Universal Studios Hollywood is an amazing theme park. You should always start the day with the Studio Tour. A tram takes you around to different movie sets. You also get to go in a soundstage where there is no filming at that time. You see a subway. There's a big fire. If you sit on the left side of the tram, you get to feel the heat of the REAL fire! There is also fire in another part of the Studio Tour. There are cars on big, robotic sticks. The cars move and flip around with fire all around them. It shows how cars flip over, crash and explode in a movie. Very recently, there was something new added to the Studio Tour. It's called King Kong 3-D. In King Kong 3-D, there are two giant movie screens. With your 3-D glasses on, you see King Kong fighting dinosaurs. Because of all the destruction, the tram is shaking. And then … back to soundstages. Three great rides at Universal Studios are the Simpsons Ride, Jurassic Park and Revenge of the Mummy. Everybody knows that The Simpsons is a TV show. They made an amazing simulator called The Simpsons Ride. In line, there are TVs showing funny things the Simpsons do. On the simulator, the scientist character from The Simpsons creates a door that, if you enter, you will turn 50 feet tall! Maggie Simpson enters. Sideshow Bob takes away her pacifier and he'll only give it back if Maggie destroys their hometown, Springfield. This is a crazy five-minute simulator! You'll think it's actually happening … BUT IT'S NOT! Another fun ride is Jurassic Park. This is a water ride. You will see lots of dinosaurs. A few of them spray water at you. But suddenly, the dinosaurs start getting dangerous. Cars start falling down, almost landing on you! But the only exit from Jurassic Park is an 84-foot waterfall drop! And that's how the ride comes to a stop … and ends. Another ride is Revenge of the Mummy. It starts off very slow. You see creepy skeletons and mummies. Suddenly, the ride goes in a bunch of twists and turns. But it stops. There's no more track. The ride does those twists and turns again … but backward. You should always end the day with the creepy, scary House of Horrors. You walk through a haunted house. Monsters chase you. Turn, and who knows? You could be nose-to-nose with a vampire.

Thu., Sept. 2, 9 a.m., 2010

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