- Universal is opening a new theme park for kids under 10.
- The opening date has been announced for July 1.
- The park is located in Frisco, Texas, which is an up-and-coming family vacation destination.
Universal Kids Resort, a theme park tailored to the under-10 crowd, will open on July 1, and as SpongeBob would say, “I’m ready!”
The first-of-its-kind park with seven character-themed lands and a family-focused hotel is located in Frisco, Texas—a gem of a family vacation destination that won a Good Housekeeping Travel Award last year for its cool variety of attractions.
Most of the lands at Universal Kids Resort will feature a combination of rides, play areas, and character meet-and-greets. For instance, kiddos could meet Poppy and friends from the Trolls gang, then take a spin on a Trolls-themed mini coaster. Or they can ride the Barnacle Bus, and then score an autograph from the one and only SpongeBob.
Universal smartly incorporated rides and attractions that will help keep the family cool in the summer sun: The Minions land contains an adorable splash pad and water ride. When you need to rest little legs or your own, pop into a puppet performance in the Puss in Boots land.
Just like its sister theme parks in Orlando, Universal Kids Resort offers an on-property hotel that grants your crew admission to the park an hour before it opens to the public. Standard rooms sleep up to five and contain bunk beds while family suites fit six thanks to a living room area with a queen pull-out sofa.
We priced the rooms and they start at about $325 per night in summer and drop to around $200 nightly in September. You can also buy packages that include tickets, so be sure to compare prices. One-day tickets start at about $55 per person and kids ages 2 and under are free (woo-hoo!); two-day tickets start at about $74 per person.
What else to do in Frisco
It's easy to make Universal Kids Resort a piece of a longer family trip to Frisco. Good Housekeeping testers have also loved watching Frisco's minor-league team play ball from a lazy river in the stadium. The city's museums are also next level: KidZania Dallas (which is actually in Frisco) showcases 50+ professions through interactive play while the National Videogame Museum highlights both current and classic games that your crew can try.
For families who want to stay outside of Universal for part or all of your trip, look into Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa or Westin Dallas Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa.
Good Housekeeping testers have enjoyed both, noting that the Omni PGA is more upscale and has amazing amenities but the Westin typically costs $100 or more less per night.
