This feels about spot on to me too based on reading everyone’s opinions both on here and elsewhere.
A Shrek dark-ride intrigues me more than perhaps others because it feels like we have no idea what that could be!
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Universal GB - Archived Post Announcement Discussion
A Shrek dark-ride intrigues me more than perhaps others because it feels like we have no idea what that could be!
Ares
TS Member
Could be themed on Shrek 5, and assumedly the new trilogy of films coming by the time the park opens i.e Shrek 5/6/7
Benjsh
TS Member
The Shrek Dark Ride at Motion Gate Dubai is absolutely first class and jaw droppingly good.
Assuming it is indeed Shrek and they build something on that scale......it will be a massive massive success.
Ares
TS Member
Replying to myself here but I think the two large areas for future expansions - I would perhaps anticipate a LOTR area, but with the Amazon Series not going down well I think this could've swayed decisions. By the time an expansion might be built by 2036-2041 the LOTR films would be 40 years old. I think they will wait to see what is popular by the early 2030's and make a decision. I think an area with a mix of British IP's like Doctor Who, Paddington etc could work well at some point.
But I would expect one large Harry Potter area to make an appearance, something not seen at the other Universal Parks yet. I suspect they will see how well the park does without HP at first, and save it incase they need it.
The shape of global tourism will be very different by the time the park opens though, with an enormous shift to circular economies and reduction in global aviation and shipping by then. Say what you will, but I know the shape of things to come and they will be very reliant on UK visitors and EU visitors via the Channel Tunnel.
Benjsh
TS Member
There are two more Live action films in the works titled: The Hunt for Gollum. This will be in two parts and will contain many of the original cast.
The franchise will never die off. It's timeless like Potter now is.
Ares
TS Member
I had no idea sorry! That could be great to re-ignite interest with a younger audience now that will want it in 10 years time.
Ares
TS Member
I do agree, but I can see it being taken away from the BBC within 5 years and taken to another platform and rebooted.
QTXAdsy
TS Member
Bit off topic here regarding if Merlin or by extension how the rest of the UK theme park industry will react.
I know some say Merlin will do nothing other than try to block it but then again all Tussauds parks prior to DLP opening that they all got major work like how Towers saw RMT, HH Katanga Canyon all were built and you could make the argument that all additions at Towers up until 1996 were all planned years in advance to try and make they strong to face off DLP.
Granted with hindsight you could say it was all pointless given that DLP flopped though it is curious to wonder if we would have seen many more major projects had DLP been the success as some felt, we might have been on SW12 by now.
This though with Universal is different as this will cause many effects in the UK theme park and leisure industry as a whole far more than what DLP could ever had done so expect many side effects for all the parks to happen, either good or for bad we'll have to wait and see.
I know some say Merlin will do nothing other than try to block it but then again all Tussauds parks prior to DLP opening that they all got major work like how Towers saw RMT, HH Katanga Canyon all were built and you could make the argument that all additions at Towers up until 1996 were all planned years in advance to try and make they strong to face off DLP.
Granted with hindsight you could say it was all pointless given that DLP flopped though it is curious to wonder if we would have seen many more major projects had DLP been the success as some felt, we might have been on SW12 by now.
This though with Universal is different as this will cause many effects in the UK theme park and leisure industry as a whole far more than what DLP could ever had done so expect many side effects for all the parks to happen, either good or for bad we'll have to wait and see.
Bowser
TS Member
I am very surprised that we will potentially be getting two very large outdoor coasters in this park. I was sure there'd be at least one indoors (and perhaps there will be) akin to The Mummy.
Is what looks like a launched coaster with a 200ft spike the kind of thing that can operate 365 in the UK?
In general there looks to be far more outdoor activity than i was expecting.
Is what looks like a launched coaster with a 200ft spike the kind of thing that can operate 365 in the UK?
In general there looks to be far more outdoor activity than i was expecting.
Ares
TS Member
Thorpe Park will see all of the investment IMO due to proximity.
I really fear for Alton Towers by the early 2030's due to a lack of public transport connections and shifting behaviours regarding private vehicle ownership by then once ICE vehicle productions stop and prices, taxes and energy costs increase to reduce private travel and distance driven by car.
I can genuinely forsee a time when rides get relocated from Towers to Thorpe if things don't improve. The next 5 years will be huge for AT to get things right.
Controversial sure, but I do not think the UK market can sustain Universal, Thorpe, Alton Towers, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Flamingo Land, Chessington, Paultons Park etc.
Economically, removing London, the rest of the UK has a GDP equivalent to Mississippi. We are a poor nation relatively speaking, as hard as that is to admit, and this coming recession will hit very very hard.
The south, with it's higher economic output will survive well i.e Paultons, Thorpe and I do think Drayton Manor for Staffordshire will survive.
Blackpool has a location advantage, but it really needs to draw back in the families visiting the promenade with parity gate price tickets.
Flamingo Land is already more expensive than AT and BPB, I'm not sure how that will cope.
As for Chessington and Lego Land they will be additional benefactors of Universal. I think the kids parks will be fine - but older children, teenagers and thrill seekers will want to visit Universal and Thorpe Park more than anywhere else.
Apologies if I’m late to the party. Clockwise it looks like:
- Trolls
- F&F
- Jurassic Park/Jurassic World
- Generic green coaster…
- Waterworld/Stunt Show
- Universal Monsters
- Minions
Is that the consensus?
A shame if true but they’re essentially playing it safe and re-hashing what they currently have.
But still Jurassic world and universal monsters would be best in the world category by far.
I’m surprised there’s no transformers as they chuck it everywhere. Or British IP.
