Alumni Long a Theme Park Fan, Hotelie Leads New Universal Kids Resort Stories You May Like Cornellian Crossword: ‘Study Spots’ Reunion ’24 in Photos: Big Red Spirit Filled a Festive Weekend Alum’s Nonprofit Promotes Indigenous Sisterhood The Texas park is the latest chapter in a career that has taken Daniel Cuffe ’92 to Orlando, Singapore, Beijing, and beyond By Beth Saulnier Back in 1999, a 27-year-old Daniel Cuffe ’92 had a perfectly good job as the general manager of hotels in the Midwest and elsewhere, a post he’d earned after years of marathon workweeks. But he chucked it all for the chance to break into an industry he loved: theme parks. Cuffe had become a huge fan of the entertainment destinations, having overcome childhood terrors of roller coasters and haunted houses. Universal Kids features the SpongeBob "Bobbing Barrels" boat ride, complete with water cannons. After umpteen fruitless applications to Walt Disney World, Universal, and Sea World—all in Orlando, FL, the theme park capital of the world—he realized he’d never get his foot in the door unless he went all in. “I said, ‘If I’m ever going to do this, I have to do it now—otherwise, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life,’” Cuffe recalls. “So I sold my house, turned in my notice, packed up my stuff in a U-Haul, and drove to Orlando, with no job.” I sold my house, turned in my notice, packed up my stuff in a U-Haul, and drove to Orlando, with no job. That leap of faith has paid off. Today, after a decades-long career with Universal, the Hotelie is the vice president and general manager of Universal Kids Resort, a new theme park and 300-room hotel in Frisco, TX. Universal Kids is a new concept for the entertainment giant: its first-ever regional theme park designed specifically for families with young children. A Poppy lookalike meets her Trolls twin. Opened in July 2026, it’s smaller than a typical park and eschews pulse-pounding coasters in favor of child-friendly fare themed to characters like Shrek, Minions, Trolls, and SpongeBob SquarePants. There are gentle rides (by boat, car, train, and swing), along with shows, splash pads, interactive play areas, character meet-and-greets, and more—including eateries and myriad spots for families to relax, including calming sensory gardens. The kid-friendly hotel lobby. Says Cuffe: "Everything here has been designed through a child’s eyes." Like a roller coaster track, Cuffe’s path to a theme park career was serpentine. Stories You May Like Cornellian Crossword: ‘Study Spots’ Reunion ’24 in Photos: Big Red Spirit Filled a Festive Weekend Everything here has been designed through a child’s eyes. While he enjoyed working in hospitality jobs as a teen, his high grades in math and science prompted his high school teachers to guide him toward a career in engineering. But when he started studying the subject on the Hill, he found that he, well—hated it. Luckily, though, he noticed that there was a world-class hospitality school right across the street. After transferring to what’s now the Nolan School, Cuffe thrived, seeing a major hike in his GPA. He worked in multiple roles at the Statler—experience that helped him get hired by the hotel firm he’d later depart to pursue his Orlando dreams. With Hotel faculty at Commencement. His first Florida job offer came from Disney: he could wear a suit, sit in a cubicle, and answer phones at its cruise line call center. He turned it down in favor of a guest services gig at Universal’s then-new Islands of Adventure theme park. Like a roller coaster track, Cuffe’s path to a theme park career was serpentine. Cuffe advanced rapidly at Universal, segueing through numerous positions including supervising the Jurassic Park River Adventure—a dino-themed boat ride with an 85-foot drop—and managing parking and transportation for the entire resort. Cuffe spent more than five years at Universal's property in China. He’d go on to leadership roles at Universal theme parks in Singapore and Beijing (as well as at a DreamWorks-affiliated park in Dubai) before being tapped to lead the launch of the Texas resort in spring 2024. “The wonderful thing about theme parks is you can leave the real world behind,” Cuffe observes. “It truly is an escape from reality—a way to relax, have a great time, forget about everything you’ve got going on, and just have fun.” (All images provided.) Published November 12, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Quizzes & Puzzles January / February ’24 Trivia Roundup Chime In We Need Anthropologists Everywhere—Especially in AI Glorious to View During the Season of Dazzling Color, It’s Big Red—and Yellow and Orange