New "Disneyland" Theme Park Faces Major Set Back, Plans Terminated

The theme park that was almost decimated by a single spider, is now spiraling once again.

The grand entrance to Paramount London, the “British Disneyland,” featuring iconic Union Jack flags and excited guests making their way beneath the lavishly designed gateway. — Credit: Paramount Park

Could you imagine if your country was gearing up to build a Disneyland-inspired theme park, only to have a spider stand in the way of its inception? Well, that is exactly what happened in the U.K. A theme park that would have been worth over $4.5 billion USD almost ended up getting squashed by a one-centimeter spider.

In 2012 it was announced that the United Kingdom would build its own version of Disneyland. Although the theme park would use Disneyland as a comparison, it would not be related to Disney at all. Once built the “U.K. Disneyland” would be the largest theme park in Europe, decimating Disneyland Paris. At the moment, Alton Towers is the largest theme park in the U.K.

A lively medieval-inspired castle and village setting with vibrant festival tents and crowds filling the courtyard, evoking the magical, immersive vibe of UK family attractions like Alton Towers or LEGOLAND Windsor. — Credit: Paramount Park

Related: Mother Panics in Terror After Losing Child at Universal, Guests Save the Day

Reportedly, the theme park is said to be “136 times bigger than the Wembley Stadium, occupying a 535-acre land space,” and around 70 percent of the attractions will be undercover to cope with the unpredictable English weather. The theme park would not follow the “classic” castle look like Disneyland to a tee, but would do so with a twist. The Park’s theming is meant to reflect British television and films. The park has been called the “Paramount” Resort by many due to the ties with the production company, located in Kent.

Visitors stroll down an energetic, lamp-lit avenue adorned with British flags and vibrant theater marquees beneath a majestic domed building at night—a magical atmosphere reminiscent of Paramount Park, the eagerly awaited British Disneyland. — Credit: Paramount Park

After a rare spider was found on the construction site, it was said that the theme park could be potentially ruining a natural habitat. The announcement made companies like BBC and ITV, who were initially partners for the theme park, cut ties with the Paramount theme park. Now Variety is reporting that another “stumbling block” has been hit.

On Tuesday, PY Gerbeau, chief executive of London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), the developers behind The London Resort, confirmed that the company was withdrawing its current application.

Gerbeau blamed the decision on the reclassification of a local boat dock as a ‘freeport’ (which isn’t subject to normal taxes and customs regulations), which would have an impact on the ferry terminal envisaged as part of the site’s redevelopment.

Credit: Paramount Park

Because of this, the theme park has taken their current application noting all their plans away, and will work on redoing them. We do not know if this is going to cause another derailment of the theme park opening.

The Park was set to open in 2024 but has now had to be pushed back to 2025. At the moment, there is not much more information regarding the theming of the Park, but it was confirmed that dinosaurs would occupy a section of the land, much like we see at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Hollywood with the Jurassic World and Jurassic Park sections. We have also seen concept art of a very fantastical feel with dragons surrounding the area and a large medieval castle — very much like a Game of Thrones setting. On top of that there will also be resorts built by the Park, as well as shopping and dining locations available.

Vibrant medieval village waterfront featuring bustling docks, majestic ships, quaint timber homes, and arched bridges—teeming with visitors soaking up the immersive atmosphere, much like the fantasy realms and picturesque settings promised at Paramount Park, the much-anticipated UK destination dubbed the British Disneyland. — Credit: Paramount Park

The London Resort’s site states:

The London Resort will be principally based on the Swanscombe Peninsula in North Kent, set over approximately 465 hectares including a new dedicated access road to the A2 and easy access from Ebbsfleet International station.

Transport facilities will be provided on the north side of the river, set over approximately 29.5 hectares of land, on land immediately to the east of the port of Tilbury, with a transport access corridor around the A1089. Whilst we are not proposing to develop the whole site within those borders, we have submitted a DCO application partly situated within that area.

What do you think of this U.K. Disneyland? Let us know in the comments below.

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!

New "Disneyland" Theme Park Faces Major Set Back, Plans Terminated

Get daily updates from Inside the Magic