Universal Announces a New Theme Park in Texas and a Permanent Haunted House Attraction in Vegas

Universal’s next Orlando theme park, Epic Universe, won’t be open for another couple of years, but the company’s already announced two more upcoming properties. Curiously, neither will be part of Universal’s existing theme park developments. Last week Universal Parks & Resorts revealed plans for a new theme park in Frisco, Texas, and a year-round version of its Halloween Horror Nights event in Las Vegas.

The as-yet-unnamed theme park will offer “immersive themed lands” targeting younger children and families. Expect it to be smaller than the Universal parks in Orlando and Hollywood; in a press release they describe it as “intimate” and “sized for a regional audience.” It’ll be built on a 97-acre parcel that Universal recently purchased, and there’s room for a hotel and expansion space for the park.

Instead of sticking to the coasts, the new park will be closer to the center of the country, which should make it attractive to midwestern families who live far from Florida and California. The fact that it’s being pitched as a smaller park for a younger audience—which makes it sound somewhat like a Legoland or the Peppa Pig theme park in Florida—shows that Universal doesn’t necessarily view it as an alternative to its Orlando complex. They want you in Orlando for a week, or at least several days; this sounds more like a place you visit for a day, maybe a weekend, tops. In theory the Texas weather should let it stay open all year round, but smaller regional theme parks typically close for extended portions of the winter, and often aren’t open on weekdays during the school year. It’ll be interesting to see if Universal tries to run this park year-round, like its Florida and Hollywood parks, or keeps it closed for weeks at a time, like most regional parks.