8 Things I Loved About Universal Kids Resort for Families

The author visited as an invited guest of Universal Kids Resort. All opinions are the author’s own, and neither Universal Kids Resort nor its parent company had input in any part of this article.

Most theme parks are built for all ages, which means young kids spend much of their time there watching, waiting, or being carried. Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, is designed especially for kids 3 to 8, with plenty of short rides, splash zones, and play spaces.

I visited Universal Kids Resort during the media preview with my family, including tweens, and we’d love to go back. Here are 8 things I noticed the park does well for families.

1. It’s Built Around How Kids Actually Play

Every land of Universal Kids Resort gives kids room to move with play spaces and splash pads. That breaks up the usual ride-and-line cycle that can make a park day feel draining. It’s also great for kids who want to explore and play in themed lands rather than spending a full day waiting for attractions. The variety of activities gives families a way to entertain younger siblings while older ones enjoy rides.

Kids (and adults) can get the Trollify-Me! Experience inside Sparkle Shine Glitter Glow, with options ranging from full face to makeup. The face paint is waterproof and, in our experience, held up to a full park day and swimming at the resort.

Many theme parks lack unstructured adventure play, but Universal Kids Resort left much of the park open for kids to define for themselves. This is the type of attraction my family loves, like exploring the (now closed) Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom, with its caves, barrel bridge, and fort.

Our favorite activity was the Jurassic World Adventure Camp Lookout Tower. The kids got lost in the maze of rope climbing (in a good way), while the adults got a surprisingly good climb in trying to keep up. We all left the tower sweaty and laughing.

2. Water Helps Beat the Texas Heat

Universal Kids Resort isn’t marketed as a water park, but water is a major part of the experience. Popping into a splash pad or water ride can make a full park day doable, even on blazing summer days in Texas.

Too hot after riding Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster? Just head around the corner to Bikini Bottom, where the large Pineapple Paradise splash pad can cool you down. Or hop on the Bobbing Barrels ride, where it’s nearly impossible to dodge the sprays of water cannons, even when you’re waiting in line.

Cooling down with water seems to be part of the day’s natural flow at Universal Kids Resort. Water features aren’t tucked away in a corner that requires a detour. Kids can splash in and out of rides and water play throughout the day to break up the heat and burn off energy between attractions.

Hot Tip:

Plan to get wet. Swim shorts and quick-dry tops may be more comfortable than cotton or denim, which may stay wet between splash pads and rides.

3. The Attractions Feel Made for Young Kids

Most of the attractions are kid-size thrills with short ride times. That’s a plus for kids who are still figuring out whether they like rides, get nervous in loud or dark spaces, or lose patience with longer attractions.

The short format also makes it easier for kids to repeat favorites without a huge time commitment. Kids can test out rides and hop back in line for another turn. When mixed with playgrounds, character encounters, and snacks, it’s easy to follow the changing moods rather than build a whole day around a few major attractions.

Universal Kids Resort has low minimum height requirements. Children at least 36 inches tall can get on most rides, with only a few exceptions:

• Cretaceous Coaster’s: 39-inch minimum height.
• Bello Bay Cruise: 40-inch minimum.
• Swings Over Del Mar: 42-inch minimum.

Kids 48 inches or taller can ride most attractions without a supervising companion. An ideal park experience for my kids is having an adult nearby while they ping-pong between attractions independently, without having to ask what to do next. They got to do that at Universal Kids Resort because they’re tall enough to ride without an adult, and the park is so small that they could easily wave us down in between rides.

The kid-first design shows up in small ways, too. Details are placed at kid height, stores include play tables, and bathrooms have pull-down child toilet seats.

Hot Tip:

Families with kids who aren’t ready to ride can use Universal’s child swap option, so an adult can wait while the rest of the group rides, then switch.

4. Shows Give Everyone a Chance To Recharge

Universal Kids Resort has live shows and character entertainment. We watched “Mama Luna’s Adopt a Kitty Day” in Puss in Boots Del Mar and the Trollstastic: Concert Countdown, both of which were colorful and easy to follow. The King Trollex Techno Dance Party was an indoor, interactive event.

All the shows offered us a chance to sit in the shade and cool off between rides while enjoying the entertainment.

