Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Universal Studios Singapore!

Finally, finally, finally - pictures from our trip to Universal Studios Singapore!

Daddy took a day off from work to bring Aiden and Mummy to Universal Studios, which was an excellent decision. Why? Because during the weekdays, the crowd is just nice. No extra long queue to go on rides, no jam packed restaurants, no pushing and shoving to get a good seat to watch shows. And not too empty till you feel like you 'own' the park. But just nice. I have heard horror stories about people visiting the theme park on weekends - utter waste of money plus time to queue for rides and shows. Definitely not recommended! Also, the day we picked to go to the the park was the only day out of the week in which we had perfect weather. (It rained everyday in the afternoon, so if you're going anytime soon - bring an umbrella!)

I give Universal Studios Singapore a two thumbs up because it really felt like we were at an overseas theme park. About three years back Hubby and I were at Hong Kong Disneyland for two days and besides nearly dying from heat stroke, we couldn't understand the shows as they were all Chinese and they spoke Cantonese. But about two years ago we were in Los Angeles for a day trip to their Universal Studios Hollywood and we absolutely enjoyed ourselves, even with the short span of time we allocated for the park. Hence, I did not expect to enjoy myself at another local theme park ever again. Therefore Universal Studios Singapore absolutely surprised me! I was impressed with the mat saleh crew who ran the performances flawlessly and confidently. I did not see a single local Asian face in all their shows, except for a few in charge of introducing the performers and managing the crowd. (Doesn't say much for Asians, eh?)

Okay fine. So Mummy and Daddy enjoyed themselves. But did Aiden enjoy himself? Unfortunately, with the newly found expression called 'fear', he obviously did NOT! He hated the heat, he hated the furry penguins and weird Mummies chasing after him, he hated the huge figurines scattered around the park, he hated the loud noises from the shows and performances and most of all he hated that it was infringing on his nap time! *sigh* Mummy needs to take you for a second trip when you're a bit older, Aiden!

For those of you worried about going about the park and getting halal food, fret not! The theme park is right smack on Sentosa Island, which is well connected via MRTs and busses. There are 6 halal restaurants within the park where you can get everything from burgers and fries, Egyptian-themed buffeteria to even pastries and bread! They are also marked halal in the map to help you find them.

Tickets for two adults costed us SGD132. However this includes a SGD10 voucher for food and another SGD10 voucher for souvenir. So in reality, you pay only SGD46 for entrance, which is about RM110. Kids are charged SGD48, but don't know about the vouchers and stuff. And note that these are the weekday rates yea! Add an additional SGD10 for weekends or Google for other options like the two day pass or the express pass. The theme park has 7 uniquely themed zones, namely the (typed in order of visit): Hollywood, Madagascar, The Lost World, Far Far Away, Ancient Egypt, Sci-Fi City and New York.

The opening hours for Universal Studios Singapore are between 9am till 7pm. Make sure you're there bright and early! (This feels like a pot calling a kettle black because I am giving advise which even I didn't follow - we were there only between 12 till 7pm and regretted this considerably as we could only khatam the performances but were only able to go on 2 rides, considering the short queues and all.) And don't be complacent and assume that just because you're in line at 650pm that they will let you on the ride. Because Hubby queued up for a roller coaster ride at 640pm, waited for 20 minutes - and sharp at 7pm, he was just a few people away from boarding the ride when they claimed that the ride had a technical malfunction therefore told everyone remaining in the queue that they had to leave. Boy, was he frustrated. And I honestly believe that it was a made-up malfunction, they just wanted to close by 7pm!

Anyway, enough words. Time for pictures!

Daddy and Aiden posing with the (revolving) Universal Studios trademark.

Check out Aiden's face. All excited. And yes, wearing the same Gap ensemble Daddy purchased.

Aiden beckoning for us to follow him to the ticket line. Little did he know that he was going to regret his excitement to go in.

Queue wasn't long, so we got tickets in no time.

After walking through Hollywood, we made our first stop at Madagascar!

The Madagascar crew were singing and dancing. Aiden was starting to sweat from all the heat.

And the crying began. The penguin tried to hug Aiden, and guess what he did? He tepis the arm of the penguin okay! And started bawling his eyes out.

