Universal Kids Resort - Frisco, Texas

[TheCodeMan95]

Regarding food again - one think I noticed. The Minion Mac n Cheese cone looks absolutely nothing like the ones found in Orlando.

Looks more like something from Cozy Cones at DCA. Weird lol

 

[DOOMBOT]

After watching an in-depth video about the park last night I have come to the conclusion that everything about the way this place was built was done so in case it were to fail. In the event that Universal doesn’t like the results of this experiment, everything “Universal” about it comes down stupid easily and can be replaced with whatever who buys it from them wants.

Nothing about any of the architecture I saw came off as unique, it’s mostly just big boxes with decal wraps applied or easily removable flat pop outs attached to them.

I’d even go so far as to wager this is why they didn’t include a Krusty Krab in the Bikini Bottom area, because doing so would have required the construction of a shape that wasn’t a square. Obviously I have no proof to back that up, but if I were a betting man, I would take that wager.

This is purely a smart business move. For an experimental project like this, it's only a good thing to leave escape routes for yourself. Disney did not do that with the Starcruiser, and now they have a large, expensive, inefficient, pointless building they have to figure out how to occupy.

 

[UOR92]

Attacking a child’s opinion online is abhorrent behavior, but I will say I’m uncomfortable with influencers who use their children for content.

The perspective of families with kids is clearly important here, and there are folks who are sharing those experiences tastefully. I don’t know which reporter you’re referencing specifically, so maybe they weren’t crossing those lines, but I do feel like the parents’ bear some responsibility for exposing their children to online attention before they hit an age where they can reasonably consent.

While you make a good point about exposure, I think the primary issue is how this continues to reveal how grown-up people should know/act better. Let's put the responsibility squarely where it should be in this particular scenario: the people who think it's acceptable to trash a child for an opinion. Sometimes, I sit back and wonder how we as a society got to this point where common sense and decency have become so....rare. It pains me.

 

[Brian G.]

Attacking a child’s opinion online is abhorrent behavior, but I will say I’m uncomfortable with influencers who use their children for content.

The perspective of families with kids is clearly important here, and there are folks who are sharing those experiences tastefully. I don’t know which reporter you’re referencing specifically, so maybe they weren’t crossing those lines, but I do feel like the parents’ bear some responsibility for exposing their children to online attention before they hit an age where they can reasonably consent.

It was merely “my 8 year old thought this”

Nothing more.

 

[PurpleFrog]

It was merely “my 8 year old thought this”

Nothing more.

I saw this, it was so upsetting how people were acting in the comments

 

[Mr_Pendington]

The perspective of families with kids is clearly important here, and there are folks who are sharing those experiences tastefully. I don’t know which reporter you’re referencing specifically, so maybe they weren’t crossing those lines, but I do feel like the parents’ bear some responsibility for exposing their children to online attention before they hit an age where they can reasonably consent.

8 times out of ten family content is disgusting, but I think having your kid say what they think about the new Kid's resort is a normal way to gauge how the park is; as long as it isn't done in the way the bad apples of family content do it.


I'm not saying kids aren't allowed to have fun at this park, but as someone on Twitter pointed out kids are well aware when they are getting ripped off.

You train a kid to expect mediocrity, they expect it their whole life. I don't see why the company that made $2.893 Billion dollars in Q4 2024 alone couldn't try to at least add more statues, foliage, and paint.

EDIT:



Truly unbelievable. Yeah yeah the arcade is run by a third party but Universal has ALLOWED this.

 

[AustinT]

Obviously no child's opinion should be negated and they should never be attacked. People are unhinged. But people also shouldn't hide behind the "my child liked it so nobody is allowed to criticize the park" angle.
Kids aren't the ones paying for the tickets, travel, food, and hotel, so this place ultimately needs to appeal to and be pleasant for parents to spend time in as well. It has to generate positive word of mouth and persuade other parents to buy tickets after seeing pictures or videos of it themselves. A low budget park can please both parties. Legoland and Peppa Pig parks do it well enough.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Kids aren't the ones paying for the tickets, travel, food, and hotel, so this place ultimately needs to appeal to and be pleasant for parents to spend time in as well.

I agree with this part more than anything. I’m currently going through a ton of guilt looking forward to my wife and I’s first “big trip” with the little one. I’m worried about it being too much, too expensive for what it is considered the baby won’t remember anything, etc. But I’ve come to terms with the fact that family vacations are for adults too—I want to make good memories as a parent during each stage of their life. Yes, their enjoyment is important…but so is mom and dad’s.

That’s not to say parents and kids can’t have fun together at the Frisco park…I’m not suggesting that at all. But I also think it’s really kind of tone deaf to think that a parent should have absolutely 0 opinion of the place just because the kid had fun. My kid had fun the day I had to work from home and take calls in the nursery…that’s not a memory I’m gonna relish later on, though.

 

[rhino4evr]

Calling it now… won’t last 4 years…

 

[Andysol]

I don't think they'll go for something that custom, I bet it'd be another off the shelf something that they can easily repair and subcontract out for. Maybe a new Sally dark ride. Remember, maintenance guys are expensive!

*edit*

I think one of the first additions should be a water park focused attration, like a water play ground for kids and their parents.

The area for dark ride expansion is between SpongeBob and JW. They would have to rework a little to make it a SpongeBob indoor; so it will almost assuredly be JW.

The way the resort is laid out for a water park expansion would be in the top left corner behind Trolls. And they could actually work it with 2 entrances- one by parking lot like normal and one through between trolls and shrek for an in park entrance.

