How to Explore Universal Studios Japan with Young Children (Part 1)
We were on the fence about visiting Universal Studios Japan with young children, aged 5.5 and 8 years old, during our trip. The rides at Universal Studios Japan (“USJ”) seemed more suitable for older children from Upper Primary, or so we thought. In the end, we went because a friend sold us the tickets at a discount because she bought the wrong ticket category. Turns out, USJ was the highlight of our trip, and one day wasn’t enough for us! We were there towards the end of Summer, on 11 September 2025, under Category C.
Related Post:
- All the posts about Japan, including…
- The popular post of What to Buy: Medicine and Beauty Products in Japanese Drugstore (Prices in 2025)!
Jump to the Relevant Section:
- Pre-Trip Planning
- Buying Tickets (Studio Pass and Express Pass)
- Register the Passes
- When to Visit
- Where to Stay
- Itinerary / Route
- Getting There
- Start Early
- Directions to USJ
- Entering the Park
- Security Checks
- Celebration
- Family Services for Young Children
- Timed Entry Tickets
- Different Areas
- Theatre Shows (next article)
- WaterWorld
- Universal Monsters Live: Rock and Roll Show
- 4-D Live Show
- Meet-and-Greets (next article)
- Street Shows (next article)
- Street Shows
- Street Shows: Harry Potter
- Special Event: Halloween
- Food (next article)
- Food in USJ
- Food in Universal City Walk
- Shopping (next article)
- Buy Merchandise and Souvenirs
- Free Souvenirs
Pin this on Pinterest ;)
No time to read this article? Click on the save button and pin it to read later!
Pre-Trip Planning
Plan your visit to make the most of your USJ experience and get the best value for your money.
Buying Tickets
Studio Pass
Firstly, buy your USJ ticket, also known as Studio Pass. You can choose from 1-day, 1.5-day, to 2-day studio passes. Sales of physical tickets at the booths have been discontinued. Instead of spending time at the entrance to buy tickets online, buy them in advance. Also, save some money from Klook’s Bundle Deals.
Be sure to select the correct date when purchasing the ticket. The prices change according to the dates. USJ Studio Pass is valid for 90 days from the selected date, but you can only use it on the dates corresponding to your pass category (A/B/C/D). Check the dates with the corresponding ticket category here: Studio Pass Price Calendar.
Express Pass
You might also consider getting a USJ Express Pass to skip the long queues and make the most of your visit during the peak days of the week. But if you are on a budget, you can still cut time by queuing at the single-rider lane.
Register the Passes
Register the Passes on the USJ official app (“USJ APP”): www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/enjoy/app. This ensures smooth USJ Park (“Park”) entry by scanning the QR codes using your phone. It is also a prerequisite to getting timed entry tickets, which I will explain later.
- Step 1: In the USJ APP, tap ‘Timed Entry eTicket’ then select ‘Register Park Passes.’ Scan and register the QR code on the Studio Pass or Annual Pass. You can also register the Passes for other travel party members together.
- Step 2: Input the pass holder’s name.
- Step 3: To continue registering the Park passes of your family members or other group members, tap “Scan Another Pass”.
If you get errors, try registering again during Japan’s working hours. I also suggest registering closer to the trip because if you lose your phone or accidentally delete the APP with your registered passes, you have to go through the trouble to contact USJ directly to get new access to your passes.
For more about registration, visit www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/enjoy/numbered-ticket/attraction-reservation-ticket.
When to Visit
Plan to visit on a Wednesday or Thursday. We went on a Thursday, and it’s already crowded with the locals and tourists. We even saw students on excursions, how nice! I cannot imagine the crowd on weekends and Japan’s public holidays. Fridays are out too because locals might take leave for a long weekend visit.
Where to Stay
Staying near Universal Studios Japan (USJ) can maximise your time at the Park, reach earlier than most, and easily return to your hotel after a long day without squeezing with the crowd on train. You can also explore Universal CityWalk, an entertainment, food and shopping area right outside of USJ. It’s also a 15-minute car ride away to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in the Osaka Bay area.
