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Cancelled theme park projects you wish had come to fruition

Matt N

Matt N

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Hi guys. Some of you may have seen that I posted some concept art from a past Six Flags Dubai proposal (if you haven’t, here it is: http://www.themeparx.com/six-flags-dubai/), and posting this got me thinking of all of the various cancelled theme park projects that I would really have loved to have seen come to fruition. So my question to you is; which theme park projects do you wish had come to fruition?


Well, one of my answers is the Six Flags Dubai concept that I linked to above, as I feel that the park would have been absolutely stunning had it materialised. However, I have a few more that I would have loved to have seen materialise:

  • Universal Hollywoodland: Now, this park would basically have been a European version of the Universal Studios parks that would have been built in Krefeld, Germany (not too far from Movie Park Germany). It would have featured various different attractions and IPs, and being a huge fan of Universal Orlando, I would have loved to have seen a version built closer to home! Here’s a ReviewTyme video about it if you want to learn more:
  • Legend Court: Many of you probably haven’t ever heard of this project, and I only stumbled across it while reading through some old issues of the RCCGB’s Airtime magazine. However, I think it would have been greatly exciting had it been built; the developers described it as an “all-weather theme park” and wanted it to attract 2.7million visitors per year (for reference, that would make it the most visited theme park in the UK by some distance based on 2018’s numbers!), with the project costing £750million. It would have been built in Magor (a small town near Newport in Wales) on 800 acres of farmland, and was described as “Britain’s biggest theme park”. I think a big-scale indoor theme park is something that would work really well here in Britain, what with our climate, and I would personally have loved to have had such a major theme park less than 1 hour from my house! Here are a few articles about the proposed project if you want more info: (The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/giant-theme-park-to-create-6500-jobs-1148355.html) (BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/611433.stm) (WalesOnline: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/major-projects-wales-green-light-15015537 (Interestingly, this one also talks about another cancelled theme park themed to some 80s TV show called SuperTed.))
  • Many cancelled projects in Dubai: Now, I did already mention Six Flags Dubailand above, but there are also many other cancelled UAE projects that I would have loved to have seen become a reality, and I think the story of Dubai as far as theme parks go is a rather sad one. Particular mentions I would have loved to have seen include Universal Studios Dubailand, and the F1-X Theme Park that would reportedly have contained another really fast coaster to rival Formula Rossa.

But do you guys have any other cancelled theme park projects that you would have loved to have seen built?
 
ParamountLondon.jpg


Oops, I guess I shouldn't hit the nerve but - let's be honest...
 
Alastair said:
ParamountLondon.jpg


Oops, I guess I shouldn't hit the nerve but - let's be honest...
Click to expand...
It may not necessarily be coming to fruition in its current form, but the park has evolved into the London Resort and is still apparently progressing toward a 2024 opening!
 
Disneyland's Discovery Bay is probably the most unique project I can think of. The blend of frontier, future and fantasy sounds amazing and as Discoveryland and Disney Sea later showed the concept could have worked really well.
On the subject of Disney Sea Port Disney was a fascinating concept.

In general the concepts that get closest to completion are the ones I would have most liked to have seen. Especially if an attraction was built but it ended up compromised. I can't get too excited for concepts that never even got off the ground, most of them just seem unfeasible because of the cost and if they are built they don't deliver on the promise. Hence why Disney's outlandish projects are more interesting because they might actually happen.
 
If it counts then the plans for Pleasurewood Hills to buy Knightmare. Would have been fantastic to see it run again
 
IIRC, Parque Warner Madrid was originally planned to be built in London.

Also Disney in Spain. I love Paris but I think it would have gone a lot better on the Mediterranean
 
Sorry to bump the thread, but I have possibly the most gutting cancellation of all from my perspective; as someone who holds the Universal parks in Florida as two of my favourite parks of all time, I was absolutely gutted to discover that Universal Studios London was once planned for the Rainham Marshes in Essex in the early 1990s. Here’s a great documentary on the park’s development from Expedition Theme Park:



The park actually gained approval from the local government, and Margaret Thatcher & her government were even personally invested into getting the project built, but Universal eventually pulled out over the fierce opposition by locals & environmental activists. The Rainham Marshes were a site of interest for wildlife, so many were against the resort’s construction.


Such a shame that it never got built; can you imagine having a Universal resort in Britain?
 
Matt N said:
Sorry to bump the thread, but I have possibly the most gutting cancellation of all from my perspective; as someone who holds the Universal parks in Florida as two of my favourite parks of all time, I was absolutely gutted to discover that Universal Studios London was once planned for the Rainham Marshes in Essex in the early 1990s. Here’s a great documentary on the park’s development from Expedition Theme Park:



The park actually gained approval from the local government, and Margaret Thatcher & her government were even personally invested into getting the project built, but Universal eventually pulled out over the fierce opposition by locals & environmental activists. The Rainham Marshes were a site of interest for wildlife, so many were against the resort’s construction.


Such a shame that it never got built; can you imagine having a Universal resort in Britain?
Click to expand...

I watched this a while back and it was a real shame however if this had of been built lots of the parks we know today would have never been developed like they were. I am pretty sure it would have been too much hassle. Its the same reason Disney never built in the UK we just aren't connected to Europe physically. People can't just drive here. I am afraid big Europe wide parks aren't ever going to be built in the UK and I doubt Brexit has helped this.

But if universal still ended up getting the harry potter license it would be great to have a harry potter land in the home of harry potter. I do hope one day we get some form of Harry Potter land/park. But as always we invent something and then the Americans buy it.
 
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