Today’s Chronicles can be found here.
Some excursions – like Angkor Wat – are akin to a north star, inspiring the path that a particular trip is going to take.
Others are more like black holes, swallowing near infinite amounts of time for little perceived result. Osaka became a black hole for us, for one simple reason – Universal Studios Japan.
The problem with having only one day for an excursion is that there is little room for error. This prompted us to look for some kind of VIP pass – but these often sell out quickly. It doesn’t help that there are more options here than we’ve ever seen at Disney.
Perhaps we could just purchase a bundle of express passes? Those are also in short supply, ride options vary by date and “go live” after the VIP passes – so we very well might not get the particular rides we want. Could we buy from a third party reseller? Those are generally more expensive, and no guarantees that we will actually get that for which we paid.
To add in another complication – this is also Shunbun no Hi or the vernal equinox, which marks the start of a school holiday in Japan. Our one shot at Universal Studios may be very busy indeed.
So when the VIP passes did go live, we leapt on the first one we saw at the less-than-ideal 3 pm start time – only for another passel of them to be released immediately after. Instead, we had spent more than US$1,000 for our second (or third, or fourth) choice of time slots. And when we contacted Universal they replied – sometimes not all timeslots release at once (shrugs) so no changes allowed.
Rats.
But, what’s done is done – so we promptly forgot all about Universal Studios, and turned our attention to the other remaining 110 lines of our trip planning spreadsheet.
That brings us to today – a reasonable start time at 7:45 am, followed by yet another Arts Cafe breakfast and disembarkation.
We pass through a customs area but we had already cleared into Japan so we do not even need to show our passports. There is a line of taxis waiting, so no need for the Go app either – we just pull up the Google Maps listing for Universal Studios which includes the kanji (Japanese) characters. Easy peezy.
There is also a ferry option to cross the river and then walk to Universal Studios, but it starts late and costs more than splitting a taxi across four people. So we go with the taxi option. Perhaps 12 minutes later, we are rolling up in front of Universal Studios. We make mental note of a taxi stand here – which should allow us to skip the Go app on the way back, too. (The Go app works well enough, but it is modestly more expensive.)
We arrive at around 9:15 am, while Universal Studios opened at 9:00 am. We’re hoping that the lines around security would have cleared at this point, but no such luck – it is busy. There must be more than 50 people queued at each security checkpoint.
We show our VIP passes to a staff member in case there is some sort of VIP-only security line, but no luck – we need to pass through with everyone else. Ah, well. It’s slow, but what can you do? Though next time we’ll bear in mind that some security checkpoints actually have two lines in front of them – which go at half the speed.
Even so, we pass through security in roughly 20 minutes. We’re surprised that they have you hold your water bottle over your head as you walk through the scanner, and open the water bottle to check for alcohol. Wonder how often that’s been an issue…
From here, we enter through the VIP line at the left hand side of the entrance gates. Here we get our passes, some ride ponchos, and express passes for four of the bigger rides outside of Super Nintendo World – which we will be visiting on the VIP tour itself. Super Nintendo World was only completed in 2021 so it’s extremely popular, and non-VIP guests need to get a timed entry ticket.
They also include a VIP map that points out our meeting point, and a special VIP location to purchase the power-up bands for Super Nintendo World – another helpful bonus as the line-ups to purchase the bands can get quite long. The bands can be used to interact with various physical elements within the park – which enables the user to collect coins and trophies, and to recover the stolen golden mushroom from Bowser by collecting three golden keys.
With our passes in hand (and power-up bands purchased), we enter the park:
And head to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
From the moment the village of Hogsmeade looms over us, we know this is going to be something special.
Busy, yes, but special all the same
Off to Ollivander’s to pick out wands for the kids. They have more than 50 options available:
The kids enjoy the process of looking at them and selecting their favourites.
Our son goes for black walnut, while our daughter chooses the same wand as Ginny Weasley. They need to be very careful with the wands – particularly the tips – as they are used to interact with various elements in the park, and won’t work if damaged.
The video makes this look easy, but in reality the spells are quite complex. They have to be done with the right motion and in the right area, and you only have a few attempts before you are banished to the back of the line.
But – it does also create a sense of accomplishment when the kids get one right. There appear to be two different ‘levels’ of spell (minor and major) depending on how well the spell is performed.
Some of our fellow passengers mentioned that they were coming to Universal for the day to just take it all in. Initially I thought that was a bit simplistic, but now I completely get it.
There are also shows throughout the day:
Plus smaller vignettes – like a smuggler attempting to run through the village with a baby dragon tucked under their cloak as they are chased down by Ministry of Magic officials.
Indeed, it’s after lunch time before we use the first of our express ride passes. We stop to eat at the Three Broomsticks. We opt for the family feast, which has a range of ribs, chicken, potatoes, corn, and salad:
It takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes from when we first sit down to when our food is brought out. Space is limited indoors, so we head out to the patio. It’s cooler out there, but they have heaters set up.
