The new Universal Kids Resort has had a bumpy opening ride.<\/p>\n
The park opened earlier this month<\/a> in Frisco, sits on 32 acres and offers 13 attractions. According to Universal, it\u2019s the first of its kind to be designed specifically for children 3 to 8 years old.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the opening of a major new attraction in North Texas should be celebrated for bringing a positive development to the region, it only took the internet a few minutes to find something to hate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Commenters on social media declared what they determined were issues with Universal\u2019s newest theme park. From the themes to the ride quality, many of them decided it didn’t live up to the expectations they had.<\/p>\n Sure, some of the images of Universal Kids leave something to be desired, and there is always room for improvement. But the thing these commenters seem to have forgotten is the people at the center of the park’s mission \u2014 children.<\/p>\n Universal\u2019s marketing made it clear this is not like the other parks in its portfolio, and it wasn\u2019t designed to compete with what it has in Florida or California \u2014 but act as an addition to it.\u00a0<\/p>\n While some adults may struggle to accept that Rhonda\u2019s TrollsFest Express or the Jellyfish Fields Jamboree wasn\u2019t designed for them, that\u2019s exactly the point. These attractions were created for families with young kids. It\u2019s only right that the kids get the final say on if this is a success or not.<\/p>\n The narrative that surrounds this park should not be one that angry adults on the internet create. It should be about the way a place has been created where little kids can have little-kid fun. In a time where it has become more difficult to encourage creative play for children<\/a>, this should always be the goal.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also refreshing to see how the city of Frisco has created a variety of options, both free and paid, for families to entertain their children. Whether it be at Universal Kids or at one of its public parks, like the redevelopment project at Grand Park<\/a>, Frisco has put the families that live there first. Good on the city for remembering who it is serving.<\/p>\n Attractions like this are also needed in other areas of North Texas as it continues to expand. The North Central Texas Council of Governments projects that the population of the region will grow to over 9 million people by 2027<\/a>. By opening an attraction like Universal Kids, families recognize that our area is committed to creating meaningful experiences for their children.<\/p>\n While the park may not be the image of what some expected to see, it is far too soon to announce it is a failure. The children are the ones who get to decide.<\/p>\n