As part of our itinerary exploring Singapore with a toddler, we spent a day at Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler. We’ve never been to Universal in the US, so we were excited for our first time. Even better, the tickets to Universal Studios Singapore are half the price of Hollywood and Orlando.
When we researched additional information on going to Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler, the official website wasn’t helpful AT ALL. It’s one big ad that doesn’t give you much information on exploring Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler or preschooler.
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To help other parents, I wrote this blog post to help you decide if visiting Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler is worth it. Children under 4 years old are free!
Although I think it’s worth it, especially if you are from the US, every family vacations differently. This theme park isn’t as overwhelming. Depending on the season, you can get everything done in a day.
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How to Get to Universal Studios Singapore
Best Time to Visit Universal Studios Singapore With a Toddler
The best time to visit Universal Studios with a toddler is during the week. There are fewer people during the weeks, especially mid-week.
Singapore has a hot and humid climate, so I recommend avoiding the summers, although we recently were at Universal Studios Singapore in early June.
We were lucky it didn’t rain while we were at the theme park with our preschooler.
If you want to avoid the crowds, August is the best time, but if you want to avoid the rain December to March is better.
Characters at Universal Studios Singapore
I wanted to see as many characters as possible, but my wife wasn’t on board. Luckily, most of the lines were short, so we saw most of the characters.
The characters appear at similar times in different parts of the park, so if you want to see your favorite character, I recommend splitting up for one parent to run to the place and hold your spot in line.
I am pretty bummed I missed Kung Fu Panda, but we ran into Gingy on our way to Puss in Boots, which was a welcomed surprise.
Here are some of the characters at Universal Studios Singapore for toddlers and preschoolers.
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Gru and The Minions
Our son loves Minions, which is part of the reason we went to Universal Studios Singapore in the first place. We knew he’d be excited to see them in person, so he had to meet them.
Unfortunately, Gru and The Minions do not come out together. The character alternate times, so when we first arrived, Gru was out, but we had to wait for the Minions.
We waited until almost closing time to get pictures with the Minions on our way out so we didn’t have to backtrack through the park.
The good news is they are building a new area, Minionland. It is scheduled to open in early 2024, which is vague, but we’d return to see it.
Kung Fu Panda & Master Tigress
I love Kung Fu Panda, but our son isn’t interested, so we didn’t get photos with Po or Tigress. You’d think I’d get what I wanted since it was my birthday, but that’s what happens when you have kids.
Our preschooler wanted to keep riding the Transformer ride, so that’s what we did. I wouldn’t have it any other way. We had so much fun.
Shrek & Fiona
We’ve watched the Shrek Halloween show on Netflix at least 948 times with our son when he was obsessed with Halloween in 2021.
When we arrived, we booked it to Far Far Away. When visiting theme parks, we start left to right because most people go right to left.
Our timing was perfect because Shrek and Fiona had just arrived, and only a few people were in line.
We got a nice family picture with them before heading into the 3D show to watch the same mini-series from Netflix, but the moving chairs were cool.
On our way to the Puss in Boots ride, we ran into Gingy and got a great picture.
Transformers
Our son recently got into Transformers while we were in Rio de Janeiro. He watched the cartoon Rescue Bots. Now he loves everything Transformers related, including the very expensive toys.
We got a chance to get a picture and video of Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons. It was funny. He was insulting everyone as they were taking pictures.
Madagascar
We didn’t take pictures with the characters from Madagascar, but we got to see them during a parade.
The Madagascar area is being renovated to become Minion land, so these characters no longer do meet and greets, but you can catch them dancing down the street.
Our son like the Penguins of Madagascar, so he wasn’t too excited to see Marty, King Julien, Gloria, and the others.
Blue (The Lost World)
We didn’t spend much time at The Lost World. Unfortunetly. Universal Studios Singapore is only open until 6 pm, so we ran out of time to see Ancient Egypt and The Lost World.
If your little one is easily scared by mechanical characters, I recommend skipping this one.
