Universal Kids Resort After a North Texas Thunderstorm
North Texas has been enduring some brutal temperatures this summer. It’s so hot that my three-walk-a-day dog is down to about 2½ outings.
So when a pop-up thunderstorm rolled through yesterday evening, dropping the temperature by nearly 30 degrees and filling the sky with some character, I did what any reasonable person would do: I grabbed my camera and headed to Universal Kids Resort.
I pulled into the parking lot about 30 minutes before closing. A steady stream of SUVs and minivans was heading the other way. The storm had arrived with very little warning and was more intense than your typical North Texas summer downpour. I wasn’t surprised to see families calling it a night.
But didn’t they know this was the perfect time to be in the park?
I scanned in. Team Members knew why I was there. Several wished me happy shooting as I headed into the mostly empty park.
With lightning still in the area, rides remained under a weather delay. Crews were making their way through the park and checking for storm damage. Other than a few downed umbrellas at Swamp Snacks and plenty of landscaping debris, I didn’t see anything major. I did spot a downed tree near the parking lot when I left later.
As you can tell from the photos, the setting sun and the remaining clouds did the heavy lifting. Universal Kids Resort already has plenty of color. Add some dramatic skies, and I didn’t have to pretend like I knew what I was doing.
Even better, the visit gave me a chance to see how the park operates after a thunderstorm.
Attractions gradually came back online once the weather cleared. And the guests who stuck around were rewarded with about 15 minutes of extra ride time after the park’s scheduled closing time. There weren’t many people left by then. Universal could have easily called it a night. Instead, crews reopened the rides and gave those remaining families some great memories.
As I was leaving, a young boy in front of me was pulling against his mother’s hand and reaching back toward the park. “It’s okay,” she told him. “We’re coming back next Friday.” He wasn’t interested in next Friday. Universal Kids Resort was right there.
Want to learn more about Universal Kids Resort and its seven themed lands? We’ve got you covered. Visit our Universal Kids Resort hub for everything available at the new Frisco theme park.
