Universal Kids Resort - Frisco, Texas

[DOOMBOT]

A significant number of the good ideas listed here to improve the park feel unfortunately "blue sky"-y to me.

As much as all of this stuff would help, I think it has been decently established that at some point UDX did want more out of this project than what is currently being offered. So I don't believe that they just never considered colored pavement, shade structures, indoor attractions, murals, more speakers and lights and greenery and puppets - the evidence says otherwise. I just think they simply weren't feasible with the budget and time allotted for the project.

If we see an extra influx of cash come in to the resort post-opening, maybe some of these issues could be remedied. But I don't believe it was possible for UDX to offer any more than what we currently have, and anything we'd like to see added would necessarily come at the cost of something that exists in the park right now. Limited resources and all.

 

[Alicia]

I bet we see umbrellas.

The Toy Story Land quick fix.

And not much else.

 

[Jerroddragon]

A significant number of the good ideas listed here to improve the park feel unfortunately "blue sky"-y to me.

As much as all of this stuff would help, I think it has been decently established that at some point UDX did want more out of this project than what is currently being offered. So I don't believe that they just never considered colored pavement, shade structures, indoor attractions, murals, more speakers and lights and greenery and puppets - the evidence says otherwise. I just think they simply weren't feasible with the budget and time allotted for the project.

If we see an extra influx of cash come in to the resort post-opening, maybe some of these issues could be remedied. But I don't believe it was possible for UDX to offer any more than what we currently have, and anything we'd like to see added would necessarily come at the cost of something that exists in the park right now. Limited resources and all.

I think then this should have been a new company, something related to Universal but not bare its name

Like while we can argue is Horror Unleashed Making money, what I can say is most people who I've talked to who went to Horror Unleashed, reviews and people on here talk about it like its a good quality and how it feel like HHN but just not at the park

I also rather this park just have less but all the things that came to this park were better made or felt more unique because its not like I want this to fail or most other people but for the amount they did spend on this which wasn't nothing it feels like some cheap but creative solutions to some issues would have gone a longgggg way

 

[Mike S]

This park would’ve been the perfect spot for Kirby or Animal Crossing to have a nice small land that didn’t go crazy.

Just saying.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

I think some of the hard is a bit much but surprised people are finally going after Universal for going what looks like the cheap route. I brought it up here before but the HHN in Vegas does not feel cheap, like the theming is well enough in most areas and the houses all felt top tier.

I think this is a great point. There are things about Horror Unleashed they should tweak, but the scenic design in the houses and elsewhere are all done very well. The only caveat I would give is that Premier House is a super boring, bare space that takes up more overall square footage in the facility than it seems like from photos/videos.

But I think it's just a concept that lends itself better to cheaper builds and operations. It's not really a theme park.

Maybe add a make shift roof to those Shrek jeeps to help with the direct sun ?

I'm apoplectic that the spinning Minion golf carts don't have roofs on them. Real golf carts have roofs!

And while I'm on the topic, does the whole Bello Bay concept strike anyone as overly convoluted? Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of that stuff looks cute, but what exactly is added by setting it in some fictional country club / vacation resort? If anything, it creates a greater chasm between their stated intent and the final product, since his place doesn't look anything like a country club. I know we've all gotten our jokes off about the ride looking like a sewer, but that's actually a likely place for the Minions to be!

 

[tielo]

I was positive about the idea of Universal Kids Resort and the first concept art looked promising (except for the ugly hotel).
But now it's ready it looks even worse that Universal Studios Kids Zone and that is about the lowest standard the main resort has. This entices no one to get excited about the brand or fuels a visit to Orlando.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

This park would’ve been the perfect spot for Kirby or Animal Crossing to have a nice small land that didn’t go crazy.

Just saying.

With the reports of how stringent Nintendo was in the development of the theme park lands, I think the entire company would have a heart attack looking at Universal Kids lol


Also - what are the odds that this park simply opened before it was ready? That some of these minor things could be coming, but they just didn't finish things in time?

 

[themeparktribune]

So I don't believe that they just never considered colored pavement, shade structures, indoor attractions, murals, more speakers and lights and greenery and puppets - the evidence says otherwise. I just think they simply weren't feasible with the budget and time allotted for the project.

If we see an extra influx of cash come in to the resort post-opening, maybe some of these issues could be remedied. But I don't believe it was possible for UDX to offer any more than what we currently have, and anything we'd like to see added would necessarily come at the cost of something that exists in the park right now. Limited resources and all.

This sort of acts like this was all out of Universal's control, but that's not the reality. Not budgeting for many of the things you mentioned was a choice that someone made.

 

[DOOMBOT]

This sort of acts like this was all out of Universal's control, but that's not the reality. Not budgeting for many of the things you mentioned was a choice that someone made.

Comcast is a tremendous hydra, with countless subsidiary heads to manage and pay for all at once. I don't believe the same heads that designed Universal Kids were the same ones to create or slash the budget, set the deadlines, etc. It is a failure of the broader company to not account for these things, and I agree that the park should've been designed around the budget they actually were given - but again, I doubt it was nearly that simple.

