Visiting Universal Studio Singapore in a day

The Universal Studio Singapore is definitely on every visitor’s must see list along with places like Gardens by the bay, Singapore Zoo and many others. However, it is definitely big. And many of us get just one day to visit here. Thus, the key to a successful visit to the Universal Studio Singapore in a day lies in a well planned and thought ahead trip. Unlike the Disneyland Paris, there is not much information available out there on how to make the most of it when you visit Universal Studio Singapore in a day.

When we had gone to the Disneyland Paris in one day visiting the two parks there, we could gather a lot of tips and tricks from fellow bloggers and travelers on how to save time, plan ahead and make the most of our day while there. But when I was looking for similar tips for visiting Universal Studio Singapore in a day, for our trip to Singapore , in 2018 , I couldn’t find much. Thus I decided to compile something on those lines for my readers so that they won’t struggle for the same information tomorrow planning their trip to the Universal Studio Singapore in a day.

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Some of the tips that I put here will be actually applicable for any Universal Studio visit, or any fun park or theme park visit. While some others you will find to be specific to Universal Studio Singapore.
So, here goes our tips to help you plan your visit to the Universal Studio Singapore in a day.

Book your tickets in advance

You can book your tickets to the Universal Studio Singapore online. From the official website. Just like most of the other attractions in Singapore. At the time of this writing the tickets for Universal Studio Singapore cost S$56 for a child aged 4-12 years. And S$72 per adult. The payment can be done securely online through an international credit card or through net banking.

Decide on your rides & activities

In total there are 7 different theme based zones in Universal Studio Singapore. Namely Hollywood, New York, Sci Fi City, Ancient Egypt, The Lost World, Far Far Away and Madagascar. And altogether there are around 28 rides across these zones. Overall, the theme park spreads across 20 hectares. So, this itself can give you an idea of how big the park is. Now, it is definitely not possible to try out all the 28 rides in a single day. So, its good to make choices based on your interest beforehand. So that you don’t miss out any of the rides that you really want to try.

Here’s a list of rides and attractions zone wise along with a description:

Themed zones and attractions in Universal Studio Singapore

How to get to Sentosa Island from main Singapore

MRT

When taking a MRT, take the north east line going to Harbourfront. Then, at the Harbourfront station you need to get into the Vivo city mall. After that go to lobby on Level 3. From there, purchase ticket and board the monorail. At the time of this writing the ticket costs S$3. And it also includes the Sentosa Island admission charges. So, keep the ticket with you while you enter the Sentosa Island. From the monorail, you need to get down at the waterfront station. Then from here, follow the signs and you will reach Universal Studio. Please note that MRT might be very crowded during the office hours in weekdays. So, plan accordingly.

Taxi

Taking a taxi will be the most expensive way of reaching Sentosa Island and Universal Studio. But when you are traveling with family, or in a group and not staying very far from the main city, the taxi fare might almost come close to the cumulative fare of taking the MRT and then the monorail. So, try that calculation out before you decide between the two. A taxi can be hailed on the spot, when you are anywhere in Singapore. The taxi rates vary a little depending on the kind of taxi. Mostly the rates are written on the side of the door and the color of the taxi is also indicative of how expensive it will be. So, you can choose a taxi accordingly. The taxi will drop you right on the entrance to Sentosa Island, in the underpass, at the taxi stand. From here, you can enter inside, take an escalator to the upper level. And soon you will find yourself staring at the big round globe that is the symbol of the Universal Studio Singapore.

Sentosa Boardwalk

There is one more way to reach here – the  Sentosa Boardwalk. It is located very near to Vivo city Mall. So, you can reach here by MRT. And then take the boardwalk. But, this is always a good option to try in either early morning or late evening hours. Since otherwise, you might find walking in the sun and the humid weather uncomfortable.

No matter whichever option you choose, the important thing is to reach there on time. Since, you have got only one day to experience everything that Universal Studio has got to offer. So, why waste time. As the day progresses, it becomes more and more crowded here. So, have an early breakfast and then head to Sentosa Island, and there, straight to Universal Studio Singapore. The Universal Studio Singapore remains open from 10am to 10pm.

