Universal Studios Japan 2026: Nintendo World Without an Express Pass
Planning a trip to Universal Studios Japan in 2026? Discover how to conquer Super Nintendo World and ride Donkey Kong & Mario Kart without an Express Pass!
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Planning a trip to Universal Studios Japan in 2026? Discover how to conquer Super Nintendo World and ride Donkey Kong & Mario Kart without an Express Pass!
Hello, I'm Yappi! 💛
Finally, I'm bringing you the highlight of our Osaka trip
that my husband and I took last May:
our visit to Universal Studios Japan (USJ)!
I'd been to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea before,
but this was my very first time at Universal,
so you can imagine how thrilled I was even before we arrived! 🥰
🎡Universal Studios Japan
✅Operating Hours: Daily 09:00 ~ 21:00
📍 Universal Studios Japan
2-chōme-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, 554-0031 Japan
🎒 Admission & Bag Check: Insider Tips from an Open-Run "Failure"!
My husband and I just didn't have it in us to 'open-run' (arrive right at opening),
so we took our sweet time and arrived around 10 AM!
And naturally, the crowds were absolutely massive... 😱
It just so happened that this year was Universal Studios Japan's 25th anniversary,
so celebratory banners were beautifully hung everywhere!
I told myself, 'Ah, so THIS is why I hadn't been to Universal before –
I was meant to come for the 25th anniversary!' Turning on my positive thinking,
we bravely pushed through the crowds and made our way in, haha!
When you enter, there's a simple bag check,
and here's a really important point to remember!
✅Allowed Items
One 500ml bottle of water per person, simple snacks
(sandwiches, onigiri, jellies, Pepero, etc.)
The wait times can be really long, so getting hungry while you're queuing is super common!
We kept sighing in relief, saying it would have been a disaster if we hadn't packed snacks, haha!
If you didn't manage to grab anything before you set off,
don't worry! There's a Lawson convenience store on the way from the subway station to Universal! 😉
💣 The Regrettable Tears of a 30-Something Couple Who Didn't Buy the Express Pass... (A Must-Read!!)
This time, before we came,
we only bought the admission tickets...
and we genuinely regretted it so much! 😭😭
Even though we went on a weekday,
the wait time for the new Donkey Kong attraction was 120 minutes...
Is that even real?! Haha!
Other popular rides also had standard wait times of 100 minutes,
so my husband decided enough was enough and tried to inquire about buying an Express Pass on the day itself!
But they were completely sold out across all platforms for the day...? 🥹
I had no idea... I guess I was the only one who didn't know, huh? ㅠㅠㅠ
For anyone who wants to make the most of their travel time,
you absolutely, absolutely, ABSOLUTELY must!
Book your admission ticket + Express Pass combo
in advance! (100 stars! 🌟)
We even swore that if we ever come again,
we'll definitely buy them!
💡Sharing Where to Buy Osaka Universal Tickets at a Discount!
Based on the Race & Tram Car Special 5,
which includes a collection of the most popular attractions
(including Nintendo World, Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong)
Since discount rates and prices vary slightly by season,
Klook link for you!
↓↓↓
Osaka Universal Studios Japan Express Pass - Klook3ha.in
🏃♀️ Straight to Nintendo World! Photos can wait!
Let's get to the good stuff,
Once you enter, at the entrance area,
don't hesitate or stop to take photos!
Just keep going straight, straight, straight!
There are so many beautiful buildings that will catch your eye,
especially the iconic globe at the entrance.
You MUST NOT stop there!
Save your globe photos for when you exit!
Otherwise, your waiting times will
skyrocket💥
If you look at the Universal map,
I've put stars at confusing intersections
to help you out.
We actually took a wrong turn at the second star
and ended up heading towards Harry Potter,
which cost us some precious time ㅠㅠ
Keep going in the direction of 'Waterworld,'
and you'll see the entrance to 'Super Nintendo World' on your right!
Even here, don't get sidetracked by the giant photo zone at the entrance.
Your first mission is to head straight for Donkey Kong!
Finally, we're in!!! Dun dun dun!!!
Keep your eyes moving quickly, but
don't let your feet stop!
🍌 1. Donkey Kong's Crazy Tram Car (★★★★★)
Target: Donkey Kong! We made it!
We didn't get to ride many attractions, but
this was undeniably my #1 favorite attraction💛
If it weren't for the wait,
I honestly would have ridden it twice ㅠㅠ
While waiting, we saw cute Donkey Kong,
and even a slightly insignificant-looking (?)
rhino friend.
After enduring a whopping 120 minutes, we finally got to ride it!
