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With shorter lines and more thrill
rides Universal Studios is actually my favorite park. Even with the fast-paced,
grown-up rides such as Twister, Terminator, and Back to the Future, there is
still plenty for the kids. As a plus, it is a working motion-picture and
television production studio, so occasionally there is some filming done in the
park or, more often, at the Nickelodeon soundstages. Remember cable's The Swamp
Thing, Clarissa Explains It All, or the short-lived SeaQuest? Those television
series were shot on the property. Whether or not there is a film in production,
every day you will amble amid reel history displayed in the form of some 40
actual sets exhibited along "Hollywood Boulevard" and "Rodeo
Drive." On hand to greet visitors are Hanna-Barbera characters (Yogi Bear,
Scooby Doo, Fred Flintstone, and others) and a talented group of actors
representing Universal stars from Harpo Marx to the Blues Brothers. The
long-running Ghostbusters attraction has been closed. (Now who we gonna call?)
Blowing into its place is Twister . . . Ride it Out, an attraction based on the
1996 blockbuster movie Twister, which brought Universal more than $245 million
at the box office.
 As an agent trainee, you'll zap aliens as you chase them
through the streets of New York City in this high-tech ride based on the smash
hit film.
But be warned ... these aliens zap back, sending your vehicle
wildly out of control. This ride is unique with the outcome based on your
score. You'll never have the same ending twice!
The real news at Universal Studios is
the opening of the second theme park, Islands of Adventure and the first of five
on-property resorts, a 750-room Loews hotel called Portofino Bay. Islands of
Adventure, with areas dedicated to Dr. Seuss and Marvel comic characters, may
give Disney real competition with not only roller coaster loving thrill seekers,
but also with the kiddie crowd, especially those dragging along their baby
boomer parents.
Rides and attractions utilize
cutting-edge technology-such as OMNIMAX 70mm film projected on seven-story
screens-to create terrific special effects. While waiting in line, you'll be
entertained by excellent preshows, better even than those at that other theme
park. Universal, as a whole, takes itself less seriously than the Mouse That
Roared, and the atmosphere is peppered by subtle reminders that in the
competitive theme-park industry it is not a small world after all.
Serving
as the gateway to UNIVERSAL Orlando, Universal Studios CityWalk is an endless
celebration of sight, sound and taste. This soul-stirring, 30-acre complex
surrounds you with a dazzling array of restaurants, nightclubs, shopping,
state-of-the-art cinemas and live entertainment venues inspired by popular
culture's most legendary innovators and originators. Its outdoor stages and
common areas are the setting for live concerts, art festivals, cooking
demonstrations, celebrity personal appearances, street performers, and a variety
of other fun and unique activities. A sparkling lagoon running through the
complex provides a picturesque location to sip a cool drink under the midday
sun, or take a moonlight stroll with that special someone. Whether you're a
visitor from out of town (or out of the country) or a resident of Central
Florida, CityWalk is the perfect place for you to start your morning, end your
evening, or spend the entire day. It's entertainment … with a distinct
attitude.
CLICK
HERE TO EXPLORE ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
 Yogi Bear might say that the Universal
character breakfast offers up more than just your "ordinary pic-a-nic
basket." The kidlets get a chance to have their picture taken with the
Universal characters who are, by the way, Woody Woodpecker, Yogi Bear, BooBoo
Bear, Scooby Doo, Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Fievel Mouskewitz, George
Jetson, and Rocky and Bullwinkle. (A rotating collection comes to each breakfast
so don't promise a specific character unless you confirm it through the
reservation office.) The menu is your basic breakfast fare of scrambled eggs,
Danish, cereal, and, for the adults, coffee and tea. These breakfasts are
usually less crowded than the ones at WDW, so the kids get more one-on-one time
with each character. A nice touch: The children get special cards and crayons so
they can get autographs. The character breakfasts are held from 8 to 9am,
Tuesday and Thursday. The cost is $13.50 for adults; $8.75 for children ages
3-11. For information call tel. 407/224-6339. You can make reservations up to 60
days in advance.
