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Universal GB - Archived Pre Announcement Discussion

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BSwiss said:
The team also have a lot of time to plan virtual queueing systems that will reduce time spent in potentially rainy physical queues and increase time spent in covered additional spend areas (Mt Doom Fondues, etc.).
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It's not like they can't also devise methods of cover for extended queues on top of that. There's a myriad of ways Universal can minimise the impact our weather has on the Park as a whole and I'm confident they'll do just that.
 
It entertains me when people think we have any kind of extreme weather in the UK. Even ignoring disaster level stuff like tornadoes or hurricanes, our weather is not only mild, but if you go by humidity levels, we're tropical.

I have friends in Canada, who get five months of snow deeper than their 12 year old daughter is tall... followed by seven months of drought with temps in the mid 30s. Life carries on as normal. (Though, granted, there are no roller coasters in Saskatchewan...)

Weather is not going to be an issue. They just need to make sure any water rides provide acceptble wetness.
 
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A sleuth over on Inside Universal has managed to find info on a Manor Road place being bought.
I think this is the first evidence that Universal are buying the residential properties on Manor Road: as of 30 May 2024, the company SC Collection Ltd (established in December 2023) is in the process of buying one of the Eastwood Cottages on Manor Road. SC Collection has the same registered address as all the other Universal companies located in the UK (Central St Giles, London), and the directors of SC Collection Ltd has the same company directors as Cloud Wing Ltd (who own all the land that Universal bought) and Kempston Hardwick Developments Ltd (also established December 2023). These directors include Page Thompson, Head of Universal New Ventures, and Oliver Canning, Chief Legal Council for NBCUniversal.

For background info, before Universal bought the landowners for the proposed development, Cloud Wing Ltd, the previous development proposals for the site did not include the land owned by the residential property owners along Manor Road. However, the proposals published by Universal now show that the land on which those residential properties is located is a part of the overall development, and owned by Universal. So Universal must be planning, or in the process of, buying all those properties so they are not literally in the middle of the resort.
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Credit to rob@rar

I did my own sleuthing too. That confirms they've been working on this as early as Jan 2023. Ignore that, turns out August is a better date. SC and Cloud Wing had similar ownership for both companies before Universal swooped in.

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I don’t think anyone suggested the UK is uniquely bad or suffers extreme weather.

The point I made yesterday was we have particularly dismal weather for many months compared to other locations hosting Universal parks (though I now note Beijing may be worse).

Said weather prevents our current parks from operating 365 so I was excited to see how Universal will plan to counter that here, especially if they’re supposedly not replicating existing rides.

Anyway I fear the subject of climate is entering the territory of the previous civil service discussion so perhaps best we get back to wild speculation instead 😃
 
UK weather is very changeable but I doubt Bedford has worse weather than DLP. Even compared to Pleasurebeech it's significantly better as you don't get the strong winds off the Irish sea. Over that last couple of weeks then weather in the North and Midlands and been very mixed but has been better in the south east.

Universal knows what they are doing and I don't think it will be a major factor if they design the park with places and rides to go on if the weather turns.
 
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Bowser said:
Said weather prevents our current parks from operating 365 so I was excited to see how Universal will plan to counter that here, especially if they’re supposedly not replicating existing rides.
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Efteling and Disney land Paris with similar weather to the UK are both 365 parks. The reason we don't have a park open 365 days a year is because the operators don't want to. Though the like of Alton, Drayton, and Chessington seem to be stretching their calendars with more and more events over what used to be closed periods a decade or so ago.
 
John_P said:
Efteling and Disney land Paris with similar weather to the UK are both 365 parks. The reason we don't have a park open 365 days a year is because the operators don't want to. Though the like of Alton, Drayton, and Chessington seem to be stretching their calendars with more and more events over what used to be closed periods a decade or so ago.
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They’re trying to monetise the appetite but clearly don’t have the facilities to accommodate it.

There is no way AT could be open 365, they’re barely functional as it is at points and fall to bits on days with adverse weather. I don’t think that’s anything to do with them not wanting to be open.
 
xtpower said:
A sleuth over on Inside Universal has managed to find info on a Manor Road place being bought.

Credit to rob@rar

I did my own sleuthing too. That confirms they've been working on this as early as Jan 2023. Ignore that, turns out August is a better date. SC and Cloud Wing had similar ownership for both companies before Universal swooped in.

1717074523672.png
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If, as of yesterday, they’re still buying land for the project, we can be 99% sure this is going to go ahead, in my opinion. They wouldn’t be buying land if they’re going to say ‘no, it’s not happening’ in the next four months (their announcement is expected in June).
 
I'm surprised they haven't snapped up the land to the rear of D&G Noble Ltd ( where the double roundabouts are on Fields Road. It's right next to the site and would pretty much be surrounded by the park.
 
The FT has an article: https://www.ft.com/content/383282af-99a1-44a3-af2b-0bb25cd1e2c6

Here's my post with select quotes on IU - https://forums.insideuniversal.net/threads/universal-great-britain.16149/post-1051746

One pertinent quote is what Universal thinks the Park will contribute economically.

A research firm hired by Universal estimates the net economic contribution of the site — set against alternative plans for housing and warehouses on the site — would be £35.1bn over the first 20 years of operations.

The figure brings together the boost to tourism, jobs created and construction and maintenance of the resort. Thompson said the government would take in extra £14.1bn in tax in the period, making a total of £49.2bn.
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Relife said:
Interesting post on the Universal forums about Premier Inn applying for an expansion this week. Almost as if they anticipate increased demand...
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As Rob rightly pointed out, it;s probably so they can hoover up the influx of maintenance and construction guys and then when the Park opens they're ready for that too.

I'm not sure if those at Premier Inn would have an understanding of what Universal is choosing to do, but the timing is certainly intriguing.
 
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