Our son recently started to understand the difference between real and fake, but we didn’t make seeing Blue a priority.
Sesame Street
Our four-year-old has always loved Sesame Street, Elmo in particular. He’s come a long way since we visited Sesame Place, where he cried (was scared) when he saw Elmo.
This time he couldn’t wait to give Elmo a huge. He’s becoming such a big boy. I might cry while writing this post.
Best Rides at Universal Studios Singapore for Toddlers
We got lucky at LEGOLAND Dubai. It felt like we were the only family in the park. We rarely saw anyone besides the staff.
This luck spilled over into our time in Singapore. Although Universal Studios Singapore was more crowded, we didn’t have to wait to get on rides. Our longest wait time was 10 minutes.
Since things were going so great, we didn’t get a chance to get on all the toddler rides. Our son wanted to ride a few again (four times), so we lost some time.
Overall Universal Studios has fun rides for toddlers. Here are some of our favorites.
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Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase 92cm
Our son loves everything about space, so I was excited for him to ride Sesame Street Spaghetti Chase.
The first time he wasn’t impressed, but he was excited to ride the second time after I explained the mission.
The plan was to blast off to space and help Elmo stop Macaroni the Merciless from stealing all the spaghetti.
It was fun playing pretend, and we walked onto this ride with no wait both times.
Dino-Soarin under 122cm (The Lost World)
Our son decided to skip Dino Soarin. It’s like City Airport at LEGOLAND Dubai or Dumbo at Disney World.
He wanted to meet the Transformers, so we headed to Sci-Fi City instead of getting on this toddler-friendly ride.
If you have younger little ones, this is a fun ride. It’s a great way to get views of the area.
Treasure Hunters under 122cm (Ancient Egypt)
We ran out of time and missed Treasure Hunters. It was one of the few kid-friendly rides with long wait times (30 minutes or more).
Your little one can be an archaeologist and discover the hidden treasures of Ancient Egypt. They can drive (on a track) to explore an excavation site where treasure awaits.
I was a little bummed we didn’t have time for this ride. When I went to check out the line, there were a lot of adults without kids in line or on the ride.
We decided to get to the front of the line to meet the Minions, which our little guy loved, so it was worth missing this time.
Magic Potion Spin under 122cm (Far Far Away)
We accidentally found Motion Potion when we went inside Fairy Godmother’s Potion Shop to ask for directions to the restroom.
There are no restrooms in Far Far Away, so have your little one try to go before getting there. If not, you will have to make a run for the closest restroom, which is in The Lost World or Hollywood.
This is the perfect ride for young toddlers three and under. Our little guy rode it, but it wasn’t worth the wait.
There was only one attendant, and she had to load, unload, and control the ride, so it took a long time for him to get around two times.
If your little one likes adventure, I recommend skipping this ride. Funny enough, this was the longest line of the day.
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Best Rides at Universal Studios Singapore for Preschoolers
Our little guy is finally tall enough to get on more rides. We’ve been slowly easing him into the “big kid phase” now that he’s getting closer to five years old.
If you go to Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler over 102 cm (40 in), there is a lot for your little one to do.
Here are the best rides at Universal Studios Singapore with preschoolers.
TRANSFORMERS The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle 102cm (Sci-Fi City)
Our son recently became obsessed with Transformers. He started watching Rescue Bots, and now everything is about Transformers.
We didn’t think he’d like this ride, but he loved it. He asked to ride it again to help Optimus Prime with the mission.
By the time we left Sci-Fi City, he’d been on this ride four times and suckered me into getting him a new Transformer (a few weeks earlier, we bought the cheap knockoff brand, but it broke the same day).
We got lucky because we walked onto the ride every time with no wait.
This is a 3-D motion ride, so if your preschooler does not like a lot of movement, ask to sit in the last row of the car.
Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure 107cm (The Lost World)
Jurassic Park Rapids is the only water ride at Universal Studios Singapore. We weren’t interested in getting wet, so we opted out of this ride.
