This is our real, honest experience of Universal Studios Japan and getting into Super Nintendo World — one of the highlights of our whole trip to Japan.
A quick note before we get into it: this is simply what we did, not necessarily what's right for every family. We bought general admission tickets — no Express Pass — and leaned on an early rope-drop strategy, which worked for us. Depending on your kids' ages, how badly you're fighting jet lag, and your budget, a different approach (Express Pass, a later start, an Advance Booking entry ticket) might suit your family better. Take this as one real data point, not the only way to do it.
Express Pass or not? Comparing the real cost
Universal Studios Japan sells park entry (the Studio Pass) separately from the Express Pass, which lets you skip the standby queue on selected rides. Roughly:
| Ticket type | Approx. US$ per person |
|---|---|
| Studio Pass (1-day general admission) | $60–90 |
| Express Pass, 4 attractions | +$75–95 |
| Express Pass, 7 attractions (peak season) | +$120–190 |
We went general admission only, and it worked for us because we were happy to rope-drop rather than pay for guaranteed entry (more on how Nintendo World entry actually works below — some Express Pass tiers bundle it in, others don't). If you're chasing multiple E-ticket rides outside Nintendo World in one day, want to sleep past 6am, or you're visiting in a genuinely peak period (school holidays, cherry blossom season), an Express Pass earns its money back in saved queue time. If your priority is Nintendo World specifically and you're willing to get up early, we'd save the cash and go general admission.
Studio Pass and Express Pass tickets are worth booking online before you fly — both can sell out on peak dates.
Check Universal Studios Japan tickets on Klook →How to actually get into Super Nintendo World
This is the bit that catches people out — Nintendo World has its own separate entry system, on top of your park ticket. There are four ways in:
- Rope-drop and walk in free. For roughly the first hour after the park opens, anyone can walk straight into Nintendo World, no ticket needed — this is what we did. After that window closes, you need one of the options below.
- Free same-day entry ticket via the USJ app. Once you're in the park, open the official USJ app, register the QR code from your park ticket, and request an Area Timed Entry Ticket or Standby Entry Ticket for Nintendo World. These are free but limited, and popular time slots go fast.
- Area Timed Entry Ticket: Advance Booking. A real, separately purchasable ticket via the USJ website/app or ticket vendors like Klook, bought ahead of your visit, that guarantees you a set entry time into Nintendo World without relying on rope-drop or app luck. These typically open for booking about a month before your visit date and sell out fast — worth it if mornings with young kids are not your strong suit.
- An Express Pass bundle that includes a Nintendo World ride. Express Passes aren't single-ride tickets — each one is a bundle covering a set number of attractions across the whole park (Nintendo World and beyond), and the bundles that include Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge or Mine Cart Madness come with a guaranteed Nintendo World entry slot built in, so you skip the separate timed-entry step entirely. Check the exact attraction list on the specific Express Pass product before you buy — they change by date and package.
Express Pass bundles sell out fast on popular dates, especially the ones covering Mario Kart or Mine Cart Madness — worth locking in before you fly.
Check Universal Studios Japan Express Pass on Klook →Our morning, hour by hour
6:30am — Woke the kids. No arguments; they knew why.
7:00am — In a taxi from our hotel in Naniwa Ward, about 20 minutes to the park.
7:20am–8:00am — Arrived to a queue of about 10 people per line, which grew fast in the next 20 minutes. Lined up for the security checkpoint.
~8:00am — Security screening opened well before the official 9am posted opening time — check this for your dates, but arrive early regardless of what time is listed.
~8:30am — Main gates opened. Everyone immediately started walking briskly (some ran) straight for Nintendo World. Staff held "please don't run" signs; nobody was actually stopped.
- Line up on the left-hand side queues — they're closer to the actual entrance.
- Pack breakfast so the kids can eat while queuing — there's nowhere to buy food yet at that hour.
- Don't bring any drinks except water. Security is strict about it; we had to bin a couple of canned coffees at the checkpoint.
- Get everyone to the toilet before you leave the hotel — there isn't a convenient chance once you're in the queue.
Inside Super Nintendo World
Once through the gates, it's a short walk to Nintendo World, and the crowds funnel in fast. Our ride order and real wait times:
- Mine Cart Madness — about 20 minutes
- Yoshi's Adventure — about 30 minutes (this one is gentler and clearly aimed at younger kids)
- Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge — 1.5 hours. This is the one to do first if you only remember one tip from this guide — it was clearly the most popular ride and the queue only got longer through the morning.
By the time we left Nintendo World around midday, the queue to get in from outside was enormous — people holding allocated entry slots waiting for their turn. We were genuinely relieved we'd already been and gone.
Already picturing it?
WayTally turns this whole day — tickets, taxis and everything else — into one running total in your own currency, so you know the real cost before you book.
Start planning in WayTallyThe Power-Up Band — worth the extra cost
We bought the Power-Up Bands, the wearable that lets you physically punch the ? Blocks scattered around Nintendo World and collect virtual coins and keys through a companion app-based game. It isn't cheap on top of park entry, but it's what makes Nintendo World feel less like a themed queue and more like actually being inside the game — genuinely worth it for the experience, crowds and all.
The rest of the day
After Nintendo World, we slowed right down. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was a highlight for the whole family, and Minion Park was a big hit with the kids too — the Minion-themed lunch there was affordable, generous and genuinely cute, worth doing just for the photos. We didn't chase ride counts in the afternoon; a relaxed mix of walkthroughs, shows and a few more rides was plenty.
All up we did about 7 rides and left around 6pm — the park runs until 10pm, but the kids had had a full day and we called it there.
What we'd do the same, and what we'd change
- Same: the early rope-drop strategy. It cost us sleep, not money, and got us into Nintendo World before it became unmanageable.
- Same: general admission over Express Pass, given Nintendo World has its own entry system anyway.
- Change: we'd go straight to Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge first, before Mine Cart Madness — the wait only grew as the morning went on.
- Change: we'd check the app for Nintendo World Timed Entry Tickets as a backup plan before arrival, in case the rope-drop window had already passed by the time we got there.
Some links in this guide are affiliate links — if you book through them, WayTally may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This account is based on our own family's visit; ride line-ups, opening times and entry systems at Universal Studios Japan change regularly, so always check current details on the official USJ website before you go.