And – food is pretty good. The corn and the chicken are a bit overdone, but it’s better than we expected.
Time to start the rides. First up is Flight of the Hippogriff:
I didn’t take many pictures of the rides – but you can see a teeny part of the track far off to the right hand side of the frame
As we hang in our express passes, the staff member shows us a sign that reads something to the effect that guests who do not fit will not be compensated for their time. Odd, but okay.
Even with the express pass, we still have to wait 10 to 15 minutes – but it’s far better than the 70 minutes it would have taken otherwise.
We get to the front of the line, and we soon find out what they meant by their cryptic warning – the bar does not lower enough for one guest, and he unfortunately is not able to complete the ride. It’s a narrow event in my case – I have to cross my legs in order to make myself small enough. But we make it work!
The rollercoaster is enjoyable, but brief. I’m glad we did it, though I can’t imagine having waited for 70 minutes for the privilege of a ride that lasts 1 minute and 6 sconds.
Next we head for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This one is a bit chaotic to start, as guests are asked to store their belongings in a bank of lockers before they finish boarding. The lockers aren’t terribly roomy, so larger backpacks – like mine – don’t fit. But there is limited room at the ride itself, so I’m able to drop my bag so I can pick it up after the ride is done.
Like in Disney, the waiting area has tons of little details and Easter eggs. This particular ride is designed to feel like the inside of Hogwarts.
The ride itself is quite good – a combination of ‘augmented reality’ type ride which includes both 360 screens and animatronics. It’s somewhat scary, so not really recommended for younger kids – but our son really enjoys it.
Next up, we head to Jurassic Park for Jurassic Park: The Ride.
We’re initially concerned that this is the massive roller coaster that’s sending parkgoers screaming and careening over our heads – but thankfully Jthat’s Flying Dinosaur while Jurassic Park is a boat ride.
We bypass the velociraptor show:
And we’re soon through the express pass line.
We are mildly concerned when we see everyone putting on ponchos – looks like there is a 26 metre (85 feet) drop at the end, so we don our ride ponchos in our VIP bags as well so we don’t get soaked. There are again lockers available – this time for a 100 yen coin – but they are not strictly necessary, as we can place our bags under our feet. We thankfully have rain covers for our backpacks, so we put those on and hope for the best.
It’s a fun ride – good use of animatronics, plenty of Easter eggs, and a satisfying drop at the end without it being too intense.
I mean, ‘not too intense’ as far as tyrannosaurus rex attacks are concerned
From here we head to Minion Park to go on Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.
This waiting area is a bit sparse on details, but they do have some entertaining quizes going on the television to keep everyone entertained.
We’re led into a series of pre-briefing videos that set the tone for what we’re going to experience in the ride – specifically that we’re about to be turned into Minions (the little yellow guys that work as the supervillian Gru’s helpers) and that it’s the anniversary of when Gru adopted Margo, Edith and Agnes.
The ride is a kind of augmented reality – similar to Star Tours at Disney but in smaller groups and without the animatronics. There is a lot going on, and it’s not ideal for those susceptible to motion sickness. But we all enjoy it.
It’s then time to head back toward the main entrance so we can get ready for our VIP tour.
On the way, we pass a parade:
But we don’t have time to linger – particularly with half the roads closed off. But they soon open the park back up.
We’re let into the VIP lounge roughly 20 minutes in advance of our tour:
Photo credit: Universal Studios Japan
Our guides come by – one senior Japanese guide, and one junior English guide / translator – and explain how the tour works. There will be a group of 10 of us, and we’re going to go on four different rides. Three are ones that we’re expecting – Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Mine Cart Madness – while another is a surprise reprise of Minion Mayhem.
(Pro Tip – Check your ride itinerary when you arrive at Universal Studios for a VIP tour as – if one ride is down, as is the case with Jaws today – they will substitute another.)
I ask whether it’s possible to go into Villain Blast (another Minion ride) instead, but unfortunately not due to the tight timeline. Ah, well – we knew when we started that this was unlikely to go perfectly. The kids are disappointed but understanding.
And – we’re off. We follow our guide through the park, stopping briefly in each area for a an overview of what makes that area distinctive and for some esoteric trivia. For example, the Universal Studios logo – the spinning globe – moves in the opposite direction of the actual globe so that it’s easier to read. Also – the asphault in the New York area of the park is done poorly on purpose so that it matches the real New York.* Neat!
* I am 100% not kidding about this – that’s what the guide said!
Our English translator has a small speaker and headset. I expect to find that annoying, but it’s actually quite helpful when travelling throught the park as a group.
Unlike for the express passes, the VIP tours take their own route through the park – often travelling up exit lines and through service areas to reach the front of the line as quickly as possible.