This doesn't feel to me like an Evermore Park-style situation, where UDX just went for it and starting building stuff until they were out of money. It feels like they had a very specific plan and budget going in, that got trimmed over time as the heads holding the pocketbooks saw the economic developments of the last few years and hedged their bets.

The people designing these parks want to make a good product, and the initial ideas likely did fit within a modest budget. Had they cut one of the lands from the start and put that budget towards ensuring the other lands were guaranteed to look great, that same budget might've just ended up cut anyways and we'd be in the same position as we are now. I agree that it was short-sighted of them and the park is worse for it, but that's how these things go sometimes.

That's my current hypothesis, at least.

 

[rhino4evr]

The NY post just joined the band wagon. Talk about a PR disaster

 

[AustinT]

This entices no one to get excited about the brand or fuels a visit to Orlando.

Bingo. I think this is actually going to hurt the brand and discourage people who go to this Frisco park but have never been to either the Orlando or Hollywod resorts from actually booking vacations at one of them. Many non-theme park people are getting their first look at what a 'Universal theme park' has to offer by all these viral posts and news stories that are making the rounds in non-theme park spaces.

A couple million more dollars to spruce up the aesthetics and amenities (shade, maybe another covering or two over some flat rides, landscaping) and all this mess could have been avoided. If there's one silver lining, I really hope they remember this huge blunder in the future and it allows creative to have a bit more budget for things like theming and the bean counters don't push back too much.

This park would’ve been the perfect spot for Kirby or Animal Crossing to have a nice small land that didn’t go crazy.

No way! Nintendo would absolutely not allow their brands to go into such a low budget, un-themed park. You guys are making suggestions that are so far outside of the realm of possibility and was never even considered for this place. This never had any shot at being fully indoors, having dark rides in every land, Nintendo brand IPs with this same level of capital, etc. This was always supposed to be comparable to places like Peppa Pig land, Sesame Place, and Legoland.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

is Horror Unleashed a success? I’ve heard underwhelming reviews from friends but never really dug into the fandom.

I’m beginning to think they should stop investing in these “extra” projects, frankly. Stick to Orlando, and invest more in Hollywood. This stuff isn’t it.

 

[Jerroddragon]

is Horror Unleashed a success? I’ve heard underwhelming reviews from friends but never really dug into the fandom.

I’m beginning to think they should stop investing in these “extra” projects, frankly. Stick to Orlando, and invest more in Hollywood. This stuff isn’t it.

We have a who thread, and its mostly positive

Nothing is perfect.....but I don't think anyone going to HHN at either coast then going to Vegas would see it as a big downgrade. Not saying it could not be improved but that feels like its connected to Universal

I also doubt this will really hurt the brand but it won't help much for now, but also Universal can be good with feedback and even if I make it over next year the park might be in a better place then this summer with some extra love and they are going to have times the park is closed during the year giving them time to Plus this park

 

[Brian G.]

REVIEW: We had the opportunity to stay at Universal Kids Resort with our 3-year-old son. As both a theme park enthusiast and a parent, I found myself evaluating the resort from two very different perspectives.

REVIEW: Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, TX

DISCLAIMER: Inside Universal was invited by Universal Destinations & Experiences to experience Universal Kids Resort and Universal Kids Resort Hotel. Most accommodations, meals, and park admission were provided by Universal. All opinions expressed are our own. Universal Kids Resort is unl

www.insideuniversal.net

 

[rabbitsmoon]

is Horror Unleashed a success? I’ve heard underwhelming reviews from friends but never really dug into the fandom.

I’m beginning to think they should stop investing in these “extra” projects, frankly. Stick to Orlando, and invest more in Hollywood. This stuff isn’t it.

When I was there a couple weeks ago, there was definitely a whiff of "future defunctland episode" in the air. But I wonder if the operating costs are low enough that it doesn't need to pull crazy numbers. They have to pay the actors, of course, but UKR has entertainment too, plus it has to pay to operate and maintain rides. To be fair, I've never had to pay to cool a warehouse in the desert, so maybe that HVAC bill in Vegas will be the deal breaker.

Small gripes aside, though, by pulsing you through with your group only, Horror Unleashed offers an experience you could argue is elevated beyond what you typically get at HHN. I'm not sure UKR has a similar value proposition, but it might if the various amenities (plentiful changing tables, etc.) add up to a theme park day with a lot less friction for families.

I'm hoping for both to succeed. I'm not sure I share the concern that these projects drain resources from the main parks. They both seem small scale enough that I have a hard time believing it's a "thanks Shanghai" situation like we saw last decade with Disney.

 

[rhino4evr]

If your took away the Universal name, and removed all the IPs, no one would be talking about this park at all. They are a victim of their own success. For better or worse.


Also … I thought the Vegas HHN looked leagues better than this. The main issue with that is location and general demand for a year long haunt.

