Universal Kids Resort - Frisco, Texas

[TheCodeMan95]

Then you'd have a significantly more expensive day ticket and at that point folks go "well we'll just go to the regular park then". Sesame starts in the $37 price range, Peppa & Legoland FL start around $30. I worked at Sesame Place, it really is a different scale and scope designed for kids.

Sesame Place in Philly definitely has a higher base price, but they run deals very often.
(The $37 price tag you mentioned is due to the current Black Friday sale - the normal starting price is $108 lol)

It's also open basically year-round aside from January. They open on weekends in February and only increase hours from there.

I think when things are built at this scale, it's also done with the idea of expansion. If the Frisco park is a success, I won't be surprised if we see "Universal Kids Philadelphia" or "Universal Kids New York" in the coming years!

But like you said, it's definitely a different scale. I think it's like 25 acres max?

 

[Clive]

Then you'd have a significantly more expensive day ticket and at that point folks go "well we'll just go to the regular park then". Sesame starts in the $37 price range, Peppa & Legoland FL start around $30. I worked at Sesame Place, it really is a different scale and scope designed for kids.

To be clear, if the admission price reflects the scope, I see the wisdom! Very intrigued to see how this plays out.

 

[Jerroddragon]

The fact you called him "Walk Disney" really sums up the whole post. As I said before, this is a cheaper park designed for young families, it's not a full blown theme park. Universal says this, the locals knows, why are fans having such a problem with this?

I hope the price reflects it, I think this will be key if its under 50 could work and APs will help if they offer that.

Also I understand what they want the park to be but once again its not perfect

Take out the theming, how do you have a Jurassic Area for kids with no big show about Dinosaurs.Or SpongeBob without the Krusty Krab? I think that these two things would draw people

I'm just not a fan of people you saying you can't criticize things because its for kids. I hope it works but as other posters said many want a HP and Nintendo kind of lands...which is mostly not what we are getting

I even said if not dark rides cool but make the lands fully themed, so each land feels like an attraction which is what makes people go to Universal now.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Sesame Place in Philly definitely has a higher base price, but they run deals very often.
(The $37 price tag you mentioned is due to the current Black Friday sale - the normal starting price is $108 lol)

It's also open basically year-round aside from January. They open on weekends in February and only increase hours from there.

I think when things are built at this scale, it's also done with the idea of expansion. If the Frisco park is a success, I won't be surprised if we see "Universal Kids Philadelphia" or "Universal Kids New York" in the coming years!

But like you said, it's definitely a different scale. I think it's like 25 acres max?

Yes, they advertise a $107 ticket but rarely does anyone pay full list price at one of these parks (let alone the usually similarly priced two day ticket which is an even more of a steal). These places survive on last minute plans and trips and are always advertising big deals online, at fast food places, etc.

---Edit---

Here's what I think they're going to do. Admission will be advertised around the Volcano Bay level ($80-100) but frequently offer discounts and deals locally to get guests in around $60 per person with some discounts up to $35 per person (the price of admission to Peppa Pig park SW of Dallas). Universal will offer hotel/meal/ticket/photo pass packages along with Express Pass to really rake in the cash. And of course there will be copious amounts of merch.

This isn't to say the park will be poplular or profitable, but I see the lane they're going into here. There's a large FEC market out there!

 

[Magic-Man]

I do worry that the tourists in the area will hear "Universal" and expect something like the Orlando parks when it's not. Even just one small dark ride or a simulator would have gone a long way.

 

[AustinT]

My GUESS is there’s some larger rights issues with Krusty Krab as they’ve done national food promos before. Or Nick wanted too much money from the food sales.

I think this is the issue. They are constantly doing fast food promos with various chains all over the world every year or two when a new Spongebob movie is coming out. I wonder if there was some red tape related to that that didn't allow Universal to market the food (Krabby Patties?) the way they wanted to. The big Wendy's promo was last year and Burger King is getting one next month I think.

