Everything Sentosa

Day 1 in Singapore was Turista-sa-Sentosa Day. We started the day early by having a huge breakfast at Killiney Kopitiam. I had second thoughts on visiting Universal Studios Singapore. I don't know where I got the idea that USS was Disney-ish, with mascots and cute kiddie cartoons stuff.  (A little backstory: in choosing between Ocean Park and Disneyland in Hongkong, we picked Ocean Park.)  I want rides, rides, rides. I want the kind that gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach. I adored Enchanted Kingdom's Anchors Away and I would always sit at the end row where I could feel like I'm almost tipping over. Exhilarating!

Aaron got our tickets prior to Thursday using Mastercard at SG$68 each. A bit pricey if you ask me but good thing it already included a SG$6 voucher for food and another SG$6 voucher for retail purchases. Just add a couple more dollars for lunch and you're good to go.

We went straight to ride Battlestar Galactica: Cyclon at the Sci-Fi City. Rollercoasters attract me like magnet. According to the park brochure, Battlestar Galactica: Human vs. Cyclon is the tallest dueling rollercoaster in the world. There were only 3 people who took the ride before us (we were there early) and I did not hear them screaming nor did I see them frazzled when the train came back. So I thought.. Pfft.

Battlestar Galactica: The tallest dueling rollercoaster. Blue=Cyclon, Red=Human

But I was wrong. When our turn came, I cursed the whole time. The ride was altogether a different experience because it was a suspended rollercoaster, and there was nothing solid beneath my feet except for the hard cement dozens of feet below. It felt like an eternity. When it was over, I felt a bit dizzy and we laughed all the way out. That was unexpected.

We took Human as the last ride of the day. It's your regular rollercoaster. I'd pick Cyclon over Human anytime.

Next: Transformers in 3D. There was a short line and we were set to go after 10mins. The riders get to take the point of view of a robot helping out Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots in fighting the Decepticons. We rode a cart which traveled into several studios where real props were set up (I know because I peeked!) and 3D images were flashed on the screen. The cart bumped up and down, turned left and right, and tilted just a bit giving us a feel of being a real Autobot in a battle.

Next: Revenge of the Mummy ride. Another rollercoaster but this time the loops are in the dark. We sat in the front and the feeling of not knowing where the ride is going made it more exciting. We saw the photo they took and the look on our faces were too funny. I would have wanted to buy it if not for the SG$ 20 price tag on it. As Donkey said on his show, "Singapore, who knew you would be so expensive?"

Revenge of the Mummy entrance

There were good performances and attractions too. That includes Lights, Camera, Action by Steven Spielberg, Monster Rock, and Waterworld. Lights, Camera, Action by Steven Spielberg showcased a great demonstration of how scenes are fabricated in movie studios. The scene was when a Category 5 hurricane hit New York City.  Monster Rock was a gathering of singing movie monsters who gave out hilarious lines too. Whoever thought of the songs was brilliant. Bride of Frankenstein sang Tainted Love while Dracula belted out to Bon Jovi's It's My Life. The last attraction we saw was Waterworld. It was a movie that came to life and the most 'interactive' of all. If the cast is not pleased with the crowd, someone's going to get really wet! The seats serve as a warning though. Sit where you like at your own risk.

The set of Waterworld

Lights, Camera, Action!

The rest of the rides and attractions were, well, cartoon-related. Sorry I have not seen Madagascar and I don't know what a Foosa is!

Far, far away land

If you want to get the best out of your money, check out every ride and attraction. We were at the park by 10AM and finished everything by 6PM. Another tip to get your money's worth: visit on a weekday. Tickets are cheaper and you don't need to wait long on queues.

It was a long day at USS but we did not pass up on seeing the rest of what Sentosa Island had to offer.

Next stop: Luge! Luge is a kind of go-cart ride minus the engine. There are two downhill trails where you can cruise easily (like I did!) or zap through all the way to the finish line (like the kid who beat me to it). The Luge is easily controllable by a lever which you can just pull for brakes.

Ride the Skyride towards the Luge starting point. See the Luge karts in front.

We bought tickets for the last Songs of the Sea show but we still had time to see both the Palawan and Siloso manmade beaches. There was a bike rental nearby and we got ours for SG$12.50 each for an hour. It's my bike practice for Vietnam!

We made it back to the beachfront seats in time for Songs of the Sea. It was a grand lights and sounds show featuring the story of a boy who used his voice to wake up a lady put to sleep by a spell. We went back to the hotel still humming his lalala song.

Annie?!

The sights and activities in Sentosa might be a bit expensive when you compute and convert it to Philippine peso, but the quality of the show (and the duration of the rides in USS!) more than make up for it. Call it quality for your money.