I flew to Singapore on Singapore Airlines, which is an attraction unto itself. It was my first time on the A380, the world's largest passenger airliner. But on Singapore Airlines, you never feel crowded. The A380 on Singapore Airlines features 19-inch-wide seats, the widest economy class seats in the world, according to SeatGuru.com. Each seat comes with its own TV with on-demand movies, video games and audio. And a USB port in case you want to use your TV as a computer monitor. And an AC outlet for charging your electronics in-flight. (No WiFi, though.)
Don't forget the food, either, which is included in your airfare. On the LA-to-Tokyo leg of my flight to Singapore, we were served a lunch,
a dinner,
and dessert,
as well as free wine, beer and Singapore Sling cocktails, if you're into that sort of thing.
Once you arrive in Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, like everything else in this 272-square-mile city-state, is a short taxi ride from Changi Airport, which is consistently rated among the top five airports in the world by travel magazines. If you choose to stay elsewhere in Singapore, you can either take a cab to the park or ride the MRT train to the Vivo City shopping center, from where you can catch a bus or monorail to Sentosa Island or just walk across the causeway. (Don't even think of renting a car in Singapore.)
Today, we'll take a look at Hollywood, which is the entrance plaza to Universal Studios Singapore, as well as the New York section of the park.
Here's the view, once you pass through the turnstiles and under the monorail track into the park.
Both the Hollywood and New York sections of the park are partially covered by translucent roofs, providing some relief from Singapore's frequent thunderstorms. Located just one degree north of the equator, Singapore "enjoys" Orlando's mid-summer weather year-'round.
Otherwise, the design of Universal Studios Singapore is most like Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure, but much smaller - just 49 acres to IOA's 110. But both are organized around a central lagoon, with themed lands surrounding. If you make a right when you come to the end of Hollywood Boulevard, on your way to New York, you'll see USS's version of Hollywood's Pantages Theater, home to the Monster Rock show.
Here's the story: Computer geek Henry Preston Jekyll III has brought the classic Universal Monsters back to life, and transformed them into modern rock-'n-roll stars. Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Phantom of the Opera and the Wolfman (joined by a She-Wolf) join young Dr. Jekyll for a 15-minute medley of rock and pop tunes… with lyrics cleaned up for the family-friendly park, of course. Still, there is a touch of grown-up humor now and then, such as when Dracula rejects the advances of the played-to-be-gay Phantom of the Opera with the dismissal, "You're not my blood type."
Exiting the Pantages, you're just steps away from New York...
Which is home to the Lights! Camera! Action! Hosted by Steven Spielberg special effects show.
This reminded me of the old Backdraft show at Universal Studios Hollywood. There's a short preshow where Steven Spielberg comes on screen to tell us a little about movie special effects, with examples from popular Universal films from over the years. Then, he sets up the next scene: We'll be walking into a stage set where we'll watch the filming of a scene inside a boat house while a Category 5 hurricane hits New York City.
Predictably, when we get to the part of the scene when the TV newscaster tells us that all is under control, you know that's when all heck's going to break loose. And much does break loose from the ceiling, and from the walls, and from the fuel tanks surrounding the boat house.
Oh, and the show's not over until a nice little "kick" at the end.
Your highest-profile restaurant in the park is Mel's Drive-In, which is located alongside the Lagoon at the end of Hollywood Boulevard.
Keeping with my theory that you should always order the special when trying a new restaurant, I decided to go with the "Shiok Burger."
The Shiok (which is "Singlish" for really great taste) includes lettuce, tomato, cheese, guacamole, turkey bacon, an onion ring, and something called "spiced chicken floss." Here's what the burger looks like in real life:
I think I would have liked the chicken floss in another dish - it's basically chicken that's been chopped to a thread-like consistency, spiced with sugar, soy, ginger and Asian five-spice powder. Yet on a guacamole bacon cheeseburger, the whole mix just left my mouth feeling confused. But the fries were awesome, crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle.
Your other food options in Hollywood are:
And in New York, there's
Tomorrow: We'll continue our tour of Universal Studios Singapore with a look at Sci Fi City, home to the new Transformers ride, as well as the world's tallest dueling coaster: Battlestar Galactica.
Also on the tour: Egypt, The Lost World, Far, Far Away, Madagascar
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