Themed rooms are available at selected official hotels, such as Sesame Street at Hotel Kintetsu and Minions at Hotel Universal Port. Or enjoy beautiful views at The Park Front Hotel. Or head further away for a more affordable stay at J-Hoppers Osaka Universal (Hostel), located one JR stop (Ajikawaguchi Station) or a 5-minute drive from USJ.
Book the themed rooms early:
- Sesame Street-themed or other colourful rooms at Klook, Trip.com, Agoda or Hotel Kintetsu’s official website.
- Minions-themed or other spacious rooms at Klook, Trip.com, Agoda or Hotel Universal Port’s official website. The hotel lobby is decorated with Minions as well!
- Rooms with a view of The Park Front Hotel at Klook, Trip.com or Agoda.
- Affordable hostel rooms of J-Hoppers Osaka Universal at Klook, Trip.com or Agoda.
Itinerary / Route
Strategise and plan your route based on your interests. Use the USJ Park Map and the Shows and Attractions Schedule to plan. You can also find this information inside the USJ APP (www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/enjoy/app).
USJ is divided into seven different worlds –– Super Nintendo World, Wonderland, Harry Potter, Minion Park, Jurassic Park, Hollywood, and Amity Village. Decide on the route based on your interests, go to where you prefer the most, and visit the others if you still have time left.
TIPS:
- Head to the rides first before the crowd comes. You can take your time later to explore the surroundings.
- Bring lots of water, sunscreen, and snacks.
Getting There
Start Early
Start your day early to avoid the crowds for a while. Try to be there before the gates open, I’ve read some start queuing one hour ahead! Depending on the day, admission may start earlier than the Park’s scheduled opening time.
USJ’s opening hours vary from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM, and operation hours may change without notice. So check the official site for the timings again before visiting.
Note that USJ doesn’t allow re-entry, so you wouldn’t be able to head out for lunch or to nap in your hotel room. Food can be quite expensive in the Park, so have a heavy breakfast before going in to avoid lunching on a feast.
Directions to USJ
If you are going to USJ by train, alight at Universal City Station on the JR Yumesaki Line. USJ is a 5-minute walk from the station. The USJ website displays the travel times from the different stations to USJ, such as 13 minutes from Osaka-Namba Station and 35 minutes from Osaka Airport.
USJ’s website also has details on how to get there by bus, sea shuttle boat and car or motorcycle (including parking information).
Entering the Park
If you have registered passes in the USJ APP, simply scan the QR code with your phone at the ticket gantry. As a backup, you can also print out your purchase confirmation email with the QR code.
Security Checks
There will be security bag checks and the use of X-ray machines when entering the Park. Oversized luggage, alcohol, tripods, selfie sticks, and food are among the items not allowed in the Park. We did bring some snacks and biscuits, and they let us pass.
Visit www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/service-guide/park-entry for all the prohibited items.
Celebration
For any birthday boy or girl, be sure to get a birthday sticker from a crew member. You can obtain it at Guest Services (to the left after entering the ticket gates) or ask a crew member about other locations to get it. Crew members will wish you a happy birthday when they see the sticker, and USJ characters might send you birthday greetings too!
Family Services for Young Children
Family Services are located at three locations in the Park:
- Guest Services (right of the Park entrance),
- Universal Wonderland, and the
- San Francisco Area (next to South First Aid).
At Guest Services, you can rent a stroller for ¥1,100 (S$9.70) to use within the Park for children aged 1 month to 4 years old. There is limited availability, so it’s best to rent it early. Unlimited use of small lockers is also available at Wonderland for ¥400 (S$3.40)
At Family Services, you can also find facilities such as diaper-changing areas, nursing stations, hot water and microwaves. Microwaves are not available next to South First Aid. Fret not for diaper emergencies. Diaper change units are installed in men’s or ladies’ restrooms inside the Park (except in the restaurant restrooms). You can view the map location here: www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/service-guide/theme-park-services/children.
Food for babies around 7 months old is sold at Snoopy’s™ Backlot Café and Studio Stars Restaurant.
Timed Entry Tickets
Timed-entry ticket guarantees entry to a busy area at a designated time. Thus, instead of waiting in line, you can play elsewhere or eat first until your time to enter an attraction or area (such as Super Nintendo World). You might still have to wait in line a little, but not as long. Best part, they’re FREE!
