There’s something magical stirring in Universal Studios Singapore, in the land of Far Far Away. Inside a fantastical store called the Fairy Godmother Potion shop, Princess Fiona’s fairy godmother (if you remember her, she’s the rotund, bespectacled flying ‘witch’ in disguise who’s actually Charming’s mother) is bottling magical elixirs out of an enormous tank.
Step inside this store and you’ll find wooden beams, brick walls, huge doorways and Shrek characters welcoming you as you enter. The space is bound to draw you into the mystical world of Shrek, where fantastical characters come to life: donkeys shoot their mouths off and ogres are actually friendly.
A rendering of the interior of the store
I was awestruck when I saw the store, which is complete and has been fitted out. There are three things you can do there: there’s a retail shop for you to bring home your memories of the park, a counter where ‘potions’ aka fresh juices would be sold and a ferris-wheel kiddies can ride while their parents shop or get a breather. How awesome is that?
At the Fairy Godmother Potion Shop, you’ll find all things Shrek! Personally, I’m in love with Gingy, the gingerbread man but I absolutely love the huge variety of Shrek plush toys, character caps, photo frames and lots, lots more! (Note to fellow fans of Gingy, you HAVE TO look out for the stuffed confectionery character on the shelves, it’s simply a sweetheart! Get the pun?)
At the drinks stand (called Fairy Godmother’s Potion Factory) where fresh juices are served, the best thirst quenchers for anyone are served. Rejuvenating and healthy, the little ones would love it too. The most wondrous thing is that you can ‘brew’ any concoction you desire, and this is limited only by your imagination.
A youth 'elixir' made of beetroot, strawberry and apple juice -- let your imagination run wild as you come up with your own potions!
Last but not least, the Magic Potion Spin ride would delight the tykes who’re ever eager to hop on another attraction. Offering the rider a bird’s eye view of the hustle and bustle in the shop, the ferris wheel will allow its passengers a chance to catch the fun and whimsical atmosphere.
Honestly, words and pictures can’t capture the magic you will experience as you will be transported into another world when you set foot into the store. So I shan’t deliberate because I know you’ll come. You know you want to!
What’s a world-class theme park without food? A situation like this would probably leave tonnes of unhappy guests, famished and frustrated. That’s why Universal Studios® Singapore has a wide selection of dining outlets and food carts designed to complement your theme park experience.
Other than our theme dining restaurants like Mel’s Drive-In, KT’s Grill, Hollywood China Bistro and Celebrity Café & Bakery, you’ll see lots of distinctive food carts dotting the various zones and parked outside certain rides or attractions to satisfy your every craving.
However, be warned if you’re watching the scales, because we’ll be serving wicked snacks to whet your appetite for once you start, you can’t stop!
Of these eye-catching food carts I’d mentioned previously, one which stands out is the popcorn cart, which will be selling an assortment of uniquely-flavored popcorn with flavors like green apple, grape, and lots of others. Personally, I’m looking forward to tasting the churros (Spanish fried dough) from the churros cart, which will be out of this world because they are filled with yummy, velvety chocolate!
Imagine the dark, molten chocolate oozing out of the churro as you take your first bite into the hot confectionery. Yum! I know I’ll be on cloud nine, that’s for sure!
If savories are more your thing, sink your teeth into roti-prata wrapped sausages which promise to change your perception of how the local Indian favourite dish should be served. Also, be sure to stop by the pretzel food cart because you’ll live to regret it if you don’t grab one of the mouth-watering cheese-filled pretzels available. Buy a round for your friends and family. I can guarantee that they would be delighted with this treat.
For light snacks, we’ll also have rice-crispy bars, something to keep the kids happy and not be overfed for more exciting rides and adventure for the entire day!
Last but never least, if you’ve never tried turkey legs, I must exhort you not to leave Universal Studios Singapore without trying one, because it’s a truly divine dining experience that tops my snack list anytime. Once you’ve tasted it, nothing else ever comes close.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you with open arms really soon. Think turkey drumsticks. Think churros. Get ready your appetite because you’ll need it. Trust us.
Just last week when I was on my way to work, I saw the Far Far Away castle, or for fans of the DreamWorks animation, the name of the castle is the ‘First Castle from the World of Shrek’.
It’s being built at an unbelievable speed; other than the highest turret which has been erected (measuring some 42.5m in height), the main facade is also almost completed.
For a moment, I felt like a child again, looking at the majestic castle and wondering what it beholds. Then it occurred to me that this is a part of my (world’s first) ‘office’, considering I’ll be conducting work at some point in time in the castle, be it showing the media around or talking shop with my Universal Studios Singapore colleagues. I can’t believe we’re almost coming to the end of the rainbow to find the pot of gold!
A mock-up of the ginormous lettering, which will greet visitors to Sentosa Island. This has been put out in the sun some weeks back to test the weather fastness of the paint.
The other exciting development for me is actually the constructing of the larger-than-life-sized alphabets that spell ‘Sentosa’ at the entrance of the island, which will be among the first things greeting guests when they commute to Resorts World Sentosa. The letters are humungous and I’ve seen them at the current construction site, waiting to be transported to their new home. Imagine—instead of the famous Hollywood sign that has become emblematic of the playground of the rich and the famous in Los Angeles, we’ll all be seeing ‘Sentosa’ standing proudly on our own Sentosa hill, and that’ll be another unforgettable sight to behold.
And now to continue where I left off at my previous entry, I’ll fill you in on more of Universal Studios Singapore’s exciting food offerings. Other than the 12 dining outlets, of which six are Halal certified for our muslim guests (i.e. Mel’s Drive-In, Friar’s, Goldilocks, Celebrity Café & Bakery, Oasis Spice Café and Gloria’s Snack Shack) and the many vegetarian options to cater to the diets of lacto-vegetarians, strict vegans and fruitarians alike, we also have innovatively-themed food carts too — and you heard it here first!
The Pops! food cart... with loads of popped delights
Instead of your usual run-of-the-mill food kiosks, some of these amazing 500-metre long fanciful food carts are actually fabricated out of automobiles and will be stationed at the respective zones of the park. They are extremely eye-catching and were creatively designed to reflect the food they serve. Like for the Pops! food cart shown in the photograph below, naturally, it spells popcorn! But not just any salted caramel or sweet-buttered popcorn, there’ll be flavours out of this world that you’ve never tried before.
In addition to this one, there’ll be a motley crew of others with quirky names like Tail of the Pup selling hot dogs and sausages; Curry Up! selling Indian pratas; Gingy’s House of Sweets selling special candy apples and Little Red’s selling smoked giant turkey legs and yummy savoury pies.
As for drinks, grab special arctic blast frozen drinks from the Antarctic Refreshments food cart and for some indulgence, sink your teeth into the extremely sinful, but mouth-watering churros first to hit Singapore, from The Churro Station food cart. Are you drooling yet?
I can already hear my tummy rumbling so while I go settle my hunger pangs, I’ll leave you to rummage your refrigerator. Expect more photos when we’re ready to release them, and so until my next entry, eat well and sleep well because you are what you eat!
A writer for a food magazine before I joined the Resorts World Sentosa family, I consider myself luckier than most and find myself in positions where my friends and colleagues always bug me to bring them along for food tastings. Yep. I love my life.