Food and refreshment options in Universal Studio Singapore

There are two major restaurants inside Universal Studio Singapore – Mel’s Drive In and Starbucks, both in the Hollywood theme park. But these have very limited vegetarian and vegan food options. If you are a vegetarian like me, you might end up surviving on packs of cut fruits, yogurt and smoothies in these restaurants. Apart from these there are mobile carts and stalls spread all over. In these stalls you will mostly get ice cold flavored water, fruit punches, chips and cookies and other ready to eat food items.

Anyways, if you are taking rides then it’s better to keep your stomach light, so, keep eating little bit at regular intervals. And sip liquids slowly. Outside food is not allowed inside the Universal Studio Singapore, unlike Disneyland Paris. So, you will have to do with the options available. Also, there are different food outlets in each of the theme parks. If you will note, a lot of details has gone in the design and naming of these restaurants and food outlets as well. Each one is named based on the theme of the park it is located in. Also, most of these serve the cuisines specific to the region on which this theme park is based. Below is a quick list of the food outlets in each of the theme parks of Universal Studio Singapore. Based on this, you can decide where and when you will like to have your snacks and lunch.

Food & Refreshment outlet list

Retail outlets in Universal Studio Singapore

There are a lot of retail outlets in each themed zone inside the Universal Studio Singapore. These retail outlets sell the respective miniatures, bags, purses, stationary, jewelry and a lot of other items based on the theme of the zone. So, in case you want to collect a souvenir, you can visit one of these outlets. Although, as expected most of the things will seem pricey. But if you or your kid are like my kid, who likes to collect miniatures of her favorite cartoon and fiction characters, then it is worth visiting one of these retail outlets in the zone of your choice.

Our day in Universal Studio Singapore

We went with our family and little kid to the Universal Studio Singapore. After having breakfast in little India, we took a taxi. And reached Sentosa Island in 10 minutes. Thereafter, we followed the signs and soon entered in Universal Studio Singapore using our pre-purchased e-tickets. As soon as we entered inside, we rented out a stroller for our kid.

Coming to the rides, we distributed our choice of rides across all types. While the elders enjoyed some thrilling roller coaster rides like Battlestar Galactica &Revenge of the Mummy Roller Coaster. At the same time, the kid enjoyed rides like Enchanted Airways and together as a family we enjoyed some rides like Puss in Boots Family Roller Coaster. We also enjoyed some shows like Shrek 4 D adventure. The shows are really good. They have some effects like water sprinklers and moving seats which make the simulation experience very realistic, particularly for the kids.

During lunch time, we were in Sci Fi City. So, we took our lunch at Starbot Cafe. We mostly had light lunch. Thereafter, we enjoyed a few more rides before calling it a day. Overall, each one of us – the kid, the adults and the elderly, all had some rides and shows to enjoy. And we had a satisfactory day at the Universal Studio Singapore.

Some other tips on visiting Universal Studio Singapore

1. If you are with small kids, rent a stroller once you enter inside. It is a life saver, particularly if your kid takes afternoon naps. We did rent one for our 4 years old when we visited there. And it really came handy as she was getting tired very easily because of the hot and humid weather.
2. You can utilize the fast queue option at Universal Studio Singapore to get into the rides faster.
3. If you are pregnant then don’t visit Universal Studio Singapore, unless you want to miss most of the rides. I had just found out before our Singapore trip that I was carrying. Although I still went to the park with my family, I couldn’t take any rides. Many of the rides appear to be safe. But still it’s cautioned not to take them if you are carrying.
4. During the 3D and 4D shows, if you will prefer not to get jerks because of one reason or the other , there are special seats that don’t move. So you can opt for them.
5. Wear comfortable walking shoes since there will be a lot of walking to be done. Also, you will be standing in queues for the rides for a major part of the day.
6. Do carry water bottle and keep refilling it where ever you get a tap. And keep yourself hydrated. Since the weather is hot and humid, you will tend to sweat a lot and loose a lot of fluid in the process. Plus the rides will exert you slowly. So, it is really important to keep yourself hydrated.

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