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Wacky Seuss Landing at Universal Studios Florida

“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!”  Dr. Seuss, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Dr Seuss’ popular books have played a big part in my kids’ childhood and started their love for reading. One of the areas we looked forward to seeing at Universal Studio’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida last year after Wizarding World of Harry Potter was Seuss Landing. This Saturday (March 2) is Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday and also the start of the annual Read Across America campaign week. So, it’s good timing for this post.

Seuss Landing entrance

Indeed, “funny things” were everywhere! This 10-acre land filled with rides, shops and eateries was based on Dr. Seuss’ children’s books. It was visually stimulating, whimsical, quirky and creative all rolled into one with an explosion of color. The color palettes of bright pastels and primary colors stayed true to the books.

Seuss Landing sign

The books and characters come alive here. It was like stepping into the wonderful, wacky world of Dr. Seuss. The whole area was designed with barely any 90-degree angles or straight lines. Curves and whimsy were everywhere from street lamps to crooked rails.

Seuss Landing Ice Cream Shop

Look up and you’ll see the palm trees are bent too. Mother Nature helped courtesy of Hurricane Andrew in 1992 which gave the trees its curves.  These trees survived the hurricane and were brought here for extra “seussian” touches.

Seuss Landing bent palm trees

I’m glad we brought the kids here when they were 9 and 6 years old last year. All the rides were appropriate for kids 10 and under. I’m not sure Seuss Landing will go very well with them five years from now. It’s a stark contrast to the dark and more adult themed lands of Harry Potter and Marvel Comics nearby. With only four rides here, it was surprising to find barely any lines on any of them.

Seuss Landing police car

Seuss Landing Rides and Attractions

The Cat in the Hat ride was a popular one with a 31-foot hat outside and 120 ride effects inside. We rode this twice because my kids were certain they missed things. It was fun to watch their reaction as their eyes lit up when we were transported into the pages of a beloved book we’ve read countless times.

Seuss Landing Cat In the Hat

We rode on plastic couches and were spun every which way with animatronics and bright graphics on a whirlwind tour of the story. So, be aware if anyone is prone to motion sickness. Please don’t ride this after eating lunch too.

Seuss Landing inside Cat in the Hat

This wouldn’t be a kid’s theme park without some type of carousel. Caro-Seuss-el is this park’s version which included many of the animals that appeared in the books like the elephant-birds(Horton Hatches the Egg), cowfish(McElligot’s Pool) and twin camels (One Fish, Two Fish...).  You won’t find a carousel like this anywhere else. In addition to the unique animals, riders can move the animals’ heads and make the fish eyes blink.

Seuss Landing Caro-Seuss-el

Horton the Elephant sits high on top of the carousel’s roof. True to its theme, the operator at Caro-Seuss-el even greeted us in a rhyming Dr. Seuss fashion. It was too bad I was too surprised and amazed to record him.

Seuss Landing Horton Caro-seuss-el

One Fish, Two Fish, Red fish, Blue Fish was a ride reminiscent of Disneyland’s Dumbo the Flying Elephant. This ride took us on fish vessels where kids controlled their fish’s motion and tried to avoid getting squirted from select spots (as long as you followed the instructions). This ride would be perfect during the humid Florida summers.

Seuss Landing One fish

High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride was great for kids of all ages especially the younger set. It was a monorail that meandered high above the land giving the riders a different perspective.  It was a pleasant ride to people watch and see which part of Seuss Landing you’ve missed.

Seuss Landing trolley train ride

Seuss Landing had four family-friendly eateries onsite including an ice cream shop and juice place. The two main ones were Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-Pendous and the Green Eggs and Ham Cafe. Yes, they actually served green eggs and ham sandwiches which didn’t sound so appealing. Since we had a dining plan, we ended up under the colorful circus big top instead.

Seuss Landing Circus McGurkus

My kids enjoyed going into each of the shops here. They were curious as to what each attractive storefront had inside. From books, toys, souvenirs and apparel, there were enough shops here to keep the kids entertained. Though, I can’t guarantee walking out empty-handed.

Seuss landing shops

If the kids are too small or not too interested with the rides, there are some walks like Sneetch Beach and the If I Ran the Zoo interactive playground.

Seuss Landing If I Ran the Zoo

My then 6-yearold son loved crawling through the tunnels and ran from one attraction to another. It was supposed to have 19 different interactive experiences but we were too busy keeping track of the kids’ whereabouts to count how many we did. Plan to spend some time here if you have toddlers.

Seuss landing If I ran the zoo

One of the main draws at many amusement parks is meeting the characters. My kids were so excited to meet the Dr. Seuss characters they have grown up with and haven’t seen anywhere else. They were more than happy to pose with Things 1 and 2 (nicknames they had also given themselves) and of course, the Cat in the Hat.

