Why Disney Adults Are Suddenly Booking Trips to the UK
Some major themed experiences are coming to the U.K.
If you’ve found yourself looking up flights across the pond recently, you’re not alone. American fans of themed entertainment have their eyes set on the United Kingdom right now.
From an unprecedented Universal expansion and a bit of a throwback Disney retail spot to a local culture-centric “time-traveling” experience , the United Kingdom is in the midst of a themed entertainment boom!
Let’s begin with the U.K.’s history-tailored experience. The original Kynren, which is located in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, opened in 2016. The park uses 90-minute performances to depict major moments in British history, ranging from the Roman conquest of Britain, King Arthur’s search for the Holy Grail, and Winston Churchill’s “Finest Hour” speech during WW2.
The new Storied Lands expansion will emphasize live-action shows, immersive environments, large-scale sets, animals, and cutting-edge effects . These new lands will include:
Kynren, The Storied Lands is scheduled to open on July 18th , and tickets are already on sale.
While Universal’s United Kingdom Resort in Bedfordshire, England, is much further away than Kynren’s Storied Lands (it’s not scheduled to open until 2031), the upcoming park may be even more exciting for U.S.-based theme park fans. The resort will be Universal’s first ever newly built destination in Europe, and their first presence on the continent of any kind since they owned the previously built PortAventura theme park, and briefly renamed it Universal Mediterranea, in the early 2000s.
First announced in 2025, the initial phase of the U.K. resort is scheduled to offer a theme park, a 500-room hotel, and an integrated retail, dining, and entertainment complex (similar to CityWalk) over approximately 476 acres, with about 300 further acres earmarked for potential future development. According to Universal, the complex is forecast to draw approximately 8.5 million visitors in its first year of operation, add £50 billion to the UK economy by 2055, and create approximately 28,000 jobs across construction, operations, and the wider supply chain.
Universal hasn’t released many further concrete details about the future park, but a close look at the released concept art reveals features that hint at areas based on Harry Potter, Jurassic World , and Back to the Future. Of course, that concept art could be purposefully deceptive, and could also change many times before the park actually opens.
While U.S.-based Disney fans won’t find anything on the level of a new theme park in the U.K., those of a certain age can relive the feeling of visiting a Disney Store! That’s right, there’s a brick-and-mortar Disney Store location on London’s famous Oxford Street. In addition, Disney has also launched pop-up shops in Selfridges stores in several areas, including Manchester.
Disney hopes that these new locations will bring the Disney magic closer to even more fans and families across the country, allowing guests to connect with some of the stories, characters, and products they already know and love.
It’s a great time to be a themed entertainment fan in the U.K., or just someone planning a trip there! Stay tuned to DFB for more on themed entertainment around the world!
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Which of these U.K. attractions excited you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
