Seuss Landing at Universal Studios: Thing 1 – Fun Whimsy Galore for All Ages!

It doesn’t have to be Wacky Wednesday for you to immerse yourself in the magnificent, multi-colored menagerie of rides, shops, and shows at Seuss Landing in Universal Studios Orlando! Paying homage to some of Seuss’s most beloved books, you can pal around with the Sneetches (both star-bellied and plain), the Cat in the Hat, the Lorax, and even Sam-I-Am!

Seuss Landing has burst to life straight from the pages of our favorite rhyme-filled stories. Swimming in nostalgia and childhood glee, an adventure here is an ideal day for both kiddos and book-loving adults alike.

The Doctor is in, and he’s just prescribed a day of fun and nonsense words: You’ll never be bored when you try something new. There’s really no limit to what you can do!

The Wild and Wacky Real-Life Dr. Seuss

“I meant what I said and I said what I meant.“

Horton Hatches The Egg

Of course, the inspiration behind Seuss Landing was the imagination of Dr. Seuss himself, a renowned author and wordsmith of the 20th century. His real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, and he fell in love with wordplay at an early age when his mother recited rhymes to help him sleep.¹ For Theodor, rhymes were forever intertwined with happy, familial memories.

You could say he earned his doctorate in funny business during his college years. Theodor was editor-in-chief of his school’s magazine, “Jack-O-Lantern,” but was banned from extracurricular endeavors after he and his friends were caught with a pint of bootleg gin.² However, this didn’t put an end to his publications! Theodor simply began submitting his cartoons under the pen name “Seuss,” eventually promoting himself to “Dr. Seuss” in the following years.

It seemed like Seuss was always writing or drawing – usually doodles of humorous creatures like wockets in pockets – but occasionally, his creations contained serious undertones, like those drawn during the Second World War. He used his cartoons to comment on isolationism or increase American morale. After three years and over 400 editorial cartoons, Seuss had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel and was given the Legion of Merit award for his creative service in the war effort.³

Although Seuss had been passionately patriotic, his first love was still crafting children’s stories. He had been working on his fourth book when the war began (“Horton Hatches the Egg”) and finally returned to writing his civilian tales in 1947. He published over 40 books in his lifetime, which are still loved by children (and grown-ups, thank you!) all around the world.

Whether young or old, there’s nothing better than cracking open “The Cat in the Hat” with a cup of hot cocoa on a rainy day… except perhaps getting to play with the Cat in real life.

But cats do not jump out of books from the blue –
Unless the impossible could be possibly true!
(I’m new to this rhyming thing – how did I do?)

The Cat in the Hat

“It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.“

The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat ride at Seuss Landing is a loving recreation of the timeless literary classic. “Story coaster” is probably the most apt description for this wubbulous experience. You twist and turn from room to room while the story unfolds before your eyes, narrated by enchanting voice actors who perfectly capture the Cat’s carefree attitude and the fish’s anger at his antics. Not to mention the manic giggles of Thing 1 and Thing 2!

The three-dimensional figures of Cat, Fish, and the Things still perfectly retain their cartoonish appearance as they animatronically create mischief in each scene. From the Cat balancing fish’s bowl atop an umbrella to the Things toppling a piano, each iconic moment has been transported from the page for you to enjoy. Let’s just hope Mother doesn’t see what Cat has done to her house. . .

While we’d call this a “story coaster,” we’re using “coaster” in the loosest sense of the word. There aren’t any dramatic drops or high-speed launches; however, you will swerve from side to side and experience moments of darkness with cool blacklight effects.

While the motion of the ride may be a little tame, we promise you that it’s anything but lame! In fact, after a few spins, you may place it in your personal Hall of Fame! As your thrills are provided by the Cat in the Hat, you’ll be amazed as you watch him do this and do that! (See what I did there? LOL.)

Seuss Landing Character Zone

If you can’t get enough of the Cat in the Hat, we recommend heading over to the Dr. Seuss Character Zone! Throughout the day, you can find the Cat, Thing One, Thing Two, Sam I Am, the Lorax, and even the Grinch, all ready and eager for those adorable photo-ops!

Who’ll be hanging out in the Character Zone can vary from day to day, and may also depend upon the time of day. No matter which fuzzy buddy you find, it’s sure to be fun!

Caro-Seuss-el

“And the turtles of course. . .All the turtles are free, As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”

Yertle the Turtle

Zany entertainment doesn’t end with the Cat in the Hat – continue your Seuss Landing adventure at Universal Orlando on the Caro-Seuss-el!

The Caro-Seuss-el is the spinningest, winningest carousel you’ll ever encounter! Rather than horses, each creature is one that was born from the imagination of Dr. Seuss. There are dog-a-lopes, elephant-birds, and even cowfish. However, there’s even more to this marvelous menagerie than meets the eye. Unlike the inanimate beasts of other merry-go-rounds, you can make these Seussically stupendous steeds come to life! With a pull of the reigns or the push of a lever, you can make your dog-a-lope blink its eyes or have your elephant-bird wiggling its ears! No two Caro-Seuss-el creatures are exactly alike, so you can pick a favorite friend to ride again and again.

This gently spinning ride is perfect for kiddos and fun-loving adults who don’t get too dizzy. Each Caro-Seuss-el ride is about two minutes long. Enjoy a cool breeze and watch the misshapen scenery of Seuss Landing spin by as jingly-jangly music fills the air. (And by misshapen, we mean delightfully wibbly-wobbly! There are no straight lines in the construction of Seuss Landing!) Oh, and be sure to look closely at the tippy-top of the Caro-Seuss-el: our friend Horton is there, carefully guarding his dandelion puff!

Don’t let the “kiddie” nature of the Caro-Seuss-el, or Seuss Landing, fool you. It’s brimming with charm that’s sure to enchant anyone with a sense of whimsy. After all. . .

You’re never too old to enjoy a good book or an amusement park with the very same look! Fun is for those who are big and are small; fun is for everyone, yes, one and all! So spin on the Caro-Seuss-el and play with the Cat, and soon you’ll be having a blast just like that!

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There’s so much more to explore in Seuss Landing at Universal Orlando – shops, dining experiences, and even more wonderfully book-based rides! We hope you’ll enjoy our three-part series that covers it all!

Have you visited Seuss Landing? What’s your favorite ride? And who’s your favorite Seussical creature? Let us know in the comments below!

(I like the zillow on a pillow!)

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Featured photo: Colleen via Flickr