Even prior to opening, Universal Kids has proven to be a divisive topic online, so we went to the park’s preview to see for ourselves what type of experience visitors can really expect. Universal Kids, located in Frisco, is the latest addition to Universal theme parks. It is scheduled to open to the public next week on July 1. The concept deviates from Universal’s other parks as the target audience is primarily ages 3-8. The decision to fixate on such a young demographic has stirred some heavy criticism from the fanbase and online community, so we wanted to bring an unbiased, first-hand account to our readers.

To preface, we went to a preview day, so there are some adjustments the park may make before the grand opening. However, due to the short timeframe, it is safe to say that the rides, food, and scenery will be similar to what we experienced. Here is our take on Texas’s newest theme park:

THEMING

There are essentially six themed areas at Universal Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants, Jurassic World, Shrek / Puss in Boots, Trolls, Minions, and Gabby’s Dollhouse. DO NOT expect the same immersive theming experience that the larger Universal parks have introduced in recent years, such as the Harry Potter areas or Epic Universe. To be honest, aside from the attractions or food, the theming is fairly minimal overall. The Minions portion of Universal Kids does have an abundance of the beloved yellow mischief makers. These make for some great photo spots as well as serve as some fun mini splashpad areas. The SpongeBob area also has two buildings that seasoned enthusiasts will immediately recognize, Goofy Goober’s and Barg’N-Mart. Goofy Goober’s is arguably the heaviest themed area in Universal Kids with a cartoony interior which closely resembles that of the show.

Jurassic World is an interesting choice to have included in the park since Universal must ensure the area is not too scary for the age of kids it is trying to attract. I believe a Dinosaur Discovery Center, similar to those in the larger Universal parks, could have met the criteria and easily enhanced this portion of the park, but there is nothing like this option. However, there is a handler that walks around holding a baby raptor, which kids can interact with and pet. There’s also a sensory area with quite a bit of foliage where bird noises are piped in. There, kids can play with a couple of dinosaur zoetropes in the garden there as well.

Fans who are excited about visiting the Gabby’s Dollhouse section will be severely disappointed. Aside from a small cupcake stand, a few miniature statues in a sitting area, and a storefront façade that resembles the beloved toy house, it is essentially nonexistent. Even the shop under the Gabby’s Dollhouse banner confines the merchandise to a corner area, while sharing the rest of the store with items from other shows/movies from the park. There is even a wall of How to Train Your Dragon merchandise, a franchise not even represented anywhere else on the premises.

The Puss in Boots décor looks eerily similar to the Mexico pavilion at Six Flags Over Texas. Also, if you were expecting the Shrek area to be heavily vegetated or look like a swamp in any manner whatsoever, you’d be wrong. Sadly, even the Trolls section lacks the bright coloring often associated with the movies and has no external presence outside of the rides/attractions there.

Many critics have pointed out the abundance of concrete and absence of color at Universal Kids. This is a valid argument. However, to the defense of the park, much of the plant life have not had a chance to flourish yet because they were recently planted and now have to compete against Texas’s summer heat. It is also important to note that Universal intentionally held back on some of the designs to allow children with sensory processing difficulties to enjoy the park as well. While this is evident in areas like the Jurassic World garden, even the stores were designed with these children in mind. For instance, the large shop at the front entrance has sensory boards with activities on the walls, in addition to sensory paths and tiles on the ground. While many may view the common areas of Universal Kids as bland, those with children who are sensitive to overstimulation will be grateful.

FOOD

The biggest surprise at the park was probably regarding the food. Those familiar with concession prices at other theme parks or activity centers know how expensive meals can be. This is not the case at Universal Kids. Most meals I saw were priced between $7 and $15, with kid’s meals being at the lower end. As a matter of fact, the most expensive food item I encountered was the Triple Gooberberry Sunrise which comes in a collectible Goofy Goober souvenir cup for $20. There is also a decent variety of food and snacks available across the park. Where the Universal Kids aesthetics are lacking, the food theming excels. For example, the party I was with ordered dino nuggets at the Jurassic World restaurant, priced at $11. The meal came with four dino nuggets standing upright in a field of mashed potatoes with small broccoli “trees” and BBQ “lava” scattered throughout the plate. There are also Shrek-shaped pretzels, Minion shaved ice cups that look like the characters, and Trolls cones where the ice cream looks like their trademark hairstyles.