Then there is an entire land that could be added between Shrek and Del Mar.

but I will say I’m uncomfortable with influencers who use their children for content.

I loathe parent influencers. It’s absolutely disgusting using your kids as social media props when they aren’t old enough to consent to their privacy being given away.

But there is a chasm between a parent influencer, and a theme park influencer that uses their kid as a one off for a theme park designed around kids. The former deserves all the social vitriol one can muster. The latter deserves none.

It’s a simple rule for me- click their profile- is 50% or more of their content with their kid in it? Then they’re using them as props for content.

I agree with this part more than anything. I’m currently going through a ton of guilt looking forward to my wife and I’s first “big trip” with the little one. I’m worried about it being too much, too expensive for what it is considered the baby won’t remember anything, etc. But I’ve come to terms with the fact that family vacations are for adults too—I want to make good memories as a parent during each stage of their life. Yes, their enjoyment is important…but so is mom and dad’s.

Have ZERO guilt. Traveling with my children is the greatest gift I’ve ever had.

We homeschooled until 2 years ago when my oldest started highschool with the specific purpose of traveling. My 12 year old has been to over 60 countries and while she can’t remember them all specifically, the knowledge and culture she has gained and learned is invaluable. And it’s been amazing seeing them grow.

You’re just parenting in a different country. But it allows you to be more present as well; which often lacks in “the real world”. Life is short and fragile; take the trip when you can.

Calling it now… won’t last 4 years…

Calling it now… will last over 4 years, be wildly successful and have at minimum two expansions during that time.

 

[rhino4evr]

When was Small World built? Is there anything in this park close to that? And why not? I mean Super Nintendo world is a giant kids play area. So is camp Jurassic, Dreamworks Kidzone ?

This idea that they couldn’t do better because it’s aimed at kids is so ludicrous.

The ball was dropped so hard , I don’t know why some of you are defending it.

 

[UOR92]

When was Small World built? Is there anything in this park close to that? And why not? I mean Super Nintendo world is a giant kids play area. So is camp Jurassic, Dreamworks Kidzone ?

This idea that they couldn’t do better because it’s aimed at kids is so ludicrous.

The ball was dropped so hard , I don’t know why some of you are defending it.

Because other people are allowed to have differing opinions? I'm not even a defender of the product, but I am a defender of everyone's right to have their own opinion. It's the beauty of these forums. What may be really awful is awesome to someone else. I don't have to understand it.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

But people also shouldn't hide behind the "my child liked it so nobody is allowed to criticize the park" angle.

I don’t think anyone was doing this - it was just literally just someone asking their 8 year old "what'd you think?" And the kid said they loved it.

And that really made some people mad for whatever reason

 

[Mr_Pendington]

I don’t think anyone was doing this - it was just literally just someone asking their 8 year old "what'd you think?" And the kid said they loved it.

And that really made some people mad for whatever reason

I'm not sure what specific journalist the forums keep referring to but I keep seeing a lot of people do this on Twitter. "It's just a kids park, why are your standards not on the floor?" is half of the discourse I keep seeing.

 

[Andysol]

This idea that they couldn’t do better because it’s aimed at kids is so ludicrous.

Who said this?

The ball was dropped so hard , I don’t know why some of you are defending it.

Who is “defending it”?

Someone claiming it will be successful or pointing out any good elements doesn’t mean they’re “defending it”.

If somebody doesn’t share your identical opinion, that doesn’t mean you have to exaggerate their positions into something they’re clearly not.

Now; if you’re talking about Orlando bloggers? Literally who cares what they think? They’re shills who won’t dare speak honestly or negatively of their content masters. And they’ll never mention the park or visit ever again.

 

[brianlo]

I was in Europa today. They have 5 of the Shrek adjacent bus bar rides. Two are actually only rideable by kids. Just for a non-Disney comparison that nice things can be done with these visible, fully circumnavigatable outdoor rides.

There’s many, many other outdoor attractions for kids here too, but 5 comps to Shrek seemed an ok point of reference.

 

[brianlo]

At the end of the day, it’s not entirely the decision around building a kids-only park (though that is another thing), but the quality.

If the shoe were on the other foot and this had been some long ago licensed sweetheart deal for their IP pre Comcast, would the parent company be delighted or appalled on what the licensee was doing with their brand domestically?

Universal has decided to compete with Merlin of all operators and they aren’t exactly doing anything novel, nor arguably as good. It’s a move that cynically is just making a buck off the back of their IP. Perhaps long term to its detriment.

 

[Brian G.]

I'm not sure what specific journalist the forums keep referring to but I keep seeing a lot of people do this on Twitter.

Attractions.

I've dealt with a few knuckleheads, too, but not to that degree.

When was Small World built? Is there anything in this park close to that? And why not? I mean Super Nintendo world is a giant kids play area. So is camp Jurassic, Dreamworks Kidzone ?

This idea that they couldn’t do better because it’s aimed at kids is so ludicrous.

The ball was dropped so hard , I don’t know why some of you are defending it.

I think a lot of this comes down to expectations.

From the beginning, many people expected "Universal theme park, but for kids" but the goal was a themed kids park.

Now, whether it achieved the level of theming people expected is a separate discussion, and one that's clearly been debated a lot over the last few days.

Basically, the benchmark should be other regional family parks. It's much closer in concept to Peppa Pig or Legoland than it is to Universal Orlando or Disneyland.

 

[Skipper Justin]

The park is being destroyed on TikTok.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Now the question is if this park and Horror Unleashed should have been built in the first place.