The Abandoned History of Universal Studios London: Approved yet Unbuilt | Expedition Extinct
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2024
- Today we head on Expedition Extinct as we look at the history of the Cancelled Universal Studios London. This theme park was approved by the government and a location selected but never built. Sadly becoming just another cancelled UK Theme Park to have grand plans that would be abandoned. A place that would of brought the best of Universal Studios Florida to England. It was looked to be built in Paris and then Germany but Universal Studios Europe is yet to be.
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Special thank you to RCCGB for allowing the use of archive footage along with Universal Studios.
Credits -
RCCGB - • Universal Studios Lond...
Take1scene2go - • THE RIVER THAMES & RAI...
Choralcomposers - • Flying over SHIP GRAVE...
Mitchel MEdia Productions/Cow Missing - • The Making of Universa...
Zombieboys VHS Vault - • Euro Disney Promo 1992...
Barry Jones - • Rainham Marshes
Toby Train - • Eurostar at rainham ma... - บันเทิง
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Do you think The London Resort will happen?
I think it will to boost the uk economy after covid
I'm not sure
I don’t think it will.
Hopefully 🤞
Nope 👎 can’t see it now
On the bright side, with this park not existing, you don’t have to worry about the threat of Fast & Furious Supercharged ever being in the UK!!!!
Hahahah bullet dodged!
Such a disappointment of a ride. They hyped it up sooooo much for it to just be another King Kong ride essentially but with even less theming
@@ExpeditionThemePark More like Tram dodged 🤣
That's not even a bronze lining.
You'd think the obvious choice for a FF themed ride would be a Test Track type ride. Universal and Disney are both dying creatively
And here we are in 2023, looking at a location and opening date for Universal GB!
Who’s back here after the Universal Great Britain announcement?
Please never get rid of the opening theme music, love it so much
Haha I won’t!
Agreed, I'll sometimes find myself just humming it and craving another expedition :]
Me too :D
Agreed
I seriously love the opening theme music
I wonder what a Wizarding World in the actual UK would be like.
Would be cool to see!
I have the hope that the Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter north of London will eventually morph into an actual theme park. It basically needs some rides and they're there.
@@EspenSGX Contractually it would have to change into a Universal park, bringing everything full-circle!
@@DocZFlux Depends on what the contract says. I mean, do they have the theme park rights for Europe? Anyway, I kind of want the Universal rides anyway, so I wouldn't mind it.
@@EspenSGX Yes, it applies worldwide.
Former Havering resident here, if this actually did get built then it would have been literally round the corner from my family home...as opposed to what, flying 9 hours for the Florida one. You could imagine the jobs and economy it would have brought to the area too because yeah Rainham is kind of a middle of nowhere place. Fascinating stuff.
Right. As a huge theme park fan I obviously would of routed for it to happen but alas once again not meant to be!
Me too! Howdy neighbour 😄
Yes amazing how the British moan about the economy yet again and and stuff up and faff about creating jobs and infrastructure. No wonder the country is going backwards.
It would have done for Rainham what Disney World done for Orlando.
@@xr6ladOh no yeah, because our parliamentary system that is literally a hangover from the time of nobilty and duchees is just _so_ great at implementing the will of the people. It's not neoliberalism, its because we all _love_ being unemployed and underserved! 😅😅
We need a high budget park like universal or Disney. It’s baffling how something like it hasn’t happened yet.
right?!
@@ExpeditionThemePark we can only hope with the UK taking a huge economic hit within the last year for the UK government to accept the planning permission for the London resort. It would be a great economic boost and could be what our country needs.
@@lewiswilliams3347 what about Alton towers
@@coaster_bros2476 alton towers isn't a theme park, anymore... yes it has themed rides and themed areas but the whole park doesn't follow a theme like it used to. anyway Alton is particularly nothing compared to a high budget, complex park like universal and Disney, they work with a small strict budget, if you look at Disney they built Rise Of The Resistance, which I believe cost around $100,000,000 if I'm not mistaken. alton and merlin would NEVER do that
There should be a Six Flags
And your prayers look to have been answered Sam! Let's hope it goes the full distance and is an incredible addition to the UK lineup!
Any big London Resort would need a Doctor Who attraction.
would be nice!
Such a cool idea!