Seuss Landing cat in hat characters

We also found the Lorax and Sam I Am from Green Eggs and Ham.  They were a bit disappointed to not have seen the Grinch.

Seuss landing characters

We love Dr. Seuss for the various messages of conservation, inspiration and life lessons in the books. We were happy to find out most of Seuss Landing was created from recycled materials. Don’t miss walking through the Trufulla trees which was an important part in The Lorax about protecting the environment.

Seuss landing Trufulla tree

Being in Seuss Landing brought out the inner child in many adults. We saw couples enjoying the area without kids in tow. We loved the intricate details put into this land to ensure everyone who visits is completely immersed in the stories and books. My kids loved Seuss Landing, and we spent quite some time here. It was also the perfect place for fun and zany shots.

Seuss landing fun shots with lollipops

In honor of Read Aross America, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes and one I like to remind my little travelers.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” – Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut

Visiting Seuss Landing Tips and Basics

  • Check the Universal Studios Orlando website for the latest ticket prices and options.
  • We got the 2-day pass option which gave us enough time to explore the park. We only stayed for half the day on Day 2.
  • Consider staying at some of the onsite hotels (Loews Portofino, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific) for packages to the amusement parks which can also include express passes that bypass lines. It can be a great time saver for the whole family when visiting other parts of the park especially Harry Potter.
  • Get the Meal Deal for the park. Kids 9 and under ($10.99) and anyone ages 10+ ($21.99) can do the all-you-can-eat all option at select restaurants all day. It includes an entree and dessert.
  • We visited Seuss Landing on Day 2 before 10 AM and there were no lines on all the rides on a Monday in early January. So, visiting off-season on a weekday is best especially with younger kids. Go as early as you can to beat the crowds.
  • Read or catch up on some Dr. Seuss books if it’s been awhile since the kids read them.
  • Check the times when characters come out for photo ops at Seuss Landing since it always varies.

*Have you been to Seuss Landing? Would you make a stop? Favorite Dr. Seuss Book?

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Related Post:

 *Ten Things Not to Miss at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

36 thoughts on “Wacky Seuss Landing at Universal Studios Florida”

  1. If I was a kid I’d be thrilled to bits to visit Seuss Landing. But you’re right – there is a window for this sort of activity.
    I really cannot get over the stuff you have done with your kids. Every week you blow me away!!

    1. Thank you, Leigh! We try to get them to do all sorts of varied activities before they lose interest. Well, at least we know this park will stay with them for awhile since it was so unique.

  2. What an incredibly fun place for the young ones! I love Dr. Seuss. I think the first book I ever read was Red Fish, Blue Fish. I insisted that my poor mother read it to me so often that I memorized it. :)

    I love those “seussian” palm trees! What a great touch!

  3. I loved Seuss Landing – Emma and I went back and forth between there and WWOHP while Katie preferred to just focus on Harry Potter. The Cat in the Hat ride was fun but it made me dizzy! Emma loved getting wet on One Fish, Two Fish but I couldn’t convince her to ride the Caro-seuss-el with me. :( We didn’t see as many characters as you did but we did get a photo with a Who boy and a Who girl as well as the Grinch himself.

    1. After the second time, the Cat in the Hat made me dizzy too. Caro-seuss-sel was so relaxing and the only reason I went and rode it. Lucky you for seeing the Grinch!

  4. Mary, love that last quote. I’m sure your kids (my lucky adopted siblings!) will definitely go places!!
    Anyway, this park looks awesome and fun and colorful. I haven’t been to Universal Studio for eons. There was no Dr. Seuss rides the last time I was there. I love Dr. Seuss and I’d go back just for that. I’m sure it will bring back the kid in everyone.

    1. You make me laugh, Marisol :) Your adopted siblings had a blast here. Anyone who grew up with Dr. Seuss will be very nostalgic walking through here (with or without kids)

  5. Oh this is a definite must visit! I had no idea this was even around. My toddlers are very much into all-things-Seuss. Plus it’s sort of a spin off of where I got my blog name.

    Thank you for inspiring me every week. I absolutely love your blog, and I hope our family gets to enjoy the many places you have gone.

    Your faithful follower,

    Cheryl

    1. I love your blog title so I knew this would resonate with you. Your kids will love Seuss Land and they look old enough to ride everything here. I hope you get to visit with them soon. Thank you so much for the kind words, Cheryl. It means a lot and so glad to inspire others:)

  6. We were there when my kids were, unfortunately, just a little too old to enjoy the rides, but we LOVED the whole concept! It made me nostalgic for the days when the kids were little and we read soooo many Dr. Seuss books over and over and over because the rhymes are just so catchy and delightful!

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