I hope Shrek's presence in this park leads to the IP getting a fully fledged ride at USF, perhaps as a phase 2 of DreamWorks that replaces Springfield.

You are absolutely not allowed to suggest such a thing. Everyone will dogpile on you and argue that it's not a popular enough IP and that it going in Springfield would be the worst thing ever

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Yes, they advertise a $107 ticket but rarely does anyone pay full list price at one of these parks (let alone the usually similarly priced two day ticket which is an even more of a steal). These places survive on last minute plans and trips and are always advertising big deals online, at fast food places, etc.

---Edit---

Here's what I think they're going to do. Admission will be advertised around the Volcano Bay level ($80-100) but frequently offer discounts and deals locally to get guests in around $60 per person with some discounts up to $35 per person (the price of admission to Peppa Pig park SW of Dallas). Universal will offer hotel/meal/ticket/photo pass packages along with Express Pass to really rake in the cash. And of course there will be copious amounts of merch.

This isn't to say the park will be poplular or profitable, but I see the lane they're going into here. There's a large FEC market out there!

Yeah, when we took our little one to Sesame Place 2 years ago we got BOGO tickets for 2 days. I think it's very rare that anyone actually pays the full price unless they're walking up and buying them there lol

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yeah, when we took our little one to Sesame Place 2 years ago we got BOGO tickets for 2 days. I think it's very rare that anyone actually pays the full price unless they're walking up and buying them there lol

Lets just say if you were a really good Guest Relations CM you'd keep the coupons there to scan

 

[Alicia]

The theming looks to be elevated above some other kids parks, and the play areas seem top notch.

I think a lot of adults are getting hung up on no dark rides, when some of the worst rides at Legoland are their dark rides.

 

[Brian G.]

The theming looks to be elevated above some other kids parks, and the play areas seem top notch.

I think a lot of adults are getting hung up on no dark rides, when some of the worst rides at Legoland are their dark rides.

I think some people need to realize that this park is very small. Like smaller than VB small.

 

[TexasMidway]

To me, this park feels just like Dreamworks Land at Universal, but on a slightly larger scale. Both have meet-and-greets, a few splash pads, themed snacks, sensory gardens, kiddie coaster, shows, etc. While it would be nice to get a level of immersion similar to other kids areas like Toon Lagoon, Seuss Landing or Camp Jurassic, I still think there will be some charm that will be better than expected.

Also, I live in Frisco, and I'm certain my nieces and nephews are going to go nuts for this park. There's no doubt they will have season passes for the next few years too.

With that said, my biggest complaint is that the vast majority of the attractions and queues are outdoors, including the shows. Summers out here are no joke.

 

[TheGentTrent]

The Legoland parks are undoubtedly meant for kids. Yet they have enough coasters and indoor attractions to give adults plenty to do in a day as well. It's not like the model doesn't exist for "One Step Above Sesame Place".

I will also acknowledge that their opening day lineups were a lot more underwhelming compared to what we have now. So there is at least hope this park can get some more unique offerings to draw in non-locals.

 

[AustinT]

I will also acknowledge that their opening day lineups were a lot more underwhelming compared to what we have now. So there is at least hope this park can get some more unique offerings to draw in non-locals.

I gotta say, I really think SpongeBob was the one IP here that young adults are the most connected to and I think them not doing a Krusty Krab or even a simple Sponge dark ride is going to hurt in that area a bit. A sit down or quick service Krusty Krab would undoubtedly print money even if the food is awful. I still fail to understand how SpongeBob is just constantly getting shafted in the theme park department

 

[TheGentTrent]

I gotta say, I really think SpongeBob was the one IP here that young adults are the most connected to and I think them not doing a Krusty Krab or even a simple Sponge dark ride is going to hurt in that area a bit. A sit down or quick service Krusty Krab would undoubtedly print money even if the food is awful. I still fail to understand how SpongeBob is just constantly getting shafted in the theme park department

We live in a universe where the most immersive SpongeBob ride is at the tackiest casino in Vegas.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think some people need to realize that this park is very small. Like smaller than VB small.

