The Super Nintendo World is the most packed area in Universal Studios Japan. Advance planning is highly recommended so that your time and physical stamina won’t be wasted. Because either an Area Timed Entry Ticket (エリア入場整理券) or an Advance Booking Timed Entry Ticket (エリア入場確約券) is required to enter the area, ensure that you purchase a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass that comes with an Advance Booking Timed Entry Ticket or arrive USJ early (best to be before the park opens) to secure your Area Timed Entry Ticket.
Tip: Refer to our article on “What Time Does Universal Studios Japan Open” to plan your visit. The USJ usually opens earlier than its official opening hours!
Table of Contents
- Visit the Super Nintendo World With a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
- Things to Note Before Purchasing Your Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
- The "Worse Time" to Visit the Super Nintendo World for Rides
- Entering the Super Nintendo World Without a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
- Visit the Super Nintendo World by Joining a Universal VIP Experience Group Tour
- Use the Single Rider Line
- Other Tips on How to Enjoy the Rides in the Super Nintendo World
- Find Out Whether a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass Will Be Worth It for You
- The Tips and the Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting USJ
Visit the Super Nintendo World With a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
While expensive, the Universal Studios Japan Express Pass is the best tool for shortening waiting time to board the rides in Super Nintendo World. The pass is especially recommended if you fit into one of the categories below:
- You plan to visit USJ with children above a certain height or anyone who cannot or does not want to queue up for an extended period of time.
- You want to visit the Super Nintendo World and as many other attractions as possible.
- You want to ride the popular rides as many times as possible.
- The cost of the express pass is not a concern for you.
- You already know beforehand that the park will be busy on the day of your visit.
- You want to get on as many rides as possible during the day, so the less waiting time, the better.
- You cannot enter USJ first thing in the morning and/or stay in the park until the end of the day.
Tips:
☛ Visiting the Super Nintendo World first thing in the morning is best. While the admission time is set based on your ticket, you can stay as long as you want. This means that the queues are the shortest in the morning, and you can ride two or even three times the popular rides during your stay!
☛ Refer to our Decoding the Necessity of the Express Pass at USJ article for everything you need to know about Universal Studios Japan Express Pass.
Things to Note Before Purchasing Your Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
However, please note that there is a height requirement for the rides covered by the Universal Studios Japan Express Pass. You won’t be allowed to board the ride if you cannot satisfy the height requirements:
- Mario Kart (マリオカート)
- 122cm or taller to ride alone
- 107cm or taller when accompanied by a guardian
- Yoshi’s Adventure (ヨッシー・アドベンチャー)
- 122cm or taller to ride alone
- 92cm or taller when children are accompanied by a guardian
Other restrictions may also apply. Refer to HERE for more information about the requirements for boarding a ride at Universal Studios Japan.
Tip: Yoshi’s Adventure usually has a shorter queue compared to Mario Kart.
The “Worse Time” to Visit the Super Nintendo World for Rides
- The queue is usually shorter at night and before Universal Studios closes. However, admission to the rides may end early for the day. The staff will close the admission for a ride if the waiting time exceeds the park’s closing time.
- The attractions in the Super Nintendo World are usually the busiest between 10 am and 2 pm.
Entering the Super Nintendo World Without a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass
If you want to save money, you can still enter the Super Nintendo World without an express pass. The area’s Area Timed Entry Ticket (エリア入場整理券) can be obtained on the day through the USJ official app or at a ticket kiosk in USJ. But as the number of Timed Entry Tickets is limited, ensure that you arrive at USJ early to obtain the ticket.
Note that even if you have the USJ official app installed on your phone, the Area Timed Entry Ticket can only be obtained after you enter the theme park.
On a busy day, the Area Timed Entry Ticket can run out within an hour of USJ opening!
One thing to note is that the allocated time slot of the Area Timed Entry Ticket might be in the late afternoon or at night if you choose to get the Timed Entry Ticket on the day.
If you prefer to visit the Super Nintendo World earlier, purchasing a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass with an Advance Booking Timed Entry Ticket (エリア入場確約券) is highly recommended.
Important: There is a high chance that you won’t be able to board a ride if the time on your Timed Entry Ticket is close to USJ’s closing time. For example, if the park closes at 7 pm and there is a two-hour wait for the attraction you want to ride, the admission will close at 5 pm. The staff won’t let you in even if you have a Timed Entry Ticket after 5 pm.
Visit the Super Nintendo World by Joining a Universal VIP Experience Group Tour
A fancier and more expensive option to enjoy the Super Nintendo World is by joining a Universal VIP Experience Group Tour. Led by a tour guide, you are given priority to ride the attractions in the area over the Universal Studios Japan Express Pass holders.
For more information and other benefits of joining the tour, refer to the Official Website of USJ.
Use the Single Rider Line
If you want to board the same ride multiple times, use the Single Rider Line to cut down the queue. Although you will be grouped with strangers, the waiting time can be halved.
Other Tips on How to Enjoy the Rides in the Super Nintendo World
If you dislike waiting to board a ride, head to the rides you want to go on as soon as you enter the Super Nintendo World. Leave the photo sessions, key challenges, coin collecting, and digital stamps towards the end or between your sessions of Time-designated attractions if you have any. While your photos would have fewer strangers in the background when the area isn’t so packed in the early morning, it can mean that over 50 people may overtake you while you take photos.
Tip: Universal Studios Japan usually opens 30 to 90 minutes before its official opening hours on the website. Please plan your visit accordingly if you want to maximize your time at USJ.
Find Out Whether a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass Will Be Worth It for You
Getting a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass is intuitive because it cuts down the waiting time. However, depending on when you visit the amusement park and a few other factors, the express pass may or may not be necessary.
Refer to our Decoding the Necessity of the Express Pass at USJ article before clicking the purchase button!
The Tips and the Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting USJ
You might have realized already that Universal Studios Japan (or USJ) in Osaka shouldn’t be treated as just another theme park where you can board the rides whenever you want as long as you pay for admission. The theme park is so popular that there can be more than one part of the park where you won’t be able to enter without an Area Timed Entry Ticket. On a busy day, the waiting time to board the popular rides can easily exceed 60 minutes!
Refer to our article on The Tips and the Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting USJ to plan your visit!
