Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[Altonsky]

Those reports, numbers and figures sound like most business’s tbh.

Everyone rushes back and spends a load of money, business’s think this is great and it’s here to stay but it’s not, it’s just a post Covid sales bump.

I wonder how UK visitor trips to Orlando have changed since Covid, whether they’ve increased in decreased. It wasn’t a cheap holiday for a family of 4 before Covid, after it’s quite frankly eye watering, especially if Disney is your main go to.

I still think UGB will be a great option for the UK/Europe. The fact is there’s millions of people here who will never pay the multiple thousands of pounds it takes to visit Orlando. It’s not getting any cheaper and tbh when it comes to Disney it just sounds stressful

 

[bedfordmassive]

Great view of the site from the Marston Vale line (which will become East West Rail).

3 white pickups, 2-3 white cars, and a white van on the concrete this morning, about a dozen high vis guys in the south site, north parcel mostly trenched already.

 

[ProjectUniversal]

The archeological surveyors are busy on the south site and diggers busy on the North. Tonight’s video looks at the south and a close up of what they have done in a trench.

 

[yepthatguy]

The archeological surveyors are busy on the south site and diggers busy on the North. Tonight’s video looks at the south and a close up of what they have done in a trench.

Watched your North parcel video last night. Really good stuff.

 

[Della]

I’m no expert, but I don’t see anything in the quarterly report which might alarm shareholders. Overall, Comcast’s results were better than market expectations. In the theme park division the revenue for their domestic parks increased by a few percentage points over the same quarter last year; overall revenue for their international parks held steady, with increased income offset by currency exchange rate changes. None of that seems a cause for concern, and none of it would indicate a significant shift in consumer behaviour which might force a rethink of future investment plans.

Looking at Orlando I think this financial year is being compared to the previous financial year which was almost certainly boosted by pent-up demand as a result of the Covid travel restrictions. We had to twice postpone a family holiday to Orlando, eventually getting there during FY 2022-23. I’d guess that’s a relatively common tale. Similarly, we are delaying our next Orlando trip until Epic is open, probably until 2026. I’d guess that there’s a not insignificant number of families doing the same, so this year’s attendance is likely to be somewhat depressed as people hold back.

All of that seems to reflect the normal ebb and flow of Comcast’s businesses. No unexpected and significant change in consumer behaviour, no unforeseen barriers to their business model. So I can’t see any concern about future investment plans that Comcast had.

But keep your fingers crossed there’s not another pandemic…

Thankyou all for your thoughts. Hopefully Comcast are indeed thinking of the big picture and would have been expecting a bit of a lull for 2025 because of people waiting for Epic in 2026. For my family I'm planning Orlando in 2026, Disneyland Paris in 2025 to tide us over and give my youngest a chance to get a little older. I'm sure they will get high attendance in 2026, just don't want them to wait for the money to start rolling in before giving us the go ahead.

 

[rob@rar]

... just don't want them to wait for the money to start rolling in before giving us the go ahead.

Me too, but I don't think the very approximate timetable outlined in the public document published by Universal earlier this month allows their go/no-go decision to wait until the revenue from Epic starts to flow in a significant way. That document talks about "the start of the enabling works by the end of 2025" (for construction access to the site from Broadmead Road and then Woburn Road). I'm guessing that for work of this nature to commence Universal will have been granted planning permission via a Special Development Order from the government, which in turn will only happen once Comcast give the project the green light and they proceed with the planning permission process with the government in Westminster. That process will need to happen this summer and autumn, well before Epic opens, if their enabling works is to happen on time. Indeed, one of the local councils was told by Universal representatives that the go/no-go decision is likely to be made in June.

I can't imagine that Comcast has got this far, including maybe £250M on land purchase, for them to voluntarily have a change of mind about proceeding. I can only think of a couple of reasons why the proposal would grind to a halt at this stage:
1. The archaeological survey discovers a site of global significance which would require a lengthy research and conservation project, throwing the timetable in to disarray. I think the chance of that happening is vanishingly small, not least because of the nature land they have purchased. There have already been archeological studies on some of the brownfield land, and the agricultural land has been well worked over for decades.
2. There is a mismatch of expectation between Universal and the government about who pays for the improvements to road and rail infrastructure. I can imagine that's a real risk, but surely there would have been plenty of discussion on this point already and at least agreement in principle about who pays for what?

I suppose nothing is 100% certain until they actually take the decision, but I'd go with 95% certain at this stage...

 

[xtpower]

PUU's newest video just dropped.



The Archaeologists are on the Core Zone.

 

[tielo]

While Universal may have a plan, I do not believe daddy Comcast has made a final decision yet. Just like they've supposedly told local government, they should have a final decision by June.

I know they said officialy as much during their talk with the locals. They also misspoke several times as in "we are going to build, woepsie, when we maybe....".
Add to that the (in general) great financial track record of the theme parks (they even called it their third pillar) and their quick return on investment (compared to putting fibreglass in the ground or building a server farm for streaming) and their mission to pass Disney in every way and form, I think it wouldn't be far fetched that the decision is already made (and I realy, realy want it to happen lol). Or do you have another explanation for the flags they planted except for brightening an otherwhise drab piece of dirt?

