Universal Studios Singapore was due to celebrate its grand opening on May 28, more than a year after the park entered its soft opening period.
Contributing to this delay were severe setbacks to two of the park’s major attractions, both of which should now be up and running by the time you read this.
Battlestar Galactica, a duelling sit-down/suspended coaster by Vekoma, was relaunched in February and now Madagascar: A Crate Adventure has finally taken its first regular riders after a scheduled opening on May 16.
The first theme park attraction anywhere in the world inspired by DreamWorks’ animated Madagascar film series, the dark boat ride takes passengers on a nine-minute voyage during which they meet characters including Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo. The animals, which have apparently escaped from New York Zoo, join forces with the lemurs King Julien to help defeat the dreaded Foosa at the rim of a bubbling volcanic cauldron. Along the way, they encounter a giant alligator, wild-eyed spiders and much more.
“Madagascar: A Crate Adventure is an excellent example of how a compelling attraction can arise from a creative alliance between companies that share a commitment to family entertainment,” notes Thomas Williams, CEO and chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts. “It’s a unique ride.”
The ride is the anchor of an entire area dedicated to Madagascar and one of six attractions at the Singapore park based around DreamWorks Animation films. The ride system was provided by Hafema, and subsequently reengineered by a third party. Animated figures in the attraction were provided by Garner Holt Productions, while Brett Young from Super 78 in California provided creative input, following earlier work on the park’s Donkey Live! Interactive live show.
