Sunday, December 6, 2009

D&M Exclusive : Work-in-progress pictures of Universal Studios Singapore Ancient Egypt Land



If you're a faithful Disney and more reader you know from my previous updates that Universal Studios Singapore will open early next year. An official announcement will happen soon and apparently Universal is planning the grand opening of Universal Singapore for the end of January. In the park, guests will find both new and classic Universal Studios rides, and a brand new land: Ancient Egypt.



Located on the right side of the lake - when you come from the entrance - Ancient Egypt will have a great theming with a huge replica of an old Egyptian temple and palm trees all around. Guests will find of course the Revenge of the Mummy ride, the entrance of the attraction will be located where are these giants black Anubis statues on the picture below.





It seems that the columns of the temple will be painted, at least the top of them, as you can see on one of the columns on this next picture. Note also the engravings on the temple facade.



If we look closer to the attraction entrance we can see that the old Egyptian theming seems to continue inside the temple.



Another attraction, a brand new one specially for the park, will be called "Treasure Hunters" - you can see its location on the map below...



...an attraction where "Young treasure hunters will be able to drive their own vintage motor car through an expedition in an abandoned excavation site". On the picture below you can see two of the "vintage cars" inside what is probably the "excavation site" boarding area of the attraction.



On the next picture, the track that you can see in the middle of the road is probably a kind of guide-track for the vehicles, like in Autopia. If you enlarge the picture you'll see also what seems to be mechanical bugs that will probably move when the vintage car will pass by to scare the young drivers! In the background, other giant Anubis statues, part of the great theming of this land.



Always in this land guests will find a shop called "Carter's Curiosities" - a tribute to Howard Carter who discovered the tumb of Tut-Ankh-Amon. A shop for "Aspiring archeologists with grab replicas of historical artifacts or fossils discovered from ancient Egyptian ruins". Nearby, the "Oasis spice Cafe" will be a royal feast of the best of Mediterranean, Indian and Malay cuisines served in a Egyptian themed environment.

All these pictures, like the one below shot on a cloudy day shows a work-in-progress and this is not the final result, so we can expect this Ancient Egypt land to be even more beautiful when the park will open.



By the way, the red and blue coaster tracks you can see on a picture above behind the Egyptian temple are those of the Battlestar Galactica dueling coaster located in Sci-Fi City land next to Ancient Egypt. A little bit too close, if you ask me.



Meanwhile, right in the front of Ancient Egypt, on the other side of the lake, workers put the final touch to th Far Far Away Castle where visitors will step into the world of Shrek and Princess Fiona, and it seems it's going to be a reaaaly big castle!



Frankly, this Ancient Egypt land looks great. I've travelled in the "real" Egypt many times - wonderful country, by the way - and i can see where they took their inspiration. Nothing can equal the true temples of the glorious era of the Pharaohs, but I will go to Universal Studios Singapore with pleasure when it will be open to have a closer look to this great replica!


Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

Park maps and pictures: copyright Universal Studios Singapore

8 comments:

DragonFire FURY said...

Fanatastic update!
Thanks heaps.

angle said...

I'm pretty sure the mechanical bugs in picture #9 are actually two hippopotami.

Anonymous said...

Great article, Alain. The Egypt theming is very nice. The rollercoaster and that ugly castle? I don't like it at all.

Unknown said...

I think the bugs are hippos too. Also can you post more photos? That place looks amazing and I don't know if I will ever be able to go to Singapore.

Anonymous said...

OMG I'm soooooo excited for this, I made my plans to attend the opening already! Check out this sneak peek video in my blog http://www.jopiter.net/2009/12/universal-studios-singapore-sneak-peek.html

Anonymous said...

The ancient Egypt theming is nice but that unthemed and misplaced coaster reminds me why Disney is still unique in terms of thematic immersion.

The Shrek castle is nice enough I guess but still a little cheap looking.

Thanks for the great update!

- Tasman

Alain Littaye said...

Of course i will post new pictures when i will have some, but, talking about the too-close-roller coaster i have the feeling that it is partly due to the land that was available. I migh be wrong, but it seems they tried their best with the room available...

Anonymous said...

Is there other themeparks or attractions close to Universal Singapore? I seemed to remember something about Singapore trying to create this huge destination with Universal only being a part of it. Anyone got any other info on it or even better pictures? Thanks.