The park’s official name was announced and will be Universal Kids Resort.
And oh my freaking God, this is the first Universal family kids-focused theme park.
Universal Destinations & Experiences announced new details about the company’s first-ever theme park for families with young children!
Earlier this year, in January, Universal’s iconic brand announced two major proposed parks as well as more updates on the Florida Epic Universe theme park.
Universal Destinations & Experiences Announcement
First was the year-round Halloween Horror Nights style park in Las Vegas called Universal Horror Unleashed.
The second announcement was a 97-acre theme park dedicated to younger children in Frisco, Texas.
Universal Kids Resort Announcement
Many of the Universal theme parks have rides for kids, yes, but they are very limited and really focused on younger kids over 42 inches. When the theme park giant announced a park focused on a younger audience, we knew that the proposed park was going to feature immersive lands and beloved characters. That was not a question.
Similar to the theme lands we already see in Universal Parks, which keep getting better if you ask me, will feature a park nestled in a lush green landscape featuring immersive themed lands and some of the cutest kid characters and beloved stories.
The company says, “It will be full of family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, character meet and greets, unique merchandise, and fun food and beverage venues. Although smaller in size, it will still carry the same quality as Universal’s other larger resort destinations.”
The 97-acre park will also include a themed hotel and space for expansion. The resort area and themed hotel will feature a 300-room hotel and will offer fun and adventure for their hotel guests.
The Universal Company is on a little bit of a new path with their new parks and bringing something new to the industry. This new area will be completely different than what we have seen before at any of the other parks while capturing a new audience and building future Universal Destinations & Experience junkies–raising my hand because I’m all on board for their new brand and vision and know that the guest experience has just been turned up a notch.
Frisco Texas and the Future Kids Resort
“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the city of Frisco and Mayor Cheney as we work to bring this innovative, new concept to life designed specifically for a younger generation of Universal fans,” said Page Thompson, President of New Ventures, Universal Destinations & Experiences. “We think North Texas is the perfect place to launch this unique park for families given its growing popularity within this part of the country.”
“Frisco is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and has been recognized as a great place to plant professional roots and raise a family,” said Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney. “This new Universal concept will continue to enhance our tax base, expand employment opportunities, and bring even more fun to Frisco, benefiting our residents, businesses, and visitors.”
The park will feature popular characters our children love, humor and fun, entertainment, and stories that will wow the youngest theme park goers through rides, interactive shows, meet and greets, and so much more. — Sloan will be the judge of that ;)
Economic Impact on Frisco Texas
According to Frisco City Council, the project is currently under construction as of November of 2023 and will provide over 2,500 new construction jobs. Universal Kids Resort has a projected completion date of 2026. You can read more about the immediate economic impact and traffic plans on the Frisco TX website.
We are so excited for the future of theme parks for kids and have massive faith in the company’s innovative style and rich collection of stories to create the perfect theme park for young audiences. It’s so nice to see that Universal is taking the leap and betting on the future of theme park goers.
Now I know we have Disneyland, and that’s not what we’re talking about here we’re talking about Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
Potential Themed Areas Inside Universal Kids Resort
But the new concept art and potential lands in Universal Kids Resort looks so freaking adorable. Some of the renditions have already been looked over with a magnifying glass, and the ideas are already poring out of what the lands might be. Trolls, Gabby’s dollhouse, minions, Jurassic Park, and SpongeBob SquarePants.
It looks like they might have the Krusty Krab. We are heading to Las Vegas to the Circus Circus here shortly to go on the new Spongebob Squarepants ride, so we will see what looks similar to those renderings when we get back.
With the launch of the new DreamWorks animation area in Universal Florida, it will likely be similar to that and have a lot of the same characters featured.
This is an exciting day for kids and toddlers, while many theme parks focus on adults and families as secondary. I’m hoping a majority of the rides will be 42 inches or less for kids to really enjoy this park.
As news is released and construction begins, we will stay on top of updates. And it’s Texas, so it’s not as easy to get to as Orlando, Florida, where you can see Epic Universe or Universal Studios Hollywood, where the new Fast and the Furious Ride will finish construction.
Maybe I’ll take a random trip out there at the end of 2024 and see where they’re at, just for the fun of it.
Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida
Universal’s Epic Universe, their newest Park, has a projected opening date of the summer of 2025, and they seem to be rocking and rolling on track. This park will expand on the adult universe we already know and introduce some new features like Monsters, Super Nintendo, How to Train Your Dragon, and a new Harry Potter area with plans and space to expand.
It will also feature two on-site hotels for guests to enjoy. — Don’t worry. Once they open, we will give you a full rundown of hotels, parks, and lands. For now, the company released the names of the two hotels.
Orlando Florida’s Newest Universal Hotels
The two hotels will be the Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort, and they will feature family suites, guest rooms, and lots of theming we already know and enjoy.
Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas
Universal also announced their year-round Las Vegas horror nights in a sense. As more information becomes available, we will discuss more.
As more information becomes available and the opening date nears, we will update you along the way.
We are so excited about this theme park designed for kids and cannot wait to check it out sometime in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About Universal Kids Resort
- Which park at Universal is best for kids? Universal Kids Resort is the best Universal Park for kids. If we are discussing what is available right now, we suggest Islands of Adventure or Universal Orlando for your kid’s park.
- Is Universal Studios for kids? Yes and no. While Universal is opening a kids-focused theme park called Universal Kids Resort, the main Universal Parks have little to no kid’s rides depending on height. For children under 42”, you might find there isn’t enough for them to do at the main Universal Parks.
- How many acres is Universal Orlando? While not the same park or in the same area, Universal Orlando is now broken up into 3 parks. Universal Orlando Park is at 108 acres, Universal Islands of Adventure is at 110 acres, and Epic Universe is at about 479 acres, with access to a total of 750 acres for a parking lot, water mains, and roads.
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