TITLE
MYSTERY SHOPPER
Children will love the Fairy Godmother’s Potion Shop (right) and there are many retail offers to suit all
scale of the themed elements is huge, so it makes for a very immersive experience because it’s impossible to see anything past the artifi cially built environment. The number of mature landscape
features particularly impressed me. No seedlings and immature trees for this park – just glorious fl ora and fauna that gives the park a “lived in” feel – well worth the invest- ment in the landscaping, which must have been considerable. Shade “superstruc- tures” have been built spanning across entire sections of the park so there’s no need to worry about sun exposure here. Additionally, the park has several out- door air conditioners co-located with undercover outdoor food and beverage patios, which are a welcome addition. On the downside, the park’s compact
layout didn’t always allow time for transi- tion between themes – something Disney Parks do incredibly well. For instance, the transition between The Lost World and Sci-Fi City and then again between Sci-Fi City and New York was so rapid that I was left feeling a little startled by the quick shift in experiences.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE With 30 individual outlets and kiosks, the F&B offer at Universal Studios Singapore is comprehensive, affordable and you never have to walk too far to get it. Each themed area has a selection of
anchor outlets built indoors, with plenty of air-conditioned seating areas. Far Far Away, for instance, has the Fairy
Godmother’s Juice Bar where you can mix your own colourful elixirs. In Ancient Egypt, the Oasis Spice Café features an Egyptian- themed buffeteria and if you fancy trying a local dish, Discovery Food Court in The Lost World has a selection of Singapore’s national dishes. Meal options are pleasingly affordable,
with most combo meals – which include a main meal and drink – costing the cus-
tomer less than SG$13 (£6.20, US$9.30, 7.60). Some combo meals are even available for less than SG$10 (£4.77, US$7.15, 5.85)
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STAFF All staff members were exceptionally friendly and attentive during my visit. I found making eye contact with them easy and they all responded with a wide and genuine smile. Aside from my brief language barrier at
the ticketing booth, the staff I encountered were highly articulate and well informed and I was particularly impressed with the way in which they interacted with younger guests. A two-year-old’s tantrum was nar- rowly avoided when a staff member who told him he wasn’t old enough to ride a rollercoaster, performed a little dance for him, which made him laugh. Meanwhile, I witnessed a lovely act of kindness when a staff member helped an elderly person into and out of a chair.
CLEANLINESS It would be easy to conclude that the park’s faultless cleanliness was due to its infancy and the fact that it was quiet on the day of my visit. But in a country known for its impec- cable cleanliness, it didn’t surprise me to see staff members bending down to pick up litter as they walked through the park. This attention to detail is in part inherent in Singaporeans and just as equally a meas- ure of the cleanliness culture of Universal.
VALUE FOR MONEY There’s no denying that taking a family to Universal Studios Singapore is an expen- sive day out. Day entry tickets for a family
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(two adults, two children) will set you back SG$248 (£118, US$177, 144) at the week- end. With an average of SG$13 per person for food and beverage (taking your own food into the park isn’t allowed) plus the cost of getting to and from the park, a day at Universal can nudge towards SG$300 (£143, US$215, 175). The park does not offer a family ticket price. Having said this, the Universal Singapore
Studios experience is world class, and considering the broad mix of attractions and quality of entertainment and overall presentation, I rate the park’s value-for- money as “reasonably good”.
RETAIL I defy any little girl to be able to walk past Fairy Godmother’s Potion Shop and not tug their mum’s skirt for a fantasy candle or one of the gorgeous outfi ts from the world of Shrek. Likewise, try taking your son through Galactica PX without dip- ping into your wallet for a piece of the future from Galaxies Beyond. For adults, Hollywood has the greatest number of shopping opportunities, with everything from camera accessories to DreamWorks Animation characters and silver screen col- lectibles. Of the 20 shops, my favourite was The Brown Derby, selling crazy, silly hats. Credit card extension anyone?!
SUMMARY The attention to detail at Universal Studios Singapore is enough to impress even the most hardened theme park critic. The use
AM 3 2010 ©cybertrek 2010
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