Love it or not, Universal Kids Resort got this one thing right
Universal Kids Resort may not feature the towering themed environments of Epic Universe or Islands of Adventure, but that doesn’t mean storytelling was overlooked. Throughout the park, carefully designed signs and environmental graphics help define each land. And while this park built for kids has left many wanting more, some moments reveal Universal’s attempt to deliver something fun for young children.
When people talk about great theme park design, they usually point to the rides. They remember the towering castles, massive mountains or elaborate dark ride sets.
Few people leave a park talking about the signs.
But some of the world’s best theme parks use signage as one of their most powerful storytelling tools. Think about Islands of Adventure. Before you ride ‘The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man‘ or ‘Jurassic Park River Adventure,’ the attraction signs establish the tone. They’re part of the story.
Disney does the same thing throughout Magic Kingdom. Adventureland’s weathered wood signs feel completely different from Tomorrowland’s sleek futuristic graphics or Liberty Square’s colonial-inspired lettering. Without realizing it, guests are constantly being reminded they’ve entered a different place.
Universal Kids Resort borrows a little from that same philosophy and scales it for children.
Photo by Dani Meyering
A theme park built at kid-level
One of the smartest design decisions throughout Universal Kids Resort is something adults may overlook. The signs aren’t towering overhead. They’re lower.
Many signs and environmental elements are positioned closer to a young child’s line of sight. Children don’t have to crane their necks to discover details. Instead, the graphics become part of their world, encouraging them to notice characters, symbols and playful artwork as they explore.
It’s another reminder that Universal Kids Resort wasn’t designed as a smaller version of Universal Orlando. It was designed from the ground up for guests who are three to eight years old.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Every land tells a little story
Each land uses its own typography, colors, materials and artistic style. Shrek’s Swamp features rough wooden signs that look hand-built. Bikini Bottom recreates the quirky artwork and visual language from the animated series.
TrollsFest bursts with bright colors and signs that look handcrafted by Poppy with her kit of glittery crafts, adding her personal touch to the outdoor festival. Jurassic World Adventure Camp trades cartoon whimsy for hardened, industrial signs that look strong and sturdy. Meanwhile, the land dedicated to DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots is the most detailed and well-themed area of the park.
Photo by Dani Meyering
As a designer with experience in environmental graphics and themed entertainment, Anthony Petrie said the goal of themed signage is “whether it’s for kids or adults, it’s fun to feel like you are walking around in and sharing the world of your favorite characters.”
The signs do some of the heavy lifting
Universal Kids Resort has generated discussion among theme park fans for having fewer large-scale themed environments than Universal’s destination parks. The criticism isn’t entirely unfounded.
The park has only one indoor show and no indoor rides. Much of the experience takes place outdoors, and several lands rely more on colorful facades with a somewhat shallow environment overall.
But context matters. My son had a wonderful time during our hosted media preview. And I spoke with many kids who were having a blast.
Photo by Dani Meyering
This park is built on a budget; there is no denying that. And also, sometimes massive, highly detailed spaces can feel overwhelming for young kids. It can also be a huge leap of faith for young kids to step inside an indoor ride and trust that whatever lurks and waits for them inside will be safe, sight unseen. This is especially true for any kids whose visit to Universal Kids Resort marks their first time in an amusement or theme park.
A different category of park
Universal Kids Resort also occupies a very different space in the industry from Epic Universe or Islands of Adventure.
Compared with regional parks designed for the same age group—including Peppa Pig Theme Park—the level of custom environmental graphics, franchise-specific signage and themed placemaking is surprisingly ambitious. The park focuses many of its storytelling efforts on where its target audience will notice them most: at eye level.
They’re designed to help children believe they’re walking through an area built by Shrek, or visiting colorful, quirky Bikini Bottom or a Trolls music festival.
Photo by Dani Meyering
There is room to grow, and I’m hopeful Universal will make necessary enhancements in the near future. At the very least, the themed signs and design details show intent and work well for the audience this park was built to serve.
Need help planning your day? See our complete guide to Universal Kids Resort for everything families should know before visiting.
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