Universal Destinations & Experiences opens its first children-focused regional theme park on 1 July 2026, bringing seven themed lands to Frisco, Texas.
Universal Destinations & Experiences opens Universal Kids Resort on 1 July 2026 in Frisco, Texas — the operator’s first theme park built specifically for families with young children. The 20-acre park packs seven themed lands, 11 restaurants and a 300-room on-property hotel into a regional, day-trip-friendly format. It marks a deliberate shift in strategy: a mid-market, drive-to destination rather than a destination resort requiring flights.
The park is the sixth Universal Studios resort globally and the third in the United States. Construction began in Frisco in November 2023. The estimated cost stands at around $550 million. That figure underscores the scale of the bet Universal Destinations & Experiences is placing on the family segment — and on the Dallas–Fort Worth region specifically.
Seven lands form the core of the park: DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp, Jurassic World Adventure Camp, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom, Illumination’s Minions territory, DreamWorks’ TrollsFest, DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar, and Isle of Curiosity — home to Gabby’s Dollhouse. The portfolio draws on content from DreamWorks, Illumination, Nickelodeon and the Jurassic World franchise. Each land is designed at a scale suited to younger guests rather than thrill-seeking adults.
The Universal Kids Resort Hotel sits at the park entrance, offering 300 rooms and family suites, dining, an outdoor pool and family-friendly amenities. Guests staying on-site receive early park admission — a commercial mechanic that also drives hotel occupancy from day one.
Universal first announced plans for the Frisco park in 2023, pitching it as a more accessible, regional concept compared to its larger theme park destinations in Orlando and Hollywood. The model, if successful, could inform future regional expansion elsewhere.
Image: Universal
