Is There a Disneyland Coming to the UK? Honest Answer

There is no Disney theme park in the UK, and Disney has made no announcement about building one. The nearest Disney park to UK visitors is Disneyland Paris in France, reachable by rail or short flight. If you're searching for a Disneyland in the UK, the honest answer is it doesn't exist - but there are options closer than you might think.

Is There a Disneyland in the UK?

No. There is no Disney theme park in the UK, there has never been one, and Disney has not announced plans to build one. The question comes up constantly, mostly because newspapers spent years calling the London Resort in Kent "the UK Disneyland" even though Disney had nothing to do with it.

If you want a Disney park and you're based in the UK, Disneyland Paris is a train ride or short flight away, while Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California are long-haul trips. See the latest Disneyland Paris offers for UK visitors, check the Walt Disney World deals available to UK guests, or go straight to the Disneyland Paris price calendar to find the cheapest dates.

Is There a Disneyland in London?

No. There's no Disneyland in London or anywhere else in England. The theme park most often called "Disneyland London" wasn't in London either - the London Resort was planned for the Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent, on the border of the Dartford and Gravesham boroughs, and the company behind it has since been wound up.

From London, the nearest Disney park is Disneyland Paris. Take Eurostar from St Pancras International to Lille Europe, then a TGV to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, which works out at around 2.5 hours of train time plus your connection at Lille. The station sits between the two theme parks and Disney Village, so you step off the train and you're there.

See Disneyland Paris Packages With Travel From London

Why Did Disney Choose Paris Over the UK?

Disney first looked at building in Europe in 1966, when Frankfurt, Paris, London and Milan were all under consideration. When the search restarted in late 1984, Disney's theme park bosses drew up a list of around 1,200 possible European locations, and the UK was on it alongside France, Italy and Spain. The UK and Italy were both dropped because neither could offer a big enough expanse of flat land.

By March 1985 it was down to two sites in France and two in Spain, with both countries offering competing financing deals. The Spanish sites near the Mediterranean had the better weather, but Disney chose Marne-la-Vallée, around 20 miles east of central Paris, for its closeness to the capital and its central position in Western Europe. The site was estimated to be within a four-hour drive of 68 million people. Michael Eisner signed the first letter of agreement with the French government on 18th December 1985, and the park opened as Euro Disneyland on 12th April 1992.

Disney now owns Disneyland Paris outright and is working through a €2 billion expansion announced in 2018, so there's no sign of it wanting a second European park just across the Channel.

If you haven't visited for a few years, it's changed a fair bit. Walt Disney Studios Park was renamed Disney Adventure World on 29th March 2026, the same day World of Frozen opened, and a Lion King themed area has been under construction since autumn 2025. You can book a Disneyland Paris package with travel, hotel and tickets here, travelling by Eurostar or plane, or use the price calendar to find the cheapest dates for your trip.

Is Disneyland Opening in Kent?

No, and it never was. For years, headlines called the London Resort "Britain's Disneyland" or "the UK's Disney World". It was a proposed theme park on the Swanscombe Peninsula near Dartford in Kent, and Disney had nothing to do with it.

It was announced on 8th October 2012 as the London Paramount Entertainment Resort, with an initial completion date of 2019 that later moved to 2024. Paramount withdrew its support in 2017, which is when the project became the London Resort, then agreed a licensing deal in 2019 so its films could still feature in rides.

The planning problems started with the wildlife. The conservation charity Buglife began campaigning to protect the peninsula in September 2020, and in March 2021 Natural England designated much of the site a Site of Special Scientific Interest, confirming it on 10th November 2021. The BBC and ITV pulled out in February 2022 after the distinguished jumping spider, one of the UK's rarest, was found living on the site. London Resort Company Holdings withdrew its planning application on 29th March 2022, citing Natural England's concerns and problems with Tilbury's freeport status.

The company went into administration in March 2023, and Paramount sued it that November. In December 2024 the High Court confirmed it had stopped trading, and after a winding-up order on 17th January 2025 it entered liquidation on 13th March 2025.

"The dream of the London Resort has been ended by the courts."

- Spokesperson, London Resort Company Holdings Ltd (LRCH), January 2025

It kept being called "the UK Disneyland" because it was pitched as the UK's answer to Disneyland Paris, and headline writers tended to lose the word "Paris" somewhere along the way. The land at Swanscombe was put up for sale in June 2024.

If you were hoping for a big theme park near Kent, the LeShuttle terminal at Folkestone is the start of the drive to Disneyland Paris, and some packages include a free crossing on select arrival dates. Check which Disneyland Paris dates include the free LeShuttle crossing.

Universal United Kingdom Resort: The Real Newcomer

The only big American theme park brand confirmed for the UK is Universal. The UK Government announced in April 2025 that the Prime Minister had closed the deal on a Universal theme park and resort near Bedford, and in June 2026 Universal confirmed its name as Universal United Kingdom Resort.

Construction is due to start in 2026, with opening planned for 2031 at Kempston Hardwick, just south of Bedford. The Government announcement describes an entertainment resort complex with a 500-room hotel and a CityWalk-style dining and shopping area, and it will be the first Universal-branded theme park and resort in Europe.

