Universal Kids Resort - Frisco, Texas

[Jerroddragon]

I would not wait 80 mins for Jurassic World or Park, lol

I wish Universal made ops a priority but look at the the Nintendo rides...I just wish they could eat up more people even the Yoshi ride doesn't eat up much more then Mario Kart. I just don't get why they are fine with rides that load slowly and you can't get more then a few hundred guests on in an hour, for a park like this really their should be NO lines over 30 mins. Like this is where "it was designed for kids" to me narrative fails, to me the issues with this park come down to budget

 

[Brian G.]

Like this is where "it was designed for kids" to me narrative fails, to me the issues with this park come down to budget

I mean. It can be both.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I mean. It can be both.

It was designed for kids, so we have rides that can't load quick and will make one of the groups known for not liking to wait in line wait in line?

Its just not something I can get behind, I'm not going to list them all again but I've talked about cheap ways they could have made the park more for kids but also families and work for universal strengths

To me its mostly money, because most won't be like I hate main street its too themed here and what was mostly clear from the start is the Minion ride was the closed to something unique at the park and they had no plan for it drawing so many in the summer time.

Easily the park need more pumped into the entertainment, theming and having rides that can load faster. I'm sure on the off season it wont be too bad but during the peak seasons I think your going to see much more mixed reviews as you wait in line with the lack of shade and themeing and people be like I paid 80 bucks for this?

Sesame Street is the only park officially made for kids Ive gone to and its saving grace is its not crowded and you walk on the rides but if this park is going to cost what is and not keep you entertain/have things to look out as you wait over 30 mins for most flat rides....yeah I just don't see a reason for me to want them to invest in more parks like this over just making this one better along with improving other Universal parks and expeinmces we already have

 

[Jake S]

I didn’t touch on this in my review, but while I found the ride operators perfectly friendly I did not find them to be particularly quick or efficient. Some of that is, obviously, lack of experience. But there were also some strange procedures on rides like Shrek that are, I assume, coming from management and slowing things down quite a bit.

Of course, we’ll see what it looks like in a few months as everything gets adjusted and the employees get more reps in.

 

[Brian G.]

It was designed for kids, so we have rides that can't load quick and will make one of the groups known for not liking to wait in line wait in line?

Its just not something I can get behind, I'm not going to list them all again but I've talked about cheap ways they could have made the park more for kids but also families and work for universal strengths

To me its mostly money, because most won't be like I hate main street its too themed here and what was mostly clear from the start is the Minion ride was the closed to something unique at the park and they had no plan for it drawing so many in the summer time.

Easily the park need more pumped into the entertainment, theming and having rides that can load faster. I'm sure on the off season it wont be too bad but during the peak seasons I think your going to see much more mixed reviews as you wait in line with the lack of shade and themeing and people be like I paid 80 bucks for this?

Sesame Street is the only park officially made for kids Ive gone to and its saving grace is its not crowded and you walk on the rides but if this park is going to cost what is and not keep you entertain/have things to look out as you wait over 30 mins for most flat rides....yeah I just don't see a reason for me to want them to invest in more parks like this over just making this one better along with improving other Universal parks and expeinmces we already have

I don't think anyone is saying long waits are okay because it's a kids' park. My point is, it doesn't have to be one single thing.

That said, it's also been officially open for, what, two weeks?

Some of it is probably budget. Some of it is ops. Some of it is just the reality of opening a new park and figuring things out. Those can all be true at the same time.

If we're still seeing long waits a while from now... then yeah, but right now, I think it's too early to pin everything on one thing.

 

[Andysol]

It was designed for kids, so we have rides that can't load quick and will make one of the groups known for not liking to wait in line wait in line?

Its just not something I can get behind, I'm not going to list them all again but I've talked about cheap ways they could have made the park more for kids but also families and work for universal strengths

I’m honestly curious what your suggestion to remedy this would be.

If I recall correctly (there have been a LOT of posts by people); your suggestions were that the lands and rides should have been indoor and that they should have had a larger indoor show. Being indoor wouldn’t help wait times. And better theming would hypothetically increase it if demand was increased due to that.

Closures weren’t occurring. So the issue is either: capacity or ops were slow. And considering ops are new, that’s likely a large factor. And the only way to increase capacity is to increase the amount of rides (something no one has suggested once since the rides were announced).

But there were also some strange procedures on rides like Shrek that are, I assume, coming from management and slowing things down quite a bit.