But it’s early days and it’s only concept so who knows.
- Trolls
- F&F
- Jurassic Park/Jurassic World
- Generic green coaster…
- Waterworld/Stunt Show
- Universal Monsters
- Minions
Is that the consensus?
A shame if true but they’re essentially playing it safe and re-hashing what they currently have.
But still Jurassic world and universal monsters would be best in the world category by far.
I’m surprised there’s no transformers as they chuck it everywhere. Or British IP.
But it’s early days and it’s only concept so who knows.
Bert2theSpark
TS Member
Worth noting, that in the Press Conference with Keir Starmer the executive from Universal confirmed four themed lands for the park, looks like one is Illumination-themed and another is Jurassic World-themed, with a third likely to be Back to the Future and then presumably the fourth area will include the show and whatever indoor attraction there is at the back right of the park. There's also two immediate expansion spots next to Illumination and between BTTF and JW.
Bowser
TS Member
Chessington getting £50m for Minecraft suggests otherwise imo. That's single handedly arguably the biggest competitor to Universal. Everything else is "rides".
A lot of Universal's audience won't be the UK market though, the idea is people will travel from other countries to visit it as they do for other Universal parks.
Ted
TS Member
I think Pleasure Beach and Mingo might be fine, as they're more like holiday kinda parks, the former is in Blackpool which is a town with a lot of draws to it, and the latter is also pretty much a caravan park too and I doubt would lose that much custom
Dave
TS Founding Member
Dr Who isn’t as troubled as the anti-woke brigade like to suggests, its live viewership has fallen about as much as all live TV has fallen, yet downloads are keeping pace.
I’m no fan of RTD but the anti-woke brigade massively exaggerate the trouble Who is in. Disney might drop it but I doubt BBC will, at worst they will rest it but it seems we are getting an area based on an old movie (Shrek) so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to see Dr Who here. The bigger issue will be if Disney stick with Who they won’t want Universal having theme park rights.
I actually think it’s the other way around, I fear for Thorpe more than Towers. Thorpe can’t compete with Universal yet it’s very close to this new park. Towers has distance, a huge northern population who although will visit Universal at some point won’t do yearly trips, plus Towers has more development space than Thorpe has. Chessington is currently competing with Paultons but it seems to be getting the investment that Merlin would likely add to support it with Universal. If I’m honest however, I think Thorpe will just transition to an amusement park (almost already is) and go for big wow rides to tempt the punters.
Thinking Towers will close because of Universal is a very south east centric view of the UK population, hopefully it kicks into gear and makes more effort but it isn’t at risk of closing, Merlin have known this is likely for 18 months now and they have been refurbishing rides left right and centre so I doubt their strategy is to drop AT.
Matt N
TS Member
I’m not sure Universal will have the impact on the existing domestic parks that some think it will. The price point and type of product will differ considerably to anything else in the UK, being a premium offering that caters to the multi-day short break resort market.
The likes of the smaller regional parks probably won’t notice it, as they’re already small fish in the UK pond and aren’t really being “dethroned” at all by Universal coming along. Many of these could also be propped up by virtue of being “holiday” parks rather than destinations in their own right. People visit the likes of Great Yarmouth, for example, as a seaside holiday and might visit GYPB and PWH while they’re there, and the audience that holidays to Great Yarmouth is unlikely to replace GYPB and PWH with Universal in that context.
Even the Merlin parks will be minimally affected to a point, I feel. Thorpe Park is predominantly a day trip park with a focus on large thrill coasters and flats, which Universal is unlikely to have to the same extent. Chessington has the zoo that Universal are unlikely to ever compete with. LEGOLAND has the Lego that Universal are unlikely to ever compete with.
I think the most impacted will probably be Alton Towers. It lacks an obvious niche to set it apart compared to the other Merlin parks, and it also muscles in on the same “short break” turf as Universal more than any of the other parks, having spent almost 30 years curating a resort package with 694 hotel rooms, a water park, a crazy golf course etc.
But even still, Merlin’s offering is considerably cheaper than Universal’s will be, so if Alton undercuts Universal on price and emphasises value for money, I think that could help them rub along nicely with Universal. There are many, many people in the UK who can’t or won’t pay Universal prices, and this is where Merlin’s potential post-Universal market lies, I feel.
The likes of the smaller regional parks probably won’t notice it, as they’re already small fish in the UK pond and aren’t really being “dethroned” at all by Universal coming along. Many of these could also be propped up by virtue of being “holiday” parks rather than destinations in their own right. People visit the likes of Great Yarmouth, for example, as a seaside holiday and might visit GYPB and PWH while they’re there, and the audience that holidays to Great Yarmouth is unlikely to replace GYPB and PWH with Universal in that context.
Even the Merlin parks will be minimally affected to a point, I feel. Thorpe Park is predominantly a day trip park with a focus on large thrill coasters and flats, which Universal is unlikely to have to the same extent. Chessington has the zoo that Universal are unlikely to ever compete with. LEGOLAND has the Lego that Universal are unlikely to ever compete with.
I think the most impacted will probably be Alton Towers. It lacks an obvious niche to set it apart compared to the other Merlin parks, and it also muscles in on the same “short break” turf as Universal more than any of the other parks, having spent almost 30 years curating a resort package with 694 hotel rooms, a water park, a crazy golf course etc.
But even still, Merlin’s offering is considerably cheaper than Universal’s will be, so if Alton undercuts Universal on price and emphasises value for money, I think that could help them rub along nicely with Universal. There are many, many people in the UK who can’t or won’t pay Universal prices, and this is where Merlin’s potential post-Universal market lies, I feel.