Universal Kids Resort Parking Guide: Prices, TollTags, and Hotel Parking
Parking is one of those things nobody thinks about until they’re pulling up to the toll plaza. With separate lots for the theme park and hotel, TollTag integration, and Annual Passes that include parking, Universal Kids Resort has a few details worth knowing before you arrive.
Theme Park Parking
Most guests will use the main theme park parking lot, which is accessible from Universal Parkway. Rates are fairly reasonable, at least by theme park standards.
- Standard Parking: $20 plus tax
- Preferred Parking: $30 plus tax
For comparison, parking at Six Flags Over Texas costs $39 or $55 (plus tax) for general and preferred parking, respectively.
While Universal Kids Resort has a decent-sized lot, it’s nowhere near the sprawling parking areas you’ll find at Six Flags, Epic Universe, or Magic Kingdom. Preferred parking will save you a few steps, but probably not enough to justify that extra $10. Put that money toward a Shrekzel or a PX-41 Punch instead.
Hold onto your parking receipt if you plan to leave the resort and return later that day. The QR code on the receipt allows you to reenter the parking area without paying again.
NTTA TollTag
North Texas locals should appreciate this one. Back in January, we were the first to report that Universal has partnered with the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to allow guests to pay for theme park parking using their TollTag.
Electronic readers at the parking booths will scan the RFID chip embedded in windshield stickers and automatically charge the parking fee to the associated TollTag account. This service is only available in the theme park parking lot and not at the hotel. Guests wanting to use this service need to use the far right lane at the toll plaza.
Important: NTTA readers will only charge your account once per day, even if you use the TollTag lane multiple times.
Annual Passholder parking
Guests who purchased the Silver Annual Pass with Parking are getting a pretty good deal. The upgraded pass costs just $35 more than the standard Silver Pass and includes complimentary parking.
There is one important caveat. The complimentary parking is only available on days when your Annual Pass is valid. So if you’re like me and plan to visit on opening day – one of the pass blockout dates – you’ll still need to pay for parking.
Want to see every blockout date? Check out our Universal Kids Resort calendar.
Hotel parking
Hotel guests will pay $20 per night for self-parking, another reasonable price when compared to other theme park resorts. The hotel lot, accessible from Panther Creek Parkway, is reserved exclusively for overnight guests. Valet parking is not available, but the lot is small enough that it doesn’t really matter. Families can also use the hotel’s porte cochère to unload luggage and passengers before the driver parks the vehicle.
Originally, Universal’s website indicated that non-hotel guests could park in the hotel lot, but they’d have to pay dearly for the privilege. A three-hour stay would have cost $50. Universal clearly set the price high to discourage people from using the hotel as overflow theme park parking.
Since then, Universal has changed course and restricted the lot to registered hotel guests only. It’s a smart move that prevents paying hotel guests from having to compete with day visitors for parking spaces.
Universal Kids Resort’s parking rates and policies seem very guest-friendly, especially compared to other theme parks. But because this is a brand-new park and an entirely new concept for Universal, don’t be surprised if some details get updated after a few months of operation.
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 coming to the new Frisco theme park.