I know Shrek got changed very shortly after and is night/day difference according to @Diservations

If we're still seeing long waits a while from now... then yeah,

Kind of? If you’re seeing waits that long, people are still willing to pay $75, and ops are up to speed… then what is the actual problem? It would just be time for expansion as the demand is vastly outperforming the supply and the park is a wild success. Unless we’re in a volcano bay situation where theoretical output is significantly less than expected and they’ll never hit their projected numbers.

Now… do I anticipate glowing reviews from people if there are 25-30 min lines for barnacle bus and 65 for minions? Definitely not. And if it does indeed become that successful, that’s going to be a tough nut to manage.

Although all of this sounds a bit premature and it just sounds like they will get better ops with time in addition to having very high opening month demand. Hasn’t even been a month and this is ops first real pressure test.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I’m honestly curious what your suggestion to remedy this would be.

If I recall correctly (there have been a LOT of posts by people); your suggestions were that the lands and rides should have been indoor and that they should have had a larger indoor show. Being indoor wouldn’t help wait times. And better theming would hypothetically increase it if demand was increased due to that.

Closures weren’t occurring. So the issue is either: capacity or ops were slow. And considering ops are new, that’s likely a large factor. And the only way to increase capacity is to increase the amount of rides (something no one has suggested once since the rides were announced).


I know Shrek got changed very shortly after and is night/day difference according to @Diservations

For increasing Ridership besides ops things like Two of the same Flat ride, not all but having two Mr DNA's would literally double how many people got on and since they are basically off the self rides with some different paint on them

For the coasters, it would be have an odd load area and then the second train can pull back in empty and cut the time in half on getting on the ride

For the Q's all should be either indoor or like covered to death

Both Coasters could be like 10times cooler inside because for Trolls you can then have some lights and music playing making it feel like your in the movies and for Jurassic you could have a fake tropical inside with static dinosaurs placed around the scenery

Also I talked about before for Jurassic was having a big round stage and doing one of those live Dinosaur shows where you have trainers come out and you learn about dinosaurs and maybe even let some kids comes down and interact with them for the show. This one idea, I just don't get how its not in the park in someway...you have a Jurassic area for kids but no show where kids can learn about dinosaurs?

Also for Jurassic they should have a radio or screen or something in the Q's that give you dinosaur Trivia, better then the nothing themeing

The Gabbys Doll house "show" is fine but why not have a walkthrough attraction that ends with meeting Gabby and friends

For the Shrek ride if it can't be indoors then it should be a really...really nice Garden. I can live with a nice little drive with just a little themeing but it looks opened and you can see the Q from the ride...just looks very unfinished.
Also for Spongebob can't believe the boating shool ride wasn't like an indoors or outdoor ride like where you go around a fake practive course themed to Bikini Bottom, that would be an easy win but nope all flat rides.

Mostly its make a fun park for kids that isn't mostly cement and have theming, that is what got me into theme parks its going to Disneyland and feeling like I was somewhere else, Uniersal makes great events like HHN and Fan Fest, so you can't build E tickets cool then have some more detailed shows and walkthrough experiences to make up for that but with the money give would have been somewhat hard to acchievewhich is why I'm blaiming it on the budget

 

[Andysol]

For increasing Ridership besides ops things like Two of the same Flat ride, not all but having two Mr DNA's would literally double how many people got on and since they are basically off the self rides with some different paint on them

For the coasters, it would be have an odd load area and then the second train can pull back in empty and cut the time in half on getting on the ride

Everything you wrote had nothing to do with increasing capacity except these two.

All the indoor rides, covered queues, TVs, etc wouldn’t have helped the minion ride wait time. Many of their flat rides have doubles of the ride already.

Most are custom ride vehicles not just paint also, to be fair.

Everything else is just thematic changes which wouldn’t do anything for capacity (and would arguably make longer wait times). Adding a show for JW would be great. I’m hoping for a dark ride, but a show would also be cool beyond the puppeteer with the baby raptor walking around. Hopefully they look into something like that for an expansion if the waits continue to be high even after ops are efficient.

My plan would be:
1) Focus on Ops
2) if ops aren’t identified as the issue- Expand the park (which will be hilarious after the hate it received). Whether that’s JW ride, new land or the water park; have it done asap.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Everything you wrote had nothing to do with increasing capacity except these two.

All the indoor rides, covered queues, TVs, etc wouldn’t have helped the minion ride wait time. Many of their flat rides have doubles of the ride already.

Most are custom ride vehicles not just paint also, to be fair.