According to the Government, it will bring nearly 20,000 jobs during construction and a further 8,000 across hospitality and the creative industries once it opens, around 28,000 in total, along with an estimated £50bn boost for the economy. Read the full Universal UK announcement breakdown here.

For UK families, it means a major theme park without a ferry or flight from 2031. It won't have Mickey Mouse though, so until then (and after) Disneyland Paris is still the nearest place to find him. Use the price calendar to find the cheapest Disneyland Paris dates.

Where Is the Closest Disney Park to the UK?

For UK visitors, Disneyland Paris is the obvious starting point - it's the closest Disney park to the UK by some distance. The easiest way to get there from London is by Eurostar from St Pancras International to Lille Europe, then changing onto a TGV high-speed train to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, the station right outside the gates of Disneyland Paris. The direct Eurostar service to Disneyland Paris was suspended on 7th June 2023, so a change at Lille is required, but the overall journey is still manageable and sometimes cheaper than flying.

Flights are also an option from various UK airports - Paris CDG or Orly both work, though you'll need to factor in a transfer (like The Magical Shuttle) to Disneyland Paris on top of the flight. For most people travelling from the south of England, the train is the more convenient option. From the Midlands or north, flying often makes more sense.

If you'd rather take the car, LeShuttle crosses from Folkestone to Calais in about 35 minutes, and from Calais it's around three hours' drive to Disneyland Paris. Having your own car also means no luggage limits, which matters more than you'd think once the souvenir ears start piling up. See the Disneyland Paris packages with a free LeShuttle crossing on select dates.

Disneyland Paris has two theme parks - Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World (renamed from Walt Disney Studios Park on 29th March 2026) - plus Disney Village for shopping and dining, and a range of on-site hotels from budget to deluxe. For most of the UK, it's a shorter and often cheaper trip than Florida.

Check the latest Disneyland Paris deals and offers for UK guests here, or browse the price calendar to find the cheapest available dates.

Walt Disney World in Florida is the next step up - a much larger resort with four theme parks, two water parks, and enough to fill a fortnight. Most UK visitors fly from Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester. Virgin Holidays packages fly into Orlando International Airport on Virgin flights, while TUI packages fly into Melbourne Airport. See the current Walt Disney World deals available to UK guests or check packages direct with Disney. If you've already sorted flights and a hotel, FloridaTix sells standalone Walt Disney World tickets.

Disneyland Paris vs Walt Disney World: Which Suits UK Visitors?

Both parks are a trip abroad from the UK, but they suit different holidays. Here's how they compare for UK visitors.

Time differences apply for most of the year, as the US changes its clocks on different dates to the UK.

Check Disneyland Paris Package Prices

Check Walt Disney World Package Prices

The Mickey From The UK Name Confusion

The name Mickey From The UK refers to where I'm from, not where the parks are. I'm a British Disney fan covering mainly Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris, plus Disney Cruise Line, for UK visitors - a site about Disney parks located in the UK would be a fairly short one.

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Disneyland UK: Your Questions Answered

Is there a Disneyland in the UK?
No. There is no Disneyland or Disney theme park anywhere in the UK. There has never been one, and Disney has not announced any plans to build one.

Are there any Disney parks in the UK?
No. There are no Disney theme parks in the UK. The nearest Disney park to UK visitors is Disneyland Paris in France.

Is there a Disneyland in London?
No. There is no Disneyland in London or anywhere else in the UK. The nearest Disney park to London is Disneyland Paris, around 2.5 hours of train time away by Eurostar to Lille Europe and a connecting TGV to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy.

Are they making a Disneyland in the UK?
No. Disney has made no announcement about building a Disneyland in the UK, so there is no opening date. There are no confirmed plans as of September 2026.

Is Disneyland opening in Kent?
No. The London Resort - a proposed theme park on the Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent - was often called "the UK Disneyland" by the media, but it had no connection to Disney. The company behind it entered liquidation in March 2025 and the project is over.

Where is the new UK Disneyland being built?
There is no UK Disneyland being built. The phrase comes from years of media coverage of the London Resort in Kent, which was never a Disney project and has since collapsed. The only major US theme park brand confirmed for the UK is Universal United Kingdom Resort, near Bedford, due to open in 2031.

Is Disney World opening in the UK?
No. Walt Disney World is a resort in Orlando, Florida, and Disney has no announced plans to open a Disney World in the UK.

Which countries have Disneyland?
Disney theme parks are in six locations - the United States (Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California), France (Disneyland Paris), Japan (Tokyo Disney Resort), mainland China (Shanghai Disney Resort) and Hong Kong (Hong Kong Disneyland). A seventh, Disneyland Abu Dhabi on Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates, was announced on 7th May 2025 but has no confirmed opening date. The UK is not among them.

Where are the 12 Disney parks located?
There are 12 Disney theme parks around the world across six locations. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are at Walt Disney World in Florida. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are in Anaheim, California. Disneyland Paris has Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World. Tokyo Disney Resort has Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland have one park each. None are in the UK.

Where is the closest Disney park to the UK?
Disneyland Paris. From London, take Eurostar from St Pancras International to Lille Europe, then a connecting TGV to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy station, which sits right next to the park entrances. You can also fly from UK airports to Paris CDG or Orly and transfer from there, or drive via LeShuttle from Folkestone to Calais.