If your toddler loves dinosaurs, this ride is a must. Our son is more interested in fossils than the actual dinosaurs, but it’s still a fun ride for preschoolers.
The scenery resembles Jurassic Park. It’s a nice touch for those who grew up watching the original Jurassic franchise movies.
Canopy Flyer 92cm (The Lost World)
We planned to ride the canopy flyer, but it was closed for maintenance. It had been running all day, but by the time we made it to The Lost World, we didn’t have much time to wait for it to start running again.
This would have been a fun ride for our toddler to see the entire park. It wasn’t at the top of our list of rides for the day, so we weren’t too upset.
Accelerator (Sci-Fi City)
The Accelerator is a spinning ride, similar to the tea cups at Walt Disney World. We couldn’t get a picture here, but it was a fun ride.
It’s a great way to get a nice breeze as you twist around. Again, we must have done something right because we walked onto this ride after getting on Transformers four times.
Puss In Boots Giant Journey 100cm (Far Far Away)
We got lucky and only waited five minutes for the Puss in Boots ride. I was skeptical that it would be too much for our preschooler, but it wasn’t too fast.
You climb the bean stock and follow Puss as he escapes the mama goose, who is trying to get her baby.
There is one area where the ride unexpectantly speeds up, but it only lasts a few seconds.
Overall, this ride is a nice introduction to roller coasters for preschoolers.
Enchanted Airways 92cm (Far Far Away)
This is your chance to climb aboard Dragon from Shrek and explore Far Far Away.
Along the journey, you will see some of your favorite characters, including the Big Bad Wolf, Pinocchio, Gingy (my favorite), and the Three Little Pigs.
Our little guy was brave and rode this mini roller coaster. The wait was less than five minutes, which helped with our nervousness.
I didn’t have time to get a picture, but I will get one next time. We plan to return to Universal Studios Singapore sometime next year after Minion Land is open.
Things to Bring to Universal Studios for Toddlers
Traveling with toddlers always requires preplanning, especially when spending the day at theme parks. It will be a long day for everyone, so having everything you need will make your day easier.
Here are the things we recommend bringing to Universal Studios with a toddler.
Sunscreen
The sun in Singapore can be a little intense, so having sunscreen for your toddler is essential. You don’t want a baby or toddler with a sunburn.
Sunburns are a nightmare for parents, so having and reapplying sunscreen is crucial for your day at Universal Singapore with toddlers.
We’ve been using Blue Lizard Baby for years for our preschooler because he sweats a lot. This is our go-to sunscreen for babies and toddlers, but whatever your preference, remember to reapply every 80 minutes.
Hydro Cell Stainless-Steel Water Bottle
We do not go anywhere without our son’s water bottle. This stainless steel bottle keeps his water cold, perfect for a hot day at Universal Studios Singapore with a toddler.
Unlike other toddler water bottles, this one is easy to clean, has a push button, is spill-proof, and has a carry handle. It’s the perfect water bottle for traveling with a toddler.
Umbrella & Sun Hat
Umbrellas aren’t just for rainy days. They protect your little ones from the sun.
Since switching to the GB Pockit+ All-Terrain, we have used our umbrella to supplement the small sun canopy.
Along with the umbrella, a sun hat is essential when traveling with a baby or toddler. We always keep one in his travel backpack, so we have it.
The weather here in Asia is unpredictable, no matter what the weather channel says.
It will start raining out of nowhere and stop just as quickly in Singapore, so having an umbrella is good no matter what.
The best thing about traveling with a little one is having a travel stroller. You can throw it in the storage basket if you don’t need it, but better safe than sorry.
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Sound Proof Earmuffs
Our son is sensitive to sound, so we always have his noise-canceling headphones when we go to theme parks.
These headphones make him feel safe, so we recommend these to other families with toddlers.
He says they give him superpowers to get on rollercoasters. Since wearing them, he’s gone on nearly ten big kid roller coasters.
I hate roller coasters, but I put on a brave face for our little guy. Maybe I will start to like them after a while. Either way, we get through it together.