Everything else is just thematic changes which wouldn’t do anything for capacity (and would arguably make longer wait times). Adding a show for JW would be great. I’m hoping for a dark ride, but a show would also be cool beyond the puppeteer with the baby raptor walking around. Hopefully they look into something like that for an expansion if the waits continue to be high even after ops are efficient.

My plan would be:
1) Focus on Ops
2) if ops aren’t identified as the issue- Expand the park (which will be hilarious after the hate it received). Whether that’s JW ride, new land or the water park; have it done asap.

I mean if they made some other rides indoors, we have no idea how that would effect the park

Like you tell people their is an indoors Dinosaur coaster with theming and it could double that line and easy up on Minions

The point would be to try to give every land one "e tickets" to draw away from the others right now the Minion ride feels like the only unique kind of ride plus the only water ride in the summer, though if you had more rides indoors this could change how families ride things at the park

A Dinosaur Show would also be a people eater and give the rides some times when more of the park is in that show leading to less wait times at the park

As much as I want more to be apart of this, it feels like year one will be slowly adding more green and color to the park, then year two will be finding out if events work and draw people in and if we are lucky year 3 we will see more in the space they saved

 

[Andysol]

shifting slightly- here is a review from the local moms Facebook group with an excerpt:

My family and I went for July 4th to Universal Kids Resort, We went to Disney world and Universal studios in Florida back in April of this year as well. We have also been to Peppa Pigs theme park. So we really like going to theme parks. I was not too excited to go to the Kids Resort because of all the bad reviews but since we only live 12 min away I thought it was a must! I do think it is a bit pricey maybe they can work on the pricing soon.

-a whole lot of words about the heat, Shrek not being themed as well as other places, refillable cups and food being good, etc

But then this line at the end:

My 9 yr old said it is her favorite park so far out of all the theme parks we have been too so that made me realize how perfect this park was for her.

—-

I see these kind of reviews every day or every other. I remember one of the biggest arguments saying that kids deserve better theming and they aren’t dumb. But the more I see kids thinking it’s the best park they’ve ever been to makes it seem like maybe Universal actually knows what they were doing better than us.

Maybe small kids actually do prefer less theming as their imaginations are so much grander than adults. Or they actually are just dumb.

 

[Jerroddragon]

shifting slightly- here is a review from the local moms Facebook group with an excerpt:

My family and I went for July 4th to Universal Kids Resort, We went to Disney world and Universal studios in Florida back in April of this year as well. We have also been to Peppa Pigs theme park. So we really like going to theme parks. I was not too excited to go to the Kids Resort because of all the bad reviews but since we only live 12 min away I thought it was a must! I do think it is a bit pricey maybe they can work on the pricing soon.

-a whole lot of words about the heat, Shrek not being themed as well as other places, refillable cups and food being good, etc

But then this line at the end:

My 9 yr old said it is her favorite park so far out of all the theme parks we have been too so that made me realize how perfect this park was for her.

—-

I see these kind of reviews every day or every other. I remember one of the biggest arguments saying that kids deserve better theming and they aren’t dumb. But the more I see kids thinking it’s the best park they’ve ever been to makes it seem like maybe they actually knew what they were doing better than us.

Maybe small kids prefer less theming. Or they are dumb. Or both.

My next question would be is have they been to Disneyland or WDW?

Also have you not gone to Six Flags Over Texas? They have a bunch of the same kind of kids rides, plus Justice league, some other little coasters a rapids ride, log ride, a dark ride on a boat (its made for kids not thrilling or anything), a few smaller coasters and a Dinosaur car ride

I think its harder for me growing up not just with Disneyland but going to Dallas and seeing the Six Flags park not sucking and having a good amount for families plus doing other family stuff and just not getting it when 40 mins away is a park as cheap if not cheaper with as much if not more themeing a offering for the family.

 

[theblueblurr]

...
Maybe small kids actually do prefer less theming as their imaginations are so much grander than adults. Or they actually are just dumb.

I've already shared my thoughts about the park and I don't feel like beating a dead horse, but I will say that even though I still think what is being offered is awful, I'm glad to hear they are making improvements (however small).

If the park is having long waits due to crowds, then maybe there is a demand for it and Universal sees something that I don't. Or Guests just don't have the same standards they used to. Or maybe there's just that little to do in Frisco, Texas. All I know is, if I had a 9 year old and they told me they preferred the Kids resort after having just taken them to Disney World or Universal proper, they would never get another theme park trip from me ever again. I almost have to wonder what exactly their WDW and UO trips actually entailed.

But hey, I guess that's why my wife and I don't have kids.

