Our Family Road Trip to Universal Kids Resort
I’d heard about the opening of Universal Kids Resort long before it opened and was excited to make the drive to Frisco with my husband and daughter this summer to attend the media preview day before the grand opening. Frisco is a booming suburb of Dallas and only three and a half hours from the Tulsa area. It was a fun time even for us big (adult) kids. Here’s what we did and what you should know.
Universal Kids Resort Hotel
We stayed at the Universal Kids Resort Hotel, where the theme park is literally the backyard. The hotel is vibrantly colored, with fun features, in-room bunkbeds, and you might even meet a few characters while there such as SpongeBob and his crew! The entire resort and theme park was created with younger children and their parents in mind.
The hotel isn’t huge but is easy to navigate for guests and certainly easy for families with little ones to go back to the room for a midday nap or change if needed during a busy day of fun at the park. The hotel includes a not-too-deep pool, eatery and mini-arcade for entertainment when not in the park. Some rooms overlook the theme park, which is an added bonus!
A Theme Park Designed for Younger Kids
The most important thing to know before visiting is that Universal Kids Resort is designed specifically for toddlers and elementary-aged children. This isn’t a smaller version of Universal Orlando, and you won’t find enormous roller coasters or intense thrill rides. Instead, the attractions, play areas and character experiences are all created for younger children. That is exactly what makes the park so special. However, I enjoyed all of the rides I went on. I also knew I wasn’t signed up for a thrill ride experience.
The park is situated into seven themed lands: DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp, DreamWorks’ TrollFest, Isle of Curiosity (featuring Gabby’s Dollhouse), DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar, Jurassic World Adventure Camp, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom, and Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club.
Each of the lands features a variety of attractions. Attractions include the following:
- Rides and gentle coasters: The attractions are themed and kids can experience the excitement of a “big kid” ride without it being too intense.
- Splash areas: Be prepared for your child to get wet! There are several of these areas, which are critically needed given that it can get hot in Texas.
- Carnival games: Kids actually have a reasonable chance of winning, which makes the experience much more fun.
- Character experiences: The character interactions were some of the most memorable moments of our visit. Because the park is smaller and easier to navigate, the experiences didn’t feel as rushed. The characters took time to pose for photos, dance and interact with kids.
A+ Food and Shopping
Theme park food can be disappointing, however, the food at Universal Kids Resort was one of the biggest surprises of our trip. In addition to the familiar foods kids enjoy, we found fun, character-themed eateries and food options that were truly fantastic. I won’t reveal too much; you’ll have to go see for yourself. We tried as many food options as we could.
The shopping experience was also fun. With shops themed to each of the seven lands, there’s plenty your child will want to take home. There is also one big shop stocked with everything toward the entrance. If you’re hot or cold, the shops are also a perfect place to stop in for a bit.
A Manageable Park Experience
Another thing I appreciated was that we could comfortably experience the entire park in one day. We didn’t leave feeling like we had missed half of the attractions or needed another three days to see everything. The smaller scale allows families to enjoy character experiences and play areas without racing through the park. That makes Universal Kids Resort especially appealing for families taking a quick trip from Tulsa.
There also appears to be room for the resort to grow. Areas around the property are said to be used for future additions, and we’re already curious to see what might be added in the coming years.
For Tulsa families looking for a manageable road trip and a theme park designed specifically for younger children, Universal Kids Resort is an exciting new option. But hey – teens and adults were having a fabulous time there, too! We all had a wonderful time.
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