The Cat in the Hat Ride

Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando

Oh, the places you'll go at Islands of Adventure. From the jungles of Jurassic Park to the medieval tableaus of The Lost Continent, rich tales come to life through attractions, shows, and immersive themeing. The most whimsical and charming "island" at the park, and the one expressly geared for young children, is Seuss Landing. Its showcase ride, The Cat in the Hat, brings guests face to face with the beloved Seussian characters and into their wacky, wonderful world.

• About.com Guide Rating (0=Yich!, 10=Wow!): 8
• Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 2.5
  Some spinning during the ride may frighten very young children
• Type: Dark ride
• Cat in the Hat and Seuss Landing Photos

The grins break out before the ride even begins when the vehicles, bright blue and orange six-passenger "couches," pull into the loading area. The attraction faithfully re-creates the original, seminal "Cat" story. Everything is there, from the Thing-1-and-Thing-2-infused bedlam that borders on anarchy, to the Cat's eventual redemption.

The ride's designers remain true to the book with the narrative soundtrack and the depiction of the characters, but they also pay homage to the Seuss oeuvre through their clever use of animatronics, lighting, wild effects, and other theme park attraction techniques. It's supremely silly with just the right dash of absurdity.

Clearly targeted to kids, the ride strikes a chord with anyone who has ever read the classic story--and that's just about everybody. Because it is typically among the first, if not the very first, book that preschoolers read, "Cat" holds a special place in our collective memories, if not our hearts. To see the goldfish scold the children or the larger-than-life Cat turn the house into a mess is like revisiting some very special friends. During Halloween Horror Nights, I saw a horde of slightly sloshed twenty-somethings completely enraptured by The Cat in the Hat's charms.

While the vehicles are not as sophisticated as the ones in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, they are able to spin on an axis. And wow, do they spin! It's not high-speed gyrations like the Tilt-A-Whirl or the Whip, but the spins are disorienting. If you let very young children know that there will be some spinning, I think they'll be fine. Anyone prone to motion sickness or dizziness from whirling rides may want to think twice before boarding the Cat in the Hat.

All of Seuss Landing Is out of Whack

The rest of Seuss Landing is equally enchanting. The Caro-Seuss-El replaces a merry-go-round's traditional flying horses with a menagerie of Suess characters. Every animal has a fun interactive feature, like ears that wiggle. One of its most charming features: as the ride slows to a halt, the accompanying calliope-style music also slows down.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a cute Dumbo-genre spinning ride. Small children would probably be content for hours exploring If I Ran the Zoo; the interactive play area is loaded with Dr. Seuss gags. Hungry Sams and other I-Ams will want to check out the Green Eggs and Ham stand. Yes, they really serve green eggs. The shops are a hoot with their yellow wigs, extra-tall Cat hats, and other crazy Seuss stuff.

There isn't a straight line to be found in all of Seuss Landing. The architecture is amusingly out of whack. Even the trees, which Universal imported from a hurricane-damaged area, are oddly bent and growing this way and that. In a park known for its cutting-edge thrill rides and roller coasters, Seuss Landing is a delightful oasis for young kids--and alumnae of the good doctor's School of Seuss.

Seuss Landing Photo Gallery