While initially disappointed to have to double up on one of the rides, we do genuinely enjoy our second round of Minion Mayhem – there are tons of little details that are easy to miss with just a single ride.
(Also, we strategically position ourselves in the loading area so that Gru doesn’t accuse us of not having showered for a week – as he did the first time around.)
We have roughly 10 minutes to explore Minion Park on our own – and to take a brief bio-break – and then continue on to Super Nintendo World. Our guides know the fastest path so the walk goes quicker than we were expecting, despite that area being on the opposite end of the park. No issues with entering or with timed tickets as we walk up the exit route.
Super Nintendo World is a lot:
In my early psychology classes, I remember an infant’s sensory world being described as a “blooming, buzzing confusion” – and that is exactly how I would describe Super Nintendo Land.
But the kids are having a blast – they immediately put their power-up bands to good use collecting coins and obtaining other ‘stamps’ as they are called.
Meanwhile, we continue on to Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge. Here we go through a service entrance and take an elevator, all while hiding from Mario’s arch-nemesis Bowser.
We also walk along the main line-up for a while, which feels somewhat awkward as many of the riders have been waiting somewhere around 2 hours to get to where they are. We, on the other hand, just march on through. “I told you we should have gotten a VIP pass…” someone mutters as we walk by. We studiously avoid eye contact.
“My oh my, would you look at those trophies…”
This is another augmented reality ride in which you are in a Kart that loops and spins around a physical track while trying to shoot enemy riders with turtle shells. The enemies appear on a special screen that clips to your headband, and you aim the shells by looking at the right location. (My former human-computer interaction professor would no doubt be pleased to see how far eye tracking has come over the past couple of decades.)
Like Super Nintendo World itself, this ride is a lot to handle – there is so much going on all at once, and players are swerving and shooting and trying to earn coins all at the same time. The kids both enjoy it – though our daughter is a bigger fan of actual physical rides, rather than the screen-based rides.
We were on Mario’s team and consequently were handed Mario headbands. It turns out that depending on when you enter the ride you can end up on different teams (with different headbands) and your score counts towards the MarioKart winner for the day.
We take another break here, then head off for Yoshi’s Adventure.
This ride is done almost entirely with animatronics, and is aimed at a much younger audience. It’s sort of the “small world” of Super Nintendo World – it’s fun, but I don’t think I’d ever go out of my way to do it again. On the way through our special entrance, our guides show the kids where they can place their power-up bands to acquire a special badge for the golden egg.
While this looks like some sort of computer-generated award, it’s an actual photo we took near the end of the ride
Next we head through the Donkey Kong Country section of the park, which was only completed in late 2024.
This aligns with ride waits, as Mine Card Madness is currently tipping in at a whopping 180 minute wait time.
Not for us, though – as we head up the exit and board the ride within seconds. This one is my absolute favourite of those offered at Universal Studios. It uses a unique cantilevered steel coaster that gives you the illusion of jumping across track sections. Lots of twists, turns, and surprises – and no screens.
We then finish our day by skipping the hours-long wait to Kinopio’s (Toad’s) Cafe. We bypass all lines and are directed to the ordering area – in fact just in front of the ordering queue – to place our orders via a QR code.
Before our guides depart, they come by to check in regarding our earlier problem with Minion Mayhem – it sounds like they may be able to get us passes to Villain Blast, but we are completely done at this point. So we thank them very much for a fantastic tour, and bid them adieu.
As for Kinopio’s Cafe, the menu was decent – including pasta, hamburgers, and so on – but we ended up going with the 5th anniversary cake instead. It’s massive, but we split it four ways:
And it’s really good. It definitely earns its reputation as the best treat in the park.
From here we head out of the park – getting a few more power-up challenges as we go.
We catch a taxi at the taxi stand where we first entered. It’s a bit complicated as we needed to exit and then loop back around through the gate to head back toward parking.
One last pass-by the Universal globe along the way:
And we are in our cab and on our way back to the Moon. Again, no issues with the drive – a brief puzzling moment as the cab driver seems to take a longer route than we were expecting, but he soon loops around and then drops us at the cruise terminal.
Off to Spaccanopoli for dinner this evening – it’s quick, and easy, and exactly what we want right now.
And the verdict? We really enjoyed Universal Studios Japan. Yes, it’s busy and expensive – but they have put a tremendous amount of time and effort into creating some truly immersive areas of the park, particularly the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
We would like to return at some point, and likely will do so prior to our forthcoming Osaka to Manila expedition cruise aboard the Cloud in June 2027. Having visited the park before, we will have a much better sense of how it all works – and can enjoy the park at a slower pace.
Off to bed – where a disappointing, long-expected letter awaits us:
Ah, well. We knew this day was coming.
Time to turn in. Our very last Silversea excursion – Highlights of Osaka – starting tomorrow morning at 8:15 am.