9 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Going to Universal Singapore

Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of visiting numerous international theme parks, including Disneyland Paris, Disney Adventure World, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and most recently, Universal Studios Singapore.

First opened in 2011, the park presents an interesting package. There are slightly tweaked takes on some Universal classics, rides based on intellectual properties not seen at any other Universal park, and one of our favorite theme park lands in the world. But does it all come together into a good park? Let’s find out.

The Shrek-Themed Land is A-MA-ZING!

The Shrek-based Far, Far Away is absolutely fantastic thematically.  There’s the full-to-scale castle straight out of the film series, the Fairy Godmother’s Potion Shop, the Goldilocks food stand, and an interactive Donkey puppetry meet & greet. It warmed our millennial hearts to spend time there.

However, the land was a bit of a letdown from an attractions perspective during our visit. Shrek 4-D — yes, Shrek 4-D is STILL running here — was definitely showing its age, and both Enchanted Airways (a kiddie coaster) and Magic Potion Spin (a mini-ferris wheel) were a bit… unimpressive. Unfortunately, the land’s most unique attraction, Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey — a Zamperla “Nineinverted coaster” based on the Puss in Boots spin-off franchise — was down the day of our visit.

The Shrek Waffle Lives up to the Hype!

Speaking of Shrek, the park’s viral Shrek Waffle — served with Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream — was delicious and just as photogenic in person.

Sci-Fi City’s Battlestar Galactica is the Park’s Best Thrill Ride

One of the park’s unique lands is Sci-Fi City, a hodgepodge that brings together numerous IPs under one umbrella. The land is headlined by a coaster themed to the well-known Battlestar Galactica franchise. The dual-train coaster allows riders to choose from riding on a train themed to heroic humans (the slightly more chill track) or the devious Cylons (a suspended coaster).

The Park Features a Steven Spielberg Attraction Unavailable in the U.S.

Located in the park’s New York section, the Lights! Camera! Action! show features an introduction from the famous director before mimicking a hurricane hitting NYC on a full scale and in detail! This might have been the scariest — and our favorite — experience in the whole park. The show is only featured in Singapore and at Universal Beijing.

One Ride is a Mix of the E.T. Adventure and the Secret Life of Pets.

The Singapore-exclusive Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase features a suspended ride system similar to E.T., with a story featuring Elmo and Super Grover traveling into space to rescue the stolen spaghetti from Macaroni the Merciless. Suffice to say, it was a lot of fun!

Jurassic Park is Slightly Tweaked

Located in the park’s Lost World section, the park’s version of the Jurassic Park ride is similar to the River Adventure in Florida and the original Jurassic Park: The Ride in Hollywood, with one major difference: Instead of a flume, the ride is a rapids experience, adding spinning to the mix! Unfortunately, the ride was closed during our visit.

There’s a Jurassic Flyer!

Speaking of Jurassic Park, The Lost World is also home to the Canopy Flyer attraction. This suspended attraction brings riders around the Jurassic Park area, including a 360-degree turn over Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, before returning to the station. It’s similar to the Pteronodan Flyers at Islands of Adventure, but unlike the Orlando attraction, adult guests can ride without a child!

Rides are Often Closed

One not-so-positive element of the park? Major rides are often closed, causing consternation for fans online. Like we said above, during our trip, both the Puss-in-Boots coaster and the Jurassic Park Rapids were closed.

There’s a Lot Beyond the Park…

Universal Studios Singapore is actually part of a larger complex, Resorts World Sentosa, an integrated resort on the island of Sentosa, which is located off the southern coast of Singapore. In addition to the park, other major attractions include a casino, the Adventure Cove Waterpark, the Singapore Oceanarium, the Maritime Experiential Museum,  several hotels, and a massive scenic cable car system.

So, with all that being said, what’s our final verdict on Universal Studios Singapore? Well, it’s a fun park with some interesting, unique experiences. However, it’s not a park that we’d plan a trip to Singapore around, though it’s worth a visit if you’re in the area. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on our international travels.

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Have you visited any international parks? Let us know in the comments below.

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