You have to register your Studio Pass before you can get the Timed Entry Tickets / Standby Entry Tickets on the USJ APP. Alternatively, you can get them at the Park on the day of visit with your QR codes.
There are three types of timed-entry tickets:
- Area Timed Entry Tickets:
- During the peak period, popular areas such as Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter require a timed ticket to secure entry. When we were there, this ticket was not issued, presumably because there was no peak crowd.
- Choose the time you want to enter. You then have one hour from that time to enter the area, with no time limit once inside. This timed ticket is valid only once and cannot be used for re-entry.
- Certain Area Timed Entry Tickets are included in the USJ Express Pass, and in selected Klook’s Package Deals (studio pass + timed entry ticket + Kansai pass).
- Attraction Timed Entry Tickets: Standby Entry Tickets will be issued if the maximum number of Attraction Timed Entry Tickets has been reached.
- Yoyakunori (Reserve & Ride) Tickets: We forgot to get these tickets until later in the day. We only managed to reserve one ride while all other rides were fully reserved for the day. So reserve the rides early!
More details: www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/enjoy/numbered-ticket
How to get your Timed Entry Ticket via the USJ APP:
- Step 1: Register your Studio Pass. Your Studio Pass must be scanned correctly at the park entrance to get Timed Entry eTickets.
- Step 2: In the Park, go to ‘Timed Entry eTicket’ in the USJ APP.
- Step 3: Select one of the three timed entry ticket types.
- Step 4: Select your desired area, attraction or ride.
- Step 5: Select the ‘Number Of Guests’. If you exceed the maximum number of tickets, divide your group and select the number of guests again.
- Step 6: Choose your preferred time.
- Step 7: Tap ‘Get It.’ This eTicket is valid only for the date, time, and number of people shown, so confirm before tapping on ‘Get It’.
- Step 8: Screenshot or save your QR code. Each QR code can only be used once.
Jurassic Park
For Thrill Seekers
When we entered the Park at about 9:00 AM, thrill seekers were already screaming on the rollercoaster zooming through the Park. If you are one of them, head towards Jurassic Park to ride on The Flying Dinosaur, where you hang off your seat with your face down and fly like a bird and be swung 360 degrees. Other adventure rides include the 25.9m plunge at a dinosaur boat tour in Jurassic Park: The Ride, or head to Hollywood for the backwards roller coaster at The Ride: Backdrop.
Child Switch
If you and your spouse love such adventure rides but are travelling with young children who don’t meet the ride requirements, you can take turns experiencing the ride or attraction without waiting in line again. Simply let the crew know you want to use the Child Switch system.
Super Nintendo World (For Mario Fans)
After entering USJ, we walked down the main street, took the right path at the crossroads and headed towards Super Nintendo World. We wanted to enjoy this popular area first before it gets more crowded. Case in point, the queue to take a photo at the main entrance of Super Nintendo World grew much longer when we left the area than when we reached.
Interactive Games
I was wowed by the Mushroom Kingdom when we first stepped into Super Nintendo World. It felt like I was stepping into a video game. What’s more, having a power-up band made me feel like I was one of its characters. Sort of. You can purchase the Power-Up Band, which costs ¥4,900 (S$42.80), on the way to or inside the land. Pair the band up with the USJ APP to interact in this world and keep track of your coins. We had lots of fun with the interactive games!
Firstly, have fun punching into the underside of Mario cubes with your fist to collect coins and get the Mario sound effect. You wouldn’t be able to hear the sound without a Power-Up Band.
Join the activities or challenges and earn Super Nintendo World keys. You need three keys to enter the final battle to challenge Bowser Jr.
- Key 1: Panel Panic. This reminded me of Jackpot. Bump into the cubes to get three in a line.
- Key 2: Koopa Troopa POWer Punch. Single player game to knock over a Koopa Troopa using a green shell that comes out of a pipe. (We didn’t play this)
- Key 3: Piranha Plant Alarm Panic. Up to four players. Tap twelve alarms that are ringing randomly so that the Piranha Plants stay asleep.
- Key 4: Bob-mb Kaboom Room. Up to four players. Assemble fragments of a key before a giant Bob-omb explodes.
