Universal Studios is bringing its next theme park to Frisco, its third US location, as the chain continues to expand globally.
Universal Parks & Resorts – the theme park arm of entertainment giant NBCUniversal – has bought land on the Dallas North Tollway for a new kid-friendly theme park. The nearly 100-acre planned entertainment center will be located in the $10 billion Fields development.
Drone Video: Check out the future Universal Studios location in Frisco on the Dallas North Tollway.
The project aims to appeal to families, with immersive experiences that make it a one- or two-day destination, said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts. There will also be a 300-room Universal-themed hotel.
Unlike Universal Studios’ sprawling parks in Orlando, Florida, Los Angeles and abroad, the Frisco development will be a much smaller attraction — the first of several such projects the company is planning. It will be about a quarter the size of the company’s Orlando park.
Here’s what you should know about the company’s history in the parking business, and what it could bring to Frisco.
Universal has five park and resort locations worldwide
Universal has five theme parks and resorts, nine hotels and 10,000 hotel rooms around the world.
Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle first opened his Hollywood studios to the public in 1915. The studio began offering streetcar tours in 1964 and opened its Jaws ride in 1976, featuring a 25-foot animatronic shark.
Universal Orlando Resort opened in 1990. It now includes Universal Studios Florida theme park, Islands of Adventure theme park, and Volcano Bay water park. It also has eight themed hotels.
Universal CityWalk, a themed restaurant and entertainment complex, opened outside of Hollywood Park in 1993. Six years later he opened in Orlando.
Universal Studios Japan opened in 2001 and broke global attendance records in its first year, according to the company. The company opened a second park in Asia, Universal Studios Singapore, in 2011 and a park in Beijing in 2021.
The company continues to invest in its parks and towns
In 2019, Universal announced a third theme park in Orlando called Epic Universe, which Brian Roberts, CEO of parent company Comcast Corp., said was “the biggest investment we’ve ever made in a park” at the time.
Universal Orlando Resort and Orlando’s Right Rail coalition announced Jan. 5 that they would form a public organization that would design and build a commuter rail station near future Epic Universe Park, linking the park to Orlando International Airport and connects to the Orange County Convention Center.
Rides and attractions have an entertainment theme
Universal parks primarily feature rides based on the company’s film and television catalog. The attractions are based on films such as Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers and Harry Potter.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in Orlando in 2010. Universal Studios Florida unveiled another Harry Potter attraction, Diagon Alley, in 2014. The same year, The Magic World opened in Japan, and Hollywood Park added the attraction in 2016.
Universal Studios Hollywood plans to open Super Nintendo World on February 17, a themed land based on Nintendo video games with a ride based on the Mario Kart series and using augmented reality technology and projection mapping.
Universals Studios Florida held their first Halloween event, Fright Nights, in 1991. Four of Universal’s parks host the annual event now known as Halloween Horror Nights.
How Universal fits into the larger Comcast picture
Universal Parks & Resorts is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Comcast. Comcast acquired NBCUniversal in 2011. Comcast is also a broadband, wireless and video provider through its Xfinity, Comcast Business and Sky brands.
Comcast’s entertainment, sports and news divisions include Universal, Sky Studios, NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.
Universal’s parks brought in more than $5.4 billion in revenue from early 2022 through December, about 19% of the company’s $29.3 billion in total revenue for the same period, according to Comcast public filings. Park revenue increased 71.6% from 2021 to 2022 after tourism rebounded due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Universal is a large employer in Orlando
According to the City of Orlando and the Orlando Business Journal, Universal is the third largest employer in Orlando with 21,143 employees, behind AdventHealth (37,000) and Walt Disney World Resort (58,478).