What to Do on a Visit to Osaka Universal Studios

Osaka Universal Studios is one of the biggest amusements in Japan’s second city.

Modelled around the US version of the studios, visiting Osaka Universal Studios is an excellent day out and can provide a truly exciting time.

There are a number of hotels at the Universal Studio site, however if you’re going to spend any more than a few days in Osaka, it’s often best to stay in the city or surrounding areas. This guide on the best places to stay in Osaka can help you identify where to stay depending on what you intend to do.

Either way, if you are going to the studios, here’s a good guide on what we found to work and what we advise you to enjoy if you visit Universal Studios Japan.

#1.  Install The Universal Studio Japan App On Your Phone Beforehand

The official Universal Studio Japan app is available on both Android and iOS. It provides users with a map of the park and the GPS tracking to show you where you are in the park.

You can use the app to learn how long you have to wait for the various rides. Furthermore, you can get the parades and shows schedules.

The app is super convenient and very good alternative to the traditional Park Map. That being said, I suggest that you still keep the paper version in hand for cross-checking or redundancy purposes.

#2. Carry With Your Some Water And Food/Light Snacks

As is the case with any other park visit, you must carry water with you whilst visiting and exploring USJ. The park is quite huge and exploring the various sections is a challenge, especially during bright and sunny days.

You need to take water to stay amply rehydrated. You can also carry some snacks to boost your energy levels as you explore the park.

#3. Get Express Passes Especially For Popular Rides

While the express passes cost more, they will make your time at the park more enjoyable.

There are a variety of express pass options, each with different features. Some passes will give you entry into Harry Potter World while others will not. Furthermore, different passes will give you access to different ride options. As such, compare the passes and choose the passes that suit your needs.

During our visit, we choose a pass that gave us an Express pass into Forbidden Journey and entry into HP World. While most people will queue for the Forbidden Journey when they arrive at the Harry Potter World, we opted to line up for Flight of the Hippogriff first.

There was no one lining up for this ride, we had an express pass for the more popular Express for Forbidden Journey, and it was still early on the day.

Thereafter, we went on to explore the Hogwarts Castle, where no one was lining up there either. Our Forbidden Journey express pass gave us the leeway not to worry about the buying tickets to the ride or lining up in the long queue. As such, even after the Hogwarts Castle visit, we strolled around, taking photos, shopping, and much more.

After exploring the HP World, our Express Pass still came in handy as it saved us ample time for SpiderMan and Jaws, which are very popular rides in USJ. Unfortunately, we were unable to visit The Flying Dinosaur.

I am afraid of heights as well as being in a position where I have a 360-degree view of my surroundings. This ride begins with a steep drop from a height. On the other hand, my friend could not handle the twists and turn that this ride has. She was getting nervous from other riders’ screams.

At the Jurassic Park section, the ride was under maintenance while we visited. However, we did enjoy the Flying Dinosaur ride.

In all, despite the fact that we skipped one of the rides in our Express Pass, we did get to thoroughly enjoy our stay at the park. We explored all the popular attractions and rides, took a break soak in the scenery, and even went on a Minion Mayhem. All this was made possible by the advance tickets and passes.

#4. See One Show (At The Very Least)

My recommended show is the Waterworld show. It has the perfect scenery if you want to cool down during summer. However, if you want to get wet, bring a change of clothes. You will get splashed with water. I also recommend this show as it is one that I can clearly remember.

Another good show to see is Shrek. It is entertaining and interesting.

#5. Spend Your Afternoons Exploring Universal Wonderland

While this section of the park has been designed for young kids, no one will stop you from visiting and exploring the section. I found this section to be refreshingly cute, and my friend and I are glad we visited.

We particularly found Moppy’s Balloon Trip, Snoopy’s Great Race, and Elmo’s Go-Go Skateboard to be great fun. The good thing about our time at the park was the lack of long queues in the afternoon.

In a nutshell, we did have a splendid day at Universal Studios Japan, for the most part, due to these tips above. While these tips might sound common sense, they worked wonders for us.  If you have additional tips, please share with us in the comment section.

They will help potential USJ visitors have an experience to remember. If you are planning a visit to USJ, follow these tips as you plan your day and you will have a good time.