Rides
We were drawn to the interactive games, and thus we forgot to head straight to the rides.
So it was already 10:25 AM when we joined the queue for Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge. Before young children are allowed entry, they have to check their height at the entrance and get a wristband to indicate that the height requirement has been met.
Hubby checked the expected queue time in the USJ APP and saw that it’s a 2-hour wait. The single-rider lane also requires approximately 30 minutes. However, the place looks half empty, and so we decided to continue queuing. Who knows, the queue continues to snake inside Bower’s Castle (hidden from view when we first joined), and I was half-regretting by then. But USJ had made the queuing experience slightly better as we walked through a thought-out set of towering stone walls and spiked fences, while admiring the trophies, racing gear, and portraits of Bowser’s victories.
Thankfully, it’s better than the expected wait, although we still waited for about an hour for a 5-minute ride. We boarded a four-seater kart equipped with AR visors, which immersed us in a race alongside Mario, Peach, and Bowser. We can pair our power-up bands with our steering wheel, throw shells at opponents, and collect coins just in the video game. It was a rush boarding for me as I had to settle my younger daughter as well – pairing the bands, taking off her spectacles and clipping the AR visors to the hats, but the visors kept slipping off.
By the time we finished our ride, we couldn’t go on Yoshi’s Adventure. My daughters spotted this ride when they first stepped into Super Nintendo World and wanted to go on it. The ride gives a spectacular view of the Mushroom Kingdom. It was a 5-minute wait earlier, but it became a 30-minute wait, which we didn’t have time for and didn’t think was worth waiting that long for.
TIP: Before exploring the mushroom kingdom, check the queue timings for the various rides on the USJ APP. Head straight to the ride before queues start forming. I would suggest Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge over Yoshi’s Adventure.
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is the latest expansion at USJ inside Super Nintendo World. However, it was already noon when we were there, so we played one drum game and left. Having already spent the whole morning in Super Nintendo World, we wanted to explore outside of it.
Wonderland
From Super Nintendo World, we rushed to its neighbour, Wonderland, to catch a show. This area is home to Elmo, Snoopy, and Hello Kitty and is suitable for toddlers and preschoolers.
Rides
While searching for the show’s location, we stumbled upon an indoor playground for young children, including toddlers. Many parents were also seen resting here. We wanted to return for it, but with so much going on in USJ, we never got the chance to go back. Anyway, we couldn’t find the show’s location, so we decided to go on the rides, as they had relatively short queues (5 to 10 minutes).
We rode on Big Bird’s Big Top Circus (carousel), Elmo’s Go-Go Skateboard* (kids’ version of the pirate ship), and Moppy’s Balloon Trip* (a pseudo hot air balloon ride). My daughters love them all, especially the Skateboard, because it is not as scary as it seems.
Rides and Snoopy Studios
After that, we entered Snoopy Studios, and my younger daughter wanted to join the relatively short queue to take photos with Snoopy. Initially, my husband was our unofficial cameraman, but the one managing the queue got a Mandarin-speaking staff member to convince our whole family to take a photo together. Good business move there. Because we saw the beautifully taken photos and bought two of them (hard and soft copies included) for ¥2,200 (S$19.20) as mementoes.
Inside Snoopy Studios, we went on a rollercoaster ride at Snoopy’s Flying Ace Adventure* and outside, we rode the Flying Snoopy*, which is more suitable for younger children. We also went around the world of the Beagle Scouts led by Snoopy, where the girls “played” baseball and a laundry spinning game.
*Eligible for Yoyakunori (Reserve & Ride) Tickets.
Amity Village
While we were lunching at Amity Village, we saw a boat ride going around, and the girls wanted to hop on it, thinking it was a scenic boat tour of USJ. Turns out it’s more than that! Good thing we didn’t hop on it due to the lack of time, because it might be terrifying for younger kids.
Apparently, at the JAWS, guests board a guided boat tour through the Amity Village recreated from the iconic JAWS movie, resembling a New England fishing town. What begins as a peaceful ride turns into a thrilling encounter when a massive robotic shark attacks the boat in the dark, accompanied by dramatic effects like fire and splashing water. After the ride, you can also snap a photo with the iconic hanging shark and other props from the film.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
It’s 5:45 PM now, and time was running out. Should I bring my younger daughter to Minion Park to explore because she might not appreciate Harry Potter? In the end, we went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a family.
