When it was announced that there will be a new ride at Universal Studios Singapore (USS), my heart jumped a beat. The theme park is celebrating its fifth year anniversary this year, and it just dawned on me that I’ve never been there before, so this seems like a perfect time to go.
Words Irvin Hanni
And then my heart did a double flip when I found out that the new ride is actually Puss in Boots, one of my favourite characters growing up! I didn’t need more signs. This is it, now is the time to ‘Ride the Movies’, as they say at USS.
The adventure onboard the world’s first suspended roller coaster themed after the Puss In Boots franchise begins in the ruins of the Giant’s Castle, located at the end of Romeo Drive.
Upon entering this happy land, I got myself a map to navigate through the seven wonderfully-themed zones and exciting rides, and was greeted by the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood zone. The area felt very much like Los Angeles, complete with faux Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, as well as shops and kiosks selling cool merchandise. But I decided to do my shopping later, after experiencing all the rides. On that fine and sunny Wednesday morning, my USS adventure began at the New York zone.
Map of Universal Studios Singapore, which is divided into seven themed zones: Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, The Lost World, Far Far Away, and Madagascar.
My first stop was the Lights, Camera, Action!® Hosted by Steven Spielberg. I was told that it was more of a show instead of a ride, so I entered the studio not really knowing what to expect. What a dramatic experience it was! Inside the mock movie set, a scene was set up whereby New York City was about to be hit by a hurricane. Get ready to hold on to your boyfriend, kids, or even the railings as fire, water, lighting effects, and unexpected surprises are thrown in your way all throughout the experience.
Across the street within the same zone is the Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase, an enjoyable psychedelic ride with a starry galaxy backdrop, cool animatronics, and lots of colours.
Lights, Camera, Action!® Hosted by Steven Spielberg
I then headed over to Sci-Fi City for TRANSFORMERS the Ride: the Ultimate 3D Battle. The queue was longer than I expected, but luckily I got the Express Pass (SGD20) which got me to the top of the queue without having to wait long. What ensued was a truly heart-pounding ride as the ride brought me up, down, forward, and backwards throughout the whole journey as Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and the Autobots fought off evil in a 3D battle against the Decepticons.
Don’t forget to check out the Accelerator® before moving on. It is a little bit hidden, but the whirling and twirling motion of this ride will prepare you for what’s coming up next, which is one of the star attractions of USS.
TRANSFORMERS the Ride: the Ultimate 3D Battle
Pumped by the Transformers ride, I was more than eager to check out the newly reopened Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cyclon. This gigantic rollercoaster was divided into two paths, the red one representing Human, and the blue for Cyclon. While the red cart was the usual seated one, the blue cart had me dangling my feet in the air. It was so thrilling! What’s interesting about this attraction was, both cars went along the twists and turns at the same time, so you would be crossing paths with the other car in the middle of the ride! If that didn’t sound exhilarating enough, I don’t know what else does.
Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cyclon
Next up, I went off to the Ancient Egypt zone for the Revenge of the Mummy® ride. The maze-like pathway to the ride was fascinating, with dim lights and hieroglyphics that gave the illusion of being inside a real pyramid. This particular ride was probably one of the darkest ones, a journey through the tales and myths of ancient Egypt.
To cool down after the ride, I hopped over to the Treasure Hunters®, a mini jeep ride that goes for 50 metres along an abandoned Egyptian excavation site. It was pretty easy and breezy, just perfect for kids or adults looking to relax after the wilder rides.
Revenge of the Mummy®
Right next to it was The Lost World® zone, where I made a beeline for the Jurassic Park: Rapids Adventure® ride. At the entrance, we were warned about getting wet, and possibly soaked. There was an option to buy a poncho at SGD5 per pack, but where’s the fun in that, right? So I buckled myself inside the circular raft sans poncho. The rapids took me through the Stegosaurus Springs, Genetics Lab, T-Rex Compound, Dinosaur Hatchery, and Velociraptor Paddock. I was totally soaked, but it was all worth it, and perhaps even made the journey better!