Stick james bond 007 in there aswell
BBC behind it, I reckon it will happen
They’d need to actually fix DW first, since they’re hell bent on destroying it more than the Terminator franchise.
Well well well...
*sees EuroDisney
Me: *gets Defunctland flashbacks
Here’s my list of attractions that should be replicated for the London resort!
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley
- Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
- ET Adventure
- Jaws: The Ride
- Back to the Future: The Ride
- Transformers: The Ride
- Minion Land with Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
- a Fast and Furious Supercharged coaster
- Jurassic Park: The Ride
- a Back to the Future Delorean coaster
- some Doctor Who attractions
A dream park
Omg doctor who attractions would be awesome
@@lauracoles5595 put the daleks moving about the park going “EXTERMINATE!! Exterminate!”
Nah we don’t want minion land, we want Nintendo kind instead
@@Dan89201 hell yeah
This video is now even more valuable when there are rumors of Universal looking at the UK again for a new resort...
If it ever happens find me waiting at the gates for as long as it takes
@@ExpeditionThemePark I'll bring the snacks
I've seen all the rumors too! can't wait to attend your universal London event in 2035 😆
@@Rabbitzz haha fingers crossed
Please for the love all that is good let the Universal Great Britain happen and that it's good.
Great video! Yet again something I had no idea even existed. This has easily become my favorite channel on TH-cam!
Thank you so much!
The children interviewed at 12:26 have such intelligent, mature observations on the pros and cons of this park being built. It's interesting seeing these videos about abandoned theme park proposals because they're always nixed by locals protesting, "Not In My Backyard!" Seems like a small miracle that "Euro-Disney" was built. Wish I could see an alternate universe timeline of what it would have looked like if these parks like Universal London or Disney's America had been built, along with the impact on the local communities.
right! Those kids sounds so clever.
they are building the park!!!!!
Hey sam another great video loved it hope all is well with you in these tuff times thank you for the entertainment during it all Bravo
Yet again, another superb video. Would love to see you cover an expedition into the plans surrounding Paramount Park/London Resort!
Thank you! I plan to in the future when we will know what happens
Aaaaand, it was just announced today that it is happening.
New drinking game:
Take a sip every time the owl appears....
Do a shot every time that flying bird appears.
a risky game.
3:26 Billboards! Glorious billboards!! What is this documentary they have the original universal billboards I love!!! That’s an incredible shot of the kong billboard and even a quick shot of ET
it is linked in the description!
WONDERFUL WONDERFUL BILLBOARDS REACHING AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE!
@@edmundbarker2311 my god. It’ll be beautiful.
Wow didn't know this was a thing! Amazing video as always mate.
Thank you so much!
I'm so surprised we haven't got a massive park like Universal or Disney over here. Would definitely help with people who love staycations, tourism and the economy over here, plus a shot in the arm to kick start some of the other theme parks in the UK to improve
Would love it!
they are building the park!!!!!
Do a video on the abandoned plans for the Warner Bros London park. It was a similar story to Universal. It was set to be built on what was known as the Middlesex Showgrounds in Uxbridge, Local government had approved it but plans were stopped by resistance from the local toffs living in the immediate local area. This was also in the early 90's i believe.
Would love to see that
Had a OMG moment watching this film. I literally cycled around rainham marshes this morning. That was a surprise!
Haaa was there a Universal Studios there?
@@ExpeditionThemePark not that I noticed. I’ll check under the rocks next time :) Lots of birds tho!
And now there’s rumours about Universal Studios Great Britain in Bedfordshire. Now I’m hoping it won’t end like this
Man I’m so gutted to hear how close the UK was to having a Universal Studios 😭
this would have been so amazing, especially with the wizarding world. to be honest, this would have been really great
I know right!
Agreed! I want the Wizarding World lands to happen at the London resort!
@@carminecdinoproductions if jk isnt involved im down.
This park wouldn't have been successful and would've had to close pr be sold off to another company to run so you wouldn't have gotten a WWoHP either way.
they are building the park!!!!!
This video is about to get a lot more views, lol.
This would of been so cool! Especially because they could of done alot with the Harry Potter series
Right!