We walked along a long path lined with fir trees, leading up to a striking recreation of the iconic scene where the enchanted Ford Anglia crashes into the Whomping Willow—building anticipation as we approached. When we finally reached the world, Hogwarts Limited Express was on our right, and it felt like we alighted the train and stepped into the streets of Harry Potter. I was wow-ed. The evening glow added another layer to the atmosphere. As the USJ website describes this area, “a magnificent area reproducing the world from Harry Potter on an overwhelming scale and meticulous attention to detail.” I was thankful I didn’t miss this for the Minions, at least at this point.
Wands and Rides
Similar to the Super Nintendo World, instead of a Power-Up Band, there’s an interactive wand you could buy for ¥6,400 (S$56.10) to interact with this Wizarding World. You can get them from one of the push carts or at Olivander’s Shop, where there are boxes of magic wands stacked up to the ceiling.
We explored the streets and shops, and skipped the popular rides with insanely long queues — Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (a motion-based dark ride) and the Flight of the Hippogriff (a junior roller coaster).
Soon, our night took a darker turn since a street show here, more on that in my next article.
TIP: Head over in the evening to see the atmosphere change in the world of Harry Potter.
Minion Park
Rides
I wish we had more time to explore Minion Park. It was a touch-and-go here as we had no time left after queuing for two of its rides — Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast (“Blast”) and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (“Mayhem”). Nevertheless, they’re good, with Mayhem being the best ride we had in USJ. Thankfully, the rides gave us such a dose of dopamine that it brushed away the jitters my elder daughter and I had after a horrifying walk from Harry Potter to Minion Park (more on that in my next article).
For Blast, each of us had a big gun, and we could choose to pair it to the USJ APP or not. We all hopped onto the travellator, and it moved us along to shoot the villains on the big screen. However, with many other people on the travellator going on the same mission, it becomes confusing with multiple crosshairs moving all around. A crosshair indicates where the weapon is pointed at on the screen. Thus, we were just shooting all around, hoping to earn some points. It’s still fun, but if you can only choose one ride in Minion Park due to limited time, Mayhem it is!
My daughters (and secretly myself) wanted to queue one more time for Mayhem, but my hubs was already exhausted and didn’t want to go through the introduction videos of the ride because there was too much talking. It’s literally a show with English subtitles to bring you into the story of why you’re going on the ride. We climbed aboard a vehicle that doesn’t move forward, but we felt like we were on a rollercoaster as it whips us around with a massive dome screen and a hyper-realistic projection system.
Before you leave Minion Park, be sure to visit the “Bank of Evil” in Minion Park to withdraw money of any amount… from someone else’s bank account. ;)
Shows and Food in USJ
I’ve so much more to share, but the article will be too lengthy! So, read Part 2 to find out which shows are enjoyable and which ones to avoid to save time. I’ll also discuss the Halloween special events that I wish someone had warned us about, so we could plan our itinerary or route to avoid those horrors.
We spent almost 12 hours at USJ, and so we definitely got to try some food in the park. It’s overpriced as expected, but surprisingly yummy! I will share in Part 2 where we ate that yummy food and where a reservation is required.
Last but not least, shopping for a souvenir. I would talk about the many places around USJ you can shop, and share a deal I missed out on myself! And if the merchandise is just too expensive for your budget, I’ll let you know where you can get a free mini souvenir. So, head over to Part 2 for more travel tips.
That’s all! Hope the above information has been helpful. If you have other tips to explore USJ, let me know in the comments section below. For useful content like this article, visit joogostyle.com for travel, home, and baby matters.
For updates, join JoogoStyle Telegram, subscribe to the mailing list and be sure to follow on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! If you like what you read here, keep it going too. :)
Save it, Pin it.
Latest @ Instagram.
Disclaimer: JoogoStyle and Christina accept no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any use, misuse, inaccuracy or omission of the information or other contents published on this website.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. An affiliate link means I’ll get a small commission if you make a purchase. There’s NO extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in maintaining this website, so that I can share more tips with you. Thank you!