Other adventures not to be missed at this zone are the Dino-Soarin® ride where children can manoeuvre on the pre-historic Pteranodon. The Canopy Flyer® and Amber Rock Climb® are activities for adults to stretch their muscles, while the electrifying WaterWorld® is a live water show featuring death-defying stunts, explosions, and sensational thrills that you simply must not miss!
Jurassic Park: Rapids Adventure®
I then arrived at my favourite zone, Far Far Away. As the weather was getting hot in the late afternoon, I decided to check out the Shrek 4-D Adventure first as it was indoors and air-conditioned. The attraction was set inside the world’s only Far Far Away castle, a beautiful mansion with 46 towers. I put on my 3D glasses and enjoyed the mini movie where Shrek had to rescue Princess Fiona from the evil Lord Farquaad. The adventure even came with special effects including vibrating chairs, spraying water, and a flying fairy!
I was bummed that I missed the Donkey LIVE, an interactive show featuring Shrek’s ever-so-funny sidekick, Donkey. But at least I managed to get on the Enchanted Airways, a simple yet fun rollercoaster ride that goes around the mystical land Far Far Away.
Far Far Away Castle
And finally, the attraction that pulled me to USS, the newly launched Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey. Puss in Boots has always been one of my favourite fairy tale characters, and I fell more in love with him since his appearance in the Shrek movies. So I was more than ecstatic to finally be able to get on the ride. Though it is geared towards kids, it didn’t matter to me. I hopped on one of Humpty Dumpty’s flying machines, which brought me on a 500-metre track across 12 scenes featuring 23 animatronics. It tells the story of how Puss and Kitty Softpaws went on an adventure to look for the golden eggs in order to save the San Ricardo’s Orphanage from being closed down.
Come join Puss In Boots and Kitty Softpaws as you ride onboard Humpty Alexander Dumpty’s latest Flying Machine, each seating nine guests.
Clearly designed with kids in mind, the Madagascar zone has two fun attractions. At Madagascar: A Crate Adventure, the river boat adventure complete with animatronics characters, digital projections, and sound effects, while King Julien’s Beach Party-Go-Round consists of a carousel ride with Alex, Marty, Gloria, and all the other characters from the movie. I really wished I had come here with my nephews and niece, as I know they would’ve really enjoyed the rides!
King Julien’s Beach Party-Go-Round
All throughout my journey inside USS, I was greeted and entertained by numerous characters including Marilyn Monroe, Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, an Egyptian royal from The Mummy movies, and perhaps the most adorable of the lot, the Minions from Despicable Me. In between rides, I contemplated many lunch options including the delicious-looking fried chicken at Goldilocks and the appetising grilled salmon bento set at Gloria’s Snack Shack. But in the end I decided to treat my tummy with a juicy burger, fries and soda set at Mel’s Drive In.
Before calling it a day, I splurged on some water bottles, keychains, and stuffed toys as souvenirs for family and friends. Saying goodbye to this happy place was not easy, but I will be back before you even know it, Universal Studios Singapore!
Meet, greet, and take selfies with the adorable Minions at Universal Studios Singapore!
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE AT RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA
ADMISSION: SGD74 (adult), SGD54 (child), SGD36 (senior citizen)
OPENING HOURS: 10am – 7pm (weekdays), 10am – 8 pm (weekends)
HOW TO GET THERE:
By train: Take North-east line or Circle line to Harbour Front station. Take Exit E to VivoCity and proceed to Level 3 to board the Sentosa Express. Alight at Waterfront station and from there it’s a one-minute walk to USS.
By bus: Get on buses number 65, 80, 93, 188, 855, 10, 30, 97, 100, 131, 143, 145 or 166 and get down at VivoCity. From there, take the RWS8 bus from stop no 14141 at VivoCity or bus stop no 14121 at Merrill Lynch, HarbourFront. Alight at Resorts World Sentosa drop-off point.
There is a free shuttle bus that goes every half an hour for guests staying at Genting Jurong Hotel.
Elmo and the whole Sesame Street gang at New York zone.
