As I walked past Shrek’s cottage and chomped down on my Shrekzel, I could have sworn I spotted the Far Far Away Castle in the distance.

But my eyes were deceiving me because it was actually Panda Village - another one of the new thrills available to enjoy at Universal Orlando Resort’s DreamWorks Land this summer. 

DreamWorks Land, which opened in June, is just a few steps away from some of the theme park’s favourite attractions, and I was lucky enough to try it.

And I can assure you that it really is like being inside the movie of Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda.

There's not many other places else in the world can you eat a Frozen Ogre, learn some moves with Kung Fu Panda himself and get a selfie with Poppy the Troll.

Shrek's Swamp

Shrek fans can say hello to the ogre himself, Princess Fiona and Donkey outside his cottage, and don’t worry, he didn’t shout “Get out my swamp!” this time around. 

He was nothing like he was in the first film when unannounced guests turned up outside - I even managed to crack some jokes with him.

I couldn't believe my ears as Shrek let out a cheeky fart moments after meeting him. 

Before entering Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres, I was greeted by Pinocchio, who told me: “You think a swamp would be more humid. But this is lovely.”

But I’m pretty sure he was lying as his nose started to grow straight after he said it… 

If you get peckish, you can stop off outside his cottage to try some Shrek-themed snacks, which include a Swamp Dog, Mud Puddle Pudding, Far Far A Waffle (although my favourite was the Shrekzel - you can guess what it was).

The Trolls Trollercoaster

Next up was The Trolls Trollercoaster.

Now, if rides like VelociCoaster and The Incredible Hulk Coaster aren’t your thing, the kid-friendly attraction will be an absolute walk in the park.

Despite that, I did find myself screaming like a little kid again as we tried to escape some of the scary spiders on the caterpillar Caterbus.

Panda Village

Shortly after I chomped down on a Poppy-licious Pink ice-cream and made my way over to the ancestral home of Po, Panda Village, where you can learn some moves at Po’s training camp as well as enjoy water attractions and interactive experiences.

DreamWorks Imagination Celebration

The multisensory live show, DreamWorks Imagination Celebration, was also a great watch which was told by friends Amara and Zayn who are trying to help him find his imagination again.

There was live singing, dancing and appearances from Elizabeth the Dragon from Shrek, Branch from Trolls, and I especially loved King Julien from Madagascar shaking his bum in my face to I Like To Move It.

Beyond DreamWorks Land

But DreamWorks Land isn’t the only new attraction that has been brought to the park this year.

Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular is a cinematic journey for you to enjoy from the park’s past and present attractions. 

And if you’re a Harry Potter fan, over at Islands Of Adventure, there is a show that is projected onto Hogsmeade called Hogwarts Always. 

A Universal Orlando Day Out - From Theme Park to City Walk

After visiting the park, City Walk is a great place to end the day as it has plenty of bars, restaurants and gift shops to snoop around in.  

VIVO Italian Kitchen has a delicious Wild Mushroom and Truffle pizza that I inhaled, and it went nicely with a glass of Aperol Spritz.

Or if you want something a little more casual, and want to catch up on the latest sports with a pint - NBC Sports Grill & Brew is the place to be, where I shared a huge plate of loaded chilli nachos and smoked chicken pesto pasta. 

Rising Star is a great choice to end your night - especially if you’re feeling brave and want to show off your inner-Beyonce. 

You get to pick a song from a list, and then you can belt it out in front of an audience with a live band and backing singers.

While one person in my group smashed her own rendition of Carly Rae Jepson’s Call Me Maybe, my version of Dua Lipa’s Levitating was a little more questionable…

A Perfect Ending to a DreamWorks Day

Hopping on the water taxi back to Loews Sapphire Falls Resort after over 10k steps a day was just what I needed. It’s all included so no need to worry about a fare. 

And with the rooms having king sized bed, blackout curtains and plush pillows, what more could I need?

British Airways Holidays have flights and accommodation wrapped up into one amazing package, and you can also purchase The Universal Orlando 3 park explorer ticket via their website to get into all three parks. 

Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.

Having never been to Universal Orlando before, and always dreamt of going, the trip exceeded my expectations and more.

And what can I say, DreamWorks Land was a literal dream.