After trying to console him at a merchandise shop, outside the heat, we tried again with Alex the Lion. Aiden wasn't fooled! Of course, he cried again!

Next stop, The Lost World. Here we watched Waterworld - a live water show which definitely gets my 4 thumbs up (including my big toes okay?) If you ever visit Universal Studios, make sure you MAKE time to check this one out.

Beware of where you sit though. You just might get soaked. Consider yourselves warned!

Real life machine guns, boats, fire, explosions, stunts!

Told you there was fire and explosions!

Mummy and Aiden (yang bogel) ternganga watching the show.

After the show, we posed for photos. These are the bad guys.

My poor baby is such a putera lilin.

After that action packed show, Aiden finally dozed off in his stroller. So we walked to The Lost World.

We were mighty hungry but did not want to spend our dining vouchers on food just yet. So out comes Mummy's special (instant) nasi goreng! Lovingly prepared by Mummy just for this trip.

Delicious! (Mummy perasan) And yes, bring your own food at your own risk because they did not frisk my bag upon entering the park.

With Aiden still asleep, we made our way to Ancient Egypt.

Amazing view!

Aiden woke up just in time for a picture with the Mummy. Well I think he is the Mummy. Hmm.. I thought a Mummy would be wrapped with toilet paper from head to toe? Hmmm...

Fine, if Aiden doesn't want a picture with the creature, Mummy will gladly take your place.

In front of the Mummy's tomb.

My son, the scaredy cat. Asyik melepekkk jer with Mummy!

Next stop, Sci-Fi City! This also houses their biggest attration - Battlestar Gallactica, the world's tallest dueling roller coaster. It has two separate tracks - the Cyclon (inverted blue track) and the Human (seated red track). Dueling means that both tracks will feature several near collisions mere inches apart.

Aiden didn't cry at this one. He simply stared.

As the roller coaster wasn't open to public yet, Daddy tried the trial Cyclon seat at the entrance.

Muka Aiden stressed. I wonder why!

Aiden posing with the official drink tumbler. If you buy this tumbler (for SGD 11 including landyard, if without it is SGD8), you can just keep buying refills all day long for only SGD2!

Anyone interested to go to Universal Studios on a shoestring budget can borrow this tumbler from me!

Facade of the Sci-Fi City.

These long legged creatures were always ready for a pose. But Aiden cried his lungs out. What else is new???

When he calmed down, I walked backwards towards this red creature so that Aiden couldn't see him, and posed for an acceptable picture.

Aiden was not only scared of moving creatures, but stationary figurines as well!

We then stopped for lunch! One burger set (with drink and fries) and one ala-carte burger was only ~SGD23. With the SGD20 voucher we received with the ticket, we only had to top-up another SGD3!

Yummy big fat fries, teriyaki chicken burger, beef burger and iced Milo with a straw.

And Aiden simply loved those big fat juicy fries.

In the theatre for Monster's Rock. Thank god Aiden behaved and watched the show quietly.

Playing with fake (cold) smoky stuff wheezing from the ground.

Exploring the back lanes of New York.

Finally! A genuine smile!!!

Aiden is back. And he isn't scared anymore!

My handsome boy.

Enjoying the streets of New York.

Even falling over.

Posing beside the subway tong sampah.

Aiden in a better mood.

Look at those dangling legs.

Just across the street, was a group of BBoys.

Great show!

Aiden and Daddy's turn to ternganga pulak.

Waaaaahhhhh....

Well done!

Finally, it was Daddy's turn to pose for pictures, solo!

Tried to get Aiden to run around the Kowabunga Kove. Of course, he freaked out.

Until he saw a couple of other kids doing the same. And he warmed up.

Okay, second tawaf around the park. First round was just for the shows. Now for the rides. Back towards Madagascar!

Aiden didn't cry. He simply whimpered.

On the Merry Go Round we go!

Quick, grow up Aiden! Mummy wants you to enjoy, not pout!

Posing in front of the Shrek castle, in Far Far Away land.

And finally, it was time to go home.

19 comments:

  1. BEST KAN!!!!!! Mmg the parents yg excited more than the kids! haha.. thats y i didnt even bring LilKoala =P

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  2. Thanks for this entry. Planning to go in soon. One quick question: how long does it take to cover the whole park? Do we need the whole day? When we were in Disneyland Paris, pagi2 buta dah terpacak beratur beli ticket and balik malam (well, 8pm summertime belum consider malam lagi lah). Itupun rasa mcm tak habis round.

