VACATION - CRUISE TO SINGAPORE - SENTOSA ISLAND & UNIVERSAL STUDIO PART 3

14 June 2010 (Monday) - Universal Studio Singapore.

Due to some unknown problem, our tour agency had failed to deliver our packed breakfast food to our room that morning and as replacement we were refunded $8.00 per person. No problem with that since we had decided to eat at Universal Studio later. We checked out from the hotel at 9.00am, put all our belongings inside the bus and went back again to Sentosa Island. Our bus parked inside a huge parking lot just below the Universal Studio. Miss Liew gave the tickets for us to enter the theme park and we were to assemble again at the same place not later by 5.00pm. We took the escalator up into the entrance on the theme park. Even at 9.20am, Monday morning, the place was already crowded with people. Reason being, it was also a school holiday in Singapore as well as in Malaysia.

The entrance to the theme park.

The most popular place to take picture..

Still outside...
The tickets for today was a sold out....

Entering into the this place was like entering into a whole new world. The 20 hectares theme park has a total of 24 attractions which consists of seven theme zones surrounding a lagoon. Each zone is based on a blockbuster movie or television show featuring its own attraction, character appearances, dining and shopping areas.

Stores selling merchandise on the left and right after passing the entrance..

One of the stores which we will shop later in the afternoon..

Ermm..where to go next...

The main zone of the park is the Hollywood zone which is based on the real life Hollywood Boulevard. Here, we can see a nice architecture, palm trees and the famous Walk of Fame. Feeling hungry, we saw a 50's kinda restaurant which serves cokes and old-fashioned burgers named Mel's Drive-In which is based on a hit movie American Graffiti.

Moving into the Hollywood zone. At the back was Madagascar zone.
At Hollywood zone.

In front of Mel's Drive-In

The golden oldies with its jukebox
Ermm..yummy..yummy
Mine...Burgers with chilies

Until now, burgers does not fall into one of my favorite foods but honestly, this was the most delicious burger I have ever tasted. Furthermore this dining has a "Halal" certification like a few other dining we discovered later. Hollywood zones hosts a variety of stores and is the primary shopping area of the park. We walked around the place, passed a place called Pantages Hollywood Theater, a Broadway style theater hosting musical plays with its indoor theater. Today features the infamous Universal Monsters in the rock and roll musical 'Monster Rock' in which we will watch it later.

Will catch the show later in the evening...
Makeup, anyone??

Let's Get Physical...Physical...

Next, we walked to the other zone which is the New York zone. Based on the original New York City, it features commonly icons portrayed in movies including the trademark city skyline, neon lights, facades, sidewalk and other famous building.

Another beautiful building...

The infamous New York Public Library at the background
A closer pictures of the New York Public Library with two lions statues at the entrance

Yet another picture... in New York zone

The main attraction in New York zone is the Light! Camera! Action!. In here, you will be seeing the renowned director Steven Spielberg talked about special effects in a movie. You were then ushered into a sound stage where it became the setting for a major hurricane hitting New York City. You will experience first hand the transformation of the room being hit by hurricane, the heat and the smell from the gutting fire, the smoke and the wind. I cried out twice, once when a boat suddenly fell from out of nowhere splashing water towards us and the next when the platform below us tilted and plunged at the end of the show. If only I could record all this momentous 15 minutes!!!..

At the Light! Camera! Action! Hosted by Steven Spielberg

We were the first to reach the place when it opened. .the attendant persuaded us to watch the maiden show and were most happy to take our pictures and we were glad to watch it too..hehe

First in line before the room to chamber was opened

Who is more sinister???hiks

The next zone after New York is the Sci-Fi City. A futuristic metropolis which can be from another planet. The city is based on the popular television series Battlestar Galactica and it features the world's tallest Dueling roller coaster. Unfortunately, due to technical and safety reason, the coaster has stopped operating momentarily until further notice.

Entering the Sci-Fi City zone

Huge dome as if your are in a futuristic world..

At Galatica FX, a retail outlet selling Sci-Fi collectible merchandise

Bellow the giant coaster..

