Is Universal Building A Theme Park in Texas? [Updates & News]
With Disney and Universal expanding across the globe in recent years, rumors have emerged about a potential Universal theme park in Texas!
We're here to keep you updated on everything related to Universal's plans for a theme park in Texas!
Updates On Universal's Texas Theme Park:
- Is Universal Studios Moving To Texas?
- Is Universal Studios Building A Theme Park In Texas?
- What Will The Theme Be Of Universal Kids?
- What Rides And Shows Will Be At Universal Kids?
- When Will Universal Texas Open?
Is Universal Studios Moving To Texas?
Universal Studios is not moving any of their existing theme parks or operations to Texas.
This rumor begin to build steam just as rumors began to circulate about Disney building or moving a theme park in Texas as well.
Anything Universal is planning in Texas will entirely new and will not be a relocation of any existing theme parks or operations!
Is Universal Studios Building A Theme Park In Texas?
Universal Studios is in fact building a brand new theme park in Texas which will be known as Universal Kid's Resort!
This is not to be mistaken, however, with Universal's Epic Universe, which is also a new theme park but is being built in Florida. Epic Universe and the new theme park planned for Texas are entirely different.
On January 11th, 2022 Universal announced that their next theme park after Epic Universe in Florida will be coming to Frisco, Texas.
This was a massive announcement at the time as Universal or Disney have never built a theme park in the United States outside of California or Florida.
While Six Flags and Cedar Fair have been building theme parks across the United States for decades, this will be an entirely new venture for Universal Studios.
Universal is using this as an opportunity to capture a more local, regional market in the middle of the United States that may be less willing to get on a plane and travel to California or Florida.
What Will The Theme Be Of The New Theme Park?
Universal describes the new theme park as "kid-friendly rides built across multiple immersive lands".
In all of Universal's press releases and conferences about the new theme park, they consistently discuss how the park will be smaller with a very strong focus on rides and shows suitable for families.
Universal has also stated the target audience for most rides at the Texas theme park will be children between the ages of 3-9
This likely means we're going to see a lot less of the massive rollercoasters and intense rides they've been building at their existing theme parks in Florida and California.
While this theme park will still likely be a fun experience, we expect it to be a much more scaled-down experience than what Universal fans are accustomed to.
Universal has also stated this theme park will be "putting the park back in theme park" so we suspect there will be lots of trees, plants, and shrubbery as well as open space on the property. The early concept imagery, as seen below, seems to confirm this with tons of trees and green areas visible.
The total area that Universal has acquired for the Texas theme park is 97 acres in size, which might sound like a lot but is significantly smaller than its other theme park properties.
Universal Orlando for example spans over 540 acres of land while Universal Studios Hollywood stretches to about 415 acres.
What Rides And Shows Will Be At Universal Kid's?
No rides or shows have been announced yet for Universal Texas, but we do have a few hints based on the concept art and press release.
With the focus age group for attractions at Universal Texas being between the ages of 3-9 we'll likely see a lot of spinning attractions (merry-go-rounds), slow-moving dark rides (similar to Small World at Disney), theater shows and potentially other rides following a track with slow movements and turns.
We suspect there might be one or two roller coasters, but temper your expectations as these roller coasters will probably move at very slow speeds and have mild drops.
There certainly won't be any inversions or insanely fast launches here.
We expect to see the themed lands, types of rides as well as character meet-and-greets announced in the next few months, so we'll be sure to update this section as announcements are made!
When Will Universal Kid's Resort Open?
One thing Universal has been especially quiet about is Universal Texas' opening date.
We expect the park to open no earlier than 2027 as Universal Parks & Resorts focuses on the construction and completion of Epic Universe before ramping up their plans for Universal Texas.
It wouldn't be surprising to see ground break on Universal Texas before Epic Universe opens, but they'll likely distance the opening and announcements of Universal Texas from Epic Universe. Epic Universe is a massive investment and Universal certainly doesn't want to risk making any announcements that will take away any focus from this theme park.
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