On our way out, we saw the photos taken during the ride,
and both of our expressions were so bright and cheerful,
pure happiness itself lolol.
🍄 Exploring Every Corner of Nintendo World!
If only we had worn the Power-Up Bands,
we could've collected stamps everywhere and had so much more fun,
we totally regretted it later on! ㅠㅠ
Turns out there were even secret areas
you could only enter with a Power-Up Band!
We had a few moments where we debated whether to buy a band right there,
we were tempted more than once,
but we told ourselves it was fine since we'd already bought cute headbands,
and we both resisted the urge! 😆
On our way out from the Donkey Kong ride,
we also got to meet and greet Princess Peach and Toad,
There was even a line to take photos
with Mario & Luigi!
(~$31 to take a photo together, which was a bit steep... so we just snapped some from afar, haha!)
We even got super lucky and snagged a photo op with Yoshi,
who's apparently pretty hard to catch!
We also gave a good smack to those coin blocks we've seen so much on YouTube ⭐
It truly felt like we had stepped right into a video game,
and we couldn't resist showering everyone with tons of photos!
If you find the 'Stars' hidden all around
in every corner of Super Nintendo World and snap a photo of them,
the crew members will give you a 50th-anniversary commemorative sticker!
If you wear this sticker on your clothes,
the staff members will give you a thumbs-up and give you
unique reactions! 👍
🏎️ 2. Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge★★★☆☆
Our second attraction was Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge!
When we entered, they handed out these cool-looking
Mario hats, and everyone was eagerly wearing them while waiting, haha!
We got our hats and thought we'd get on soon, but...
this one also had a basic 100-minute wait! ^^;;
We thought the 'single rider' line, where people ride one by one,
would be faster, so we stood there,
but it turned out to be a totally wrong decision!
This is a 4-person (2 people / 2 people) attraction,
so the regular line moves much faster!
In the end, my husband and I accidentally got separated,
and ended up riding with strangers.
What a bittersweet moment...🤣
⚠️ Pro Tip for Kinopio's Cafe!
This adorable spot inside Super Nintendo World,
Kinopio's Cafe,
requires you to reserve an entry time (with a numbered ticket) in advance,
and it's a system where you enter at your designated time!
We didn't know this, and after excitedly playing around,
we just went straight there and got turned away! 😭
So, if you're planning to go, as soon as you ride Donkey Kong,
make your restaurant reservation first,
then go enjoy other rides!!
📸 3. Super Nintendo World Photo Service ★★★★★
Since we didn't bring a tripod,
we didn't have any photos of us together,
and that's when we discovered this awesome
professional photo service (approximately ¥5,000)!
Normally, I'd probably think, 'Is it really necessary?' and skip it,
but coming all the way to Universal Studios and not having any
proper photos of us together would be too sad,
so we quickly went for it! 💕
Since they're professionals,
they take photos incredibly fast and flawlessly!
They take 2 photos + 1 video clip for you,
resulting in high-quality souvenir shots that scream, "I visited Super Nintendo World!"
LOL
After the shoot, you can download the video with a QR code,
and they provide the printed photos in a crisp, adorable
exclusive photo album!
It's great for safekeeping and the quality is so high,
we felt it was absolutely worth every penny! 💯
This concludes Part 1 of our Universal Studios Japan adventure,
covering our Super Nintendo World experience!
That's all for today!
In Part 2, we'll return with a review of our lunch at Jurassic Park's
Discovery Restaurant,
and our visits to the Minions and Harry Potter areas!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment! 🩷
When entering Universal Studios Japan, you can bring in one 500ml bottle of water per person, along with simple snacks such as sandwiches, onigiri (rice balls), jelly, and Pepero. We recommend preparing snacks as long waiting times can make you hungry.
According to an article, even on weekdays, same-day Express Passes were sold out on all platforms and could not be purchased. To make efficient use of your travel time, it is recommended to book and purchase your admission tickets and Express Passes in advance.
After entering, do not stop at the entrance globe; instead, proceed straight towards WaterWorld. The Super Nintendo World entrance will appear on the right side as you see WaterWorld. It's best not to stop even at the giant photo zone at the entrance, and head straight to ride Donkey Kong first.
Kinopio's Cafe operates on a system where you receive a timed entry ticket (seiriken) in advance and enter at your designated time. It's most efficient to make a restaurant reservation immediately after riding Donkey Kong, and then enjoy other attractions.
Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge is a 4-person ride, so the regular line moves much faster than the single rider line. If you stand in the single rider line, you may be separated from your party and ride with strangers.
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