Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, located at the intersection of Dallas North Tollway and Panther Creek Parkway, officially opened to the public on July 1.
The main attraction is a theme park encompassing 13 rides across the seven themed lands, based on SpongeBob SquarePants, Minions, Jurassic World and other popular children’s media. This $550 million resort was anticipated to become a popular attraction in DFW. Although it is located only 20 minutes from UTD’s campus in Richardson, whether this destination is on the radar for many UTD students remains unclear.
In the past two months Universal Kids Resort has faced mixed reviews from parents who attended with their young children. On Google reviews, the establishment currently has a rating of 3.9/5 stars. Among those who left highly-rated reviews, the consensus was that wait times were low, and that children generally had a positive experience. However, some reviewers critiqued the prices and the limited entertainment for teens or parents, as well as the lack of indoor rides.
“I would say it just doesn’t appeal to me since the market age is for little kids,” biomedical science junior Vidhya Yemparala said. “Also, I’ve been seeing online that people have been getting scorched when they go there since it’s really hot and there are no areas for shade.”
Yemparala introduced another factor that may be influencing attendance in the first couple of months: the Texas heat. For some, the heat and limited shade options could make the outdoor experience less appealing. As seasons change, it may become more apparent how much of a role weather plays in attendance.
However, the more apparent factor may be a broader lack of awareness that the resort is even open or present in DFW.
“I didn’t even know it existed, but now that I do know that it exists, I’ll probably be taking my little cousins there,” computer science sophomore Prajwal Dahal said.
Beyond advertising, Universal Kids Resort may face other obstacles that make it difficult to promote toward college-aged kids, such as competition from other established theme parks in the area. When asked which theme parks he had attended in DFW, political science sophomore Anointing Okereke shared he had been to a couple, but had yet to visit Universal Frisco.
“I’ve been to Six Flags and the Hawaiian Falls and my experiences were very engaging, very fun and very thrilling,” Okereke said. “It’s an experience everyone should have at least once in their life.”
Another factor worth addressing is price, especially since students have similar theme parks and state fairs options that are relatively more affordable. On its official site, Universal Kids Frisco lists its price as $49.99 for a day pass; however, such a price may vary based on date, which includes rides and shows. On the other hand, Six Flags has online tickets starting at $39 for one day admission.
“I didn’t pay for my ticket because it was included with the event that was going on,” biomedical science sophomore Sabina Khurshid said. “But when I went to check out the food, it seemed pretty expensive. I know one of the ice-cream options was like $19 for a small thing of ice-cream.”
According to Universal’s own website, the Discover Universal blog, the theme park has 10 available restaurants, including options for adults and children alike. Some of the unique cuisines include Texas BBQ, Indian, and Latin-inspired dishes. Many of the food items are also influenced by the themed lands. For instance, the Triple Gooberberry Sunrise is an ice cream based on the Goofy Goober’s in SpongeBob SquarePants.
“I don’t think there is much of a hesitation; rather, there is curiosity considering I’ve never been in that area before,” Okereke said. “I think the experience would be fun, something to look forward to.”