Yeah.. just for comparison's sake.

Volcano Bay = 28 acres
Sesame Place Philly = 14 acres (wow I was way off on my estimate)
Legoland Florida = 145 acres
Legoland New York = 150 acres

According to Wiki.. Universal Kids is 32 acres lol

 

[Jerroddragon]

The park is done and most here seem to not really care/want to to be fully themed but for me

Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley are around 20 acres meaning this park is 12 acres bigger but the theming seems different

Once again I can be fully cool with no dark rides if you make everything into a detailed land with lots to look out and discover and I know I'm a adult but when I was a kid that is what drew me to Disneyland. I love the story telling, world building and every inch being themed to the land

I know its the first but so is HHN Vegas and....at least to me that felt like a complete product and no im not saying its perfect or can't do more but for me the houses were detailed and themed and so were the Qs and the scarezones area's had things like the mini shows to make them more interesting and they happened enough where it feels like you should naturally stumble upon all of them if you are there for hours

Anyway my two cents are just the park will hopefully work but I would love to see these with SNW/HP level of theming, Universal thrives because of its actors and allowing you to "roleplay" your in a place even more then Disney at times and this land I think is missing what makes the modern Universal so special

Also lastly Texas is hot and my god, I hope they have shade. Thats also what themeing can help with is having building blocking the sun when your waiting in line and hope this isn't another Epic Universe park design where its mostly flat with not much blocking the sun because....it is not fun to stand in the heat in Texas

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I'm slightly concerned that the general public is going to have incorrect expectations for this, considering that people on this site who basically know everything about it still had the wrong expectations lol

 

[Brian G.]

The park is done and most here seem to not really care/want to to be fully themed but for me

Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley are around 20 acres meaning this park is 12 acres bigger but the theming seems different

Once again I can be fully cool with no dark rides if you make everything into a detailed land with lots to look out and discover and I know I'm a adult but when I was a kid that is what drew me to Disneyland. I love the story telling, world building and every inch being themed to the land

I know its the first but so is HHN Vegas and....at least to me that felt like a complete product and no im not saying its perfect or can't do more but for me the houses were detailed and themed and so were the Qs and the scarezones area's had things like the mini shows to make them more interesting and they happened enough where it feels like you should naturally stumble upon all of them if you are there for hours

Anyway my two cents are just the park will hopefully work but I would love to see these with SNW/HP level of theming, Universal thrives because of its actors and allowing you to "roleplay" your in a place even more then Disney at times and this land I think is missing what makes the modern Universal so special

Also lastly Texas is hot and my god, I hope they have shade. Thats also what themeing can help with is having building blocking the sun when your waiting in line and hope this isn't another Epic Universe park design where its mostly flat with not much blocking the sun because....it is not fun to stand in the heat in Texas

But this isn't a theme park, per se. Everyone is making this park something it isn't. They're not trying to make the next big theme park, and the town certainly doesn't want that kind of crowd. This park is entirely 32 acres and is meant to be more regionally based. That means it's basically the right side of IOA (not counting FJ) - and that's meant to include ops, BOH, restaurants, and other services.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

But this isn't a theme park, per se. Everyone is making this park something it isn't. They're not trying to make the next big theme park, and the town certainly doesn't want that kind of crowd. This park is entirely 32 acres and is meant to be more regionally based. That means it's basically the right side of IOA (not counting FJ) - and that's meant to include ops, BOH, restaurants, and other services.

Like jerroddragon said - Diagon Alley is around 20 acres.

So this entire park is less than 2 Diagon Alleys lol

 

[Parkscope Joe]

We live in a universe where the most immersive SpongeBob ride is at the tackiest casino in Vegas.

Word on the street is the local government wouldn’t allow indoor rides.