Universal Studios Singapore Discussion Thread

Projectors on the Madagascar ride!!! Why? If I wanted to watch the movie, I'd stay home and plug in a DVD. The projectors just scream cheap! And early reviews say the animatronics are pitiful. And no drops either!?!? I'd take Monsters Inc. over this any day. How disappointing...

Alright, I've written up a full review here: http://dejiki.com/2011/05/madagascar-a-crate-adventure

The park was doing Technical Rehearsals yesterday. There was apparently, a major technical fault yesterday at the loading/unloading platform that caused a long line of boats to be stuck. Wrote about it in the blog post.

I might still be visiting the park tomorrow for the grand opening. Some effects were not working on the preview night but was working yesterday, and vice versa.

^

Thanks for the review mate! It's awesome that you take time to write such an awesome text!

Good write up! I kinda wish I enjoyed this a little more in terms of the ride itself... I just don't find it too impressive in general. I mean, a boat ride does not need to be a crazy thrilling to be an awesome attraction, such as jungle cruise, but this just looks kinda boring in general. I mean, I understand it's a kids ride, but there was no wow factor, which would have been acceptable if this wasnt A. Such a big ride for the park(you even referred to it as an E ticket and B. The fact that it took soooooo long to make this attraction. I mean, I have no "issue" with the ride... just a little underwhelming IMO.

I mean, I understand it's a kids ride, but there was no wow factor, which would have been acceptable if this wasnt A. Such a big ride for the park(you even referred to it as an E ticket and B. The fact that it took soooooo long to make this attraction. I mean, I have no "issue" with the ride... just a little underwhelming IMO.

The original vision of the ride was supposed to be an E ticket, I believe. This ride has similar, or greater capacity as the other E ticket attractions. There were opportunities to use up-to-date technology but the execution in the end was rather.. not up to par. Come to think about it, I am puzzled why I said it's an E ticket now. Perhaps it is a Low-E or High-D level ride. I do agree that it's underwhelming - seems like I've lowered my expectations after being a passholder at the park.

Perhaps if the ride opened a year ago (even in its current, reduced state), the general response would've been slightly more positive.

The ride really looks interesting but without a drop it just seems like there is something missing.

I was at the park yesterday for the grand opening of A Crate Adventure. The park was PACKED because it's the eve of a public holiday here. Most of the rides and shows were operating at full load.

85 minutes wait time! The ride closed briefly after an hour of operations due to technical difficulties but resumed operations shortly.

60 minutes wait time for a junior roller-coaster. The queue is starting from the entrance (they did not connect to the outdoor queue zone because it is now used as a queue for Photo-Op with Shrek characters and the weather is so hot anyway - some could faint in the heat)

75 minutes wait for BSG: Human. Quite a hold up at the entrance because some people seem to misunderstand/ignore the rules of NO BAGS or ANY LOOSE ITEMS or ITEMS IN POCKETS..

Rarely seen Waterworld Amphitheater: that's almost completely filled up!

Madagascar: A Crate Adventure

- As to why the lap bars take longer time to release.. Well, the entire restraint system is manually locked/unlocked with a wench.

They have WENCHES releasing the lapbars?

Are you confusing this with Pirates of the Caribbean?

Sorry, that was just too easy!

On another note, am I the only one who thinks that "A Crate Adventure" is an odd name/theme for a major amusement park ride? I mean, yeah, it makes sense from the standpoint of the movie, but you'd think they'd come up with a more inspiring name than theming the ride around a wooden box. That doesn't exactly scream "major amusement park ride that absolutely can't miss". Then again, from what you've said, it's not that anyways. But I'd still imagine that the park would want to get some excitement up for the ride, and crates aren't exactly exciting. (Well, maybe if you're actually travelling around the world in one, it is.)

I considered watching the POV, but since I hope to go there in two years, I'd rather wait to see the real thing in person. Still, thanks for the pics and updates.

They have WENCHES releasing the lapbars?

 

Are you confusing this with Pirates of the Caribbean?

 

Sorry, that was just too easy!

Whoops! LOL..

Grand Opening

USS Grand Opening was today. There was lot of fanfare and special programme. - photos and report to follow by tomorrow!

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1131520/1/.html

Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) said it is "on track" to open the second phase of its integrated resort, which includes a maritime museum, an aquarium and a marine life park.

 

On Friday, Chairman of the Genting Group and RWS, Lim Kok Thay, gave the assurance that the attractions will open progressively from the third quarter, starting with the maritime museum.

 

The marine life park will be ready by mid-2012.

 

The IR also announced it has completed the structure of its fifth hotel, Equarius, one of two new hotels under Phase 2.

