Some recent forms filed with the Frisco City Council have revealed updated concept art of the new Universal Kids Resort and official logos for a few of the park areas.
- Universal Kids Resort
- Universal Kids Resort Main Area Theming
- Universal Kids Resort Opening in 2026
- Universal Kids Resort Hotel
Universal Kids Resort
As we previously reported, Universal has announced the construction of a new theme park located in Frisco, Texas. Unlike the previous Universal Studios parks, this new location, called Universal Kids Resort, will be “smaller-scale” and “offer a unique theme park experience for the younger crowd.” While the project was initially approved by the local Frisco government in 2023, some recently-released images have revealed some updated park details.
Universal Kids Resort Main Area Theming
As previously reported, the main areas in Universal Kids Resort are expected to be themed as:
- “DreamWorks’ Shrek: Enjoy ogre-sized fun as you stomp, ride, laugh and play in Shrek’s swamp themed playground built personally by Shrek.”
- “Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s Bikini Bottom’s best day ever and SpongeBob and friends cannot wait to show you around their neighborhood under the sea.”
- “Illumination’s Minions: Let the games begin as Illumination’s Minions overrun a peaceful vacation retreat. When Yellow Minions attempt to rein in their Purple counterparts, it leads to a wave of unpredictable, water-soaked fun.”
- “Jurassic World: It’s a journey of exploration where kids can learn about and come face to face with dinosaurs of Jurassic World in uniquely exciting and interactive ways.”
- “DreamWorks’ Trolls: You’re invited to the most colorful, most joy-filled, and, of course, most glittery music festival of all time!”
- “DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots: It’s a legendary day with Puss in Boots in Del Mar as the kitty adoption drive is in full swing with colorful decorations, sideshow games, fun rides and festive food.”
- “Park Hub with DreamWorks’ Gabby’s Dollhouse: A central hub with interactive play areas and shady lawns for rest & recharge, plus an immersive retail experience where guests can meet characters from Gabby’s Dollhouse.”
The first image shared with the Frisco government was specifically related to the new murals being painted on the side of the resort’s connected hotel building. While we have a separate post breaking down these new murals in more depth, one of the images included arrows showing which mural would be on which side of the building. The arrows were labeled with the first official logos for the new areas, including “Shrek’s Swamp,” “SpongeBob SquarePants – Bikini Bottom,” “TrollsFest,” and “Minions vs Minions.”
Universal Kids Resort Opening in 2026
Since the project is expected to open in 2026, the locations for the lands and most of the main attractions are largely set. At first glance, the new concept art seems similar to the previously-released art for the park. However, this updated illustration contains more detail than the previous version, including what may be some building updates.
SpongeBob SquarePants – Bikini Bottom
In the updated Universal Kids Resort art, we can see some of these locations in more detail. First, the yellow-colored area on the right side is expected to be “SpongeBob SquarePants – Bikini Bottom.” The new art includes a treasure-chest-shaped storefront that could be Barg’N-Mart. The new art has also shifted the location of SpongeBob’s pineapple-shaped house, which is now drawn as an element in what looks like a water play area.
Trolls
The pink area on the left side of the park is expected to be for “Trolls.” This area has a large show building on the edge of the park, which now has a sign saying “Trollsfest.” There was a tent-style structure located in this area in the previous art, but that is no longer included.
Jurassic World
Moving into the tan-colored area across the back of the park, this is supposed to be the “Jurassic World” section. However, the “Jurassic World” area will specifically draw from the animated “Camp Cretaceous” show rather than the live-action films, matching the park’s more youthful aesthetic. This art has now changed a few of the building designs, especially the main entrance for the largest building on the right side.
Minions
One more change is located in the central area of the park, which is expected to be the land for Illumination’s “Minions.” While the previous art did include this same water-based attraction, the loading area had a different roof. The new version has a wood-colored roof, while the previous art had a more modern-style multicolored structure. The updated art also shows a spinning whirlpool-style section on the right, which was previously shown as a spurting fountain. Finally, the ride vehicles themselves now appear to be colored bright yellow and purple, matching the “Minions vs Minions” theme.
Shrek’s Swamp
This back left corner is devoted to “Shrek’s Swamp” on the left and a section for “Puss in Boots” on the opposite side. This is the only area without many major changes, apart from the facades on a few of the buildings being drawn a little differently.
Universal Kids Resort Hotel
The on-site hotel, which does not have an official name yet, is expected to have 300 rooms. The updated concept art shows a multicolored, five-story building with murals of Universal characters on the ends of each wing.
John Lettelleir, Frisco’s Director of Development Services, recently told the local NBC-DFW news outlet that the theme park is slated to open sometime between April and June of 2026.
What do you think of this updated Universal Kids Resort art? Let us know in the comments.
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