💡 Quick Answer
Universal Kids Resort opens July 1, 2026 in Frisco, Texas, about 30 minutes from Dallas. It’s Universal’s first park designed specifically for kids ages 2–9, with 7 themed lands, 13 rides, 6 shows, and 9 interactive play areas. One-day tickets start at $54.99; there’s no separate child pricing. A 300-room on-site hotel is also available. Families with toddlers and elementary-aged kids will likely get the most out of it; older kids and thrill-seekers may prefer Universal Orlando.
Key Takeaways
- Opens July 1, 2026, in Frisco, Texas (20-acre park, 7 themed lands)
- 13 rides total, plus 6 shows and 9 interactive play areas
- One-day tickets start at $54.99; two-day at $73.99; kids 2 and under are free
- No discounted child pricing — everyone pays the same admission
- Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster is the park’s biggest thrill ride
- Swings Over Del Mar has the tallest height requirement in the park at 42 inches
- A 300-room Universal Kids Resort Hotel sits at the park entrance
- Designed primarily for kids ages 2–9; no age restriction to enter
Opening Date, Tickets & Hotel
Universal confirmed the official opening date — July 1, 2026 — on May 28, 2026, alongside the start of ticket sales. Here’s the breakdown on ticket types and pricing (subject to change):
- 1-Day General Admission: $54.99
- 2-Day General Admission: $73.99
- Silver Annual Pass: $129.99
- Silver Annual Pass + Parking: $164.99
- Children 2 & Under: Free
Pricing is date-based and will vary by day. Notably, there’s no separate child ticket tier — every guest over age 2 pays the same admission price.
Families who want to be on-site can book the Universal Kids Resort Hotel, a 300-room property right at the park entrance. Staying there includes Early Park Admission, letting you in an hour before general guests.
Where Is Universal Kids Resort?
Address: 1 Universal Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75033 — at the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and Panther Creek Parkway, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro.
Nearest major airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
The location puts it within easy reach of most North Texas families and makes it a realistic day-trip or single-overnight destination for visitors who don’t want a full Orlando-style vacation.
7 Themed Lands
Universal Kids Resort is built around seven lands, arranged in a loop starting and ending at the entrance hub. You can download a map of Universal Kids Resort if you want to follow along as you continue reading.
- Isle of Curiosity. The park’s entrance hub, themed to Gabby’s Dollhouse and built as a gateway where kids can roam freely, play, and meet Gabby at a dedicated dance party. It also holds the park’s flagship gift shop and several quick-service dining spots, making it a natural start and end point for the day.
- DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp. Centered on a play area Shrek built for his triplets that human kids can join in on, this land includes two distinct play zones (Rompin’ Stomp and Splash & Smash) plus chances to meet Shrek and Fiona and take photos in their onion carriage.
- DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar. Set in the fictional village of Del Mar, this land combines a swing ride, a stage show, carnival-style games, and a meet-and-greet with Puss in Boots, Mama Luna, and Perrito, giving it more of a festival feel than the park’s other lands.
- Jurassic World Adventure Camp. Home to three rides, including the park’s signature coaster, plus a dedicated play area and the chance to meet baby raptors up close, this land leans into camp-style theming rather than recreating a full dinosaur park.
- Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom. Set inside SpongeBob’s under-the-sea neighborhood, this is the park’s largest land by attraction count, with four rides plus dining and shopping themed around Bikini Bottom’s most recognizable landmarks.
- Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club. Themed around the yellow Minions trying to wrangle their wilder purple counterparts, this is the park’s water-focused land, with a splash pad and a water ride. And fair warning — you will get wet!
- DreamWorks’ TrollsFest. A glitter-filled, round-the-clock party land centered on singing, dancing, and playing alongside Poppy, Branch, and the rest of the Trolls crew, rounded out by two rides and a dance-party show.
Did You Know?
Travel agents get discounts on their own travel and earn commission when they book travel for others, including to the new Universal Kids Resort Texas. Learn how you can become a Universal Studios travel agent today!
Photo by Kayla Stevens, a Boardwalk travel agent who took her family to a special park preview
All 13 Rides, by Land
Isle of Curiosity
No rides in this land — it’s built around open-ended play, discovery spaces, and calming sensory gardens centered on Gabby’s Dollhouse. Perfect for the youngest park visitors.