 

Mr Lim was speaking ahead of the grand opening of Universal Studios Singapore on Saturday.

 

The two-day celebrations includes a Hollywood-style gala dinner on Friday, which will be attended by celebrities such as Paula Abdul, Jet Li and Maggie Cheung.

 

Mr Lim said he is open to more land acquisition opportunities for its expansion. Mr Lim said: "More land is always better. But then you're talking about Singapore, where land like in Hong Kong, is at a premium. A theme park like this is always land-hungry. So obviously the more rides, the larger the park, you'll need more land. "So perhaps in that sense, if we feel it will add more to tourism, definitely we will try to talk to the government. But as far as the rest of the resort is concerned, we've yet to complete it, and that's where our focus is." He added that things are going as planned. "Again, let me say we're right on top of it at the moment, but sometimes we just cannot avoid unexpected incidents."

 

RWS said it is expecting 16 million visitors this year, up from 15 million in 2010. It will target 75 per cent of tourists from overseas, with 90 per cent of them from Southeast Asia, India and China.

 

Universal Studios Singapore is also projecting four million visitors this year, double the number in the first nine months of its soft opening in March 2010.

 

The theme park may be one of the smallest in Asia, but Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts, said size does not matter. He said: "Size is really irrelevant. It is all about the quality of the experience, the exciting nature of the rides and shows and attractions."

 

The theme park boasts 21 attractions, including the new Transformers ride slated to open later this year.

 

A spokesman on Friday revealed that three more attractions are in the pipeline, which will be ready by 2013. They include two rides which will be unique to Singapore.

 

And to meet higher demand during the June holidays, the park will close later, at 9pm. It will open as usual at 10am. Opening hours are currently 10am to 6pm.

GRAND OPENING COVERAGE

If anyone's in for a long report about the Grand Opening ceremony and lots of photos, do visit my site:

http://dejiki.com/2011/05/grand-opening-of-universal-studios-singapore/

In case anyone's interested, Battlestar Galactica is now using the original 2010 train for CYLON. It is marked "2" at the first car. Between Early 2011 to Mid 2011, they were using the one marked "1". It's probably just routine rotation. This train is slower and unable to keep up with HUMAN and thus, most of the dueling moments, especially in the second part of the ride, are no longer synchronized.

Edit: and oh, Madagascar: A Crate Adventure's lap bars now operate electronically.

That's a Shame, i am headed there today, and i really like dueling coasters when done right.

That's a Shame, i am headed there today, and i really like dueling coasters when done right.

At least it isn't too sunny today. Battlestar Galactica was offline in the afternoon yesterday. Not sure what was the exact problem, but it was blistering hot... (overheating?) Some technicians were walking about the launch track.

Transformers Construction

An area at Sci-Fi City has been blocked off to build the entrance to the Transformers ride.

Does anyone have an opening date for the new ride, I know it's due sometime this year.

Does anyone have an opening date for the new ride, I know it's due sometime this year.

They've only said by end of the year. From the way things have been done in RWS.. a firm date will only surface about 2-4 weeks before an official opening.

Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure

While it has been known in some circles for quite a while, RWS has just announced that Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure will be closed from 10 August 2011. It will reopen in 2012 with the second lift (for the final drop segment) working, thus increasing capacity for the ride.

The ride always had two drop lanes but it seems that only one lift was actually works (or even installed). There has always been a stockpile of new boats, hidden in between the Mummy ride building and Jurassic Park Rapids loading building, left unused for over a year, so with increased capacity they could finally tumble about at the rapids next year. No other enhancements were announced, although personally I hope that they bring back "Dinosaur Proximity Alarm" in the center of each boat which flashes when the T-Rex first appears in the indoor segment.

I'm surprised that the park finally decided to do this barely 3 months after grand opening. I mean, the park had a rather long soft opening period.

Meanwhile, for those BSG fans out there, the second train for BSG:Human has went missing in the recent weeks - I hope it's the faulty train getting fixed - the one that kept engaging the brakes on the launch track!

Universal Studios Singapore has sent us an exciting press release regarding the debut of Halloween Horror Nights at the park!

Fear Has Found A New Home

Universal Studios Singapore® Introduces Halloween Horror Nights®

 

Mayhem, fear and evil will be unleashed when Universal Studios Singapore unveils Halloween Horror Nights, which promises to be the largest Halloween event ever staged in Southeast Asia. Never before has any Halloween event in the region featured such a catalog of experiences in a single location, resulting in a massive scare-labyrinth featuring a brand new haunted house, multiple scare zones, a selection of Universal Studios Singapore‟s theme park rides and attractions and a street party.