Character encounters were plentiful, with spots to meet and take photos with the stars of each land. These felt frequent enough that kids could engage without families having to organize their day around a meet-and-greet.

5. It’s Easy To Experience in a Single Day

The park’s compact layout is a big advantage for families with young children. You can walk the entire park in less than 10 minutes if you don’t stop, so it takes just minutes to get from a ride to a show, snack, or restroom instead of a massive trek.

Families can experience the park in a single day without having to walk miles, which can wear down younger visitors. It’s easy to plan around the heat and build in time for water play, meals, and breaks.

Still, it might not feel like a one-and-done visit. Our kids left asking when they could come back. While they loved the rides, they asked for more of the play areas. They liked having places to climb and splash without waiting in line. For families considering multi-day visits, giving kids more free playtime may be a reason to return.

Hot Tip:

Guests of Universal Kids Resort Hotel can easily enter and exit the park, heading back to the hotel for naps, swimming, and downtime.

6. Family Services Make Resets Easier

Universal Kids Resort considers a wide range of family needs. There are spaces for family services and first aid at the park entrance and in Puss in Boots Del Mar.

Family services amenities include:

• Quiet rooms
• Nursing rooms
• A family restroom
• Diaper vending
• Adult changing table bathroom

The sensory garden in Jurassic World Adventure Camp offers another calm place to pause without leaving the park, and service-animal crates at many rides let families ride together instead of having to sit out with the animal.

7. The Food Keeps Things Simple — and Fun

The food at Universal Kids Resort leans toward quick and familiar, which works well when kids are hungry but ready to get back to the fun.

We didn’t see traditional kids meals at the park restaurants (though Curiosity Cafe at the resort hotel has a kids menu), but some offered smaller portions at lower prices than full-size entrees. At Goofy Goober’s, the Chum Bucket tendies and Mussel Beach hot dog were each $7.99. At Jurassic World Canteen, the Adventure Camp hot dog and mac and cheese were also $7.99, and guests could request carrot sticks, apple slices, applesauce, or yogurt instead of fries.

Even some of the larger entrees were kid-friendly enough to share or order for adventurous kid eaters, such as the dinosaur bites at Jurassic World Canteen and Humpty Dumpty’s chicken quesadilla at Comidas y Leche.

The snacks were what we enjoyed most, including the Doritos Cool Ranch and banana-flavored Minions popcorn, which were more memorable than standard popcorn. The SpongeBob grilled cheese was more like a soft pretzel with a thin layer of cheese than the gooey sandwich I expected, but it was still a fun themed snack. The Minions mac and cheese cone and grape-flavored shaved ice disappeared in moments, and we all enjoyed the silliness of the Shrekzel, a Shrek-shaped pretzel.

Several dining areas offered spots to cool down. Some restaurants had indoor seating, including Goofy Goober’s, Jurassic World Canteen, and Comidas y Leche, but others had fully shaded patios.

8. It’s Still Appealing to Older Kids and Adults

When I first heard about Universal Kids Resort, I dismissed it as likely too young for my tween and teenage kids. They’re used to bigger rides and full-day thrills at Disney World and Six Flags. My teen is not the target audience, but my tweens still found plenty to enjoy.

The rides are milder than those at theme parks, but that was part of the fun. Swings Over Del Mar was surprisingly thrilling for a park aimed at younger children. They liked being able to move between rides, play areas, snacks, and character encounters without the all-day pressure of conquering a giant theme park.

Would I fly in from another state with older kids to visit? Probably not. But for our family in the Houston area, it’s worth the 4-hour drive north for a taste of Universal fun — and Six Flags Over Texas is only about 40 minutes away if we want big-kid thrills.

Final Thoughts

Universal Kids Resort lets kids take the lead. It’s built around how young kids actually move through a day: short rides, climbing, getting wet, eating a snack, and taking a break before doing it all again.

Families can cover the park in a day, but repeatable rides and play areas give kids reasons to come back. The park is best for young children, but our tweens still had a great time. For families within driving distance, Universal Kids Resort is a low-stress way to get a taste of Universal with fewer logistical hurdles and more permission for kids to play.