 

[Diservations]

Until the last few days, Universal has throttled crowds, preventing TMs from being tested. They'll learn to get faster.

But park ops are working against them. Both coasters require guests to walk through the vehicles to stow their bags and hats. Guests are INCREDIBLY slow with this. In their defense, it's not easy traversing Rhonda's cars.

I would love them to allow bags on the rides. I rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster last month with a camera bag between my legs and a camera with a 200mm lens in my hand (strapped to my wrist). The CM just made sure it was all locked in.

 

[Diservations]

More Minions graphics went up on the Bello Bay Cruise's walls over the weekend. The inner wall might be complete.

 

[Andysol]

My next question would be is have they been to Disneyland or WDW?

Their first paragraph said they went to WDW and USF in April as well as peppa pig (the best comparison for our area). They didn’t mention six flags.

That’s why that post stood out to me- fresh off a WDW and USF and still preferred this? That’s crazy to me… and yet.

All I know is, if I had a 9 year old and they told me they preferred the Kids resort after having just taken them to Disney World or Universal proper, they would never get another theme park trip from me ever again. I almost have to wonder what exactly their WDW and UO trips actually entailed.

But hey, I guess that's why my wife and I don't have kids.

I have kids and I’d do the same. Straight to the basement.

Kids legit are stupid like that, though. You buy a $100 present and they toss it aside and play with the box instead.

Until the last few days, Universal has throttled crowds, preventing TMs from being tested. They'll learn to get faster.

But park ops are working against them. Both coasters require guests to walk through the vehicles to stow their bags and hats. Guests are INCREDIBLY slow with this. In their defense, it's not easy traversing Rhonda's cars.

I would love them to allow bags on the rides. I rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster last month with a camera bag between my legs and a camera with a 200mm lens in my hand (strapped to my wrist). The CM just made sure it was all locked in.

Do they have the ability to add those horrid nets that FotH has?

And even if not- they don’t go over pathways.

 

[theblueblurr]

That’s why that post stood out to me- fresh off a WDW and USF and still preferred this? That’s crazy to me… and yet.

I can't honestly say it surprises me. Without saying too much, I work for a company that makes collectables and even though I always fight to ensure the best possible product is pushed out, often times a combination of both the higher powers in the building and the marketing department will veto many of my requests/decisions simply because they believe it is going to sell either way. The sad part is, they aren't always wrong (sometimes even selling out completely!). In short: "Just give me the product, I can sell it to someone" (their words, not mine).

I obviously have 0% evidence and this is just a gut feeling but something about consumers generally being willing to pay more and accept less feels like a post-COVID world thing to me. Not sure why. Maybe some weird combination of FOMO and "it is what it is" mentality?

 

[TheCodeMan95]

My next question would be is have they been to Disneyland or WDW?

It seems to be a foreign concept on here, but MOST kids have not been to Disney or Universal.

The discussion has been beaten to death on here, but kids tend to like different, more simple things than adults do.

We took my son to Disney and Universal for the first time in May.

His favorite thing at Disney? Casey Jr splash pad

His favorite thing at Universal? The pool at Sapphire Falls (lol)

 

[DeadSexeh]

That’s why that post stood out to me- fresh off a WDW and USF and still preferred this? That’s crazy to me… and yet.

If I had to guess why they preferred the kids park is because it is catered to them. This is just me guessing but I assume with the Orlando trip the parents controlled what attractions they did and when. With the Orlando trip being much more expensive the parents are likely to take controlled to make sure they and their kids get the maximum out of their day, but in doing so remove some of the kids fun by not letting them have a say. Going to the kids park the parents know it is for the child and not the whole family meaning they are likely to let the kid drive the decisions of the day.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

I think it's a little much to assume kids like the park specifically because they prefer less-themed areas. Totally fair to say there are things about the park design and amenities that make kids/families enjoy it in spite of other issues. But do we really think if this thing looked like Isle of Berk, kids would like it less? Were there a bunch of children who never wanted to go into Fantasyland again after the 1983 redo?

Also, I've seen a bit of conflation between the sensory relief areas and the general lack of decoration. One is a very cool attempt by Universal to target an underserved audience. The other is... more complicated. Maybe I'm wrong, but I truly don't believe they held back set pieces from the Shrek ride out of respect for neurodivergent guests.

All that said, I think they've got the right idea with the stuff they've been adding to the Minions. Doesn't need to be "immersive" theming. Stylized decoration will do just fine. Excited to see what else they add, and I'm glad it's pulling crowds.