It’s a big year for Universal theme parks, as Epic Universe celebrated its first anniversary, and now Universal Kids Resort — a park geared toward families with young children — is set to make its grand opening. Featuring seven different lands themed around kid-favorite movies like Shrek and Trolls, Universal Kids has been specifically created for ages 3 to 8, though all ages are welcome.
In fact, I was able to take my 11-year-old to visit Universal Kids Resort ahead of its July 1 opening, and not only was there plenty for her to do, she absolutely loved the experience — in spite of the intense Texas heat! Let’s take a look at 3 things she wasn’t able to stop talking about.
Staying At Universal Kids Resort Is A Treat For All Ages
Universal Kids Resort is located in Frisco, Texas, (just north of Dallas), and even though that’s in my neck of the woods, it was totally worth it to actually stay in one of the hotel’s 300 rooms. My daughter couldn’t agree more. First of all, the decor is so bright and colorful, you can’t help but get excited for what’s in store.
After checking in (and taking pictures with SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick, who greeted us in the lobby), we made our way through the rainbow tunnel, up the elevator and down the brilliantly colored hallways, and that was when things really got "fire" for my 11-year-old.
The room itself was so cute, offering a queen-size bed for parents and bunk beds for kids (suites are available that sleep up to six guests). My daughter immediately climbed the ladder to the top bunk and posed for photos in front of the colorful walls. Our room even included a view of the park, and we spent a long time looking out, identifying the different universes we could see and planning which rides we wanted to hit first the next day.
As far as the hotel amenities, they keep it simple with a cafe (with a bar), a pool (with lifeguards) and a small arcade, but for me the best part of staying at the resort was being mere steps away from the park the next day — as well as being able to easily head back to our room when we needed a break.
I spoke to Sharon Parker, director of marketing and sales for Universal Kids Resort, and she pointed out a couple of other advantages that parents might find interesting:
The perk of being here at the hotel is the ability to be able to have early park access. You get one hour before general admission guests — there’s a lot you can do within an hour. Then you have your dedicated entrance into the park, and when you’re going around and buying that merchandise, if you decide that you don’t want to carry that around, you can ask that it be delivered to the hotel where you can pick that up.
After experiencing the resort, I’m not sure my daughter would let us return to Universal Kids and not stay overnight.
Jurassic World Adventure Camp Had The Best Rides For My Pre-Teen
Because Universal Kids is for the younger crowd, the thrills are mild compared to other theme parks. There are no big drops and nothing goes upside down, but I was pleasantly surprised at how many rides my 11-year-old — who typically jumps on the biggest roller coasters without a second thought — wanted to go on.
For her money, Jurassic World Adventure Camp offered the best experience. The Cretaceous Coaster was her favorite ride in the whole park, offering a slightly more thrilling experience than the other kids coaster, Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express. Take a closer look at the Cretaceous Coaster below:
A post shared by Chris Hassan (@chrisdhassan)
A photo posted by on
Elsewhere in the dino-filled land, Mr. DNA’s Double Helix Spin was a hit, and she got to burn off some energy running around the Jurassic World Lookout Towers. A couple of other ride highlights were the Swings Over Del Mar in the Puss in Boots land, Bobbing Barrels in Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom, and the Minions’ Bello Bay Cruise, which is a must-do.
Parents be warned, you will get wet on those last two, but you probably won’t mind in that Texas heat.
Kids Will Flip Over The Triple Gooberberry Sunrise (And The Chicken Strips)
There are snack and meal options all over Universal Kids, naturally, but if you’re looking for one of the wildest treats, you’ve got to hit up Goofy Goober's in the SpongeBob universe for the Triple Gooberberry Sunrise ice cream sundae.
This delicacy from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie gave my tween the sugar rush she needed to keep going, as it is described as: "Vanilla & chocolate ice cream, strawberry Dole Whip, chocolate fudge, with crushed smore’s cookies crumble and strawberry Pop-Tarts pieces, whipped topping, banana, and a cherry on top."
To get this monstrosity in the souvenir cup, it’ll put you out $19.99, but come on mom, it’s vacation!
I loved that there were options for both adventurous little eaters and pickier ones, and even your typical snacks like soft pretzels were given the Universal treatment:
Also, if your kids are chicken tender aficionados like mine, the ones at Universal Kids Resort definitely made the grade. In fact, my 11-year-old raved about them so much, I stole a bite when she ordered them a second time, and it truly was tastier than it had any right to be.
If you go the chicken route, allow me to recommend the Jurassic World Canteen, where the Dinosaur Bites set a full scene with dino nuggets atop a mashed potato volcano, complete with barbecue sauce lava. Broccoli trees surround them, making for the perfect prehistoric meal.
Universal Kids Resort’s opening is one of the most exciting theme park events in 2026 for how it caters to the whims of young children first, but my experience proved that there’s something there for kids (and kids at heart) of all ages. Teens, tweens and adults may not be able to find the thrill rides they seek in other parks, but they might just be surprised at what fun they can have while accompanying their children or younger siblings.
Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, opens Wednesday, July 1, coinciding with the 2026 movie release of Minions & Monsters.
