[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

[dave___]

I was going to say this, though that place is dirt cheap compared to Center Parcs in the UK... and also supposedly dirt ridden.

I can fully imagine Woburn CP pricing their accommodation at the same price year round rather than the school holiday gouging that currently goes on. And by that I don't mean dropping the school holiday price..

American and Far East tourists would absolutely lap it up though I bet.

 

[flyingguitar]

It dose surprise me that universal didn't buy up more land, if you look at a lot of their parks they are all enclosed by cities, limiting expansion and adding a lot of competition for hotels.comparing that to disney in florida, with essentially a monopoly on what hotels are close to their resort and where buses can go

I know buying more land is obviously more expensive but you would have thought that the expansion space, less access for hotel competitions, and reduced chance of neighbors complaints would be a good reason (especially when spending God knows how much on a theme park)

I feel like if successful it will end with either disneyland california or universal orland where to build another park they have to go miles away.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

It dose surprise me that universal didn't buy up more land, if you look at a lot of their parks they are all enclosed by cities, limiting expansion and adding a lot of competition for hotels.comparing that to disney in florida, with essentially a monopoly on what hotels are close to their resort and where buses can go

I know buying more land is obviously more expensive but you would have thought that the expansion space, less access for hotel competitions, and reduced chance of neighbors complaints would be a good reason (especially when spending God knows how much on a theme park)

I feel like if successful it will end with either disneyland california or universal orland where to build another park they have to go miles away.

They have space for a second gate and another hotel/waterpark, enough space to fill up two destination parks from the get-go. That’s already space for more parks than everything they have now but Orlando, a third gate would be 25+ years away from opening, and I’m sure they’ll find another plot of land they’d be able to connect with by then.

Also I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Pokémon announcement from yesterday, looks like that IP is in the bag for Orlando and Japan, but also the potential for other parks to use it. As Universal UK will be their newest park when Pokémon comes around, I can definitely see them leveraging the IP. What if Jurassic World is a stand-in in concept art at the moment? Apparently the park is not going to have any clones of existing Universal rides, period. So it could be more than just the Shrek/Mystery area that’s undefined in the concept art!

 

[xtpower]

They won't remove Jurassic World, it's a Universal staple. But what if they swap out Minions for Pokemon?

 

[East Coast Mariner]

It dose surprise me that universal didn't buy up more land, if you look at a lot of their parks they are all enclosed by cities, limiting expansion and adding a lot of competition for hotels.comparing that to disney in florida, with essentially a monopoly on what hotels are close to their resort and where buses can go

Yes. I'm less and less confident the Lake Zone will host a 2nd gate. Perhaps I've misunderstood something, but I've seen graphics where a road runs down the length of the Lake Zone, with a roundabout where the Concrete Slab is. I hope I'm wrong, but there doesn't seem enough space left for another theme park there.

The fields to the west look like they have potential though (if Universal could buy them).

Also I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Pokémon announcement from yesterday, looks like that IP is in the bag for Orlando and Japan, but also the potential for other parks to use it. As Universal UK will be their newest park when Pokémon comes around, I can definitely see them leveraging the IP. What if Jurassic World is a stand-in in concept art at the moment? Apparently the park is not going to have any clones of existing Universal rides, period. So it could be more than just the Shrek/Mystery area that’s undefined in the concept art!

It would be a shame not to have Nintendo at all, but hopefully it wouldn't be at the expense of Jurassic. Would definitely be a good alternative to Minions though.

 

[Bowser]

I don’t know why people are expecting a second gate. None of the parks outside the US have them so why would we? (I know Beijing is due to have one that has been delayed).

And i don’t know why people want it. I’d much prefer they focus on expanding the main park with new attractions when the time is right. Look at how badly it went for Disney in Europe with a second gate.

Personally i find the notion of multiple gates quite annoying. It’s inconvenient and expensive.

Obviously it’s prudent to allow for expansion but i think that’s something to consider decades from now. At best a water park expansion following the theme park would make more sense imo.

 

[Skyscraper]

At best a water park expansion following the theme park would make more sense imo.

A Rulantica-style heavily themed indoor water park would be awesome.

 

[xtpower]

They'll only go the second gate route if the park is a major success and by that I mean 10m+ a year attendance (before full buildout). As for why other global parks haven't got a second gate, well Singapore is a licensing deal and USJ doesn't have the space - Beijing are due one still.

The Lake Zone however will not be the home of a second gate, it's being lined up to house enough Hotels for 6000 rooms and a conference centre.

 

[rob666]

...
Personally i find the notion of multiple gates quite annoying. It’s inconvenient and expensive. ...

That's the point...double up the money on entrance charges.

You haven't experienced the whole thing until you have paid twice.

 

[Adam H]

Isn't there a centre parcs only about 15 mins away too? I bet they are delighted with all the added competition coming to the area. Ha!

However maybe it will be a good thing for them and bring in even more business...who knows. Can't say I'd want to pay Centre Parc prices to spend all day offsite a theme park though. Wouldn't seem like the best use of money but then maybe people who stay for a week would be willing to give up a day of their break to visit Universal. It could work out for them.

If I was a decision maker at Center Parcs, I would be drawing up plans for expansion. Not only would Universal generate extra new guests to Woburn CP, but also just CP regulars will no doubt put Woburn (Even though it's Ampthill) higher up the list of resorts to book because they can have a day at Universal 10 mins away. The only negative for Center Parcs I see is that they like their guests to stay onsite for the whole holiday and spend onsite. But a large percentage would definitely go offsite and put money in Universal's pockets.

