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Was Universal Studios Japan Worth the Time and Money?

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This is a continuation of my Japan/China trip report. See also Back from China and Japan Trip! 5 Takeaways, Worth it: JAL Premium Economy Award Seats, Better Than Expected: AA Premium Economy Shanghai PVG to DFW, Hits and Misses from our day at Tokyo DisneySea, Take this Line and Shove It (Literally): Shanghai Disneyland Hits and Misses, Dormy Inn Shibuya Jingumae Hot Spring in Tokyo, Highlights of our Tokyo Shenanigans, Surprise Upgrade at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay, Our Machiya Rental in Kyoto, The Deer Really Do Bow! Day Trip to Nara, Japan, Highlights of our time in Kyoto, Japan and Was Universal Studios Japan Worth the Time and Money? (this post)

Before I even started planning this family trip to Japan, my two younger kids had been begging to go to Universal Studios Japan. Why? It has the original Super Nintendo World, and they are huge Nintendo fans. Of course, now Universal’s Epic Universe in Florida has a Super Nintendo World that is almost identical with the same 3 rides. But, my kids were pretty insistent.

So, we decided to do a day trip from Kyoto to Universal Studios. This was our most expensive day in Japan by far. Was it worth the time and money?

Getting There/Tickets

From our machiya in Kyoto, it took us roughly one hour each way by train to get to Universal Studios in Osaka. We took two Ubers to get to Kyoto Station, and then took two trains from there. Thankfully, there is a train station right outside of Universal Studios, so we didn’t have to walk far.

I had pre-purchased park tickets on Klook. But, you need a timed entrance to get into Super Nintendo World. If we tried to get a free timed entrance after we arrived at the park, it could already be sold out. Since we were using up an entire day of our Japan trip to see Super Nintendo World, there was no way I wanted to chance not actually getting into Super Nintendo World. So, I decided we needed to add an Express Pass package that gave us a guaranteed entry.

I bought the cheapest package I could find. It included the timed entry to Super Nintendo World plus Express Passes to Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Minion Mayhem and JAWS. The total cost for admission and this package for all 6 in my group was over $1500 USD. Gulp.

The image shows the entrance to Universal Studios Japan, featuring a large archway with a sign for "Super Nintendo World." The arch is decorated with various Nintendo-themed elements, including characters and symbols. People are walking towards the entrance, including a child dressed in a red and blue outfit resembling a popular video game character. Palm trees and a roller coaster are visible in the background.

Highlights of our Time in the Park

After visiting Universal Orlando a few years ago (but prior to the opening of Epic Universal park), I can honestly say that Universal Studios Japan does offer some unique characters and rides compared to its US parks. My daughter loved watching this live Kuromi (Sanrio character) show:

The image shows a colorful parade float decorated with Sanrio characters, including Kuromi and My Melody. A person in a vibrant outfit stands on the float next to a large Kuromi figure. The float is adorned with pink and yellow colors, flowers, and cartoon images. A child with a floral scrunchie in their hair is watching the parade.

Seeing this Snoopy ride was unexpected:

A theme park ride featuring large, cartoonish figures of Snoopy and other Peanuts characters. The ride is designed to look like Snoopy is flying, with people seated in the character's back. The ride is surrounded by a blue fence, and there are trees and buildings in the background.

Universal Japan has the last remaining classic JAWS ride. It’s super cheesy with animatronic sharks. The Harry Potter rides seemed identical, except of course the characters were speaking in Japanese.

But the highlight was Super Nintendo World. It really was a feast for the eyes.

A group of people is gathered outside the entrance to "Super Nintendo World." The entrance features a colorful sign with the words "Super Nintendo World" in bold, playful letters. The area has a vibrant design with a large star pattern on the ground. The background includes a green hill with a castle-like structure and flags.

 

The image shows a vibrant theme park area inspired by a video game, featuring colorful structures resembling blocks and characters from the game. There are large, whimsical decorations like a giant red and white mushroom and a castle-like building. The area is bustling with many visitors walking around and exploring the attractions. The background includes green hills and various themed elements, creating an immersive environment.

The image shows a theme park area designed to resemble a level from a video game, featuring layered platforms with grass, brick, and stone textures. There are various elements like question mark blocks, coins, and character figures. The area is decorated with large, cartoonish trees and a flag at the top. A sign reads "Yoshi's Adventure" near the entrance. Visitors are gathered around, some taking photos.

We completely understood the need for the timed entry tickets because the land was very crowded and super compact. It was fun seeing the Nintendo characters.

The image shows two people dressed in costumes of popular video game characters, one in a red outfit with a red hat and the other in a green outfit with a green hat. They are standing in a themed area resembling a video game environment, with elements like a large green pipe, a question mark block, and colorful flowers. A person in a red hat and jacket is taking a photo of them. There are other people and themed decorations in the background.

A person in a Princess Peach costume is standing inside a small, white gazebo. The costume features a pink dress with puffed sleeves, a red overlay, white gloves, and a crown. The gazebo has heart-shaped cutouts on the railing, and there is greenery and a stone wall in the background.

A person in a Toad costume from the Mario franchise is standing on a green floor. The costume features a large white mushroom cap with red spots, a beige face, and a blue and yellow vest. Several people are around, some interacting with the character. The background includes colorful, themed decor and a staircase with more people.

We rode Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge all together. It was a fun ride with great technology.

A person is standing in front of a large statue of a fictional creature with horns and a spiked shell, resembling a character from a video game. The setting appears to be indoors, with a decorative ceiling and stone-like walls. The person is wearing a light-colored outfit and is posing with their arms raised.

There were two more rides in the area, but we didn’t have Express Passes for those. My daughter and I decided to wait in the 90-minute line for Yoshi’s Adventure ride. I do not recommend doing this. I usually enjoy slow rides with lots to see, but this ride was not at all worth our time.

My younger son decided to wait in the 2 1/2 hour line for Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness. He said it was a fun ride, but not worth the 2 1/2 hour wait.

The image shows the entrance to "Donkey Kong Country" at a theme park. The entrance is designed with a large, colorful archway featuring palm tree decorations and a sign with the name "Donkey Kong Country" in bold letters. People are walking towards and away from the entrance, and the atmosphere appears lively and busy. The surrounding area includes themed decorations and structures.

Overall Thoughts

So, was Universal Studios Japan worth the time and money on our recent trip to Japan? It depends who you ask. My 14-year-old and 17-year-old kids thought it was absolutely worth it. My son said it was by far his favorite day in Japan. Of course, those two didn’t have to pay for their tickets.

The rest of us–me, my husband and two 20-year-olds, didn’t think it was worth it. We would have much rather spent that day exploring more of Kyoto.

Author: Nancy

Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.

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