Universal Studios Singapore

Wed, Jan 20, 2010
The Straits Times Singapore
S'pore Park Slated To Open Next Week
SOUTH-EAST Asia's first big-name theme park - Universal Studios Singapore - at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) looks set to open its doors next week, just a week after the resort welcomes visitors to its hotels and shops today.

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman of Genting Group, which owns the $6.59 billion resort, said yesterday: 'By the end of next week, Universal Studios Singapore will open, and when we officially launch Resorts World Sentosa later this year, it will be another significant and historical milestone achievement for the group.'

I'm super excited when I heard the news that Universal Studios is finally opening its doors to the public after 3 years of anticipation. My last visit to one of the Universal Studios franchise was when I am only 17 years old. That makes it almost 10 years ago since I last visited the Orlando Universal Studios in the United States. How outdated of me....

Here are the details that I've searched through the internet regarding the park and I hope you are as excited as I am when I reveal the park information below.

Hours of operation
Weekdays: 9:00 hrs – 19:00 hrsWeekends: 9:00 hrs- 20:00 hrs

Ticket Prices:
One-Day Pass -

Monday to Friday (excluding black-out dates)

Adult - Sin$ 66Child - Sin$ 48Senior - Sin$ 32

Weekends and Black-Out Dates

Adult - Sin$ 72Child - Sin$ 52Senior - Sin$ 36
*Black-Out Dates = Public Holidays, Eve of Public Holidays and Super-Peak Periods.

Two-day Pass (valid for two consecutive days)
Adult - Sin$ 118Child - Sin$ 88Senior - Sin$ 58

And the next part really cuts the cake. My eyes eventually "Blinged" when I read this through when I first browsed through the announcement of the theme park plans... and now... it's a reality. Let me go through the attractions that awaits for those theme park fans.

Hollywood

The Hollywood zone will be based on the real life Hollywood Boulevard, it will be the main zone of the park as it will be the first zone that visitors will enter upon entering the park. Hollywood will also host the Pantages Hollywood Theater which will be a Broadway-style theater to host plays, musicals and performances. Visitors will also be able to experience the dynamic architecture, palm trees and the famous Walk of Fame which are all iconic of the Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood will host a variety of flagship stores and will be the main shopping area of the park.

New York

The New York zone will be based on the original New York city, it will feature the trademark city skyline, neon lights, façades and sidewalks as well as the romantic atmosphere of the Big Apple, commonly portrayed in movies. New York will also host the attraction, 'Lights! Camera! Action!'. Hosted by renowned director and producer, Steven Spielberg, this attraction features a special effects stage giving visitors a behind the scenes look on movie sets. This zone also boasts none other than the city's world famous cuisine, barbecue grills served in pizza parlors, to name a few.

Sci-Fi City

Battlestar Galactica rollercoasterThe Sci-Fi City is a real-life imagination of how a common metropolis of the future would look like containing the many modern conveniences of life as well as the remnants of past inhabitants and cultures which were once part of the city as well as international visitors from all over the world and other planets. The city is based on the popular television series, Battlestar Galactica, and features the world's tallest Dueling roller coaster.

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt is based on the historical adaptation of Ancient Egypt during 1930s Golden Age of Egyptian Exploration, it features obelisks and pyramids which are typical of Ancient Egypt. Also featured are Pharaoh's tombs which were commonly discovered during that era, visitors would take the role of a daring archaeologist who aims to unravel the riddles of the Sphinx in this sand-swept lands. The Revenge of the Mummy attraction which is an extremely popular attraction at other Universal Studios around the world is also located and is based on the popular film franchise, The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser.

The Lost World

Divided into two themed areas: Jurassic Park and WaterWorld, this zone contains many traditional attractions present in most Universal Studios parks around the world. Jurassic Park is based on the popular film franchise by Steven Spielberg based on the novels by Michael Crichton. The zone features the newly redesigned Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure which is based on the popular Jurassic Park River Adventure attraction in other Universal Studios parks. Waterworld contains mainly water-based attractions and is based on the film Waterworld starring Kevin Costner.

Far Far Away

Far Far Away is inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s hit Shrek franchise which how the rich fairy-tale characters lived in daily life. The zone consists of many recognizable locations from the film series such as Shrek's swamp house as well as Far Far Away's glamorous Romeo Drive which contains the nightspots of the town such as Hook's Knight Club. The highlight of the zone is the Far Far Away Castle which is a world's first, it hosts attractions such as Shrek 4-D and Donkey Live featuring the voice talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas and Cameron Diaz.

Madagascar

Journey to Madagascar is inspired by the hit DreamWorks Animation franchise, Madagascar which featured four zoo animals escaping from the New York Zoo and unfortunately crashing onto the island of Madagascar. The zone features lush tropical jungles as well as an immersive river ride together with state of the art animated figures, digital projection as part of the attraction, Madagascar: A Crate Adventure. The attraction will feature the famous voice talents of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith.

I guess now it's the waiting game of when will I take the first step into the Universal Studios Singapore. I shall wait for that day to come. And with the opening of this park, this will definitely boosts Singapore's tourism industry by 10 fold. I wonder if they are ready for the flux of visitors?