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Universal Breaks Ground on Resort Designed for Younger Kids
By Movieguide® Contributor
Universal has started working on its Universal Kids Resort, a theme park specifically designed for younger kids.
“Universal Destinations & Experiences is designing this smaller-scale theme park to inspire the unbridled creativity of kids through play, discovery and imagination, with a different look and feel from existing destinations,” Universal explained.
“With family-friendly attractions and immersive themed lands, playful interactive shows and character meet and greets, Universal Kids resort will celebrate Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor and fun,” the company continued. “It will cater to young kids and their families and bring to life beloved characters and stories in a way that will wow theme park goers.”
Universal announced its plans for the park at the beginning of the year, emphasizing that it will specifically cater to younger kids. During the reveal, the company stated that it is aiming for a 2026 opening. The park will be located in Frisco, Texas, and will feature a 300-room on-site hotel. Deadline reported that it broke ground last month.
The kids’ resort is part of a larger project by Universal to expand its parks offerings. The company is also working on a technologically advanced park – Epic Universe – which will bring the guest experience to “a whole new level.” This park is set to open in 2025. Universal is also working on a Halloween horror experience through its existing IPs, which it plans to launch in Las Vegas in 2025.
It will be interesting to see how Universal will fare with these more specialized parks. Last summer, park attendance across all theme parks was down as families struggled to justify the costs.
With these new parks, Universal hopes families will be willing to splurge on an experience more directly catered to them.
Furthermore, with a narrower scope for the park, construction and upkeep costs are lowered, potentially making this venture more cost-effective than a traditional theme park, which needs to be massive to reach as wide an audience as possible.
Movieguide® previously reported on Universal Parks:
Universal Parks and Resorts announced plans for a brand new, kid-friendly theme park outside the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas metropolis.
The park is specially designed for children aged 3 to 9, with enough rides to fill a two-day trip. The 97-acre location is just a quarter of the size of Universal’s Orlando park, but will include four or five different themed areas, as well as a 300-room hotel.
“The proposed park will be designed to be more intimate and engaging for younger audiences and will be sized for a regional audience,” a press release about the park reads. “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.”
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