Full view of the huge coaster..

It must be thrilling if we can at least see this twin roller coaster in operation. I can't remember which colour refers to which coaster. There are red and blue and one of it must be the Battlestar Galactica CYLON and the other Battlestar Galactica HUMAN. Both looked horribly chilly to me.

The next zone is The Lost World which is divided into tow sub areas i.e. Jurassic Park and Waterworld and off course the biggest must-see attraction is non other than Waterworld. Based on the 1995 blockbuster film Waterworld you can witness a massive live action of death defying stunts, awesome explosions and thrills at the sensational water show.

Entering The Lost World zone..

Since the Waterworld show will start soon, we went straight to the place..

A long quene to enter into the dome...but its worth it..

Inside the dome..
Better watch out for the water snipers...

The pictures below will illustrate a piece of the action in the show...

Beware of your seats...you may get pretty soaked in here

We then entered the other sub areas in The Lost World which is Jurrasic Park. There are a few other attractions for children and adult such as The Canopy Flyer, Jurrasic Park Rapids Adventure and others which we had no time to explore.

Entering Jurrasic Park


A few attractive pictures here..

Our next adventure was the enchanting Far Far Away zone. Inspired by non other that Dreamworkds Animation's hit Shrek, the zone consists of many recognizable locations from the films series such as Shrek's swamp house, Far Far Away Castle. The castle hosts attraction such as Shrek 4D and Donkey Live.

The huge Far Far Away castle..

Going to the castle

Inside the castle, queing for the Shrek 4D Adventure

As usual, the briefing before going into the cinema hall

I love Shrek 4 D Adventure. This 17 minute 3D film tells a story of Shrek & his friends journey to help save Princess Fiona. Using OgreVision, we can see, hear and actually feels the action right form under our seat. This is one show you must not miss...

Donkey Live

Another attraction here is Donkey Live which is an interactive live show starring Donkey who sing and even talked to us in an intimate theatre setting.

Shrek's house or the famous Shrek's Swamp House

The next zone is the Ancient Egypt zone. It was based on the historical adaptation of Ancient Egypt during the 1930s Egyption Exploration. The area also relies on the depictions made in the popular film, The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser.

Replicas of historical artefacts of ancient Egypt

Revenge of the Mummy is a high speed thrill ride with sharp turns and fast reverse, as I was told by Ednel who took the ride. Guests were also pitted against fireballs, beetles and robotic warrior mummies in total darkness. Ghee..I wouldn't have like it a lot....... Other pictures surrounding the place are as below..

This guy really gave me the creep..
What's with the hands?? and ermm go get some sunblock dude and deodorant too...hiks

Feeling hungry, we went to the Oasis Spices Cafe which is an Egyptian buffeteria serving specialties flavored with Mediterranean, Turkish, Lebanese and Indian spices.

Inside the cafe..

Ed's food

Mine's...

The last zone for us that day was the Madagascar. Journey to Madagascar is inspired by the hit Dreamworks Animation franchise, Madagascar, of course! The zone also features lush tropical jungles and many casts and characters appearance from the movie.

Going into Madagascar..

I just love this picture
Performance by the characters such as Gloria, Marty, Melman, Skipper and others

Visited all the 7 zones, we then headed back to Hollywood zone to watch one final show before we exited the park.

Live perfomance infront of Pantages Hollywood Theatre..

Our final show for the day...

Inside the 1,500 seat indoor theater..watching a rock concert by performers such as a Vampire, Werewolf, Frankenstein and many others..

After the show, we took pictures around the area, shopped at the stores to buy T-shirts and other themed collectibles.

By 5.00pm we changed clothes, exited the theme park and went back to the designated place. The bus was already there for us. We left Singapore via Tuas and were on our way back to KL, stopping for dinner at Yong Peng and reached KL by 11.00pm.

On our way back...

All in all, we had a wonderful and incredible journey. For me, in only three days, I had fulfilled my dreams of taking a vacation via star cruise virgo and going to Singapore especially to Universal Studios. A dream vacation come true, indeed..

Adios...will come back again...some sweet day...