First Look: Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas

We spent the day at Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas and we have some thoughts. First, disclaimers, then scroll on down for lots of photos.

1. We were not invited to a media preview.
2. We paid for our own tickets.

The Good

The park is adorable and a few of the lands are well themed and have great potential. The Team Members have been well trained and their effort level is fantastic. The park was not crowded during my visit, but the children that I did see seemed to be having a ball. Character meet and greets were fun, merch in every location is 10/10, and the abundance of Coke Freestyle machines all around the park was a huge perk. There are lots of splash pads and water rides around the whole park. If you’re planning to visit this summer, you’ll want bathing suits, towels, and a change of clothes for everyone.

The Bad

Texas is hot, y’all. I have spent years in the Florida heat and humidity and the 96 degree unrelenting sun almost took me out at this park. There is very little shade. Painfully little shade. Tables and chairs outside of dining and snack locations are in the full on Texas blaze and that part was terrible. Many of the rides are in direct, scorching sun. Scroll down for pictures.

The Will-Get-Better

Just about everything else. The park just wasn’t ready to open. There are bags of concrete, hardware, and paint “hidden” behind trash cans. There are folks actively working on attractions and carrying around ladders. There are wide swaths of space that are just blank concrete that, according to the concept art, should be themed. The official opening date is July 1, so they have a few days. I’ll be back on the 1st to see what has changed. We had additional tickets for July 2nd and 3rd, as well as a resort stay that we have decided to push out to give them more time to improve.

There are seven lands at Universal Kids Resort. Below are a few highlights from each.

SpongeBob Squarepants Bikini Bottom

The Goofy Goober was a so great. The picture of the Triple Gooberry Sunrise cup doesn’t capture the height~ it’s 9 inches tall and has a decent wingspan.

Vanilla and chocolate ice cream, strawberry Dole Whip, chocolate fudge, crushed s’mores cookie crumble, strawberry Pop-Tart pieces, whipped topping, banana, and a cherry on top.

There are savory options, too, and lots of indoor seating, but the highlight is the ice cream counter.

The Barnacle Bus swings and turns on the blue slope as the familiar SpongeBob horns play. The ride lasts 60 seconds. The posted wait was 5 minutes so none of the guests were waiting in the sun, but the majority of the queue space is without shade. The design of the ride vehicle and the music is perfect.

Squiddy and Patrick were adorable at the SpongeBob and Friends meet and greet. We’ll aim to meet SpongeBob on the official opening day next week. This is one of the things we think will change. The current meeting spot is unshaded which cannot be good for the characters or the folks waiting in line to meet them.

The boats bob up and down as they spin in a circle. The entire ride is 60 seconds long and each boat seats up to 2 adults.

This is one of the longest rides in the park and it was also the most fun for us. The barrels spin around (think Tea Cups) and the guests inside can shoot water cannons at other barrels or folks watching against the gate. Waiting guests also have water cannons (there are a lot of them around the park) so they can fire back. The splash we got here was a welcome break from the sun. The ride lasted 1 minute and 30 seconds. Lots of laughs and squeals here.

Jellyfish Fields Jamboree is the only ride in Bikini Bottom not pictured in this post.

In addition, there are midway games in Bikini Bottom, a merch location, and a snack bar with seating in the sun. Bikini Bottom is also home to a very fun splash pad / play area complete with changing rooms.

Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club

Bello Bay has two rides, a snack stand, and a few really well done splash pads. The ride that you’ve likely seen on social media is the Bello Bay Cruise, below.

You don’t need me to tell you that from this angle this ride looks sparse and severe. It is. The landscaping is a few sprigs of green that look like they’re just a few days old. There is lots of naked concrete. I will say that the folks on the ride appeared to be having fun. They got pretty soggy on the ride itself and from the folks on bridges shooting water cannons at them.

The Bellow Bay Golf Cart Derby is also like the Tea Cups in that the golf carts turn as the green turf spins. It’s also about a minute long and much of the queue is uncovered as you can see from the photo above. The Minion statues around this ride are hilarious and seemed to amuse the target market.

In addition to these two rides and the splash pads, this land has a Minions meet and greet.

Jurassic World Adventure Camp

This photo could be a symbol for how the park is now. I say that with all sincere hope that Universal finds a way to smooth out the bumps. We want them to succeed. We’re rooting for them to do well. Ok, but here’s the thing. This play place wasn’t open when I visited. The concrete was fire hot so I’m guessing this tower of rope and metal was basically a frying pan. I’d bet this is one of the things we see change in the coming months.

Friends. I’m trying to remain impartial here, but those seats had to leave a brand on the poor guests. The lack of theming here is, well, bold.

In addition to these two attractions, there is the Cretaceous Coaster which you’ll be able to see on our YouTube channel. The ride lasts about 60 seconds.

DreamWork’s Shrek’s Swamp

This was the longest line we observed on the day of our visit. The backdrop was fantastic and Shrek and Fiona were engaging and fun.

This short ride will be vastly improved when they finish the landscaping. The entrance is vibrant, and the audio and sound effects on the ride are clear and funny.

Dreamworks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar

On the day of our visit, Universal was filming on Swings Over Del Mar and each ride was 1 minute and 45 seconds. We’ll time it again next week. This is just like the Silly Symphony Swings in Disney’s California Adventure Park.

A precious puppet performance full of energy and silliness. The young kids in the audience while we were there seemed truly amused.

DreamWorks TrollsFest

We’ll check out Queen Poppy during our next visit, but we enjoyed meeting Branch at the TrollsFest meet and greet. Hair in the Clouds, pictured above, is a colorful, spinning balloon ride.

Trolls Critter Crawl is a shaded and very well themed play place directly across from Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express, the roller coaster in this land.

TrollsFest also has a Troll-ify Me! Experience for $25 per person. You can buy a ticket for this Troll themed makeup experience online or in person.

We’ll be back with an update once the park opens on July 1st. For now, please drop a note with any questions or suggestions for our next visit. Thanks for reading!