It’s official: Construction will start soon on a Universal theme park in England, and it will be named Universal United Kingdom Resort.
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“We have a bold ambition to bring Universal’s innovative and immersive experiences to new audiences,” Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Orlando-based Universal Destinations & Experiences, said in a news release. “Universal United Kingdom Resort reflects that long-term strategy focused on key markets while continuing to enhance our existing parks and strengthen our position as a destination of choice for guests.”
The attraction will be built on a 450-acre site in Bedford, England, about 60 miles north of London. Universal has said it anticipates opening UUK in 2031.
The resort will have a theme park with “several immersive lands with innovative attractions and story-driven experiences,” the company says, along with a 500-room hotel and a retail, dining and entertainment complex. The company confirmed the purchase of the land in December 2023, and announced its intention to build the park in April 2025.
The region expects about 20,000 construction jobs to be created by the project and well as 8,000 jobs after the resort opens.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hosted Brian Roberts, co-chairman of Comcast Corp., and Woodbury at 11 Downing Street to unveil the name and logo for the theme park and resort Wednesday.
Major theme parks currently operating in the U.K. include Alton Towers in Staffordshire (about 100 miles from the Universal site), Thorpe Park in Surrey (near London) and Legoland Windsor in Berkshire (west of London). Disney’s closest theme park to Universal United Kingdom would be Disneyland Paris, about 370 miles away.
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Universal United Kingdom continues a building spree by Universal, which includes the opening of Epic Universe in Orlando in May 2025 and Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round haunt in Las Vegas, last August. Its Universal Kids Resort is set to open in Frisco, Texas, on July 1.
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