Spend a Day at Universal in Japan
Hi Friends!
When we started planning our activities for while we were in Osaka, we realized just how close we were going to be to Universal Studios in Japan and we added it to our list pretty much right away! This theme park has so much to offer and had so many cool and nostalgic rides, movie-themed attractions, amazing food, and even a little magic (hello, Harry Potter World!). If you are a fan of rides, good food and nostalgic movie memories I think Universal Studios is definitely a must do while you are in Japan! I am sharing below how we got to the park, how we got tickets, our favorite rides, the yummy food we had and just some tips and tricks to make your day at Universal Studios in Japan easier!
🎟️ Getting There + Buying Tickets
Universal Studios in Japan is located just about 20 minutes away from Osaka Station. We took the train from the Shinsaibashi Station on the Midosuji Line which was about 15 minutes and then we went to the Osaka Station and then from there we took the JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City Station. When we got off the train we were pretty much right at the entrance. I also found a whole map that Universal Studios actually provides on their website, I will link that here for you! We bought our tickets online in advance and I would really recommend doing that! We bought our tickets directly through the official Universal Studios Japan website but I do think there are other ways to get them too! We went to buy them about two weeks before we were going and tickets were slim, we went one of the two days that were available so make sure you get them as early as possible when booking for your own trip!
🏰 How to Skip the Lines with Express Pass
When we were planning this trip, we found out that number one way to maximize your time in the park is be spending a little bit more and getting Express Passes. The day that we were there we were noticing that some rides had like 2 to 3 hours wait times and if you have the Express Pass then you can skip that line which gives you more time to do other things in the park! We got our Express Passes directly through the Universal Studios Japan website but like the tickets for getting into the park, there are other places you can get them! The prices varied by the ride package that you picked but we got one that included passes for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and The Flying Dinosaur. We got those ones specifically because we wanted access to Harry Potter World and to Super Nintendo World. But there are a ton of options you can choose from to fit your own preferences for what you would like to ride!
🎢 The Rides We Went On (And Which Were Totally Worth It)
Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge (Super Nintendo World™) - Such a fun ride, it’s basically like a real life version of being in Mario Kart where you are racing around a track, you are right in the game with the AR technology that they use and it is so cool! Definitely recommend going on this ride if you can get a time slot for it!
The Flying Dinosaur - Holy $H!T, this was the most insane intense rides I have ever been on in my entire life. You are put into your seat and then your whole seat gets faced down so you are looking at the ground the whole time. It was such an intense ride, we went backwards, forwards, upside down, in a loop, underground. I don’t even know what I didn’t know before I went on that ride, it was insane. Haha, I’m glad I went and experienced it but that was a one and done kind of ride for me!
Jurassic Park: The Ride - We had tickets to go on this, it looked like so much fun! It is a classic water ride with a huge drop where you get absolutely soaked. We watched the drop a few times and decided not to go on it, we didn’t want to be wet all day long and be uncomfortable, but people looked like they loved it. If you do go on it, bring a poncho!
Minion Mayhem - This was the first ride that we went on when we got to the park and it was a lot of fun, and not like what I expected at all. It was a 3D ride mixed with a sort of roller coaster feel, it would be a good ride for anyone to go on, even kids!
We were only there for one day and I feel like we did it all but at the same time we didn’t get to see everything. We aren’t huge 3D ride goers so that takes a few options away. But on top of that, keep in mind that everything is smaller and that was no different for their rides. We were supposed to go on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey as well as the Hollywood Dream the Ride and for both rides we were turned away because the bar wouldn’t fit over Dustin’s shoulders. I would recommend looking at requirements before buying your tickets to go on those two rides specifically because we were so excited to go on them and we definitely weren’t the only people turned away from going on the ride and it really sucked.
🍴 What We Ate
There were so many options to eat at this park, and really that was kind of the fun part! I will just name a few things that stuck out to us!
Butterbeer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - always a fun treat! It’s sweet, frothy, and perfect for photos in front of the castle!
Mario Café & Store - You will need to get reservations for this, but if you have a fan of Mario and Luigi in the group, this would be a really fun lunch spot!
Jurassic Park Turkey Leg - This was definitely not for me, but they smelled so good, and so many people were walking around with these huge and honestly iconic turkey legs!
Louie’s N.Y. Pizza Parlor - We did eat here, and the pizza was really good! We tried the honey on top of the pizza trick that is really popular, and that was also really good, and something we will do on our pizza at home now!
Pro tip: Restaurants inside the park can get packed around lunchtime, so try eating early or late to skip the rush.
🛍️ Where We Shopped for Souvenirs
I feel like with any theme park, shopping is a big part of being there, and Universal Studios Japan was just as cool as you would expect it to be in the merchandise department, plus there really was so much to look at souvenir wise!
Universal Studios Store - This is the main shop near the entrance of the park that has everything from Minions to Jurassic Park and more. You can think of this store as a “I forgot to grab this when we were near those rides” on the way out for any last-minute purchases!
Mario-themed Merch in Super Nintendo World - The stores that were in Super Nintendo World were so cool to look around in, and I believe that the merch that was in there was exclusive to Japan!
Harry Potter World - Harry Potter World was another area that we spent a lot of time shopping in! You could buy wands and robes at Ollivanders or Filch’s Emporium, and so many other goodies as well!
💡 Tips for First-Timers
Arrive Early - When we were there, the gates opened up a little early before the official opening time, and it gave us a head start on getting to the rides we really wanted to go on!
Download the Universal Japan App - This app was super helpful and gave us information on things like ride wait times, maps, show schedules, and where food was located. This was a very helpful tool for our day!
Plan Ahead - Before you get there, make sure you know the rides that are important to you, which rides need special things for access to get to, and have a general idea of the layout of the park. That was helpful for us!
Wear comfortable Shoes - This should be something you know if you read my blog posts about any park we have been to, but WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES, you will thank me later! You will easily walk 10,000 steps, and that’s just when you are in the park!
Make sure you log in and link your tickets before getting to the park. You will want to use the app with your linked tickets to get into the park!
Make sure you bring a portable charger, you’ll be on your phone all day, and it will come in handy, I promise!
Pack an umbrella or bring a raincoat - The weather in Japan changed so quickly, and you will be happy you brought it with you!
When we initially planned our Japan trip, we didn’t have Universal on the list of things we were going to do until we realized how close we were to Universal when we were in Osaka, and then we knew we had to add it in. There was so much to see there, and much like anything else in Japan, the details that were added to the park were just over the top cool to see. We loved getting to walk around the different themed areas and really just taking it all in. I think that with the right planning, utilizing the Express Passes, and having a few insider tips in mind when you are there, you can make the most of your trip to Universal in Japan. If you have any questions while planning your own trip or want to know more about anything that I mentioned above, feel free to reach out! You can comment below or you can send me an email at tarynintotravel@gmail.com, and I will get back to you as soon as possible!
Much Love,
Emma
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