Details on the New Universal Park in Frisco, TX

If you live in or around Frisco, Texas, there’s no way you haven’t heard about the new Universal Park that was just approved by the city council in early March. We first heard rumors about it back in late January, so we were surprised by the rapid approval the project received. While some are excited about the future park, other residents wanted more time to consider its impact on the community.

However, a theme park will bring jobs and excitement to the area, especially for those with young children. Let’s take a look at what we know about the proposed Universal Park so far to get a better understanding of what we have to look forward to.

How Big Is the Universal Park?

Universal Studios recently purchased a 97-acre parcel of land in Frisco, Texas, where it plans to build a new theme park. The initial building phase will have the rides and attractions on 30 acres, while the remaining area will be dedicated to parking and future expansion. However, there have been no details as to what Universal Studios anticipates using the area for. From viewing conceptual drawings, we can see that the park will feature several themed sections, a large food court, and various paths that take you through the park.

Guests will be able to stay on the property in a 300-room hotel and enjoy the park without having to go anywhere. Universal Studios has indicated it anticipates anywhere from 7,000 to up to 20,000 visitors daily, depending on the day of the week and month of the year.

Where Will the Universal Park Be Located?

The land Universal Studios bought to build the new park is currently a vacant field off of the Dallas North Tollway where it intersects with Panther Creek Parkway and Fields Parkway. Part of the Cobb Hill neighborhood backs up to the land. It’s also close to the neighborhoods of Fields West, Point West, and Emerson Estates. Six Flags Over Texas is approximately 30 miles away, so this park will give residents a closer place they can go to have fun with the family.

Other nearby attractions include the Cinemark Dine-In Theater, Warren Sports Complex, Northwest Community Park Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association trail, and Fields Ranch golf course.

Who Is the Target Market for the Universal Park?

Families with younger children between the ages of 3 and 11 will most enjoy the new Universal Park in Frisco. Although Universal Studios first stated that the park would be aimed at families with children ages 3 to 9, once the city council approved the project, the top age was revised to 11 years. So, when it’s built, you can expect it to feature rides, characters, and merchandise that appeal to this crowd.

The park will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. But residents should know that when the project was approved, the city council stated that the hours of operation could be anywhere from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Originally, rides were slated to be no more than 50 feet tall, but now that the park is approved, it seems they could potentially build them as high as 100 feet, possibly more.

What Attractions Will the Universal Park Feature?

Because Universal Studios upped the ante on the height of the rides, it’s hard to say what it might feature at this one-of-a-kind theme park. In the conceptual drawings, the colors and landscaping lead us to believe it may use DreamWorks as the basis for characters and rides. So, don’t be surprised if there’s an area dedicated to “Trolls,” “Shrek,” or “Madagascar.” But who knows, maybe it’ll dedicate an area to the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”

So far, we don’t have the specifics on themes. We do know that you can expect a scaled-down version of its larger, big-city parks, like the one in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, we’re sure you’ll find everything the larger parks offer but aimed at younger children and their parents. This includes restaurants with food options that will appeal to your kids as well as landscaping that provides visitors with a park-like experience.

How Will the Universal Park Affect the Frisco Community?

Many residents are concerned about how the new Universal Park, estimated to be complete by 2026, will impact the town and its residents in the years to come. Some of the major concerns are that it will increase traffic, not just in the park’s vicinity but all over town. A study completed by an analyst hired by Universal Studios states that the expected traffic for the park won’t bring as many drivers as the local H-E-B and nearby Stonebriar Centre bring in daily.

Residents are also worried about their property values being brought down because they’ll have a view of the roller coasters above them. Another concern is that property taxes will increase, although they haven’t gone up in Frisco since 2018, and the city has one of the lowest property tax rates in North Texas. Some people have said that they felt like the city council rushed the decision and should have taken more time to analyze how the park will affect residents and their properties.

Of course, there are also good sides to the new park. It will bring in lots of tax revenue, plus the city is already working on road improvements, which we definitely need. It will also create jobs — over 600 according to Universal Studios. New jobs for residents means growth for the area, and this should be a good thing for everyone.

Do you live in Frisco? What are your thoughts on the new Universal Park that will soon be a part of our community? The team at the Hand and Wrist Institute is new to the area, and we’d love to hear how our patients and community members feel the park will impact Frisco. Your opinions will help us better understand our new surroundings so we can form an opinion of our own.

Frisco Water Tower by Nancy Jo Lambert is licensed with Unsplash License

Dr. John Knight

Dr. Knight is a renowned hand, wrist and upper extremity surgeon with over 25 years of experience. Dr. Knight is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Fellowship trained. Dr Knight has appeared on CNN, The Doctors TV, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Oxygen network and more.