The park would be built in north Kent, between Dartford and Gravesend, just south of the Thames River and adjacent to the Ebbsfleet International train station. The developers have signed a licensing deal with Paramount Pictures to create a Paramount-themed studio park on the site, where the developers also plan hotels, restaurants, and a water park.
Opening date? 2018. But the developers are still looking for investors, and for government approval and financial support. So excuse me if I don't get too excited just yet. Unlike Disney or Universal, Paramount no longer has a theme park creative team, so any developer licensing with Paramount would still need to hook up with a design firm to create the theme park. I've not yet heard any word about designers that might be working with this group. Paramount's got some interesting IP, but as I've said before, it's the not the franchises you have as much as what you do with them that's important for theme parks.
Thoughts?
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Over all, just that bit Suggests to me they haven't really looked at the market and are just trying to do what American parks do - American Park resorts have a water park attached, so they must too.
However, putting it on the Eurostar line by Ebbsfleet International is a good move. Allows you to look at Disneyland Paris in combined trip, and if they ever do get trains through the channel tunnel beyond Paris and Brussels it will open up the range of the park to even more possible customers. On the London side, St Pancras station is very well connected - Many of the underground lines have stations within walking distance (or just under the station) in addition to UK national rail terminuses serving almost all points north of London.
It of course does have a lot of competition beyond the Mouse on the same rail line; Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, and Legoland Windsor are all within the London basin. There's also rumours that WB's Harry Potter experience is a beachhead that will eventually turn into another Warner Bros Movie world, not to mention the regular tourist attractions of London.
All in all, London doesnt seem the most obvious choice for a Florida/California/Queensland style grouping of theme parks, but good luck to them.
Seriously if this did get the go ahead and was seen through, I would happily take a day off work to go when all the kids are in school.
It would be excellent.
Can I just ask - it says it would be the biggest covered water park in the UK, anyone know if Splash Landings water park at Alton Towers is currently the biggest?
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Even assuming it does get the go-ahead I'm still not certain I can get excited as when you actually look at the plans it's not so much a theme park that's planned as a resort, and there is a difference... According to reports the resort will include "a water park, a roller coaster, music venues, Europe's biggest performing arts centre, cinemas, hotels and restaurants". There's also talk of a training academy, a country park and a science and education visitor facility.
Disneyland it ain't......