 

[Andysol]

The first and the MOST NOTICEABLE issue with the easiest fix: the unpainted concrete. It's dull and lifeless and looks cheap. The fix is easy: paint all the concrete in each land...or at least 75% of it. Give each land it's own specific color concrete: SpongeBob should have blue to further sell the idea you're under the water (edit: I see they have some blue on their splash pad area but should be more consistent around the rides/rest of land), Shrek = green for the swamp (especially in that playground, no reason for the swamp splash pad not to have green concrete (edit: I see the playground does at least have green flooring so that's good), Minions =yellow their SIGNATURE color etc.

Also, a parade? A projection or fountain show? Give us something to make it feel more alive.

Great suggestions. Staining the concrete is a no brainer. It’s cheap and if they had someone at the helm pushing hard, they could have all the land’s concrete stained before July 1, honestly. Though the painting/epoxy stuff for minions, etc on walls will take more time.

As for the fountain show- I didn’t even think about it; but not having some water jets/cannons with some lighting in the pond area near minions and right at the entrance was a huge missed opportunity. Obviously they aren’t (and can’t) having nighttime shows- but some fountains and music would’ve done wonders for their entrance for cheap.

I don't think the whole park had to be inside but more rides inside would have helped mainly because of themeing

If the Trolls Coaster was inside then you can have fun music and lightening and use the walls for cheap themeing as well

This park was designed with special needs kids in mind for sure as well as wanting to target tiny kids. Coasters in a box simply wouldn’t work here. Being able to SEE the ride beforehand was clearly a priority.

Hard to disagree with that philosophy for the target audience.

Even if there was an indoor "dark ride" ban, which seems misconstrued, Spongebob was ripe for being an indoor, underwater land, just like Mermaid Lagoon at Disney Sea.

Now this I could’ve got behind since you could still see all the rides and the atmosphere would’ve been incredible. Missed opportunity for sure. Although indoor splash pads would be terrible so it would be a hard land to design around.

If we see an extra influx of cash come in to the resort post-opening, maybe some of these issues could be remedied. But I don't believe it was possible for UDX to offer any more than what we currently have, and anything we'd like to see added would necessarily come at the cost of something that exists in the park right now. Limited resources and all.

Great post. I only snipped a little but you hit it on the head. They got their budgets destroyed, obviously.

This park would’ve been the perfect spot for Kirby or Animal Crossing to have a nice small land that didn’t go crazy.

This would be an amazing expansion land between Shrek and Del Mar. And theyd be able to ensure universal kept the budget and design. It wouldn’t even be a bad idea (for Nintendo, specifically) to have this land be so much better than the other lands thematically that it, alone, pushed people to want to see the specifically the other Nintendo lands at universal vs just seeing universal.

Also - what are the odds that this park simply opened before it was ready? That some of these minor things could be coming, but they just didn't finish things in time?

I think it was at least 2 months delayed. Maybe they would have had better painting around minions; but that’s pretty much it. They were still ripping out and redoing concrete work in SpongeBob and minions area all the way up to one week before TM previews.

I have to assume they were told “you’re opening now” and scrambled. But what you see is 98% of what you were gonna get outside of maybe minions and definitely landscaping. That disaster of pebbles and 5 plants at minions was done like 2 days before park open.

I'm not sure I share the concern that these projects drain resources from the main parks. They both seem small scale enough that I have a hard time believing it's a "thanks Shanghai" situation like we saw last decade with Disney.

Agreed. F&F had a significantly larger budget and UKR will bring in way more money and likely profit almost immediately. Whereas F&F...

 

[Brian G.]

If your took away the Universal name, and removed all the IPs, no one would be talking about this park at all. They are a victim of their own success. For better or worse.


Also … I thought the Vegas HHN looked leagues better than this. The main issue with that is location and general demand for a year long haunt.

We get it. You hate the park.

 

[UOR92]

REVIEW: We had the opportunity to stay at Universal Kids Resort with our 3-year-old son. As both a theme park enthusiast and a parent, I found myself evaluating the resort from two very different perspectives.

REVIEW: Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, TX

DISCLAIMER: Inside Universal was invited by Universal Destinations & Experiences to experience Universal Kids Resort and Universal Kids Resort Hotel. Most accommodations, meals, and park admission were provided by Universal. All opinions expressed are our own. Universal Kids Resort is unl

www.insideuniversal.net

Brian, this is really well done. Highlighting the validity of both talking points without being overly “in awe” or “it’s the end of Universal as we know it”. It strikes a fair balance while still keeping the main thing the main thing: kids.

“Should I spend my energy debating opinions online, or simply enjoy seeing the park do exactly what it was made to do? The answer was right in front of me, with him smiling from ear to ear.” This was my favorite line as someone who also has a three year old and cannot wait for him to experience Universal. I dream of these moments and I’m living vicariously through you.

Another thing that isn’t getting enough attention, if any at all, is the inclusion of auditory/sensory accommodations specifically for those with autism. That’s incredibly impressive and I’m glad they made that effort. That kind of inclusion is something we need more of in the parks where able. Secondly, the bathroom design is well done and thought out. For those with kids, we know how painful it can be to potty train at home, let alone in a new place where they’re probably a little overwhelmed. Well done Universal!

 

[Hatetofly]

This place cost north of 550 million?!?