For those of you people who have yet to visit the Universal Studios in Singapore and might be planning a trip there in the near future, let me share my 2 cents worth. According to a disclaimer that I have read somewhere on their website, they may open on different hours on some days but given that Singapore is summer all year round, I'm guessing that if it doesn't rain like the last Saturday that I was there, it will be opened from 10am to 7pm. I would advise that if you're not willing to take the gamble, please buy the tickets online since there is no difference in the pricing. Given the weekend crowd that I experienced, if financially it's not too much of a consideration, do pay for the Universal Express as it will save you hours (of standing, perspiring and lamenting all at the same time) from queuing in the rides. I spent more than half my time there queuing so do be warned.
The architectures in Hollywood/New York were captivating albeit it still looks a little too new. Stars spotting was part of the fun ranging from Frankenstein to Marilyn Monroe but it's more of a hit or miss thing. For one, I didn't manage to catch Po of Kungfu Panda which was a tad disappointing but not enough to ruin my day. "Lights, Camera, Action" by Steven Spielberg in New York was intriguing but definitely not a must watch if you're strapped for time.
While walking past Madagascar where the ride wasn't quite ready yet, we managed to catch some of the stars from Madagascar and even sneaked a shot with Alex the Lion when everyone else were all over the penguins i.e. Skipper & Friends. Parents with young children can bring them on the carousel which we obviously skipped so not much reviews we can achieve here.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves queuing in Far Far Away for our first ride of the day on Enchanted Airways. While queuing, we were kept amused by Puss in Boots entertaining the crowds with its antics. What we didn't know was that Enchanted Airways was really but a junior roller coaster. I suppose for a 10 year old kid, it could have been exhilarating but the ride that lasted for less than a minute was a little close to boring for senior people like us. To be fair, we were silly as to not find out more before we went for the ride AND the other little bits set along the queue line eg. Gingy in the ticketing booth and other interesting signs kept us entertained while we were in the snaking queue. The main not-to-be missed attraction in Far Far Away has got to be the Shrek 4D Adventure. To avoid being a total spoiler, let's just say, the timely hisses, tickles and sprays sent natural screams which made us feel rather silly thereafter. Right after the show, we were "ushered" into watching Donkey Live with the 2 shows one after another. It wasn't as good as the 4D one but the interactive element did squeeze a few good laughs out of us.
If there's one ride you must get on apart from the Battlestar Galactica, it would be the Revenge of the Mummy in Ancient Egypt. For this ride, you will need to store your bags in the locker which you can use almost for free if it's within the duration of the ride (including the queuing time) and for a nominal sum thereafter. There's a good reason why you're not allow to carry your belongings with you! The thrills from the high speed were unforgettable. Robotic Imhotep didn't manage to scare me but I was incredibly impressed by the intricacies of the props.
Now comes the climax of the entire outing - Battlestar Galactica. There are a total of 2 rides, Human (Red) and Cylon (Blue), taking off in tandem. The Red ride is a seated roller coaster with steeper and faster drops whereas the blue ride turns you in succession of loops and cockscrews. The adrenaline rush was enough reason to keep me going back for more! I was a scaredy cat so I went for 1 of the 2, no prizes for making the right guess but I know I will be heading back for more.
For 4 shows a day, the Water World was in business and we caught the last one of the day. Performers were getting some "participation" by getting some spectators all soaked from the pre-show entertainment. To be fair, the seatings were coded by whether you're ready to get a little wet or totally soaked. But if you prefer to stay dry, there were colour coded seats to prepare you for what you can expect. You were warned! Queues started as early as 30 minutes before the show so if you haven't got the universal express, good luck!
And since we were already wet, it didn't take much for us to head directly back to The Lost World for The Rapids Adventure. We were there earlier for the Canopy Flyer. We thought it was interesting as we heard screams hovering everywhere above us when we were having lunch at the "hotdog place" which obviously wasn't memorable. It was a pleasant ride but a tad too short. Before you know it, you're at the end of the ride. I was wondering almost aloud, "is that it?" The Rapids Adventure however shouldn't be on your list of must-do or in fact can-do if you can get sick from motion. It's like tea-cups but random and with absolutely zero control. I tried very hard to focus on points along the way so that I wouldn't throw up. Towards the last leg of the attraction when the raft came to a halt, I was fortunately well-placed to see a ray of light coming from metres below us whereas my fellow passengers were left wondering... "Hmmm... Why the pause?" Before we knew it, we heard a really loud splash.
Food wise, prices were acceptable but definitely on the high side. If the alternatively is to lug water, I'd gladly pay $3 for a bottled drink. The only full meal I had was at Goldilocks which reminds me a cross between Marrybrown and Popeyes. Just alot more herbs (read: MSG) and a little less yummy. I will not complain on the quality of food because it's a little better than mere acceptable but the waiting time was horrible. It was about 4pm, restaurant wasn't full but I waited for at least 30 mins (probably close to 45 mins) for 2 pieces of chicken. This took time out from my limited time for queuing up for the rides and now even to have a meal, I have to queue the same amount of time just to be fed! Totally ridiculous!
If you have been or are planning to go to the Universal Studios in Singapore, do let me know what else I should really look out for during my next trip there. Enjoy!
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