UK Universal Studios will likely be epic however there’s some cons you ought to be conscious of

The Daily Star’s very own thrill-seekers Kelly Williams and Claudia Trotman have gone head to head to discuss the highs and lows of Universal Studios ahead of its arrival in the UK

Universal Studios has announced it will build a mega theme park in the UK, who’s excited? The multi-billion pound project will become the biggest in Europe when it opens in 2031 and will likely leave the likes of Alton Towers and Thorpe Park quaking in their boots.

The 476-acre resort will be based in Bedfordshire and will take six years to come to life. It will pump £50billion into the UK economy and will attract 8.5 million visitors within the first year.

But how will it compare to Universal’s existing theme park in Orlando, Florida, and what impact will the great British weather have? Here, the Daily Star’s resident adrenaline junkies Kelly Williams and Claudia Trotman share their thoughts.

It’s going to be epic

As a life-long thrill-seeker, theme parks are an absolute must, writes Kelly Williams.

From Blackpool Pleasure Beach to Legoland, Gulliver’s World to Alton Towers, my family is always on the hunt for the next adrenaline-inducing adventure.

Last year, our need for speed took us across the pond to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, where everything is on another level.

Velocicoaster, Hulk and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure makes The Big One and Oblivion look like the teacups.

Even when you’re in the queue, you’re immersed in the story behind the ride and the special effects – as opposed to boring waits staring at the back of someone’s head, listening to the annoying Smiler theme tune on repeat.

And when it comes to creating an experience, Universal doesn’t do things by halves. Just look at the Hogwarts Castle and fire-breathing dragon at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or the life-like T-Rex inside Jurassic Park’s River Adventure.

You could easily be forgiven for thinking you’re on a film set.

Even if you’re not into fast rides, there’s so much more to do, like magic at Diagon Alley, interacting with characters or enjoying the parades.

The animatronics are also epic – something Universal has always prided itself on since the days of the groundbreaking Jaws ride from back in the 1990s. And the enthusiasm of the American ride operators always add to the suspense or camaraderie.

If even half of that could be replicated here in the UK – much like Steven Spielberg’s shark – the competition will be blown out of the water.

So rest assured, my family and I will definitely be the first in what will inevitably be a really long queue.

‘Overcrowded nightmare’

Growing up, my experiences of visiting ‘theme parks’ was limited only to travelling funfairs with rigged hook-a-ducks and bumper cars built and taken down within the space of an hour, writes Claudia Trotman.

While I undoubtedly had many fun childhood memories there, imagine my delight when I was given the chance to visit the home of fun – Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

The family holiday of dreams was set to bring huge rollercoasters, wild sugary foods and stories beyond my imagination. My vision soon changed, however, when I arrived to an over-crowded sweaty nightmare.

Theme parks are advertised as the birthplace of magic, but that movie façade ended as soon as we passed the iconic Universal Globe near the front.

I agree, the rides are out of this world and miles ahead what the UK has to offer currently, but customers will quickly come crashing down to earth when you realise the minimum wait on a busy day – for me at least – was around two hours.

While queueing is British speciality, I couldn’t help but feel on edge in the sweltering heat, clutching onto an overpriced plastic fan that paled in comparison to the Floridian heat.

Be that as it may, I would take that humidity over what the UK Universal Studios would have to offer – cold and rain. Think reaching the peak of the Incredible Hulk Coaster – only to be slapped in the face with the familiar downpour of autumn…or worse still, news that the ride has closed.

Alas, there was some shelter in the form of gift store and restaurant (Baltic) aircon. But that momentary feeling of relief was marred when faced with the price of a snack.

A whopping $8.99 (£7.02!) for a (non-alcoholic) Butter beer, or even $12.75 (£9.95) for a pint that could pass for apple juice in the UK.

As for the food, the poor excuse of British classics included a fry up complete with a croissant – blasphemy.

The chance for the UK to get a new Universal Studios and generate plenty of jobs for Bedfordshire is always welcome. But I hope they reach outside the long queues and lazy simulators.

As for now, I will do what the Brits do best, complain. Anyway, anything will beat what we currently have on offer…

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