Universal Great Britain

[MangoDance]

What if the reason why no Potter at this park isn't just due to the studio tour but because WB is using different sets and designs for the tv show?

It's a combination of the existing WB contract, and J.K herself being a bit of a liability here in the UK due to her highly publicised and very divisive opinions on gender-identity. Tolkien's worlds may not be quite as profitable these days, but they already have the licence and they don't have to worry about him coming back to life and tweeting hate messages.

Personally I think it's the right decision, the "Wizarding World" has been very much fleshed out in the US parks at this point, I can't really think of any movie area I'd like to visit, that does not already exist in the parks, so I'd much rather have a new attraction than yet another Forbidden Journey.

The UK ministry of magic ride would have been ideal, large indoor area etc, but given they've just gone and built it at Epic which they are heavily promoting in the UK, no point in cannibalising that, not to mention the ride-system seems to have it's fair share of teething problems, best let Orlando iron those out before considering cloning it.

 

[tommyhawkins]

It's a combination of the existing WB contract, and J.K herself being a bit of a liability here in the UK due to her highly publicised and very divisive opinions on gender-identity. Tolkien's worlds may not be quite as profitable these days, but they already have the licence and they don't have to worry about him coming back to life and tweeting hate messages.

It's not anything to do with her being problematic - WB will not license this as it literally boils down to not selling the same products in different locations to the same market. That works both ways, for WB having their own Studios Tour and extremely high rent retail locations (selling the same Merch as Universal), and for Universal needing Brits to continue to go Florida for longer trips as well as this park for shorter trips. Replicating anything is going to cannibalize Orlando.

And yes theres a small chance Minion Mayhem will be in both parks, but nobody is flying to florida for that ride

 

[EllieB]

It's not anything to do with her being problematic - WB will not license this as it literally boils down to not selling the same products in different locations to the same market. That works both ways, for WB having their own Studios Tour and extremely high rent retail locations (selling the same Merch as Universal), and for Universal needing Brits to continue to go Florida for longer trips as well as this park for shorter trips. Replicating anything is going to cannibalize Orlando.

And yes theres a small chance Minion Mayhem will be in both parks, but nobody is flying to florida for that ride.

I agree that there are some rides / attractions / properties that aren't enough of a draw on their own to be subject to the "US exclusivity". What else do you think couple fit into that category? Some of the DreamWorks stuff?

 

[TheUniC6]

I agree that there are some rides / attractions / properties that aren't enough of a draw on their own to be subject to the "US exclusivity". What else do you think couple fit into that category? Some of the DreamWorks stuff?

A full fledged Shrek land would fit the bill

 

[tommyhawkins]

I agree that there are some rides / attractions / properties that aren't enough of a draw on their own to be subject to the "US exclusivity". What else do you think couple fit into that category? Some of the DreamWorks stuff?

good question, I think some stuff in the C Ticket category is interchangeable, like we see with minions. However I think the Illuminations/Dreamworks is fair game for being in both which is why we may see Minion Mayhem in both, but at same time that is such a broad IP they have lots of options. I have said this before but, the Sing franchise has performed really really well in UK markets, so I wouldn't be surprised if they built something to compliment that. Shrek is probably a solid bet too, i cant remember what the licensing agreement with that is now though, as i believe Merlin run the rather run down shrek experience in central london

 

[EllieB]

good question, I think some stuff in the C Ticket category is interchangeable, like we see with minions. However I think the Illuminations/Dreamworks is fair game for being in both which is why we may see Minion Mayhem in both, but at same time that is such a broad IP they have lots of options. I have said this before but, the Sing franchise has performed really really well in UK markets, so I wouldn't be surprised if they built something to compliment that. Shrek is probably a solid bet too, i cant remember what the licensing agreement with that is now though, as i believe Merlin run the rather run down shrek experience in central london

Currently they do, yes, and there are a few DreamWorks IPs represented there, not just Shrek (for example last time I visited I remember seeing Dragons and Madagascar in the virtual bus ride at the start and the photo opportunities at the end of the experience). I think I read somewhere that Merlin recently renewed that licence? But I don't know how long for, and I would have thought Universal would pay more for it than Merlin would, given the chance.

Interestingly, this link (from way back when the partnership was first announced) implies that the London site was supposed to be the first of a collection of these experiences. They never built any others as far as I'm aware though. https://www.licenseglobal.com/entertainment/dreamworks-plans-shrek-attraction

 

[Altonsky]

Warner are currently building all the sets at Leavesden for the new HP TV series, part of which is the whole street for privet drive that looks slightly different to the movies.

There’s no doubt in my mind this set will form part of an expanded studio tour way down the line when they’ve finished using it. So I don’t ever see there being HP at this park.

First look at Leavesden set for Harry Potter TV series

Pictures have been shared of the Leavesden set for the eagerly-awaited Harry Potter HBO television series.

uk.news.yahoo.com

There were rumours about them creating a dark ride as well at some point.

 

[tommyhawkins]

Warner are currently building all the sets at Leavesden for the new HP TV series, part of which is the whole street for privet drive that looks slightly different to the movies.

There’s no doubt in my mind this set will form part of an expanded studio tour way down the line when they’ve finished using it. So I don’t ever see there being HP at this park.

First look at Leavesden set for Harry Potter TV series

Pictures have been shared of the Leavesden set for the eagerly-awaited Harry Potter HBO television series.

uk.news.yahoo.com

There were rumours about them creating a dark ride as well at some point.

Yeah I have been hearing they want to do a few things attractions-wise.

I think eventually we could see collaboration between USGB and WB Tour not competition - on ticketing in the same way we see UK ticket package deals for Orlando - Universal will try capture foreign visitors for at least two days, maybe 1 day at the tour. Shared marketing costs.

