A HUGE theme park that could have rivalled Disney nearly opened in a surprising UK city – only for it to be ‘too ahead of it’s time’.
American businessman Dennis Speigel said he was approached in the 1980s to approach building the new resort – in Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes is often overlooked as a city destination, and was even featured as one of the worst places to live in the UK.
But Mr Spiegel told Milton Keynes Citizen: “I was with a very large entertainment company known as Taft Broadcasting here in the USA back then.
“They came to our company to assist them on the exploration of building a Theme Park at Milton Keynes.”
The theme park, called Wonder World would be a “major US-style theme park” if opened, similar to Disneyland or Coney Island (which was said to have also inspired Disney).
He added: “It was a cutting-edge Theme Park project geared towards families with young children.”
Along with chief architect Derek Walker, they travelled to the US for inspiration on building the attraction.
However, the park was never able to get any lift, despite Mr Speigel leaving his job and setting up his own theme park company, International Theme Park Services (ITTP) which he has been running ever since.
He said it was “too new and ahead of it’s time” so was unable to get any funding.
Thankfully there is a huge theme park opening in the UK near Milton Keynes.
The new 500-acre Universal theme park is to open in Bedford, near other attractions such as Gulliver’s Land.
Little is known about the theme park, although both locals and MPs have supported the plans.
Inside would be a hotel, entertainment zone as well as retail and dining zones.
A new train station would also be constructed, which would allow easier access to both London and the nearby London Luton Airport.
However, there are lots of theme parks that have failed to open in recent years, despite grand plans.
The much-anticipated London Resort, dubbed the UK’s Disneyland, has stalled following a number of setbacks.
First announced in 2012, the Kent attraction was set to be as large as 136 Wembley Stadiums, with 12 major rides, 3,500 hotel rooms and even a new ferry terminal.
Yet problems included the land being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2021.
Along with this, there was also fierce local opposition, as well as the pulling out of brands such as BBC.
The land is now up for sale, after the London Resort’s lease expired in 2022.
Here are some other theme park plans that were never built:
Six Flags Dubai, UAE
Plans included six rollercoasters, four aerial rides and a 340m rapids ride.
It would also have been home to the world’s biggest rollercoaster although developers never revealed just what records it would break.
However, earlier this year, it was announced that the attraction was not in the “best interest of the company or shareholders”.
Space City USA, Alabama
In the 1960s, an innovative interstellar theme park was put forward – Space City USA which wanted to rival Disney World.
Guests would be transported to the future with jet cars, flying saucers and a skyway ride, with a time travelling machine taking guests back to the era of the dinosaurs, the Old South and a moon colony simulation.
Construction began on Lady Anne lake in 1964, but the project was abandoned three years later, despite some of the buildings and rides already near completion.
The Battersea London
Now a large housing and shopping complex, there were once plans to turn it into a huge theme park.
Some of the designs included glass elevators up to the glass roofed atrium, a Battersea bullet train (with LCD windows mimicking travelling at light speed) and indoor hot air balloon rides.
Six of the floors would have different entertainment based on continents around the world, featuring exhibits, cinemas and restaurants, as well as the world’s largest aquarium.
However, a combination of asbestos in the building and the failing building integrity needed to support the structures led to the project being shelved.