Shrek’s Swamp
Shrek & Fiona’s Happily Ogre After
A family ride through how Shrek and Fiona met, narrated as a story told to their triplets. It’s a slow, fully exposed ride, so expect direct sun on hot days.
Puss in Boots Del Mar
Swings Over Del Mar
The park’s tallest height requirement at 42 inches, this swing ride lifts riders above the village for sweeping park views. The most genuine “thrill” outside Jurassic World.
Jurassic World Adventure Camp
Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster
The park’s headliner. Families help search for a missing Ankylosaurus through twists, turns, and drops — likely many kids’ first real roller coaster.
Pteranodrop
A dinosaur-themed drop tower with a bird’s-eye view of the park.
Mr. DNA’s Double Helix Spin
A twisting, spinning Jurassic World–themed ride.
Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom
Jellyfish Fields Jamboree
A Dumbo-style flying ride where riders board a “Jelly Angler” to go jellyfishing with SpongeBob.
Barnacle Bus
A slower, sightseeing-style ride through Bikini Bottom.
Bobbing Barrels
A spinning water ride where riders blast water alongside Patrick Star and Sandy Cheeks.
Mrs. Puff’s Boating School
A driving course with spins, swerves, and reverse maneuvers. Height requirement: 36″–77″.
Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club
Bello Bay Cruise
A water ride guaranteed to get you wet, with water-gun battles from above. You may want to bring a change of clothes for the little ones.
Bello Bay Golf Cart Derby
A spinning ride often compared to Disney’s Alien Swirling Saucers.
DreamWorks’ TrollsFest
Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express
A quick (about 30 seconds) mini-coaster through the festival grounds.
Hair in the Clouds
A floating, spinning ride with flower-faced balloons and views over the park.
How Intense Are the Rides at Universal Kids Resort?
The honest takeaway on intensity? Of the 13 rides, only Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster and the Pteranodrop carry any real thrill, and both are engineered for young riders rather than teens chasing big drops. The other 11 are gentle by design.
Beyond the Rides: Shows & Play Areas
As with any great theme park, the rides aren’t the whole story. Universal Kids Resort Texas also includes 6 live shows and dance parties (like the King Trollex Techno Dance Party and a Trolls amphitheater show) and 9 interactive play areas (Shrek’s Swamp Rompin’ Stomp and Splash & Smash, Pineapple Paradise, Jurassic World Lookout Towers and Paddock Play, and more), plus character meet-and-greets across every land.
Where to Eat, by Land
Dining is built into each land’s theme, so you won’t find one big food court. Instead, you should expect smaller, character-specific spots scattered around the loop.
➡️ Shrek’s Swamp: Swamp Snacks serves the triplets’ favorite eats, including a pretzel-style item called the Shrekzel.
➡️ Puss in Boots Del Mar: This land leans into vibrant, festival-style food alongside the Puss in Boots Theater, fitting the village’s overall theming.
➡️ Jurassic World Adventure Camp: Jurassic World Canteen handles the bigger appetites here, with options friendly to both meat-eaters and plant-eaters alike.
➡️ Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom: Goofy Goober’s — SpongeBob’s favorite ice cream spot from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie — serves chicken sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, and the signature sky-high sundaes.
➡️ Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club: Expect lighter, beach-adjacent fare to match the water-park energy of Bello Bay Cruise and the Golf Cart Derby.
➡️ DreamWorks’ TrollsFest: Trolls Eatz! offers a colorful mix of family-approved bites, while BroZone Cones serves ice cream themed to the festival’s boy-band characters — a pink lemonade flavor has already been called out by early visitors.
➡️ Isle of Curiosity: As the entry hub, expect grab-and-go options here geared toward getting families fed quickly on the way in or out.
🚨 Planning Tip
Because each land has its own (smaller) dining footprint rather than one central hub, mealtimes are a good moment to also hit that land’s gift shop and meet-and-greet. Barg’N-Mart in Bikini Bottom and Triplets Treasures in Shrek’s Swamp are both right next to the food, so you can knock out a few things at once instead of backtracking across the park later.
How Does Universal Kids Resort Texas Compare to Other DFW Family Parks?