I've still got my Universal Studios Rainham t-shirt that MCA were giving out at Chafford School when they came to tell us what a good idea their theme park was for Rainham. Now I just wear it every time I go to Universal Studios in the US just to confuse the staff there. They say things like 'Where's Rain-Ham?' and when I ask them where they think it is they say things like 'I don't know...the Far East?' :D
Dang I want that shirt lol
This is fascinating, had no idea!
I want to respect what environmentalists are trying to accomplish, but too many come off as extremists that are never willing to negotiate. I've worked for two wildlife sanctuaries/rescues where I live and I've learned an awful lot of wild animals ( described as essential and unable to relocate ) most certainly do. Nature is very flexible, it's the perspective of man that's unyielding.
The thing is it is all about working together.
The thing is Britain is soo built up already, its scary how much of our countryside has been lost to human development since the 1950s. There comes a point where you have to say enough is enough. It would be better to find a brown field site somewhere.
@@chatteyj Well that makes sense. I agree. I wonder why they don't?
@@chatteyj true but there is still a fuck ton of land that's country side. A park like universal would be tiny in comparison
There need to be MORE "extremeists" not willing to negotiate. You give these corporations an inch and they take a mile. Once they've got the land, you really think they'll just leave the rest of it alone? And nature is NOT "flexible" when you literally destroy it, because once it's destroyed there's no more nature left!
Great video very interesting and informative
Thank you!
Great video 👍
Thanks 👍
*WOW!* Thanks for enlightening me with another 'what might have been' theme park story! :)
thank you for watching!
@@ExpeditionThemePark Anytime. :)
Can't wait to see more videos on Australian Parks! Luna Park Sydney has a very interesting history. Most of it's opening day rides came from Luna Park Glenelg and the park ahs gone through many refurbishments and closings.
I have some plans in the future!
they are building the park!!!!!
That was interesting and I had no idea. I'm mixed on this, as the kids were, as I think London does need this sort of attraction. But, on the other hand, the wildlife reserve much needed.
If Universal Studios UK did happened, the Halloween Horror Nights would involve characters being called “fackin’ slags” by blokes channeling their inner Danny Dyer
ha
honestly 😭
You could have had a ‘Viz World’
The kids they interviewed had such realistic logistical and thoughtful things to say about a theme park being built ive never seen kids being intervened about a theme park say things like that
Love your videos! You should do a video about the never built Paramount theme park in Spain
Great suggestion!
Wow I live in Rainham, Essex. So glad it didn't happen - I love theme parks but the Marshes is such a great place to go cycling in and lovely for bird watching. In particular there is a great path between Rainham and Grays that goes all along the Thames
It would of been nice to have both though as planned!
@@ExpeditionThemePark maybe but the other challenge round here is the Dartford Crossing linking both Essex and Kent. The area is notorious for traffic jams and miles of gridlocked traffic when something happens on the bridge or A13... Not sure the roads could of coped with all the extra traffic!
A Back to the Future roller coaster sounds like an amazing idea.
I could see it be a lot like Rock N Roller Coaster at DHS
Another roller coaster idea I've always thought would've been absolutely amazing is one themed after the door chase sequence in the climax of Monsters Inc. The scene is basically already a suspended rollercoaster!
As a huge Backer I'd love to see a BTTF coaster too, though.
Anyone else been on Back to the Future- the ride - not there anymore but was fab
how do you make such high quality videos every single time!!
haha thank you!
Think of how awesome a chance a big-budget theme park/studio would have to secure a licensing deal from the BBC -- and the impact having BBC IP in parks would have. 👀✨💜 IMAGINE INSIDE NO. 9 DOING A HHN HOUSE.
ytesssss
Your narration is 💯
thank you!
This video should be part of the Expedition Unbuilt series!
Listen, if I had teleporting technology. I'd be using it just to get to places in my house. I don't blame him.
Well dang that is true :D
I grew up in Rainham and still live very close - can’t believe I didn’t know this! What a different area it would have been 😧
This needs to open!!!!!
U r back in loved your channel especially the kingdom of dinosaurs one and the cold mind train.
thank you so much!
@@ExpeditionThemePark you really don't understand that was my fav one in watch over and over again lol my childhood even know I was scared lol
If the Universal Studios London theme park had its own studio backlot (just like Universal Hollywood), it would've competed with the Pinewood Studios backlot.
True but competition is good!
This video aged well. (Universal Studios GB was announced)
That's crazy that this year they say they will publish their decision in June and it was the same back then. This time I don't think nature will stop them.
