This month’s highlights at Universal Studios Singapore include:
Park Crowds this Holiday Season
Christmas Merchandise
Universal’s Christmas Tree Light-Up!
Boogie Countdown Event Details
Tag Archives | uss
Starbot Cafe: Human Refueling Center
Starbot Cafe is the latest F&B outlet at Universal Studios Singapore. Located at the Sci-Fi City zone, the cafe sits in nicely in the middle of two major blockbuster attractions: Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cylon and Transformers: The Ride. It does not appear to be solely themed to Transformers (although the crew here wear NEST uniforms), but instead designed to be part of this bustling futuristic zone. Which is why this place is also commonly referred as the Transformers Cafe!
Transformers: The Ride
UPDATE: Transformers: The Ride has officially opened!
Transformers: The Ride started its technical rehearsals today at Universal Studios Singapore. I am pleased to say that it is an amazing ride, and you can read all about it right here! Where else, huh? 🙂
This extended entry features a photo tour of the pre-show elements, a detailed description of the ride elements and some technical bits, followed by my review of the ride.
Update!
LATEST: Differences between Hollywood and Singapore versions (see below)
– Recent changes to the ride added (under Technical Info)
– Preshow videos added!
– New section on safety instructions
– More videos added
– New section on preshow
– More photos – panoramics added!
– Correction: Transformers character names fixed
– Ride Transcript and On-ride Audio Recording now available. Check below!
Differences between Hollywood and Singapore versions
This entry is written with information from the ride at Universal Studios Singapore. Here is a comparison with the ride at Universal Studios Hollywood.
– Entrance to ride building is completely different. Hollywood version has a giant billboard of Optimus and Megatron in an explosive duel, and guests enter the building from the front (or extra switchbacks from the side). In Singapore, the actual ride building is obscured and guests enter the queue via a gate at Sci-Fi City.
– Queue layout is entirely different but similar rooms exist. Such as the Allspark Containment Chamber (which is larger in Hollywood).
– Crew members are dressed as military personnel, with combat fatigues in Hollywood. In Singapore, they are dressed as NEST personnel, but appear more like support staff wearing office dress.
– Hollywood version uses the new Infitec 3D glasses (also used in the recently updated “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure). The Singapore version uses the – unfortunately older and cheaper – polarized 3D glasses.
– First scene in Hollywood has working bullet ricochet effect (the effect is out-of-sync and incomplete in Singapore).
– Finale scene in Hollywood has a burst of fog before the ride vehicle passes under Megatron.
– Unloading platform in Hollywood looks more “damaged”, with more areas, such as ceiling vents, being “ripped apart and destroyed” during the exciting parts of the ride.
Transformers: The Ride (Transcript)
Here is transcript and audio recording for Transformers: The Ride.
For the review/report and photos of the attraction, please go this entry instead.
Universal Studios Singapore – Update 11/2011
UPDATE 2!
Transformers: The Ride is now open for technical rehearsal.
For the review/report and photos of the attraction, please go this entry.
UPDATE!
Transformers: The Ride
Previews for all Annual Passholders
On 25th and 26th November 2011
During Park hours (10am to 9pm)
No reservation is required.
All annual passholders will be able to visit both dates and enjoy unlimited access during park hours.
(For more info please click on Read More and scroll to the bottom)
This month’s update to the new stuff at Universal Studios Singapore include:
Christmas Decor at the Park
Transformers: The Ride Entrance
Transformers Supply Vault (Retail Store)
Halloween Horror Nights Singapore (2011)
Relive my first Halloween Horror Nights experience at Universal Studios Singapore‘s inaugural scare fest.
Halloween Horror Nights (2011) – Before Nightfall
As it is just mere days before Halloween Horror Nights opens at Universal Studios Singapore, I couldn’t contain my excitement and curiosity, so I took a walk around the park today. There has been a lot of installations and – oh my, there is just so much detail going on the props and decorations.
Update: Trip report here!
Universal Studios Singapore – Update 10/2011
I’ve decided a few weeks ago that I will start writing about notable changes within the park and share them here. This entry will be feature changes from early September 2011.
Overview of the new USS Annual Passes
The new Annual Pass programme for Universal Studios Singapore (USS) was finally announced on 6th July 2011 – three days after the pioneer batch of Annual passes expired. Here is their official page. As I found their information to be jumbled – difficult to weigh the cost and benefits of each Annual Pass, I have decided to write this entry to help readers make sense of the new programme. All prices are in Singapore Dollars.
Transformers: a look at the concept art
TRANSFORMERS is an upcoming attraction at Universal Studios Singapore. Scheduled to be open in the second half of 2011, the attraction is an indoor sit-down ride that uses vehicles similar to motion simulators, but can also travel along a track. The ride should be using improved technology from “The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman” rides in Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Japan with some new advancements, such as High-Definition 3D displays and of course – impressive looking robots. To add more excitement, the attraction will feature elevation changes and potentially: dual-level scenes!
Some concept art have been leaked recently on Theme Park Insider, giving us a first glimpse of how the queue area and show scenes might look like.
Preshow area
Queue area that revolves around the AllSpark
Loading area, looking somewhat familiar..
One of the ride’s scenes.
It certainly looks exciting! The concept art appears to be more believable as compared to the sketches for Battlestar Galactica (which had rather ambitious plans for large, elaborately themed queue areas such as vast hangars – in the end it looks more like a little shed for just one lonely Viper).
Information is scarce about this ride and there isn’t anything much to see from within USS itself, unlike the other recently opened (and RE-opened) attractions which are situated very close to park guests. From what I’ve heard, the company involved with its construction has announced that their project will be completed by June 2011. The very same company was also contracted to rework some parts of Madagascar: A Crate Adventure and according to them, their work was done in March 2011. Crate Adventure opened about 2 months later. Perhaps we might see Transformers open much sooner than we thought, but let’s not keep our hopes too high – the park only promised that it will be open before the year ends!
Photos: Robert Niles, Theme Park Insider