Universal Parks & Resorts introduced a brand new theme park in Texas designed for households with younger youngsters. This put up shares particulars concerning the new regional park idea, plus our commentary about one of many ‘big players’ transferring to a smaller scale and whether or not Disney may comply with swimsuit.
According to Universal, the brand new child park idea is ready in a lush inexperienced panorama and options themed lands that commemorate Universal’s model of leisure, humor, and innovation. The park will deliver to life its beloved characters and tales in methods that may wow even the youngest theme park goers.
Universal’s proposed park can be designed to be extra intimate and fascinating for youthful audiences and can be sized for a regional viewers. It can be stuffed with family-friendly sights, interactive and playful exhibits, character meet and greets, distinctive merchandise and enjoyable meals and beverage venues.
Although smaller in dimension, it is going to nonetheless carry the identical high quality as Universal’s different bigger resort locations, based on the corporate. The idea can be roughly 97 acres in dimension, as in comparison with roughly 110 acres for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida.
However, that’s not precisely an apples to apples comparability, as a part of the 97 acres of land bought by the corporate, the proposed park additionally has plans for an adjoining themed lodge and room for enlargement. The whole space is meant to have a totally completely different look, really feel, and scale than Universal’s present parks and can attraction to a brand new viewers for the model.
Universal Parks & Resorts chosen town of Frisco, in North Texas, as the realm for this new idea given town’s rising inhabitants and talent to draw companies to the realm. The proposed location for the brand new idea is ideally located east of the Dallas North Tollway and north of Panther Creek Parkway.
“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the city of Frisco and Mayor Cheney as we work to bring this innovative, new concept to life designed specifically for a younger generation of Universal fans,” mentioned Page Thompson, President, New Ventures, Universal Parks & Resorts. “We think North Texas is the perfect place to launch this unique park for families given its growing popularity within this part of the country.”
“Frisco is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and has been recognized as a great place to plant professional roots and raise a family,” mentioned Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney. “This new Universal concept will continue to enhance our tax base, expand employment opportunities and bring even more fun to Frisco benefiting our residents, businesses, and visitors.”
According to Universal Parks & Resorts, extra particulars concerning the Frisco Family Park Project can be revealed over time.
Our Commentary
In the unique press launch, Universal launched this new idea by calling it a “one-of-a-kind theme park, unlike any other in the world, specifically designed to inspire fun.” We deleted that line as a result of there’s nothing within the idea artwork or official particulars to counsel it’s true. (This is not any knock at Universal–quite a bit of inaccurate or deceptive advertising and marketing puffery will get deleted from Disney releases, too.)
It’s robust to say what this can find yourself being as soon as it goes from idea to actuality. Right now, it sounds quite a bit to us like LEGOLAND, however swapping out these iconic bricks for various mental properties. Those are stable parks for what they’re, providing super attraction and worth for households on a smaller scale.
In our view, it is a good transfer by Universal. There’s a ton of unhappy demand for regional theme parks from households who both don’t need–or can’t afford–to take weeklong holidays to the flagship resorts. Destination theme park complexes aren’t for everybody, and there are a number of boundaries to entry for Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World.
Cost is clearly one, stamina is one other, and so is a want to dedicate trip time to theme parks. There are in all probability a number of different causes many households don’t contemplate journeys to Central Florida’s complexes. I’m hardly the one to put out the argument towards visiting Orlando, as I can’t relate!
Regional parks are simpler as an extended weekend getaway with decrease stakes. They might not provide the identical diploma of all-ages attraction and pleasure, however they’re additionally cheaper and simpler. Lower reward, however decrease danger. In quick, they fill an essential area of interest.
With this announcement by Universal, the large query for a lot of theme park followers is whether or not Walt Disney World will “answer.” This is completely comprehensible, particularly when you think about the truth that Dallas or Houston are roughly proper between Orlando and Anaheim.
