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Every time we visit Singapore, a trip to Universal Studios Singapore is the one thing we always try to do. I’ve been to this fun theme park on Sentosa Island four times now—with Erin as a couple, with my brother, and even with my whole family (aged from their 20s to 60s).

I love theme parks. I love eating ice cream to a dramatic film score soundtrack. I love walking through carefully constructed, exquisitely detailed scenes, imagining the hard work that a team of immensely creative people put in to make me feel like I’m in a 1920s-era, hyper-stylised New York.
1) Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cylon

Battlestar Galactica is two rides in one and is not to be missed if you enjoy rollercoasters. We usually start our day here when queues are short. 

This duelling coaster features a blue inverted coaster representing the Cylons and the seated red coaster representing the Humans. If you don’t like going upside down, stick with Humans.

The Cylon coaster is my favourite ride at Universal Singapore—it has multiple inversions including a cool loop that takes you below ground level through a thick mist.

The Human coaster has no inversions, instead delivering its not-insignificant excitement through speed, quick stomach-lurching drops, and tight turns. It’s still a lot of fun and both are worth riding. 

2) Transformers: The Ride

Transformers is a 3D ride where you don glasses and sit in a cart that flings you around in time to the action on the screens, and it is incredibly effective.

Zooming down city streets chased by giant fighting robots is as dramatic and exciting as it sounds. The ride gets you as close to being in the movie (assuming you’d want to be in a Transformers movie) as you’re ever likely to get.

Unfortunately, if you are prone to motion sickness, then this one is very likely to set it off. For everyone else, it’s an incredibly thrilling next-generation ride.

This is the park’s busiest ride in the morning, so we usually wait until mid-afternoon to ride it. A 120-minute wait at 11 am can turn into a 10-minute wait at 3 pm. 

3) Revenge of the Mummy

In a similar vein to Transformers but without the 3D glasses, on Revenge of the Mummy you set off in your jeep through an ancient Egyptian tomb in search of The Book of the Living. You travel through various scenes (with some fun surprises) before being thrown onto a surprisingly intense roller coaster in the dark.

I always forget what a fantastic ride Revenge of the Mummy is—it’s a fun mix of roller coaster, haunted house, and multimedia adventure. The queues aren’t usually long in the morning (we only waited five minutes and rode it twice), but it’s best to make it your second stop after Battlestar Galactica as they do increase in the afternoon. 

4) Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure

A river rafting adventure through the world of Jurassic Park, this one is a guaranteed soaking and includes an impressive waterfall drop and plenty of splashing river rapids.

Lockers are available nearby and they’re not free for any amount of time (unlike Ancient Egypt and Battlestar), but unless you bring a dry bag for your valuables, you’ll want to use them.

If you find yourself uncomfortably drenched afterwards, there are drying pods available to blow dry you for S$5.

5) Waterworld

The Waterworld stunt show is set in a specially constructed theatre and is an absolute delight.

The performers are fully committed to their roles, providing slapstick entertainment before the show begins and breathtaking stunts throughout. Multiple three storey drops, jet ski chases, explosions, and dramatic fights on narrow catwalks are thrilling to behold.

There are usually a few shows in the afternoon and it’s definitely worth scheduling in one of them. Pick up a map with show times as you enter through the ticket gates. 

6) Shrek 4-D Adventure

The Shrek 4-D Adventure show plays continuously throughout the day and the queues aren’t usually long. 

In the 4-D theatre, you join Princess Fiona, Shrek and Donkey on a honeymoon adventure that picks up where the Shrek movie left off. You wear 3-D glasses and are immersed in the adventure as your seat bumps and bounces along with the action and you feel air blasts and water spray. 

If you are pregnant or have back issues, you can ask the staff for a non-moving seat. 

Note that the pre-show and show are quite long, so allow about 30 minutes if you are trying to fit it in before Waterworld as we did. 

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