 

[tielo]

PUU's newest video just dropped.



The Archaeologists are on the Core Zone.

Now I know what they are doing, I have seen Close Encounters of the Third kind! They are making a landing strip for aliens!

 

[Alicia]

I know they said officialy as much during their talk with the locals. They also misspoke several times as in "we are going to build, woepsie, when we maybe....".
Add to that the (in general) great financial track record of the theme parks (they even called it their third pillar) and their quick return on investment (compared to putting fibreglass in the ground or building a server farm for streaming) and their mission to pass Disney in every way and form, I think it wouldn't be far fetched that the decision is already made (and I realy, realy want it to happen lol). Or do you have another explanation for the flags they planted except for brightening an otherwhise drab piece of dirt?

Of course we’re all optimistic and pretty sure it’ll get the go ahead, I’m just stating the fact that the board hasn’t voted yet so we can’t put the cart before the horse. We have a good idea what the decision should be, but until it happens I’m being cautious is all.

 

[xtpower]

Of course we’re all optimistic and pretty sure it’ll get the go ahead, I’m just stating the fact that the board hasn’t voted yet so we can’t put the cart before the horse. We have a good idea what the decision should be, but until it happens I’m being cautious is all.

I appreciate your caution, it keeps us unrepentant optimists in check so that if it all goes Pete Tong we don't look like complete idiots .

 

[ProjectUniversal]

I appreciate your caution, it keeps us unrepentant optimists in check so that if it all goes Pete Tong we don't look like complete idiots .

The good thing about the internet is if it does go Pete tong we can all quietly disappear never to be seen again.

 

[xtpower]

The good thing about the internet is if it does go Pete tong we can all quietly disappear never to be seen again.

Then pop up again whenever it gets brought up to set people straight .

 

[bedfordmassive]

PUU's newest video just dropped.



The Archaeologists are on the Core Zone.

Interesting area for your next flyover - red temporary barrier around one of the trenches on the Bedford side of Kempston Hardwick station. I didn’t notice it this morning.

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

So a lot of the speculation talk of this Park has been on how this Park will seemingly have no cloned attractions from Universal Orlando Resort, as to not cannibalise British tourism to that Resort, but could and might include cloned attractions from other Universal Resorts like Hollywood and Japan

And so, as a fun excercise, I decided to round up and make a list of all the attractions unique to the other four current Universal Resorts, to see and discuss what could be cloned to the new Park

A note that the list does not contain ALL of the unique stuff from Non-Orlando Parks, as I've disqualified some based off of rumours of how the Park will be designed.

Given rumours and potential legal stuff, I've removed any DreamWorks Attractions since it seems they are off the table, which includes Beijing's Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness and all the attractions inside, Hollywood's DreamWorks Theatre, and Singapore's Far Far Away and it's unique attractions

I also excluded rides that don't fit how the Park has said to be designed, with many indoor rides and experiences, so primarily outdoor rides have been cut, which includes Singapore's Treasure Hunters, Canopy Flyer, and Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure

With all said, here's the list:

• The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash
• Loop-Dee Doop-Dee
• Silly Swirly/Super Swirly
• Freeze Ray Sliders
• Super Silly Fun Land Play Area
• SING: On Tour
• Jurassic World Adventure
• Jurassic Flyers
• The Flying Dinosaur
• Dino-Soarin'
• Lights, Camera, ACTION!!
• Space Fantasy: The Ride
• Sesame Street: Spaghetti Space Chase
• Battlestar Galactica: HUMAN
• Battlestar Galactica: CYLON
• WaterWorld

 

[Steeb]

The good thing about the internet is if it does go Pete tong we can all quietly disappear never to be seen again.

Laughs in PortAventura thread

 

[xtpower]

Watched a video earlier from a Disneyland Paris fan/vlogger and he seems adamant UGB is going to be a Studios Park and not like IOA and EU. Asking those who might know, is there any indication of this outside of the domain they registered? If I recall we have it being a mix of IOA and EU and that came from Universal at the consulation.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Watched a video earlier from a Disneyland Paris fan/vlogger and he seems adamant UGB is going to be a Studios Park and not like IOA and EU. Asking those who might know, is there any indication of this outside of the domain they registered? If I recall we have it being a mix of IOA and EU and that came from Universal at the consulation.

Look at Universal Beijing. I don’t suspect it’ll be exact same, but similiar style to what I assume they’re going for. Basically a hybrid of the Studios and IOA concept.

 

[xtpower]

Look at Universal Beijing. I don’t suspect it’ll be exact same, but similiar style to what I assume they’re going for. Basically a hybrid of the Studios and IOA concept.

I'm thinking they have a Hollywood Boulevard type deal from the park entrance to tap into the nostalgia effect and give the UK the quintessential Universal open. Then for the rest they go full IOA/EU with cordoned off themed Worlds with complete immersion.

 

[Alicia]

I'm thinking they have a Hollywood Boulevard type deal from the park entrance to tap into the nostalgia effect and give the UK the quintessential Universal open. Then for the rest they go full IOA/EU with cordoned off themed Worlds with complete immersion.

This would be my guess. Part studio park part immersive IOA/Epic style park. Best of both worlds.