 

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore will build on Universal‟s decades of experience in creating entertaining, intense and fun Halloween events. Halloween Horror Nights began 21 years ago at Universal Studios Florida and is now a global sensation, with spectacular events at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Singapore.

 

Each year, Universal‟s creative experts transform theme parks into completely different night- time environments filled with horror-themed experiences that include haunted houses, special „scare zones‟ and hundreds of specially trained actors to bring Halloween characters to life. These events are intense, scary and fun.

 

Halloween Horror Nights will run for seven nights over two weekends, from 20 to 22 October and 27 to 30 October 2011, from 8 pm to 12 midnight each evening. Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event and not included within regular theme park admission. Daytime theme park guests will be able to upgrade their daytime park admission tickets in order to re- enter the park for Halloween Horror Nights.

 

Ms Andrea Teo, Vice President of Entertainment at Resorts World Sentosa, said: “Universal Studios Singapore‟s Halloween Horror Nights will pull out all the stops to make this Southeast Asia‟s largest, most intense and most horrifying Halloween event ever produced. The scale, budget and concept will raise the bar on Halloween events in the region. “Halloween Horror Nights is modeled after the long running and highly-successful events at our sister parks, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood – which create a level of fear that has never before been experienced in this region. We are thrilled to introduce the event here in Singapore. Halloween Horror Nights will be the event-of-choice and guests will not be disappointed,” Ms Teo added.

 

From the haunted house and character design, to auditions, casting, costuming and prosthetics, work is already underway in making this multi-million dollar production the biggest headliner in Southeast Asia‟s selection of Halloween events this year.

 

Universal Studios Singapore prides itself on developing fully immersive experiences that allow guests to „Live The Movies‟. Until now, horror fans have only known what they see on screen. Halloween Horror Nights will let them experience the thrill of being trapped in a horror film – and live to talk about it.

 

Welcoming guests to the event is the Director, a sadistic filmmaker who thrives on macabre movie-making and filming tortured subjects. He will greet guests as they enter through the looming gates. Once inside, guests will be cast for their final cut.

 

As guests navigate through the park, they will „step right up‟ to a midway of mayhem, escape from the pandemonium-filled streets of a post-apocalyptic metropolis, and come face-to-face with deformed carriers of a flesh-eating plague.

 

The main attraction within the event is an elaborate haunted house – with an Asian twist. Located inside one of Universal Studios Singapore‟s soundstages, guests will enter a dilapidated Peranakan mansion which, to this day, is still haunted by a demented matriarch.

 

Select rides and attractions, including Revenge of the Mummy®, Battlestar Galactica® and Accelerator, will be operating, making it the only Halloween event in the region with theme park rides.

 

Tickets for the event, priced at S$60, will be available from 1 September 2011 onwards. Special „RIP Tour‟ packages, Resorts World Sentosa hotel guest specials and group discounts are also available. Discounts are also available for Universal Studios Singapore annual pass holders and daytime theme park guests. For bookings and more information on the full range of packages, please log on to: http://www.rwsentosa.com. Event tickets are also available at ticketing booths of Universal Studios Singapore.

 

Halloween Horror Nights may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children below the age of 13. No costumes or masks are allowed.

 

Due to the event‟s popularity, tickets are expected to sell out and should be purchased in advance.

Central to the park’s theme of movie-making is the Director, who welcomes guests in chilling fashion as they enter Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights®, Singapore’s largest and most intense Halloween event.

^Wow, I have to be honest. I was not expecting that at all. Hopefully it will be successful for them so they can expand their event.

Source: Resorts World Sentosa Blog

I wonder if the USH queue will look similar.....

They are the exact (literally clones) same building, so I would guess yes.

Halloween Horror Nights

- There will be six scare zones, covering Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City and Ancient Egypt.

- The one at New York zone's Water Street is called STING ALLEY, like the US parks.

Promotion of Annual Passholders:

In case anyone's interested, there are usually two more other large-scale events in Singapore: One held at the Singapore Zoo's Night Safari and the other at the other side of Sentosa Island. Last week, the Night Safari announced that they are cancelling their event though. That will give the other two a good boost.

The Director has always been one of my favorite characters for HHN... glad to see he lives on elsewhere.

Updates from the park: October 2011

Mainly about new construction, HHN installations, new stalls and merch.

Full trip report here:

http://dejiki.com/2011/10/uss-update-oct11/

Halloween Horror Nights: Pre-event Photos

http://dejiki.com/2011/10/hhn-before/

The park has transformed very nicely now for Halloween. Sting Alley (aka The Pestilence) is not a free-roam scare zone, but with limited capacity (and hence, even offers Universal Express). After all, it's located at the New York Harbour area which isn't especially spacious, even if all the props are taken away.