Makes me wonder how long most American visitors would have a trip to London for, 7 days?

 

[EllieB]

I can see Americans taking a multi-week "European" holiday where they spend a week or part of one in London then travel to see Paris, DLP, and so on. Places like Efteling if they're theme park people, places like Rome or Barcelona if they're not. Or combine the trip with a Europe DCL sailing maybe?

 

[tommyhawkins]

I can see Americans taking a multi-week "European" holiday where they spend a week or part of one in London then travel to see Paris, DLP, and so on. Places like Efteling if they're theme park people, places like Rome or Barcelona if they're not. Or combine the trip with a Europe DCL sailing maybe?

I don't wanna speak for all Americans but I know generally they get much less vacation days that Europeans so might not have that time/money

 

[EllieB]

That's true, in that case a week might be about right. I can still see London being combined with some of continental Europe though, especially DLP.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I don't wanna speak for all Americans but I know generally they get much less vacation days that Europeans so might not have that time/money

Unfortunately most Americans' trips are a week or less for larger vacations/trips. Most Americans who visit Europe will spend a week at 2-3 different countries/cities. With Rome, London and Paris being the top 3 destinations.

 

[GAcoaster]

Unless I win some FU money in a lottery, a week is about all I (and most Americans) could swing.

 

[tommyhawkins]

Unfortunately most Americans' trips are a week or less for larger vacations/trips. Most Americans who visit Europe will spend a week at 2-3 different countries/cities. With Rome, London and Paris being the top 3 destinations.

But its either/or right?

I mean, I know that its very easy to travel round Europe (a friend recently had time in Paris and visited Germany/Europa Park with me recently) but other than the very easy/obvious London to Paris trip. most are going to pick one city only right?

its path of least resistance for most. not everyone is a savvy as the type of people who have knowledge of european options like you all do on this board

Unless I win some FU money in a lottery, a week is about all I (and most Americans) could swing.

If I had some FU Money from a lottery win, id fly you in for a two week london trip myself just to prove the point theres so much to do here without a new theme park

 

[EllieB]

I used to work in tourist attractions and all the American tourists we used to see "visiting England" would have itineraries like, day one, Stonehenge and Bath, day two, London, day three, Edinburgh, day four, Stratford and the Cotswolds, day five, Cardiff, Bristol and Glastonbury. They may not have been typical tourists though, I don't know, but the impression I got was that coming from such a bigger country than ours made all those multi-hour journeys seem like nothing.

 

[Jake S]

If I had some FU Money from a lottery win, id fly you in for a two week london trip myself just to prove the point theres so much to do here without a new theme park

Yeah, I’ve spent 10 days in London on two separate trips and would happily go back. Wonderful city.

I don’t know what the typical tourist does, but most of the people I know pick a city and then do some day trips around it. That would fit into what USGB is trying to offer (well, to international visitors anyway). I don’t know many people who’ve done extensive country hopping unless they’re in continental europe for a much lengthier stay.

 

[GAcoaster]

If I had some FU Money from a lottery win, id fly you in for a two week london trip myself just to prove the point theres so much to do here without a new theme park

I absolutely know there’s so much there! My father was stationed at Greenham Common while he was in the Army, and my parents spent a summer in England and biked on a tandem bike they had custom made for them while they were there. I am an Anglophile (one of my favorite things about living in Orlando is all the Brits), and would love to immigrate there in retirement. I just need the FU money to do it so I can take time off work and if they won’t let me have it— FU!

 

[MangoDance]

I think eventually we could see collaboration between USGB and WB Tour not competition - on ticketing in the same way we see UK ticket package deals for Orlando - Universal will try capture foreign visitors for at least two days, maybe 1 day at the tour. Shared marketing costs.

I think people underestimate just how much money the WB Tour generates, they've been consistently raking in 100 million (£) plus in profits annually, with their profit margin reportedly being 55%, It's insane, and 2023 was a record year for them too, despite no kids being old enough to have seen a movie on the big-screen, so it's all older folks with disposal income who want to be immersed in that Harry Potter universe.

There is zero chance an amusement park with it's running costs could come close to that profit margin and return on investment, so the WB Studio Tour and HP stakeholders have nothing to gain from any sort of deal or collaboration, and have every reason to play hardball and stop USGB ever getting anything even remotely Harry Potter related.

 

[tommyhawkins]

I think people underestimate just how much money the WB Tour generates, they've been consistently raking in 100 million (£) plus in profits annually, with their profit margin reportedly being 55%, It's insane, and 2023 was a record year for them too, despite no kids being old enough to have seen a movie on the big-screen, so it's all older folks with disposal income who want to be immersed in that Harry Potter universe.

There is zero chance an amusement park with it's running costs could come close to that profit margin and return on investment, so the WB Studio Tour and HP stakeholders have nothing to gain from any sort of deal or collaboration, and have every reason to play hardball and stop USGB ever getting anything even remotely Harry Potter related.

They're getting £100m because 2million people a year spend ONE DAY at the tour spending £50 each, the tour will always be a one day attraction, it's not a resort I does not have multiple offerings, they're able to introduce some potetial new offerings to increase daily capacity . But their audience is still not going to take multiple trips to Watford and back - it's still only one 8hr day at most. And as previously set out in the discussion people are likely to spend 5-7days visiting London.

you appear to have conflated me saying there is a possibility that WB and Universal could bundle tickets which which benefit both businesses, with your own idea that they are going eventually clone Ministry, which is never ever going to happen for reasons I have explained ad nauseum. There is not going to be potter at the park.
Studio tour is not going to fight USGB for more days at their attraction like WDW and UOR have to do, they are not in competition. Merlin are the competition, but that's a different demographic - UK residents