 

[flyingguitar]

They have space for a second gate and another hotel/waterpark, enough space to fill up two destination parks from the get-go. That’s already space for more parks than everything they have now but Orlando, a third gate would be 25+ years away from opening, and I’m sure they’ll find another plot of land they’d be able to connect with by then.

yes, but even Orlando (apart from epic) is extremely cramped, and very limited by space

I don’t know why people are expecting a second gate. None of the parks outside the US have them so why would we? (I know Beijing is due to have one that has been delayed).

And i don’t know why people want it. I’d much prefer they focus on expanding the main park with new attractions when the time is right. Look at how badly it went for Disney in Europe with a second gate.

Personally i find the notion of multiple gates quite annoying. It’s inconvenient and expensive.

Obviously it’s prudent to allow for expansion but i think that’s something to consider decades from now. At best a water park expansion following the theme park would make more sense imo.

I wasn't really getting excited, more just supprised since they seem to have made similar mistakes in the past, the main reason though was because I thought the added competition from hotels would be a big negtive, and I think the area may turn into similar to what you find around Disneyland California full of tat gift shops, etc

 

[The_bup]

I’d imagine they’d be building a waterpark before a second gate. It would fill a greater gap in the market than more rides would and will be cheaper to build as well as being much smaller to fit on the land we are aware they’re planning for; even if it is to be indoors, which sounds probable.

Standing on a metal scaffold eight stories in the air while mostly naked is still pretty bloody cold when it’s a heatwave in France, 9 days out of 10 paying for an outdoor waterpark day in the Uk is coughing up your money for a living cryonics session.

 

[Dave]

If I was a decision maker at Center Parcs, I would be drawing up plans for expansion. Not only would Universal generate extra new guests to Woburn CP, but also just CP regulars will no doubt put Woburn (Even though it's Ampthill) higher up the list of resorts to book because they can have a day at Universal 10 mins away. The only negative for Center Parcs I see is that they like their guests to stay onsite for the whole holiday and spend onsite. But a large percentage would definitely go offsite and put money in Universal's pockets.

CP are quite happy for people to spend a day off site at Longleat, they advertise the safari park. I suspect they will be quite happy for people to spend a day or two at Universal if it fills the accommodation.

 

[Blackrock]

Really for all we know they could have options on neighbouring land parcels and were just waiting for full approval before sinking a **** ton of money into buying even more land.

The first decade of this first gate is just going to be expansion after expansion so realistically if it does blow the projected visitor numbers out of the water it very well could be a conversation they’ll be having in the mid 2040s.

But I agree an indoor waterpark would probably be first on that section of land, and that would be an entirely new thing for universal themselves wouldn’t it?

But I’d rather not wish my life away, it’s already flying by.

 

[BSwiss]

I’d imagine they’d building a waterpark before a second gate. It would fill a greater gap in the market.

That gap will be filled when Therme Manchester opens in, uh, 2023

 

[The_bup]

That gap will be filled when Therme Manchester opens in, uh, 2023

I’ll admit, I haven’t heard about this project, although it looks like a ton of fun. I didn’t know we were still building things!

But I think my point still stands. Manchester is quite the way off from Bedford; Universal tourists will not travel all that way to a waterpark in Manchester by default, let alone if Universal build one on property. It would also still be filling a niche in the south - Therme Machester would only eat up the portion of customers closer to Manchester still interested in going to a waterpark but also not wanting to go to Universal.

For everyone else, it would very much be a gap filled!

 

[WanderingNortherner]

Really for all we know they could have options on neighbouring land parcels and were just waiting for full approval before sinking a **** ton of money into buying even more land.

The problem is the neighbouring land is all planned out already, 1000 houses at Stewartby, the new village to the M1 and the toxic land fill sites on either side.

There is a big chunk between the transport hub and Manor Road - part of that is in planning for a services and solar farm, but the other part of the field is part of a farm.

 

[jon81uk]

I don’t know why people are expecting a second gate. None of the parks outside the US have them so why would we? (I know Beijing is due to have one that has been delayed).

And i don’t know why people want it. I’d much prefer they focus on expanding the main park with new attractions when the time is right. Look at how badly it went for Disney in Europe with a second gate.

Personally i find the notion of multiple gates quite annoying. It’s inconvenient and expensive.

Obviously it’s prudent to allow for expansion but i think that’s something to consider decades from now. At best a water park expansion following the theme park would make more sense imo.

Yep a large park that you might need two days at feels like it makes more sense than a second gate. Better to feel like one park has too much to see & do (like Europa), compared to one park with one satisfying day and a second park that feels small and not full (like Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios)

A Rulantica-style heavily themed indoor water park would be awesome.

Yep a water-park second gate makes most sense, but more on the Rulantica scale rather than Alton Towers Cariba Creek size.

 

[Benjsh]

A huge indoor waterpark I'd have thought was almost guaranteed to be honest. In fact I wouldn't be shocked if they even started constructing it before the main gate is officially open, ready to open in say Year 3 or 4.

Unlike many other Universal resorts.....our winters can be truly unforgiving so having a 365 day indoor waterpark is a sure way to ensure you still have plenty to offer when the outdoor temps are ridiculously low.

 

[Bowser]

Unlike many other Universal resorts.....our winters can be truly unforgiving so having a 365 day indoor waterpark is a sure way to ensure you still have plenty to offer when the outdoor temps are ridiculously low.

Whilst i agree, Universal Beijing is the closest in terms of climate of any their parks and there's no sign of an indoor water park there.

An indoor water park is uncharted territory for Universal and the fact they only have one existing water park in the world, which in itself was not built by Universal perhaps suggests it's not something they are particularly interested in pursuing.

Not to mention Center Parcs have a 365 indoor water park 10 minutes away and would presumably have objections for whatever they're worth.