Several employees and other acquaintances I know have mentioned the Mexican food in the Puss in Boots area is supposed to be pretty good. Sadly, the air-conditioning wasn’t working in the restaurant that particular day, so I did not get to try it. Overall, I was pretty impressed by the pricing, taste, and options of food at Universal Kids. There are several candy and bakery shops scattered throughout the park as well which had a fun selection of themed items. I am hoping the prices do not increase after the park has been in operation for a while, because, as a parent, I am definitely thankful for the pricing and unique options that are currently available.

 RIDES

The biggest backlash regarding Universal Kids has been centered around the park’s amusement rides. It is important to keep in mind that the rides are specifically built for kids under the age of 10 to enjoy. With that said, there are kids in this range that may not find these rides overly exciting, especially if they are daredevils or frequent theme park junkies. However, I believe that the rides are sufficient for the age range Universal Kids is targeting. Think Six Flags’ Toon Town, but with slight upgrades.

In all honesty, after reading negative reviews from critics, I went in with the mindset that I was going to be utterly disappointed by the rides since I am far beyond the targeted audience. In full disclosure, I was pleasantly surprised. I obviously would not consider them thrill rides for teenagers or adults, but I did find enjoyment in many of them. Here is a rundown of the rides from my perspective:

Barnacle Bus– Designed after the submarine buses driving through Bikini Bottom, this ride rocks back and forth before rotating around. This ride is almost identical to the Caddo Lake Barge at Six Flags but sporting a SpongeBob theme. It was a smooth ride, and I was not expecting the vehicle to turn as well. One child, probably around 5 years old, laughed and shouted the entire time, asking to go again as soon as it finished. There was another kid onboard who was probably around 8 who smiled the whole time but didn’t find it as thrilling as his younger counterpart.

Jellyfish Fields Jamboree– I liked the theming of this ride as the subs have jellyfish nets attached to the back. It is easy to see that you are joining SpongeBob in his favorite pastime hunting jellyfish. The ride itself would be similar to that of Dumbo at Disney World. I did not go on the ride but it looked enjoyable to the kids riding it and had a stable line throughout the day.

Ms. Puff’s Boating School– This ride is geared toward the smaller children in attendance. It looks like a scaled-down version of Jellyfish Fields Jamboree with different theming. It is essentially the same ride, just without the ability to levitate the car you sit in.

Bobbing Barrels– While this is another circular ride, the buckets you sit in spin and contain water cannons. This adds a fun component as you try to shoot people in the other barrels and even spectators outside with water. In turn, if you have a child riding without you, there are water cannons around the exterior for you to shoot back, too!

Mr. DNA’s Double Helix Spin– The ride is basically a three cage Ferris wheel. Once the cages are all loaded, they rise to the top of the tower and begin to circulate. However, there is a neat addition. Occupants can make their cage spin in circles as well, almost like a floating teacup ride. It is a unique ride since it can be a pleasant ride or have the kids increase the intensity to their liking.

Pteranodrop– This is a tower ride that has intermittent drops. There is not a single big drop, so smaller kids will enjoy that. Although they are only brief descents, I was a bit surprised at the speed of a few of them. This ride also had a pretty steady line throughout the day.

Cretaceous Coaster– Unfortunately, the ride was not functioning when I was there. They did put the cars through a couple of trial runs before I left. I was a bit disappointed since this is supposed to be one of the main attractions. From what I can tell, it looked to be a larger version of Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express. If you do ride it, they say to keep an eye out for “Bumpy” the dinosaur from Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous who is hidden on the ride.

Bello Bay Cruise– By far one of the favorite rides of attendees. It is a Minion’s themed tube ride down rapids and whirlpools. You will get wet but not entirely soaked. Universal also made a smart move by elevating the flooring of the tube so your feet won’t be soaked in standing water. People on the bridges spectating can also target you as you ride, a fun addition for kids watching and a slight annoyance for adults riding. The main criticism I have of this ride is that you definitely feel the impact as your tube bounces off the walls and will feel it in the morning if you are older. We had several Boys and Girls Club groups, consisting of kids around ten years old, go before us and all of them were chanting in unison, “One more time!” when they had finished the ride.

Bello Bay Golf Cart Derby– Here, visitors ride golf carts in true minion style. The carts follow two circular tracks that alternate and give a figure-eight movement. There is also a fun photo spot just outside the line entrance. I only got to observe this ride for a few moments, so I can’t really comment on the thrill level. To me, it looked like a miniature version of Alien Swirling Saucers at Disney World.

Rhonda’s TrollsFest Express– I was a bit impressed at the speed of the rollercoaster and would be fun for some of the older kids. There are a couple of slight drop and some quick turns. The biggest negative is that the ride is extremely short. I felt like this could be one of the most enjoyable rides for kids and older audiences if Universal had just added a bit more track. The entire ride lasts less than 30 seconds. That said, it may be great for those trying to introduce their kids to a rollercoaster since they may not be able to process what just happened before the end of the ride.

