Universal Announces Texas Resort

[BrianLo]

Gavby's Dollshouse is just a meet and greet in the hub. Whilst it's popular, Gabby's doesn't really have anything you can make rides for.
From the concept art, I can see at least 2 rollercoasters, the central boar ride potentially themed to Minions, a swing ride and lots of Spobgebob rides so it'll probably be a decent park for kids

I think it’s a splash battle themed to minions, a sponge bob simulator. Maybe, maybe there is a simple Puss in boots dark ride.

Two Jr Coasters (Trolls, Jurassic) and a Trolls foam head dance party show. Then it’s simple flats and mostly playgrounds, meet and greets and interactive experiences.

The demographics are a few years younger than Legoland. There’s a reason the press releases are saying ‘young children’.

I do too think it skews more towards Sesame Place+ rather than Legoland. Glad others are now seeing that too. The plus means the parent company is spending more. It’s a choice, good luck to them.

 

[DCBaker]

Universal Destinations & Experiences has unveiled more details of themed lands featuring interactive play areas and more:

Find all of the details at the link below:

Universal Kids Resort Unveils Details of Themed Lands Featuring Interactive Play Areas and More - Universal Destinations & Experiences

Universal Destinations & Experiences unveiled more details about the themed lands kids and families will experience at Universal Kids Resort.

corporate.universaldestinationsandexperiences.com

 

[Andrew C]

Cool! A bit sad my kids are past this age though. But I have a niece and nephew that will likely love this.

 

[Comped]

I've been hearing concern from throughout the industry on how city-driven the requirements for this resort are, and how they may be setting up this park to fail. With HHN in Vegas seemingly a mediocre success at best (making Chicago an open question for me personally), they have to hit it out of the park with this one. But it seems like the restrictions Frisco put them under are going to make that very difficult.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I've been hearing concern from throughout the industry on how city-driven the requirements for this resort are, and how they may be setting up this park to fail. With HHN in Vegas seemingly a mediocre success at best (making Chicago an open question for me personally), they have to hit it out of the park with this one. But it seems like the restrictions Frisco put them under are going to make that very difficult.

I didn't want to say anything, as sure... this could work. But it feels like a gamble for Universal.

Will the locals support it enough to keep the park profitable year round? I don't think anyone is travelling far, or going out of their way to see it, unless they are for some reason already coming to the area.

 

[Comped]

I didn't want to say anything, as sure... this could work. But it feels like a gamble for Universal.

Will the locals support it enough to keep the park profitable year round? I don't think anyone is travelling far, or going out of their way to see it, unless they are for some reason already coming to the area.

Even if you include the wider DFW area, I don't think it's enough. Not to get what Uni out of it anyway, and I'm pretty sure that's a good enough profit that shows it might be good enough to replicate elsewhere perhaps without these restrictions. I can't see this being permanently a singular proof of concept, Universal didn't even wait for HHN Vegas to actually turn a turn a profit before they had another location in the works... That is unless it flops. Which I cannot discount at this point.

 

[Andrew C]

I didn't want to say anything, as sure... this could work. But it feels like a gamble for Universal.

Will the locals support it enough to keep the park profitable year round? I don't think anyone is travelling far, or going out of their way to see it, unless they are for some reason already coming to the area.

DFW, and particularly Frisco, have a lot of money. So cost for guests shouldn't be an issue. The metroplex is about 8.5 million people...and anecdotally a least, lots of families with young kids.

 

[Andrew C]

I am sure they have done their due diligence and analysis...doesn't make the plan bulletproof though. Things can happen.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

DFW, and particularly Frisco, have a lot of money. So cost for guests shouldn't be an issue. The metroplex is about 8.5 million people...and anecdotally a least, lots of families with young kids.

The Birthday Party packages alone will fund this park.

 

[mkt]

Will the locals support it enough to keep the park profitable year round?

Stretch it out beyond the local area to families that could do a weekend trip.

I’d expect the weekend crows to reach out to San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Oklahoma City.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Stretch it out beyond the local area to families that could do a weekend trip.

I’d expect the weekend crows to reach out to San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Oklahoma City.

Is there a world where this park is dead Monday-Friday, especially during the school year? That was part of my post, wondering about daily profitability.

I mean, unless they can run at a loss at certain times of year, made up with the weekend ticket pricing, and holidays.

Or perhaps it'll be packed all the time and I underestimate the market and region.

 

[flynnibus]

Will the locals support it enough to keep the park profitable year round? I don't think anyone is travelling far, or going out of their way to see it, unless they are for some reason already coming to the area.