So how does the new park stack up to other attractions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area? Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which one might be best for your family.
Universal Kids Resort
Opened: July 1, 2026
Best for ages: 2–9
Rides: 13
On-site hotel: Yes, with 300 rooms
1-day ticket (starting): $54.99
Peppa Pig Theme Park DFW
Opened: March 1, 2025
Best for ages: 2–7
Rides: Fewer, smaller-scale
On-site hotel: No
1-day ticket: Lower (general admission park)
Six Flags Over Texas
Opened: 1961
Best for ages: 8+
Rides: 40+, many thrill-focused
On-site hotel: No
1-day ticket (starting): Comparable or higher
Universal Kids Resort sits squarely between Peppa Pig Theme Park (younger, smaller) and Six Flags (bigger, older-skewing) — which makes it a strong middle option for families with a wide age range, or those who’ve outgrown toddler parks but aren’t ready for full-size coasters.
Which Kids Will Love Universal Kids Resort?
Ages 2–5: Likely one of the best theme park experiences available for this age group anywhere in the country — low height requirements, familiar characters, and a manageable park size.
Ages 6–9: Probably the sweet spot. Old enough to appreciate the theming and ride experiences, still fully invested in SpongeBob, Trolls, Minions, and Shrek.
Ages 10–12: Mixed. Some kids in this range will love it; others may start wanting bigger thrills.
Teens and Adults: Not a standalone destination for this group — but that’s by design, not a flaw. This new park is definitely built with the little ones in mind.
So…Is It Worth A Visit?
This is the big question, and it really comes down to what you’re expecting. If you walk in hoping for a smaller Universal Orlando, you may be underwhelmed. If you walk in wanting a park built specifically for your toddler or elementary-aged kid — lower height requirements, less walking, fewer overwhelming decisions — it’s likely to deliver exactly that.
Tips for Planning Your Visit
- Best suited to kids ages 2–9
- One to two days is likely enough to see the whole park
- Texas summers are hot — Shrek’s Swamp in particular is a slow, fully exposed ride with no shade
- Bring a change of clothes for Bello Bay Cruise and Bobbing Barrels
- Staying at the on-site hotel gets you Early Park Admission, which is worth it if you’re trying to beat the heat and the crowds
- Consider pairing your trip with other DFW-area attractions if you’re traveling from out of state
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Universal Kids Resort in Texas open?
As of this writing, the park is scheduled to open July 1, 2026, with tickets already on sale.
How many rides are there at Universal Kids Resort?
13 ride spread across 7 themed lands, plus 6 shows and 9 interactive play areas.
Is Universal Kids Resort good for toddlers?
Yes! toddlers and younger elementary-aged kids are the park’s primary audience.
Does Universal Kids Resort have roller coasters?
Yes. Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster is the headliner, and Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express is a shorter mini-coaster.
Is Universal Kids Resort like Universal Orlando?
No, this park is quite a bit smaller (20 acres vs. Orlando’s resort-scale footprint) and it’s built specifically for younger families rather than thrill-seekers.
How much do tickets cost?
One-day tickets start at $54.99, two-day at $73.99. There’s no separate, discounted child price — everyone over age 2 pays the same.
How many days do you need?
This will depend on your preferences, but most families will find one to two days is enough.
Planning Your Trip
If you’re the person in your family who’s already comparing ticket tiers, mapping out which land to hit first, and figuring out whether to add a hotel night, that instinct is exactly what makes a good travel advisor.
At Boardwalk Travel Agency, many of our advisors got their start the same way: as the person who always planned the trip. If a Universal Kids Resort visit is on your radar — solo, with a mixed-age family, or paired with other DFW attractions — we can help you map it out, or you can explore what it looks like to turn that planning instinct into a flexible, commission-based opportunity of your own. Learn more about becoming a Boardwalk Travel agent today!
Final Thoughts
Universal Kids Resort isn’t trying to be a smaller Universal Orlando — it’s solving a different problem entirely: Giving families with young kids a theme park built at their scale, from ride heights to signage to portion sizes. For parents of toddlers and elementary-aged kids, especially those in or near North Texas, it’s shaping up to be one of the most useful new family destinations to open in years.