In January of 2023, Universal announced plans to open a new theme park in Frisco, Texas that would be geared toward families, especially those with younger children.
Toward the end of the year, Universal also announced that this new park would be called Universal Kids Resort. Let’s look at everything we know about this new resort and everything we now think we might know so far…
What We Know
Universal Kids Resort will be opening in Frisco, Texas. The opening time frame has not been announced, however, construction did begin in November. Likely, we will not see this park open until 2025 or even 2026. It is set to be about 32 acres, which is about one-third the size of Islands of Adventure for reference. The construction of the resort will bring 2500 jobs to the area and Universal Destinations and Experiences says that they will be focused on adding value and positivity to the local community.
The park is set to focus on “innovative storytelling for the younger audience.” Universal Destinations and Experiences boasts that this will be a park to foster imagination, discovery, and play. The main age range that it will appeal to is said to be 3–9-year-olds.
The park will include family-friendly attractions, interactive shows, exclusive merchandise, fun food and beverage options, and character meet & greets. The park will feature unique designs and colorful facades specifically designed for children. The resort will also include a 300-room-themed hotel.
What We THINK We NOW Know
Universal released new concept art in December when the name of the resort was announced. Let’s explore this concept art and see what we might see at Universal Kids Resort.
First, we can see what appears to be a Bikini Bottom-themed area. The land features a few flat rides including a spinning boat ride that looks to be like Dumbo The Flying Elephant at Magic Kingdom.
There is also a spinning barrel ride. What truly conveys that this is a Sponge Bob-themed land is the very obvious Krusty Crab building sitting in the southwest corner. We also see ample shade, seating, and even an underwater-themed playground.
The next area that we can make out is a Camp Jurassic or Jurassic Park-themed area. We can tell this by the distinct Jurassic Park logo on one of the buildings. This area features a large playground and a flat ride that seems to resemble the rolling spheres from the Jurassic World movie.
In the back of the park, we see a very green playground area that includes some water features. If you look closely at the signage, it appears that this area could be themed to Shrek’s swamp. This area is adjacent to what could be a Puss In Boots-themed area.
One of the largest themed areas of the park looks to be taking on a Trolls theme. The bright colors and flowers fit perfectly within the Trolls theme. This land features a colorful balloon flat ride, a small amphitheater, what appears to be a couple of playground areas, and a green roller coaster.
You can even see what looks to be Trolls characters lining the edge of the coaster.
In the center of the park, there is a bright yellow-themed area. This appears to be a Minions area, as we can clearly see a could of the yellow characters. It looks like this area may include what looks to be a raft water ride that travels around the park. This will likely be a milder version of a raging raft ride as the park is aimed toward younger children.
A few other things we notice from the concept art are a second roller coaster, a swing flat ride, a car track ride, and plenty of areas for children to run and play. It is possible we can expect to see references to other IP like Gabby’s Dollhouse, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Sing, and Secret Life of Pets. While it is unknown whether attractions will officially be included, we can assume that most of the rides will feature lower height restrictions to allow children to enjoy all that the park has to offer.
We are excited to see what this new Universal Kids Resort looks like. If it is successful, we may even see more of the parks throughout the country. Universal Destinations and Experiences seems to be full steam ahead on expanding the Universal footprint and we cannot wait for Universal Kids Resort, Epic Universe, and everything else they have planned in the coming years.
We will keep you posted on all of the updates on this park and more as they become available during 2024. What are you most excited about in Universal Kids Resort? Let us know by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