If Pennslyvania can support multiple regional parks.. Dallas, Texas, OK, Kansas should be able to support one small park that is unique. People in the area are used to covering large distances.. It's got a huge population in it's reach. The unclear question to me is more how they will scale their operations and schedule to avoid running during really empty periods while still able to retain talent/labor/etc.

 

[Jrb1979]

Is there a world where this park is dead Monday-Friday, especially during the school year? That was part of my post, wondering about daily profitability.

I mean, unless they can run at a loss at certain times of year, made up with the weekend ticket pricing, and holidays.

Or perhaps it'll be packed all the time and I underestimate the market and region.

It would be like another regional park across the country. Most of them manage to make a profit.

 

[Andrew C]

Is there a world where this park is dead Monday-Friday, especially during the school year? That was part of my post, wondering about daily profitability.

It’s aimed for kids not really in school. Or not beyond first or second grade.

 

[Jrb1979]

I do have a concern on this parks success. It has nothing to do with the market or Universal.
More that outside of a handful of regional parks, most are struggling with attendance and profit.

While the economy is playing a factor, IMO people don't have the interest in amusement parks like they used.

 

[networkpro]

I've been hearing concern from throughout the industry on how city-driven the requirements for this resort are, and how they may be setting up this park to fail. With HHN in Vegas seemingly a mediocre success at best (making Chicago an open question for me personally), they have to hit it out of the park with this one. But it seems like the restrictions Frisco put them under are going to make that very difficult.

If you're not familiar with Frisco, it's new urban sprawl that converted over the past 10-15 years open fields to concrete and strip malls.

 

[mkt]

Is there a world where this park is dead Monday-Friday, especially during the school year? That was part of my post, wondering about daily profitability.

I mean, unless they can run at a loss at certain times of year, made up with the weekend ticket pricing, and holidays.

Or perhaps it'll be packed all the time and I underestimate the market and region.

That’s a fair point - weekdays, especially during the school year, will definitely be lighter.

I’m looking at it through a similar lens to what we see in Orlando: families who’ll drive six or more hours from Atlanta or the Carolinas for a 3–4 day weekend. They might do one day at Universal, one at Disney - or just one park day total - and then spend the rest shopping, dining, or doing other local stuff. I think Universal’s hoping for the same behavior here: that families from Houston, Austin, San Antonio, OKC, or even Little Rock or Shreveport will see a Dallas weekend the same way.

Dallas isn’t a "destination city" like Orlando, but it’s already a regional tourism hub. You can do a day at Universal, another at Six Flags Over Texas or Great Wolf Lodge, and maybe catch a Cowboys, Rangers, Stars, or Mavericks game in between. That’s a solid long-weekend lineup for a family with kids under 12.

If Frisco becomes the anchor for that kind of short getaway - between the park, resort, sports, and shopping - it doesn’t have to live or die by weekday attendance. The weekdays can almost function as a loss leader, offset by higher margins on food, merch, and hotel stays. And Universal already knows how to drive off-season traffic, by offering seasonal events, like kid-friendly mini versions of their Halloween or holiday offerings, could keep things steady all year.

 

[BrianLo]

I’m sure it will do fine, but fine is inconsequential to the company. It’s meant to be a model to replicate domestically.

My bigger concern is brand erosion. This is generating way more excitement for again what is ostensibly a legoland/sesame place that is going to feel like a third party operator licensing out their properties instead of the other way around.

The yin to Epic’s yang and that’s not a good thing, I feel, for the direction of their destination business.

 

[MisterPenguin]

If you're not familiar with Frisco, it's new urban sprawl that converted over the past 10-15 years open fields to concrete and strip malls.

So... it's in... America?

If Frisco becomes the anchor for that kind of short getaway - between the park, resort, sports, and shopping - it doesn’t have to live or die by weekday attendance. The weekdays can almost function as a loss leader, offset by higher margins on food, merch, and hotel stays. And Universal already knows how to drive off-season traffic, by offering seasonal events, like kid-friendly mini versions of their Halloween or holiday offerings, could keep things steady all year.

The weekday attendance will be buoyed by Universal Kids Resorts Adults.

 

[mkt]

The weekday attendance will be buoyed by Universal Kids Resorts Adults.

Universal Kids Resort Day Drinkers Club.

Also, IIRC, in Texas kids can legally drink as long as a parent or legal guardian consents and supervises.

So… looks like they can have Mardi Gras after all. The family that drinks together... gets hungover together.