In truth, each time the subject of a brand new theme park comes up, Texans inevitably level out that they’re state could be the excellent location. (Just have a look at the feedback to Disney Parks in New Countries “Inevitable” or Will Walt Disney World Build a Fifth Gate?). While we agree with the sentiment that Texas could be an excellent location, we disagree with the conclusion that Disney will–or ought to–construct extra theme parks at new websites within the United States.
For one factor, Disney has dabbled with regional leisure ideas prior to now and it has not gone effectively. Granted, it’s been some time and so they’ve by no means tried something like what Universal is planning to construct in Texas. Nevertheless, it’s troublesome to see the Walt Disney Company taking place this path for a few causes. One is their previous failures on this entrance and deserted ideas alongside the way in which.
Another is that they largely seeming to be aiming upstream, establishing Disney as a premium product. I don’t assume that positioning is in keeping with this method, a minimum of, not at current. Yet another excuse is that the timing merely will not be proper.
Disney nonetheless has a ton of debt as a result of twentieth Century Fox acquisition, and continues to hemorrhage billions of {dollars} every quarter on streaming because it makes an attempt to develop Disney+ and different companies. Comcast is in an excellent place to broaden its theme park footprint proper now, however the identical will not be true for Disney. If something, they should shed some belongings and higher handle what they’ve.
Even setting all of that apart, I’m undecided whether or not constructing regional parks could be a savvy enterprise transfer for Disney or not. Until sitting down to write down this text, it was by no means one thing I even thought of.
The upside could be that it might be one other addition to Disney’s flywheel, and a approach to seize audiences that aren’t presently served by Walt Disney World or Disneyland. That’s good for model consciousness and affinity, and would reinforce synergies with Disney+ and the corporate’s many merchandising initiatives.
The potential draw back is that it might cannibalize enterprise at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Right now, households with young children in Texas and neighboring states seemingly take costly week-long rite-of-passage journeys to Florida, spending 1000’s of {dollars} within the course of.
If lots of these might “check the box” (so to talk) by visiting a considerably cheaper kiddie park for a weekend, they in all probability would go for that as a substitute. (One of the issues it’s essential to do when analyzing selections like that is placing your self within the footwear of the common American–not a diehard Disney fan.)
Ultimately, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how this works out for Universal Parks & Resorts. The calculus for Comcast is nearly definitely completely different than it might be for Disney, largely as a result of Universal Orlando sometimes courts a special demographic. Its company skew older, and are normally not rite-of-passage households as is the case with Disney.
That’s not the one approach the 2 park operators differ; the businesses even have entry to very completely different libraries of mental property (my guess is this can find yourself being all issues DreamWorks). If Disney opened regional parks, it would cannibalize enterprise from Walt Disney World and Disneyland–however that’s extremely unlikely to occur for Universal. (If something, this Texas park is extra more likely to harm Disney’s present parks than Universal’s, however even that appears pretty far-fetched.)
I really hope it is a large success for Universal Parks & Resorts. In truth, I hope all the things Universal is presently doing–together with each different amusement and theme park operator–is a large success. Cheering for the failure of Disney’s rivals will not be one of the best ways to “prove” to the corporate that you just’re a loyal, diehard fan.
Rather, it’s an actual doofus transfer that demonstrates you take pleasure in paying extra, enduring bigger crowds, and settling for much less. The final beneficiary of competitors is customers; all of us win when theme parks increase the stakes and attempt to outdo each other to court docket prospects. Here’s hoping this initiative is a large success for Universal, and these regional parks pop up all around the United States!
Need journey planning ideas and complete recommendation on your go to to Central Florida? Make certain to learn our Universal Orlando Planning Guide for all the things about Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Also take a look at our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for all the things about these parks, resorts, eating places, and a lot extra. For common updates, information & rumors, a heads up when reductions are launched, and rather more, join our FREE electronic mail e-newsletter!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Universal’s plan to construct a regional park aimed toward households with young children in Texas? Think this can be a hit–much like LEGOLAND? Would you wish to see Disney construct related parks in Texas or different areas exterior the California and Florida markets? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Will you be trying to go to Universal Orlando or Hollywood anytime quickly? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!