Swings Over Dell Mar– Even as an adult, I enjoyed this ride. This is a full-size swing ride, not a scaled-down version. I enjoyed the fact that it also tilted a bit once it got going, which kept the ride fresh and exciting. I wouldn’t hesitate to go on it again. If I were to continue to compare rides to Six Flags, it would be reminiscent of the Gunslinger. This ride may not be for the faint of heart smaller children. Also, if you happen to go on a slow day with empty seats next to you, look out on the descent because they have a tendency to knock into you.

Shrek & Fiona’s Happily Ogre After– This is a slower, car ride where you can feel free to allow the kids to take the wheel since the cars drive themselves (you don’t have to worry about getting whiplash from your child’s driving skills). The cars have plenty of legroom underneath for taller adults, but they do take some adjusting to get situated. I saw this ride taking a ton of heat online for the childlike way the characters are presented throughout the ride. I honestly didn’t mind the depictions as they are supposed to be a story drawn by Shrek depicting his and Fiona’s love story. In each scene you pass, there is a moving component that I found fun to watch. Shrek and Donkey also dictate the story as you drive. My negative concerning the ride wasn’t the artwork, but the speaker volume. I found it difficult to hear the story, which could really be an issue when crowd sizes increase, and the volume of traffic is even more elevated.

ATTRACTIONS

There are several shows scheduled throughout each day. Due to a thunderstorm that rolled through, I did not get the opportunity to watch the Puss in Boots Stage Show, a play featuring puppets from the film. I did catch the Trolls show at their AMPitheatre. If your children are fans of the movie, or if you just enjoy the music, it is worth the stop. Several characters from Trolls dance along to the songs and are joined by other stage performers. It is also in a large shaded area which is a welcome sight for those trying to find places to escape the sun.

Next door, there is also the King Trollex Techno Dance Party. This area is indoors and is air-conditioned! If your child is a bit more active and adventurous, they may prefer this Trolls show instead since they are allowed to move about and dance their heart out alongside the characters.

As I said before, the presence of Gabby’s Dollhouse is extremely minimal, but there is a dance party where she and her friends come out to play in the Isle of Curiosity. Gabby dances out to her theme song and allows the kids spectating to shrink down with her and meet some of her feline friends. If you have not seen the show, you can probably skip this portion, but it will be one of the highlights for those that are admirers.

One of the best things about Universal Kids is the number of characters that you can meet and interact with. In Bikini Bottom you can meet SpongeBob and Patrick. You can meet Fiona (prior to becoming an ogre) and Shrek on the other side of the park. You can meet Poppy and Branch in the Trolls area and Gabby at her dance party. You can even meet a yellow or purple Minion! I don’t have the full list but did observe most of these characters. I also assume they will continue to add characters as Universal Kids grows.

While not necessarily an attraction, Universal Kids has a ton of playgrounds and splashpads scattered between rides. These areas are all themed to some extent, some much more than others. The splashpads will be welcomed by kids and parents alike once the summer heats up a bit more. These locations should be a nice reprieve and help kids enjoy the experience a bit more.

Conclusion

The concept of Universal Kids is not comparable to Universal’s other theme parks. As such, it falls short in many areas that have made the other parks such prominent destinations today. Even so, I believe it is an enjoyable park for what it is being advertised as. My biggest concern is whether the larger crowds and wait times in the Texas sun will diminish the enjoyment I was able to have and see.  Unlike Universal’s or Disney’s larger parks, it is meant to be approached at a leisurely pace and led by the children rather than strict time schedules. While you can’t please everyone, almost all of the children I witnessed at the park were really enjoying their experience. Even as an adult, I was still able to find some entertainment and know my daughters (who are just a bit above the target demographics) would as well. While critics have some valid points, I think there is also quite a bit of negativity being thrown around by those wanting a traditional Universal park experience. If you have young kids, I’d urge you to check it out yourself and try to experience it through their eyes and not your own.

Universal Kids Pros:

• Great for kids with sensory difficulties
• Extremely friendly and energetic staff members
• Good food options and pricing
• Has a decent variety of rides for young kids
• Wide selection of clothing and merchandise
• Designed to be a leisure park

Universal Kids Cons:

• Very little shade
• Subpar theming
• Not a thrill park
• Hotel doesn’t have themed rooms
• Moderate to high entry ticket price
• No queue line entertainment