If you are planning a trip during late
February or March, keep in mind that a raucous Mardi Gras celebration is going
on in the evenings. Also note that Halloween Horror Nights, which usually runs
weekend nights throughout October, is a very grown-up event-with lots of alcohol
flowing-and really not suitable for younger children. The park is, however,
still open during the day.
Many of the park's best rides are
action-based thrill rides, which means your options will be limited if you are
pregnant or have heart, neck, or back problems. Review the rides and
restrictions when you enter the park so you don't stand in line for something
you won't be able to appreciate. There are, however, stationary areas available
at some moving rides. Check your park guide under "expectant mothers,"
then ask the attendants for assistance as you enter the ride.
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As with Walt Disney World, there is really
no "off" season for Universal, but during the winter months, usually
from January through April, the park crowds are smallest, the weather coolest,
and the air least humid. The summer months, when the masses throng to the park,
are not only crowded, but uncomfortably hot, sticky, and humid. During the
cooler months, you also don't have to worry about the daily summer storms. Avoid
spring-break months.
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| Men In Black:
Alien Attack
Traveler's Fare Rating - A+ |
Recommended
Ages: 8-adult
As an agent trainee, you'll zap aliens as you chase them through the
streets of New York City in this high-tech ride based on the smash hit
film. But be warned ... these aliens zap back, sending your
vehicle wildly out of control. This ride is unique with the
outcome based on your score. You'll never have the same ending
twice! |
| Back to the
Future: The Ride
Traveler's Fare Rating - A+ |
Recommended
Ages: 8-adult
Visitors blast through the space-time continuum, plummeting into
volcanic tunnels ablaze with molten lava, colliding with Ice Age
glaciers, thundering through caves and canyons, and briefly being
swallowed by a dinosaur in a spectacular multi-sensory adventure. You
twist, you turn, you dip and dive, and feel like you are really flying.
Stick to seats in the back of the car--designed to resemble the movie's
famous DeLorean--to avoid ruining the illusion by glimpsing your
neighbors careening hydraulically in the next bay. This is a very bumpy
ride and might not be appropriate for those with certain health
problems. Note: Pay heed to the posted warnings displayed at the
ride, and remember that children must be 40 inches tall. |
| The Beetlejuice
Graveyard Revue
Traveler's Fare Rating - A |
Recommended
Ages: 6-adult
Dracula, Wolfman, the Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein and his bride,
and Beetlejuice put on a funky--and very funny--rock musical with
pyrotechnic special effects and MTV-style choreography. Loud and lively
enough to scare some small children. |
| A Day in the
Park with Barney
Traveler's Fare Rating - A+ for kids / D for parents |
Recommended
Ages: all ages
Set in a park-like theater-in-the-round, this musical show--starring the
popular Purple One, Baby Bop, and BJ--uses song, dance, and interactive
play to deliver an environmental message. For young children, this could
be the highlight of the day. The playground adjacent to the theater is a
lot of fun with chimes to ring, tree houses to explore, and lots to
intrigue little visitors. Since it is air-conditioned, it is also a good
place to wait before the show. |
| Earthquake--The
Big One
Traveler's Fare Rating - B |
Recommended
Ages: 6-adult
You board a BART train in San Francisco for a peaceful subway ride, but
just as you pull into the Embarcadero Station there's an earthquake--the
big one, 8.3 on the Richter scale! As you sit helplessly trapped, vast
slabs of concrete collapse around you, a propane truck bursts into
flames, a runaway train comes hurtling at you, and the station floods
(60,000 gallons of water cascade down the steps). Note: Children
must be 40 inches tall and must ride with an adult. |
| E.T. Adventure
Traveler's Fare Rating - B |
Recommended
Ages: all ages
Visitors are given a passport to E.T.'s planet, which needs his healing
powers to rejuvenate it. You'll soar with E.T. on a mission to save his
ailing planet, through the forest and into space, aboard a star-bound
bicycle--all to the accompaniment of that familiar movie theme music. A
cool, wooded forest serves to create one of the most pleasant waits for
any ride in central Florida. This is a wait worth the ride, a pleasure
for kids of all ages. |
| The Funtastic
World of Hanna-Barbera
Traveler's Fare Rating - B+ |
Recommended
Ages: 5-adult
This motion-simulator ride takes guests careening through the universe
in a spaceship piloted by Yogi Bear to rescue Elroy Jetson. Prior to
this wild ride, you'll learn how cartoons are created. After it, in an
interactive area, you can experiment with animation sound effects--boing!
