Universal Park in Britain will open for winter: project details.

News about the new Universal amusement park in Great Britain

According to The Sun: New details have emerged about the new Universal mega-park planned to be opened in Great Britain. This will be the first Universal park in Europe, and its opening is expected by 2031.

The area of the new park will be 662 acres in Bedford, but many plans remain in stealth mode for now.

During consultations, some details were revealed. According to plans, the park will operate all year round, including winter months. Unlike other British amusement parks, such as Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, which close in winter, the new Universal park will keep its doors open, including for holiday events.

The park will also have a significantly extended operating hours – from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, which is a substantial improvement compared to the current parks that operate from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Importantly, the updated schedule includes 60 days a year with late closure for holidays like Halloween, as well as another 30 days for 'special events'.

The plans also mention the creation of a free area for visitors, where entry tickets are not required. This entrance area, similar to City Walk in Universal Orlando and Universal Hollywood, will be located in front of the park entrance and will offer restaurants, shops, as well as attractions, including cinemas and escape rooms.

Although the exact design of the Entrance Area has not been disclosed, it is expected to reflect the styles of other parks.

The area is planned to be 'festive and exciting, with a rich selection of food, retail, and entertainment', including 'impressive live performances'.

The park has the potential to accommodate up to 12 million visitors a year, with an initial estimate of 8.5 million visitors in the first year and a maximum figure 20 years after opening.

This is twice as much as the capacity of any other British park – for example, Alton Towers and Legoland have about two million visitors.

This figure will exceed the results of Disneyland Paris, which receives about 10 million visitors annually, as well as Universal Studios Florida with similar attendance.

Details about the park's infrastructure include a new railway station. Nearby the town of Wixham, work is already underway to create a new station with two platforms, but it may be expanded to four platforms to increase passenger flow.

What does Universal UK mean for the British?

Author: Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Gaining approval for the Universal amusement park in Great Britain has been great news for roller coaster lovers as this is the first park in Europe. After a decade-long saga with the London Resort project, which cost £3.5 billion and was ultimately cancelled, the new Universal park will be the first new park in the country in the last decade.

With broader support from the public and government, this park will also be the first Universal in Great Britain, and it is said to potentially include themed areas like Harry Potter, Super Mario, and Minions, although confirmation is not currently available.

Though we still have time until the opening scheduled for 2031, this news after a behind-the-scenes look at the new Epic Universe park in Florida this summer adds even more excitement to the prospect of a new attraction in Britain.

Unfortunately, the plans to extend Eurostar to Bedford have been rejected.

What we already know about the park – there will be four zones: Main Zone, Lake Zone, West Gate, and East Gate. The Main Zone will be central, where the 'amusement park, game center and/or water park' will be located. There is also planned to be an Entrance Area, parking, and a hotel with 500 rooms.

The Lake Zone will provide more accommodation options, including business hotels with a total of over 5000 rooms.

The complex will also include an entertainment center, a conference center, and a nature reserve.

The East Gate zone will be located closer to the village of Wixham and will receive rail access.

The West Gate zone anticipates expanding the number of restaurants and hotels, as well as creating a gas station.

Though the park plan has not yet been finalized, work could begin as early as next year.

The estimated cost of the park will be about £50 billion.

This summer, assistant travel editor of The Sun newspaper, Sophie Svietochovska, visited the new huge Universal park worth £7 billion.

The park plans to open its doors by 2031, with total costs approximately £50 billion. This promises to be a landmark event for the entertainment industry in Great Britain.