Ask the Experts: A 9-year old reviews the rides

Five New Continents to Explore: Islands of Adventure

Orlando After Dark: Citywalk

eferred to in Fodor's current Orlando guide as "the best vacation attraction in the world," Universal Studios is going head-to-head with Walt Disney World as Florida's leading and most-visited attraction. Upping the ante in the theme park business with their more entrenched arch-rival, Universal Studios Escape as it is now called, has invested billions in new real estate and new attractions to entice you to not only visit their ever-expanding universe, but to stay there as well.

Cleverly teaming up with Loews Hotels, a decidedly upmarket hotel chain, Universal unveils their stunning 650-room Portofino Bay Hotel this September, where you can stay and enjoy the original Universal Studios Florida theme park one day and the new Islands of Adventure the next. Connecting the two parks is Citywalk, a 30-acre nightlife attraction featuring a 2,000 seat Hard Rock Live venue, Jimmy Buffet's Magaritaville and TV chef Emeril's Restaurant as well as other sports-themed bars and restaurants -- even a dance club and a state-of-the-art cineplex. As an alternative to downtown Orlando, you can enjoy Citywalk without entering the theme parks as well.

A visit to Universal Studios is an essential destination for anyone who loves the larger-than-life world of movies and entertainment. Great attention has been paid to the set design, making for a magical and thrilling movie-like experience. For a complete listing of all the attractions at Universal Studios Florida, scroll below. To discover the Islands of Adventure, click here . RIDES Back To The Future ...The Ride Earthquake: The Big One E.T. Adventure The FUNtastic World of Hanna-Barbera JAWS Kongfrontation Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster (summer 1999) SHOWS Terminator 2: 3-D The Animal Actors Show Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue Dynamite Nights Stuntacular Gory, Gruesome & Grotesque Horror Make-Up Show Hitchcock's 3-D Theatre The Wild, Wild, Wild West Stunt Show A Day in the Park with Barney Hercules & Xena: Wizards of The Screen Twister... Ride It Out Universal Studios Islands of Adventure Preview Center Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone (summer 1999) STREET ENTERTAINMENT Blues Brothers in Chicago Bound Universal's Studio Brass INTERACTIVE EXCITEMENT AT&T Entertainment Center AT&T At The Movies Amity Pitch & Skitl Games The Boneyard Caricature Artists Fievel's Playland Hanna-Barbera Interactive Area Hitchcock Interactive Area Jurassic Park T-Rex Attack Photo Spots Lucy: A Tribute Sega's Coney Island Arcade Sega's Space Station Arcade SET STREETS Hollywood Beverly Hills Garden of Allah Hollywood Hilis Rodeo Drive Studio Forecourt Sunset Boulevard Walk of Fame Assorted Angkor Wat Industrial Park and Warehouse Metropolitan Battery Park Boardwalk Brownstone Street Central Park Coney Island Dead End Pier Gramercy Park Little Italy New York City Street Sting Alley Theater District Upper East Side Waterfront Street West Side Story Alley New England Amity Harbor Amity Village Boston Bay New England Street San Francisco Cable Car Turn-A-Bout The Cannery The Embarcadero Fisherman's Wharf Ghirardelli Square SFRT Subway Station Union Square Park World Expo Doc Brown's Science Center Expo Drive Exposition Park World's Fair Site TOURS Nickelodeon Studios Tour V.l.P. Tours

A fully-functioning movie and television studio living inside a meticulously laid-out movie set/theme park, the original Universal Studios Florida,which opened in 1990, draws on its decades of film production, lore and memorobilia, assembling them all in a state-of-the-art presentation that'll have your head spinning. Movie music wafts from hidden speakers as you move from one thrill ride to the next. Old standbys like Jaws and Earthquake still pack 'em in, while newer presentations like the amazing Terminator 3D and Twister keep things current .

There's so much to see and do here, you might as well stay over in the stunning 750-room Portofino Bay Hotel, opening in September (see article). The 650-room Hard Rock Hotel will follow next year. One of the enticements to stay on-site will be VIP treatment for hotel guests at all the attractions, meaning one hour's admission prior to the general public and other worthwhile perks.

But let's get to the important stuff first- so click here for the hot new rides!

Click here for a map of Universal Studios Escape

• Guest transportation mediums include water carriages, ferries, multi-car trams, motor coaches, pedestrian-friendly walking and biking thoroughfares and streamlined people-moving system
• A five-tiered, 3.4 million square-foot parking facility has a capacity for 9051 vehicles and has the capability to expand to contain 10,800 vehicles. It was completed in December 1996. A second six-tiered parking garage was completed in 1999. The 3.9 million square-foot building has parking for 10,253 vehicles. The combined structure is the largest car park in the world.
• Increased motion picture and television production facilities
• Ultimately, Universal Studios Escape will employ almost 20,000 persons and will be the largest employer in the City of Orlando. Universal Studios Escape currently employs 11,000 people.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CITYWALK All New Hard Rock Cafe Orlando, Hard Rock Live, NBA City restaurant Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Bob Marley - A Tribute to Freedom Universal Cineplex Emeril's Restaurant Orlando CityJaz Down Beat Jaz Hall of Fame Thelonious Monk Institute of Jaz Live performance venue Motown Cafe NASCAR Cafe Pastamore Pat O'Brien's Latin Quarter the groove