Universal’s Texas park for little kids now sells a $69.99 Explorer Ticket for repeat Sunday-through-Thursday visits through March 11, 2027. It comes with blackout dates and closures.
Universal’s newest theme park just got a little cheaper for families who can go on a weekday.
Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, launched a new Explorer Ticket on Thursday, Oct. 15, LaughingPlace reported. It costs $69.99 per person, plus tax.
The ticket lets you visit on eligible Sundays through Thursdays until March 11, 2027. You can come back as often as the rules allow during that window, RusTourismNews reported.
Here’s Universal’s own guide to the park, from its Universal Kids channel:
How does the Universal Kids Resort Explorer Ticket work?
You can buy it from Oct. 15, 2026, through Jan. 6, 2027, according to RusTourismNews. Once it’s activated on the date you choose, it works on eligible Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through March 11.
It doesn’t work on Fridays or Saturdays. Parking isn’t included, and the ticket doesn’t come with discounts on food or merchandise. Each ticket belongs to one guest.
What are the Explorer Ticket blackout dates?
Five days around Christmas: Dec. 20 and Dec. 27 through 30, according to LaughingPlace.
The park is also closed to the public on a long list of dates this winter, LaughingPlace reported:
November 2026: Nov. 3 and 4, 10 and 11, 17 and 18, and 26
January 2027: Jan. 6 through 8, 11 through 14 and 19 through 31
February 2027: Feb. 1 through 11, 17 through 19 and 22 through 26
Check the park’s operating calendar before you plan a visit. Between the blackout dates and the closures, a big chunk of January and February is off the table.
Is the Universal Kids Resort Explorer Ticket a good deal?
It can be. A standard two-day ticket would cost at least $79.99 for most of the year, so the Explorer Ticket is cheaper if your schedule fits, LaughingPlace said.
It’s an especially good option for locals, since it costs a lot less than either annual pass.
For families who live a few hours away, the math depends on how many trips you can make before March.
How much are Universal Kids Resort annual passes?
Silver Annual Passes start at $129.99, or $164.99 with parking, and the Gold Annual Pass costs $199.99, plus tax, according to RusTourismNews. The Gold pass includes parking and some discounts.
The Explorer Ticket arrived shortly after Universal Kids Resort released its Gold Annual Pass, LaughingPlace noted.
A one-day ticket starts at $49.99, plus tax, RusTourismNews reported.
What is Universal Kids Resort?
It’s Universal’s first theme park in the U.S. built just for families with young kids. It opened in Frisco, north of Dallas, on July 1, 2026, with seven themed lands.
Those include DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp, Jurassic World Adventure Camp, SpongeBob SquarePants’ Bikini Bottom and the Minions’ Bello Bay Club, RusTourismNews said. There’s also TrollsFest, Puss in Boots Del Mar and the Isle of Curiosity, with characters from Gabby’s Dollhouse.
The rides are smaller than the ones at Universal Orlando and Universal Hollywood, which is kind of the point.
Does Universal Kids Resort have a hotel?
Yes. The Universal Kids Resort Hotel sits on site, and LaughingPlace has toured the inside. Hotel guests still need park tickets, so the Explorer Ticket could pair well with a weeknight stay.
Families coming from outside North Texas should add up the full cost of admission, parking and travel before buying, RusTourismNews advised.
Why is Universal adding new ticket options?
Universal is in what LaughingPlace called an “unprecedented era of expansion.” Epic Universe opened in Orlando in 2025, and the Frisco park followed this summer.
New ticket types give locals more reasons to come back on quiet weekdays, which is when a kids’ park has the most room to fill.
Who should buy the Universal Kids Resort Explorer Ticket?
Families in North Texas with flexible weekdays, mostly. Homeschool families and parents of preschoolers could get a lot of visits out of it.
If you can only go on weekends, skip it. The ticket won’t work on Fridays or Saturdays at all.
When does the Explorer Ticket go off sale?
Jan. 6, 2027. After that, Universal hasn’t said whether it will come back.
Shrek would probably approve of a deal this good. Just not on a Saturday.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
LaughingPlace (Oct. 15, 2026), the Explorer Ticket, blackout dates and closures
RusTourismNews, Iuliia Tore (Oct. 16, 2026), the ticket’s rules, other ticket prices and the park’s lands
Universal Kids on YouTube (Aug. 7, 2026), the park guide
AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.