Besides house-visiting, non-stop feasting on new year snacks and receiving loads of angbaos, you can spice up your Chinese New Year celebrations this year with a visit to Universal Studios Singapore and S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa.
From 9 – 25 Feb 2018, Universal Studios Singapore will ring in the Year of the Dog with a twist, featuring an all-new spectacular dragon dance procession by movie characters like Puss in Boots and the Minions. While in S.E.A. Aquarium, the annual Gong SEA Fa Cai celebration returns with Singapore’s only underwater dragon dance, Trail of Fortunes and other fun-filled activities.
Excited to find out more? Here is a sneak peek at the new festive offerings unveiled by both attractions.
Universal Studios Singapore (9 – 25 Feb)
Dance along with your favourite movie characters at Majestic Dragon Trail
Trailblazing this year’s celebratory event at Universal Studios Singapore is the all-new Majestic Dragon Trail, a reimagined spectacle based on the traditional dragon dance. You can expect to see the auspicious dragon make its way around the park, following the pulsating beats of the drums.
To fully immerse in the festive vibe, interact with the favourite characters on site such as the Minions, Sesame Street friends and Puss In Boots – all decked out in traditional Lunar New Year attire. With almost 20 character appearances in one visually stunning performance, the 20-minutes trail is set to create the best festive photo moments this new year.
Majestic Dragon Trail
Venue: Starts at New York, passing through Sci-Fi City and all other zones before ending at New York
Time: 1.00pm and 5.30pm
Catch the Rockafellas and Mel’s Dinettes at the ‘East-Meets-West’ street performances
Fans of Universal Studios Singapore would be familiar with the crowd favourites The Rockafellas and Mel’s Dinettes. This February, you can expect to watch them serve up an all-new East-Meets-West performance.
Resident b-boy crew The Rockafellas will wow you with the Fu Fighters show, a heart-pumping dance combining acrobatics and martial art demonstrations set against a state-of-the-art projection mapping at the New York Public Library.
Fu Fighters
Venue: New York Public Library
Time: 7.30pm (9 – 15 Feb), 7.30pm (10 Feb), 7.30pm and 8.45pm (6 – 25 Feb), 7.30pm and 8.45pm (17 and 24 Feb)
Mel’s Dinettes – the singing and dancing waitresses of Hollywood’s famous drive-in restaurant – will be dressed in cheongsams as they bring to life popular 50s and 60s hits. You can also sing along with them as they round off the splendid performance with familiar Chinese New Year tunes.
Mel’s Dim Sum Dinettes
Venue: Mel Diner’s Stage
Time: 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.00pm (9 -15 Feb), 11.00am and 12.30pm (10 Feb), 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.00pm (16 – 25 Feb), 11.00am and 12.30pm (17 and 24 Feb)
Laugh at the acts of Elmo’s TV Time at Pantages Hollywood Theater
Catch this lovable red monster as he joins Jim Magination and other Sesame Street friends, putting up comedy shows, action hits, and a reality talent competition that showcases entertaining remixes of popular songs. This all-singing, all-dancing original production is available year-round.
Check out the adorable Hello Kitty pop icon at Hello Kitty Studio and Hollywood China Arcade
Situated in the Hollywood zone in Universal Studios Singapore, the Hello Kitty Studio and Hollywood China Arcade are must-visits for avid fans of this beloved childhood pop icon. You can expect to be transported into a bubblegum-pink world of Hello Kitty, packed with exclusive merchandise. Over at Hollywood China Arcade, you can even revisit old-school arcade games such as car-racing machines and classic claw crane machines.
If you would like to splurge a little more at this rustic arcade store, with a minimum spending of S$38 in a single receipt (S$28 for Universal Studios Singapore Annual / Season Pass holder) at the park’s retail stores, you can enjoy one-for-one credit of S$15, S$30 or S$50 at Hollywood China Arcade.
S.E.A. Aquarium (9 – 28 Feb)
Marvel at the Sea Goddess and Sea Dragon at Singapore’s only underwater dragon dance
Usher in the Lunar New Year in a unique way by catching ‘The Sea Dragon Rises’, an underwater dragon dance performance at the iconic Open Ocean Habitat. A returning favourite at the annual Gong SEA Fa Cai traditions, you can catch divers in festive costumes performing traditional dragon dances alongside 40,000 marine residents such as manta rays and zebra sharks.
The Sea Dragon Rises
First Venue: Open Ocean Habitat
Time: 1.30pm and 3.30pm (Mon – Sun)
Second Venue: Shipwreck Habitat
Time: 11.30am (Sat, Sun, and PH only)
One of the highlights to look out for is the Sea Goddess as she guides the underwater dragon through various marine habitats and regales the story of the Fish of Fortune at the Ocean Dome.
The Sea Goddess Shares
Venue: Ocean Dome
Time: 12.00pm and 2.00pm (Mon – Sun), 4.30pm (Sat, Sun, and PH only)
Learn more about the Chinese culture at the Trail of Fortunes
With six areas showcasing popular Lunar New Year traditions and beliefs, you can uncover fun facts and read up on the symbolic attributes and marine version of each of the 12 zodiac animal signs. Environmentalists can also learn about the ways to save the ocean – from reducing plastic waste to saying ‘no’ to shark fins.
Trail of Fortunes
Venue: Various exhibits
Time: 10am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)
Educate yourself with a visit to the Shark Exhibition
Did you know that hammerhead sharks swim on their sides to increase swimming efficiency? Learn everything about sharks and latest discoveries about them at an all-new shark exhibition launched in collaboration with James Cook University, one of the world’s leading institutions for shark research.
You can expect to see an up-close biology and anatomy of a shark, the various species and the conservation efforts to protect them.
Shark Exhibition
Venue: Shark Seas Habitat
Time: 10am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)
Kids can also look forward to meeting the aquarium’s adorable mascots – Mai the manta ray and Sam the hammerhead shark, all decked out in Chinese-inspired garb.
Meet & Greet with Mai the Manta and Sam the Shark
Venue: Ocean Dome
Time: Mai: 12.30pm (Mon – Sun), Sam: 2.30pm (Mon – Sun)
For Singaporeans who do not have many house-visitings to do and would like to take a breather this coming Chinese New Year holiday, why not take this chance to bond with your family or friends with a fun-filled day at Universal Studios Singapore and S.E.A Aquarium?
Note: Timings subject to change. Refer to daily show schedule at the attractions.
Information extracted from press release issued by Resorts World Sentosa