plop! splash!--and color in your own cartoons. This is a great place
for kids of all ages to take some time and play. Although it doesn't
make a lot of sense (since this is the park's most blatant kiddie ride),
children must be 40 inches tall. |
| Jaws
Traveler's Fare Rating - A |
Recommended
Ages: 8-adult
Did you really think it was safe to go back into the water? As your boat
heads out to the open seas, an ominous dorsal fin appears on the
horizon. What follows is a series of terrifying attacks from a 3-ton,
32-foot-long great white shark that tries to sink its teeth into
passengers. And there's more trouble ahead. A 30-foot wall of flame
caused by burning fuel surrounds the boat, and you will truly feel the
heat. I won't tell you how it ends, but let's just say, blackened shark,
anyone? (The effects are more startling after dark.) |
| Kongfrontation
Traveler's Fare Rating - B- |
Recommended
Ages: 6-adult
It's the last thing the Big Apple needed: King Kong is back! As you
stand in line in a replica of a grungy, graffiti-scarred New York subway
station, CBS newsman Roland Smith reports on Kong's terrifying rampage.
Everyone must evacuate to Roosevelt Island, so it's all aboard the tram.
Cars collide and hydrants explode below, police helicopters hover
overhead putting you directly in the line of fire, the tram
malfunctions, and, of course, you encounter Kong--32 feet tall and
13,000 pounds. He emits banana breath in your face and menaces
passengers, dangling the tram over the East River. A great thrill--or
just another day in New York. Note: Children must be 40 inches
tall to ride alone. Younger children may be frightened by the dark
waiting area. |
| Nickelodeon
Studios Tour
Traveler's Fare Rating - B |
Recommended
Ages: all ages
You'll tour the soundstages where Nick shows are produced, view concept
pilots, visit the kitchen where Gak and green slime are made, play
typical show games, and try out new Sega video games. There's lots of
audience participation, and a volunteer will get slimed. |
| Terminator 2:
3-D Battle Across Time
Traveler's Fare Rating - A+ |
Recommended
Ages: 8-adult
He's back . . . at least in Orlando. This is billed as "the
quintessential sight and sound experience for the 21st century!"
The same director who made the movie, Jim Cameron, has overseen this
production. After a little bit of a slow start, this attraction builds
to an impressive experience featuring the Big Man himself, along with
other original cast members, and combines 70mm 3-D film (utilizing three
23- by 50-foot screens) with live stage action and thrilling technical
effects. This ride would probably be rated PG for violence and loud
noise, but the crisp 3-D effects are among the best in any Orlando park.
Small children may find all the crashing and flying 3-D effects too
intense. |
| Twister...Ride
it Out
Traveler's Fare Rating - A |
Recommended
Ages: 5-adult
Visitors from the twister-prone Midwest may find this re-creation a
little too close to the real thing. An ominous funnel cloud,
five-stories tall, is created by 2 million cubic feet of air per minute.
And the sound of a freight train fills the theater, as cars, signs, and
trucks fly about while the audience watches just 20 feet away. It's the
windy version of Earthquake and packs quite a wallop. Crowds have
been known to applaud when it is all over. |
| Wild, Wild, Wild
West Stunt Spectacular
Traveler's Fare Rating - A+ |
Recommended
Ages: all ages
Stunt people demonstrate falls from three-story balconies, gun and whip
fights, dynamite explosions, and other wild west staples. This is a
well-performed, lively show that is especially popular with foreign
visitors who have celluloid visions of the American West. Kids, do not
try this at home. Warning: Heed the splash zone or you will
get very wet! |
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