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Did you hear the great news?! Universal Studios is coming to Texas!
Universal Studios announced Wednesday (January 11) its plans to bring a first-of-its-kind kid-friendly theme park to Frisco.
"The new park concept, set in a lush green landscape and featuring immersive themed lands, celebrates Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor, and innovation and brings to life its beloved characters and stories in ways that will wow even the youngest theme park goers," Universal Studios wrote in a tweet, alongside the rendering of the park.
While it's definitely an exciting development, there are a lot of questions. Here's our best attempt at answering them:
Where will the new Universal Studios theme park be located?
The new Universal Studios theme park will be located in Frisco, which is about 30 miles north of Dallas. A plot of land was bought east of the Dallas North Tollway and north of Panther Creek Parkway. You can enter and exit the park off the Dallas North Tollway and access the hotel from Panther Creek Parkway.
What is the Universal Studios Texas opening date?
An opening date or timeline for opening the new Universal Studios theme park was not announced.
How many Universal Studios are there?
There are only five Universal Studios theme parks in the world; the Frisco location marks the sixth:
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Universal Studios Japan
- Universal Studios Singaport
- Universal Beijing Resort
How big is 97 acres?
The new Universal Studios theme park in Frisco will sit on a 97-acre plot of land. Thirty of those acres will be used for the park and hotel, which will be located on the northeast side of the property. The remaining acres will reportedly be used for parking.
Ninety-seven acres is the equivalent of 4,225,320 square feet or 0.15 square miles. If you're more of a visual person, it's about the size of over 73 football field or nearly 900 NBA basketball courts.
How big is Universal Studios Texas compared to Disney and Six Flags?
Universal Studios in Frisco will be 97 acres. Here's a look at its size compared to other theme parks:
- Disneyland Resort: 500 acres (Disneyland itself is just 100 acres)
- Disney World: 27,000 acres
- Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington: 220 acres
- Universal Orlando Resort: 415 acres
- Universal Studios Hollywood: 541 acres
Will there be a Universal Studios hotel, too?
A 300-room hotel is set to be build on the 97-acre plot of land.
What characters can kids meet at Universal Studios Texas?
Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and Curious George are just some of the characters that kids can meet at Universal Studios in Frisco.
How old do you have to be to ride rides at Universal Studios Texas?
The new Universal Studios theme park is a first-of-its-kind experience for young children with attractions geared toward kids ages 3 to 9. "At theme parks now, they can’t get on rides. They’re not tall enough. All these rides will be designed for kids," Universal Parks and Resorts President of New Ventures Page Thompson said.
How will traffic be impacted by new Universal Studios Texas?
Frisco locals told city planners they were concerned with traffic in and out of the area. Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said other potential developments that could have been built in the area, like office buildings or mixed-use properties, would have caused more traffic than a theme park. North Central Texas Council of Governments Chairman Michael Morris said traffic in and out of the park "doesn't give me a heartburn." He added that traffic for a theme park is not the same as traffic in Collin County and Denton County. "They have huge a.m. peak period congestion and huge p.m. peak period congestion. It's largely weekday. Not at night. Not weekend," he said.