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An exciting new project is on the horizon for Frisco, Texas. On Jan. 11, 2023, Mayor Jeff Cheney announced that the city would be the home of a brand new Universal Studios theme park. For years now, the public has known this suburb to be a blooming tourist destination, due to its prominent location and booming development projects. What's in store for the Frisco theme park? We have all the answers at Planet Ford Dallas. Read on to get the inside scoop for Universal Studios Frisco.
Universal Studios Hollywood is a global entertainment company that's been thrilling audiences since 1915. The studio was founded by Carl Lammed, who opened his first studio to the public in Hollywood.
In 1964, Universal started offering its iconic tram tours, giving park visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how movies are made. The park's first major attraction was Jaws, which debuted in 1976. The massive animatronic shark was able to captivate and immerse the audience in its watery world.
Universal now has five theme parks worldwide, with nine hotels and over 10,000 hotel rooms. The CityWalk, which is an entertainment and dining complex, was opened outside of the studio's Hollywood park in 1993. The company later expanded to Orlando and Japan.
In 2001, Universal Studios Japan was opened and broke attendance records during its first year. A decade later, in 2011, Universal Studios Singapore became the next lucky destination. The company announced in 2021 that it would be opening a park in Beijing, and now Frisco will be the next location for this exciting franchise.
The theme park division of NBCUniversal, Universal Parks & Resorts, has purchased a site on the Dallas North Tollway for the new attraction. The facility will be located in the $10 billion Fields development.
The designated area for the new theme park spans over 97 acres, which is almost as big as the Warren Sports Complex. Thirty of those acres will be dedicated to the theme park. There will also be a 300-room hotel, located next to the PGA National Resort. Universal will use the remaining acreage for parking and possible expansions.
According to officials, the theme park will have a different look and feel compared with the company's existing parks. The goal is to appeal to a new audience due to its size and scope.
Universal chose the city of Frisco as the site for the new park due to its fast-growing population and its ability to attract new businesses. Cheney believes that the facility will be a great addition to the community.
One of the most interesting details about the upcoming Universal Studios theme park is that it will be the first of many projects of its kind. Instead of building massive parks all across the country, Universal hopes future parks will attract a younger demographic and feature a smaller footfall. These parks could compete with regional attractions like Legoland and Sesame Place.
The new Universal Studios theme park in Frisco won't be the same as its predecessors. First off, the 97-acre lot is only about a quarter of the area that Universal Orlando uses.
According to a Facebook post by Mayor Cheney, the park will primarily be for kids, with rides and attractions designed for younger audiences. The target audience of the park is children aged 3-9 years old.
Universal will enforce family-friendly hours, with proposed opening times of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The park will also feature character meet-and-greets so that children can meet their favorite Universal stars.
The company's media post also stated that the park would not target adults or teens, which means there'll be no dark rides, late-night hours, fireworks, or tall roller coasters. However, Cheney noted that older siblings and adults are welcome to attend and partake in the fun.
According to Page Thompson, Universal Parks & Resorts President, the park has plans to eventually expand, but it would still be geared towards children under 10. Thompson also noted that they're planning to add more themed lands, but they haven't decided on which ones to include yet.
In a public meeting, several residents voiced their concerns about the park's viability and safety. Specifically, many fear that having a large attraction will draw large crowds, which could potentially raise crime rates. However, Cheney explains that because the target audience is young children, Universal's data demonstrates that this would not be the case.
Another major concern was an increase in traffic, with potentially over 7,500 visitors attending on weekdays and 20,000 visitors attending on Saturdays. The city required Universal to conduct a Traffic Impact Analysis, and the results showed that an increase in traffic was likely if the company didn't take certain precautions.
To combat traffic, Cheney has proposed later opening hours for the park so that it doesn't interfere with morning commuters, and special late-evening events will be limited to a maximum of 20 annually.
Ultimately, Cheney believes that Universal Studios could be a great addition and source of economic development for the area. Governor Greg Abbott agreed and noted that the project would be a boost to tourism and jobs in North Texas.
Universal Studios Texas is still far from being a reality in the city of Frisco. The construction timetable is currently in the early stages of the city review process, and there are still many discussions to be had. Before Universal can built it, the park needs approval from the city council and the planning and zoning departments. Although executives from Universal didn't provide an exact timeline for the project, it's widely believed that the park will open in the next four years.
Well, there you have it. We gave you all details on the new Universal Studios theme park in Frisco. We're so excited about all of the new attractions. If you have the inside scoop about any new details about the park, drop us a line and let us know. Better yet, stop by our dealership and take a look at our brand-new inventory. We're sure you'll find your next vehicle. You're going to need a new ride to head over to Frisco's newest attraction.
Photo Credit: Image by cottonbro studio is licensed with Pexels License
