UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, ORLANDO Rides offer fun for young, old

Universal's newest rides get a mixed review -- one is fun, one is boring and one is scary.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
Universal Studios in Orlando is known for its rides and attractions that take you to other places, other worlds, even other dimensions.
Its newest ride, Men in Black Alien Attack, took me to a place I wished I had never encountered -- a place where my sons could whip their dad.
The game was alien hunting. On the first ride, I lost but quickly let everyone know that the game didn't count because I didn't realize until halfway through that the ride kept score.
I rolled my eyes as my 14-year-old son, David, tried to explain the proper use of the laser gun and where I should be aiming.
"Come on," I pleaded. "I didn't know they were keeping score."
"Let's ride again," said Matt, my 10-year-old son.
"Let's," I said defiantly.
Settling the score? This time, I thought I was doing great as our cart slid along a darkened city street created inside a park building.
My left hand braced the bottom of my laser gun, and my eyes frantically searched for the multi-colored aliens which were popping from windows, doors and trash cans. As soon as I saw one, I blasted away -- repeatedly, just in case my aim was off.
After our last shots were fired and our cart spun through a swirling mist, I looked at our scores.
"I don't think my gun was hooked up right," I said.
Despite the pain of another loss, I thought Men in Black was an excellent ride for the young and old. The ride is gentle and the aliens aren't too scary, even though my youngest son, 7-year-old Jason, choose not to ride the second time because he didn't like the spinning at the end.
Men in Black was one of several new rides and attractions that Universal has added since we were there six years ago.
Two of the other new ones, Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time and Twister... Ride it Out, both were rated PG-13.
The rating surely fit for Terminator, but Twister turned out to be tamer than just about any other attraction and the only disappointment in the park.
Out of breath: After watching a lightning storm develop over a farm in front of us, a woman near me said, "That was like watching a storm in your driveway."
The only twister was a whisp of smoke that swirled between the farmhouse and the barn.
Even more frustrating was realizing that Universal took out Ghostbusters to put in Twister. Ghostbusters was a special effects masterpiece.
On the edge: Unlike Twister, Terminator had us squirming in our seats as the 3-D movie sent a vicious creature and some menacing flying objects at the audience. The fright was heightened by the live actors who came in and out of the movie, making audience members feel as if they were part of the story.
Unlike Men in Black, which is more like a shooting gallery, violence in Terminator is quite realistic. While there isn't any blood, almost every person and machine is trying to kill someone or something.
Young children, or anyone uncomfortable with violent movies, should pass by this attraction.
The park's longtime favorites, which make you part of the action without being too violent, are still there. At the top of the list certainly is Back to the Future, which makes you feel as thoughyou're riding a flying DeLorean.
Earthquake, Jaws and Kongfrontation also are fun rides with a bit of scare, while E.T. and Futuristic World of Hanna-Barbara are good rides for younger children.
Young and old alike will enjoy visits to the Wild West Stunt Show, Animal Planet animal show and Nickelodeon, the children's programming network with studios at the park.
Nickelodeon staffers stage a game show that involves children and adults from the audience. While the game won't be shown on TV, everyone has a good time -- especially if you're the one who gets picked to be slimed.
We were glad we arrived at the park early. There is no pulling up close to the gate anymore.
New additions: Universal has added CityWalk, a large area of restaurants, stores and movie theaters built in front of the park. Visitors to the park must use a new parking garage, walk though what seems to be an airport terminal and then finally make their way through CityWalk.
Gates into the park opened about 15 minutes early, which gave us time to get to the back of the park and hit the park's most popular rides first.
Few people were at the park for the first hour, and in that time we rode E.T., Back to the Future and Men in Black twice.
At the end of the day we went back to ride Men in Black again, but there was a half-hour wait. We didn't ride it because my boys said they didn't want to wait that long.
I think they were afraid of what would happen if I finally got a gun that worked right.
shilling@vindy.com