Universal’s Texas kids park opens July 1 with purpose

Universal’s new Universal Kids Resort near Dallas is built on smaller scale and child-first design, with a July 1 opening, a late-June preview window, 12 outdoor rides, autism-focused features, and a 300-room hotel adjacent to the park.

When Universal Kids Resort opens July 1 near Dallas, the point won’t be bigger thrills—it will be a calmer rhythm built around children.

The resort. located at 1 Universal Parkway in Frisco about 30 minutes north of Dallas. stretches across a 20-acre footprint—smaller than Universal’s theme parks in Florida and California by design. Universal executives say the layout. the pacing. and even the ride height limits are meant to keep families in step with kids. not the other way around.

“Everything in our park is designed for kids,” Page Thompson, president of New Ventures for Universal Destinations and Experiences, said during a media preview ahead of the opening.

Brian Robinson, Executive Vice President & Chief Creative Officer, Universal Creative Studio, framed the vision even more directly: “As we designed it, every turn and decision is based on what parents need in the moment for the kids, while the kids are having the best time of their lives.”

The resort is offering a guest preview from June 24 to June 29, with discounted tickets. Not all experiences may be available during previews.

Seven lands, familiar franchises, and a park that doesn’t sprawl

Universal Kids Resort is the only Universal theme park entirely focused on young guests. All of Universal’s other parks include kid-friendly areas—for example. DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida and Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Hollywood—but those are typically part of a larger universe built around bigger attractions.

Here, the focus is full-time.

The resort’s seven themed lands are all tied to franchises kids are already familiar with. In clockwise order from the front of the park: Isle of Curiosity; Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club; DreamWorks’ Trolls; DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp; DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar; Jurassic World Adventure Camp; and Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom.

None of the lands feel very big, but they’re built heavily around theming. Robinson said families aren’t just meant to spot characters—they’re meant to feel surrounded by the world those characters come from: “Not only do you get to see these characters and there’s incredible attractions. but the world is built around you.”.

Even the team training is part of the pitch

Universal Kids Resort isn’t just a redesign of space. It’s a redesign of behavior, too.

Thompson said team members have been trained carefully to provide experiences for kids by getting down to kid height and communicating with children directly. He added that Universal added a special day of training so staff could “think like a kid and interact with kids.”

The company’s goal is a consistent atmosphere—something families can feel from the moment they arrive.

Twelve rides outdoors, plus shows, meet-and-greets, and wet-and-dry play

Across the resort there are 12 rides, all outdoors and designed so both kids and adults can ride them. Some are relatively tame, while others are positioned to thrill older visitors as well. Swings Over Del Mar and Minions-themed Bello Bay Cruise are highlighted as examples of attractions that should be exciting even for big kids and grown-ups.

Beyond rides, the resort includes shows, character meet-and-greets, climbing structures, and both wet and dry play areas.

Universal also says families with young children could potentially do a lot in one day—ride everything. watch shows. and meet multiple characters—if lines aren’t too long. But the company doesn’t frame the park as a checklist. Instead. it’s meant to match kids’ pacing. which can mean spending an hour at a splash pad or leaving after only a few experiences.

Sensory gardens and accessibility features are built in

Sensory gardens sit alongside the attractions, paired with calming nature sounds, plants kids are welcome to touch, and benches intended to help guests reset in a less stimulating environment.

Molly Murphy. president of Universal Creative. said Universal designed these choices intentionally for inclusivity and accessibility: “That was an intentional part at the very beginning of our process to really think about inclusivity and accessibility for all of our guests. different ways that kids want to play and need to play.”.

Murphy also tied the park’s design to its autism support. Universal says the park is a Certified Autism Center, more than 80% of its team members are trained by that, and all attractions have a sensory rating.

The park is aimed at children ages 3 to 8

All ages are welcome, but Universal Kids Resort is built for young kids and the families traveling with them. Thompson described the experience as especially strong for children ages 3 to 8, and for the adults who want a shared day out.

“This is a tremendous experience for kids 3 to 8 years old and the adults that come with them to really get out of the house and to be together and come home with a whole treasure trove of incredible family photos that they’ll look back on with happiness and pride for years,” Thompson said.

Prices, ticket starts, and what families will pay

Universal Kids Resort pricing varies by date.

One-day park tickets start at $54.99 for guests age 2 and older. Preview tickets cost slightly less at $49.99.

Silver annual passes are currently sold out. When available, they cost $129.99 with blockout dates.

Universal Kids Resort and the competition in the region

Frisco is part of a broader Dallas-area cluster of theme and family destinations. The area includes Peppa Pig Theme Park, which opened last year and is geared toward preschoolers, and Six Flags Over Texas, which offers thrills for all ages.

Thompson said Universal considered many markets before choosing the Dallas area, pointing out that it is among the five largest markets in the United States and home to many of the nation’s fastest growing communities.

He also cited Frisco’s specific pull: “Frisco was really attractive because. first of all. the location right off the Dallas North Tollway is fantastic. but also because Frisco had already a lot of attractions that draw millions of people here every year. like the Dallas Star and the FC Dallas soccer team and the PGA course that they just built. so many other things. ” Thompson said.

He added that “from day one, the people of Frisco have just been fantastic partners for us.”

A 300-room hotel at the front of the park

Families won’t just have the option of day-trip tickets. Universal Kids Resort also includes a hotel at the very front of the park.

The hotel is 300 rooms. Its address is different from the park’s address even though they are adjacent: 5700 Panther Creek Parkway in Frisco.

Like the park, the hotel is described as bursting with bright colors, including teal, lime green, and fuchsia. It also includes family-focused details such as bathtubs in every room configuration and bunk beds for kids. Rooms sleep up to five or six guests, with connecting rooms available for even larger parties.

Guests staying at the hotel get early park admission. Universal also says in-park merchandise purchases can be delivered to the hotel so families don’t have to carry souvenirs all day. The biggest described perk is the ability to walk back for nap time or a midday pool break.

The through-line is clear: even with rides, characters, and franchises pulled from recognizable worlds, Universal Kids Resort is built to keep families moving at a child’s pace—starting July 1, with the preview window running from June 24 to June 29.

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