Omggg...had no idea about this!!
din't no any of this. but so glad London Commercial. love still get. great history London.
yeah!
A theme park, in Rainham... I could have walked to that once upon a time!
the dream!
Reminds me of the tale of when Michael Eisner tried to talk with the Singapore government for building a Disney park here in the 90s, smack dab in the middle of the Disney Decade. They had even reserved space along the rails of the MRT network to build a new station just for the park. The park never happened, and the station that was supposed to be reserved for, it's still empty. It ends up making the trip between Khatib and Yio Chu Kang stations really...really long.
yeah!
Don’t know how I feel about this.. it would bring people to the UK but would it have a negative effect on our local parks.. Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park etc? Who knows? It’s exciting to see how the project develops! Thanks for sharing! ☺️
I would say the opposite, they need more competition to improve
Would LOVE a Universal Studios in UK. Went to Florida's and it was great!
Very informative video,i knew the uk was considered for euro disney back then but not universal. I think we missed out big time,a universal in London would have been immense for the uk economy,to this day,we still don’t have anything theme park wise to rival the american ones.
Would love to hear about the plans for Warner Brothers' plans for a theme park there.
Looking forward to watching this a bit later on.. Always wondered why they never brought Universal to the UK??
I'm about to find out. Love your videos. Keep up the good work mate 🤗🙏
Hope you enjoy!
Another informative Vid.. Thanks again!! 👍🏼
they are building the park!!!!!
Very interesting a gutted it never happened!
A shame Ash!
Amusing irony that central Florida theme park land was a lot of wetlands which had to be drained, shaped, and modified before building could begin. And that dedicated preserve land also had to be set aside to make up for the used land. Travel across the Pond, and the potential site had the same land management issues.
After a crappy night of work, I was very pleased to see this is up as I go to bed. Good way to redeem the day.
hope tomorrow is better for you!
To anyone wondering, Battersea Theme Park never went anywhere because the planned attractions would severely fuck-up key machinery. They got the funding through crowdfunding but the plant owners refused it as the construction would render the plant completely unusable.
I remember my mum saying 'euro disney we're going to build on the marches' when we used to drive passed it.
But now I know she got confused and was actually talking about universal!🤣 this is the first I'm hearing of these plans and I'm so sad it didnt happen!! :(
7:00 to 7:15
What, he' just channeling his inner Ganon from the Zelda 80s cartoon XD
haaaa yes
I used to work for a builders merchant who had an application for the building materials for this back in about 2015. It really has been on and off for years!
Oh wow interesting.
@@ExpeditionThemePark yeah we were really excited about it but so far...nothing!!
0:45 - Reminds me of superhero movies in the 90s
Love your vids keep up the great work. Btw what is the namr of your intro song??
Thank you!
Those marshes are beautiful.
much better now!
I live in Upminster, the town next to Rainham and remember some of this happening. I now work in Grays, which is on the other side of the Thames to the London Resort. BTW Rainham is in London and ironically Swanscombe, home to the London Resort isn’t, its in Kent.
Loved the intro music
thank you!
@@ExpeditionThemePark big fan
I prefer a nature reserve near London TBH, we deff need some kind of theme park in the area thats not Thorpe Park but... I don't know, it really should be on a brownfield site somewhere, I've got no answers but I'm glad the marshes were let be :)
Before the pandemic happened, I was going to travel from LA to London to celebrate my college graduation. When looking for attractions and things to see I was stunned there was no MAJOR theme parks in London. I would figure one of the biggest cities in the world would have a huge theme park. Maybe I'm biased since I live in LA where I have Six Flags, Disneyland, Universal, Knotts Berry Farm, Seaworld, and Legoland - lol
I grew up in Orlando where there were a bunch of theme parks too
It's a result of London & the South East being densely populated - there's a lot of people around, and the areas of land that do exist are mostly taken up by suburban towns & farms, whereas many theme parks in the USA are built in areas with vast tracts of land around them.
they are building the park!!!!!
I mean if there's theme park like Efteling and go hard with weird fairy tales and folklore, I'd be game.
Love Efteling !
Can you do a film on the theme park that seem to be forever getting approved and cancelled in the query near bluewater.
