3. Universal Studios Beijing

Location: Tongzhou, China
Opening date: January 2018
Announcement Leak date: March 4, 2014
Current status: Planning

Much like Universal’s two pre-existent Asian parks, Universal Studios Beijing will have a tiny footprint: just 51 acres, making it two acres larger than Universal Studios Singapore and three smaller than Universal Studios Japan (which just so happens to be Universal’s most-visited park in the world). However, in keeping with Universal Studios South Korea, the development comes with a hefty price tag: $1.95 billion (nearly half of Shanghai Disneyland’s budget, just for the record).

Cited as a “Hollywood-themed facility” in the Chinese press, Universal is partnering with Beijing Tourism Group, a local tourism company; it will provide the land and a certain percentage of the funding, while Universal will handle the rest of the money and will oversee the park’s branding, licensed material, technology, and its day-to-day operations – not all that different from what is already in place at both Osaka and Sentosa Island. Even more interestingly, the Beijing local government is looking to build a monorail throughout the city and its assorted suburbs, with its terminus being USB.

China's about to get a LOT more crowded. Image © Disney.

If China suddenly seems a bit on the crowded side – with Hong Kong and Shanghai Disneylands already there, and a number of other parks, including one by DreamWorks, shortly on the way – that’s because, quite simply, there’s a population to support so many developments (as in the US) and a great amount of demand for them, even though Chinese consumers already make up a significant portion of Universal Studios Japan’s, Singapore’s, and, even, Hollywood’s visitors.

As of right now, demolition of the site’s current buildings is ongoing, with construction expected to commence sometime in the last quarter of this year (October to December).

2. Universal Studios Moscow

Location: Moscow, Russia
Opening date: TBA 2018
Announcement date: December 20, 2012
Current status: Planning

The premise behind Universal Studios Moscow’s development is very similar to that of Universal Studios Singapore, where the park is just one component of a larger, multi-faceted resort complex (although this one, unsurprisingly, won’t feature any gambling).

Located in the southern part of Moscow, the resort will be called Galaktika Park and will occupy approximately 170 acres, with roughly 37 of these being dedicated specifically to USM. This will easily make the Russian park the smallest in Universal’s portfolio (and, also, its only “indoor” venture), but it will also feature the cheapest tickets: just $30. (Curious as to what the rest of Galaktika Park’s real estate will be devoted to? Hotels, retail and office space, a water park, and, most amusing in its juxtaposition, a winter garden.)

Is Disney Quest a hint at what Universal Studios Moscow might be like? Image © Disney.

Being the first theme park operator to set up shop in Eastern Europe, Universal is taking something of a gamble; the economies of the former Soviet Union territories, most especially Russia itself, haven’t been the most surefooted of performers even before last decade’s Great Recession, and they haven’t necessarily had the best of luck recovering since then.

However, should the enterprise prove successful, NBCUniversal would stand to make a significant windfall, particularly considering the park’s small price tag: just $500 million, which is exactly what the company spends on both of its American locations each and every year. And, furthermore, when combined with reports that Universal won’t have any financial investments in the development at all, the deal gets even sweeter.

Approval for Galaktika Park was granted on December 13, 2012. There is no word, however, on when construction is supposed to begin.

1. Universal Orlando's third gate

Location: Universal Orlando Resort
Opening date: TBA 2020s
Announcement Leak date: N/A
Current status: Blue-sky planning

Although on the drawing board, in one form or another, since the mid-‘90s, when Universal was making the transition from the one-park Universal Studios Florida to the fully-fleshed-out Universal Orlando Resort, a possible third gate in Florida has never managed to materialize. Its creation and subsequent dismissal, however, was before a certain boy wizard arrived in full force, and now that Universal Orlando is the mammoth cash cow that it is, old plans are being revisited – and, one can hope, revitalized.

This map is about to get a LOT bigger. Image © Universal.

Literally the only scrap of information to surface over the past several years is that Universal will build its third park on brand-new land, which it will, of course, have to purchase before any construction can even begin. While this would ordinarily prove to be problem – as mentioned previously, Wet ‘n Wild, located “off-property,” is barely recognized in most Universal Orlando communications – other rumors hold that Universal is actively looking into installing a monorail system that would link all of its parks, hotels, and shopping centers together. And since this is expected to include the I-Drive water park, there is no reason that it wouldn’t also link up the third plot of Universal land in the area.

With money and land therefore not being an issue, the only remaining hurdle to the third theme park’s existence is its very premise: if USF is the place to “ride the movies” and Islands of Adventure is where literature comes alive, what is left to tackle?

We should know sooner rather than later.