs on them.

@Piggywaspushed not sure if that was aimed at me but I didn't say anything about warehouses, also if you look at Orlando they're really cleverly done, you often can only see the warehouse style structure from satellite imagery, heavy theming stops them looking like warehouses.

Will the inside rides not look like those grey box warehouses you so deplore?

You're not comparing like with like. The whole Universal site in Orlando for the parks, hotels and restaurants is about 750 acres.

This site in the UK is about 480 acres total space for everything.

@Coasters4Life yes it's the theming I love. I'm not a roller coaster fan, but they do a great range of rides, I love the dark rides (which would work well in the UK!) and then all the theming that just transports you, we are rubbish at it in the UK, it's what I love about Disney etc.

Whilst the land has technically been purchased, I'm sure I've read it's a specific kind of purchase that allows them to explore plans but if it doesn't work out the land can be offloaded? Presumably to stop others swooping in to take the land? Sorry not an expert, but just to say I've read it's not concrete just because it's been purchased (no pun intended).

I really hope it pans out. Our theme parks are so shit compared to the US.

So true!

Sounds cool. I hope they tailor it for the weather and make it a more indoor experience.

Florida is about 500 acres and from what I can tell this is about 450 so should be quite good in size.

It already virtually is the case OP.

They are because it's brownfield so easy planning. They reckon there will be no gap between MK and Bedford eventually.

But it's also a Call for Housing area so that's a bit of an issue. I also thought that they were looking to build more houses on brownfield sites to protect greenbelt land from overbuilding .