Seem like ever one year there a different theme park announced
maybe! these videos with out footage are quite hard
I would love to return to London with a Universal Studios London resort. My dream attractions and shows would be:
1) The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
2) Kongfrontation
3) Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue (I would love to see the Universal Monsters and Beetlejuice scare/entertain the UK audience)
4) Back to the Future
5) Jaws
6) the Simpsons
7) a Scooby Doo ride or show - Scooby vs the Universal Monsters
8) ET Adventure
9) an updated Terminator show or ride
10) Far Far Away - Shrek's world (with Shrek 4-D and another kid-friendly ride)
11) Jurassic Park roller coaster & dinosaur encounter
12) Doctor Who -exclusively for UK
13) a Film Studio for iTV (Britain's Got Talent, The Chase, Loose Women, The Voice UK & The Voice UK Teens)
I live in Havering (though not Rainham) and had no idea how close we came to having a Universal Studios!!! I even thought when Paramount pulled out of the London Resort that Universal should step in because London would be a perfect addition for them. Also, with the UK now out of the EU and no longer having freedom of movement, we NEED something that will encourage those in Mainland Europe to come here, after all, they have some fantastic parks of their own. Chessington, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor are great, but they're goldfish compared to the sharks that are Disney & Universal parks. I have my fingers crossed for The London Project, but it seems to have stalled at its current stage for several years so my hope is waning :(
I hope so too!
This was great! I really wish there was a universal in the UK it would be so fun. Anyway could one day u do history of the first modern inverting ride (corkscrew at Knott’s)??
Thank you so much! And I have more plans for Knott's for sure
they are building the park!!!!!
@@drewchaboo719 yessss I can’t wait for it
@@Gabes1321me too!
oh wow i never even knew this would have been crazy or this to have been built. the planning permission for paramount to be built is happening though!
if it gets approved and funding I hope so!
@@ExpeditionThemePark yes that’s true I hope so!! :))
Please do a regular Expedition Unbuilt series!
this is kinda a test to see how it does and if people like it! :)
@@ExpeditionThemePark may I humbly make a recommendation for unbuilt? ALIENS 3D. The script is on the alien anthology blu ray boxed set and I saw a few pieces of concept art on the defunct goddard website but that’s all we know about it
@@Maniac536 Yeah.
I’d love to see that as part of the Expedition Unbuilt series.
You should make a video about how you think Universal London would affect the rest of the parks if it ever got built. For example, it would probably be the first park to get the wizarding world
Would love to see an episode on the abandoned theme park in battersea power station
I want to but will have to see. These videos where they don't exist are much harder.
I like his videos because they are interesting and funny
thanks!
I do really like your videos because they are something to look forward too
Exactly
Since Ratatouille is opening at Epcot this year, you should make an episode on the French Pavilion.
good idea!
Whilst we're in this area of the world, I think Fantaseas in Dartford deserves an Expedition Extinct as the UK's first indoor waterpark.
will take a look!
Hey, Expedition Theme Park! Can you please do a video of Extraterrorestrial: Alien Encounter/Stitch's Great Escape at Disney's Magic Kingdom?
In the future yes!
10:10 this man is uncanny as hell. Nothing but his mouth and eyes move. His head stays still, and he talks like an AI.
It makes me wonder what the London Resort is going to like like, unless that also ends up not happening aswell.
I really wish we could have gotten a universal park in Europe ☺️❤️
Basically the forerunner to the london resort
Now that there is going to be Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and eventually the other Universal Studios as well, I wish they actually got around to build Universal Studios UK (or even the one in Paris).
A James Bond Stuntacular Show mixed with 4D, similar to disfunct Terminator 3D(Universal)
and Lights, Camera, Action from Disney-MGM!
all good!!
Imagine godzilla came to the London resort as a ride
wouldn't mind!
Godzilla vs Kong!
I can imagine the map of Universal Studios London. Given that Epic Universe, Florida is under construction, I can imagine how the London park's features:
Jurassic Park
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Super Nintendo Land
How to Train your Dragon
Dark Universe (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.)
Technically there has been a Universal Studios in Europe (Spain):
Port Aventura is a Universal Studio's theme park on the Costa Daurada, the only one operated by the group in Europe. Port Aventura is made up of the Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park, the Costa Caribe water park, the Hotel El Paso, the Hotel Port Aventura, a Beach Club and the Ferrari Land park.