RESORTS World Sentosa promises a unique way to be in the movies when it officially opens in the first quarter of 2010. For parked inside this massive 49 hectares of fun and entertainment on Singapore’s Sentosa Island (some one-tenth of the whole island) is the 20 hectares Universal Studios Singapore.

Within this are seven theme zones with 24 attractions – 18 of which are Universal Studios’ firsts (either new or specifically designed for this venue).

Among them is the world’s tallest pair of duelling roller-coasters – the Battlestar Galactica (Cyclon versus Human) – with one side seated and the other suspended as the two coasters propel thrill-seekers on a nail-biting 87-second-long ride along a 992-metre-long track that goes up to 42 metres in height!

Swimming with dolphins ON Resorts World Sentosa: West Side is the world’s largest oceanarium called Marine Life Park. Here, visitors can swim with dolphins, have an extreme shark encounter or even swim the lazy river and allow the current to carry them slowly for 2km downstream.   There is also the Maritime Xperimental ­Museum where one of the attractions is a shipwreck ­experience. At the 360° multimedia theatre, visitors board a vessel bound for Arabia which encounters a storm and is wrecked by the elements.

Other attractionss include the world’s first Transformers attraction (opening in  2011); Lights! Camera! Action! hosted by award-winning director Steven Spielberg; Accelerator, an ‘inter-galactic’ whirling-twirling ride; Treasure Hunters; Dino Soarin’; Donkey Live; and Madagascar: A Crate Adventure.

Some favourite rides have also been given a new twist such as ­Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic Park River Rapids and the ­Waterworld Stunt Show.

Resorts World Gentings, which is developed by Genting Singapore, has invested over US$1 billion on this theme park to ensure that ­visitors “get the chance to experience and ride the movies”.

“We are very excited to be here in Singapore,” said Douglas Trueblood, Universal Studios Parks & Resorts general manager, sales and marketing.   

“One of the mantras of ­Universal Studios is we give visitors the chance to see the inside and go behind the scenes. We will be bringing in 18 new rides and shows which makes Universal Studios Singapore truly unique and unlike all the other Universal Studios.”

Universal Studios Hollywood began giving tours of its studio lots way back in the silent movies era. Around 1964, these tours ­became part of the company’s money-spinning ventures with tours added of the stars’ dressing rooms, actual production sets and staged events.

Over the years, attractions such as hi-tech rides, stunt shows and staged shows have helped turn the tours into a theme park visit.

Since then, Universal Studios Hollywood has opened four other parks - two in Orlando, Florida; one in Osaka; and now, in Sentosa island, Singapore.

Situated on Resorts World ­Sentosa: East Side, Universal Studios Singapore offers not only stunning rides and experiences but also 13 food and beverage outlets ranging from western food to Asian ­specialities and local delights as well as retail outlets selling a large variety of themed collectibles, exclusive merchandise and movie-related paraphernalia.

Divided into seven zones themed Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, The Lost World, Far Far away and Madagascar, each area will have its own rides and attractions as well as eateries and retail outlets.

On a recent press tour of the site, quite a number of the ­attractions were almost ready for the theme park’s scheduled opening in late December.

A visit to Waterworld, based on Kevin Costner’s movie of the same name, gave us a preview of what to expect when it opens. A team put up a short action display of riding on a gun-boat and water-jets, falling off the scaffolding and even a good old fashioned punch-up.  

The Lost World was taking shape with its many dinos and Jurassic Park rides while Ancient Egypt was rising majestically seemingly from the sands of time.

The Far Far Away castle looked majestic from a distance but the most awesome was undeniably Sci-Fi City.

It’s an entire city set atop an­enormous energy­producing ­substructure which powers the city using wind, sun and water sources.

Visitors will also be well-protected from the weather, and the heat and humidity as most of the park will be covered by special canopies cooled by eco-friendly coolers.    

With all these to offer, Universal Studios Singapore hopes to draw in an estimated 4.5 million visitors in its first year of operation.

More from Resorts World Sentosa

RESORTS World Sentosa: Central will have six hotels (four will be ready in early 2010) and casinos as well as entertainment outlets and shopping arcades.

ESPA, a six-star brand from Britain, will be opening its first spa complex here. Prior to this, ESPA is only available at high-end hotels.

For entertainment, check out the rock-themed Voyage de la Vie, which was designed by Mark Fisher, the award-winning theatre and stage designer for Cirque De Soleil’s KA in Las Vegas.

There will also be a nightly free multimedia spectacle of light, ­laser, sound and fire show from two 16-storey-high steel cranes (the bird variety) at the Waterfront.

This spectacularly ­choreographed ­performance will be something that will be talked about for a long time to come. 

For more, log on to www.rwsentosa.com