    Singapore, what say you?

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  3. oh no. they spoke chinese and cantonese at hongkong disneyland? Im planning to go there next year with the in-laws. ..... and i bet PP's reaction will be the same like Aiden.

    Couldn't help laughing how he cried in one of those photos! apalah aiden. tak macho. cannot jadi bff PP. nanti PP yg kena protect Aiden.

    and ermm liz? why was Aiden topless most of the time?

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  4. liz, how much ticket tu? mcm besar jugak tmpt tu..eii tak sabar nk pegi jugak..

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  5. best2.. we are planning to go there.. :) tihihi..

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  6. Fatin! Itu memang single mingle trip tak ingat anak tuh! Hahaha but seriously, have to bring Aiden again cos at this age, he didn't even enjoy himself. I bet he hates theme parks!

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  7. pu3natul, glad I helped! Community blog post nie. Anyway, Disneyland Paris is bigger if compared to this one. I spent two whole days in Disneyland Paris and even then felt like I didn't get to do everything. This one you can complete in a day, but be there sharp at 9am as they close at 7pm (check out my edited blog post, I added our story about their opening hours) and hopefully with the smaller crowd during the weekday, you'll be able to go on everything!

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  8. Dayang, HK Disneyland is enjoyable during non-summer seasons. Actually, all theme parks are nice when its not scorching hot (which explains why Genting is so popular). I went during summer and I hated the sun! And yes, they spoke Cantonese. Good luck with Danya. She is going to so freak out when she sees Minnie. By then Aiden would be a bit older - maybe Aiden would protect her in return! But you have to bring Mummy and Aiden for your trip lah!

    Aiden was topless cos he was irritated with his own sweat. Or he wanted to be like the Mummy (the Egyptian topless Mummy, not me Mummy)!

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  9. Wirda, check out my blog post, ade tulis price kat situ! We went during weekday so it was SGD10 cheaper!

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  10. Sara, saw your blog post. Amboi! Hahaha I am really flattered. Holler when you're going to Singapore cos I just might be there. Going again in a week's time! Singapore - my second home :P

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  11. Entry yg sangat best!! Teringin nak pegi jugak...& rasanyer eynda pun mesti terlebih teruja dari anak2 hehe..

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  12. waaaaah it does look good from ya camera!!! mmg heaty rite? poor boy... takpe beso sket mummy and daddy will bring little aiden and enjoy each momment like Farissa did!! :D

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  13. Eynda! Thanks. Hahaha jom jom kita pegi Singapore. Highly recommended! Parents pun kena enjoy jugak, mane boleh budak budak jer.

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  14. Farah, yes very heaty. Tuh la sebabnyer Aiden bogel jer memanjang. Hope Aiden will enjoy USS like Farissa did in a few months time. Sekarang nie die pengecut sangat!

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  15. Liz..You are so lucky!! Last week I went there, all tickets were sold out!! dapat tangkap gambar dekat luar jer..from outside dah boleh rasa the fun vibe inside..actually I was more excited than my son..hehehe..But I've read somewhere said Universal Studio Singapore baru soft opening..banyak yang still under constructions ker?

    You are right Disneyland Paris is enormous! One day trip memang x cukup..sebab ade 2 parks..kena spend one day for each park..

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  16. ur aiden is like my boy...semua pun takut! haha. planning to go there too..maybe end of the year. insyaAllah!

    http://twinkywinkystars.blogspot.com

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  17. NIce entry...!! thanks for sharing many usefull info here...!!!

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  18. Mira, I heard tickets mmg cepat sold out! Takpe, tunggu the official launch. Plenty more rides to wait for. And you are right. The last time I was in Disneyland Paris was back in 2004. And memang sehari tak cukup. But janganla compare USS dgn Disneyland. They are different in many ways. Go with an open mind ;)

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  19. Drama Mama, enjoy yourself! Kalau your boy takut, ade alasan untuk pegi again ;)

    Izan, you're welcome!

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Thank you in advance for leaving a comment. ;) All comments are moderated. Liz

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