Universal Studios Japan During Golden Week Without an Express Pass

We Almost Cancelled This Trip

This was our first trip to Japan, and because of how our Osaka plan was set, we could only visit Universal Studios Japan during Golden Week. We had no backup day and no better option.

Before going, we read so many Reddit comments that we almost gave up on the idea completely. Most people said USJ is crowded all year, but during Golden Week it becomes next-level busy. One comment even said that going without an Express Pass is a wasted day, and that even with an Express Pass it still would not be easy.

But then we saw a few positive comments from people who had still enjoyed the park. One of them made a simple point that stayed with us: if it were truly impossible to enjoy USJ without an Express Pass, then no one would go without one. That gave us just enough hope to keep the plan.

Now that the day is over, we can say this very clearly: yes, Golden Week is crowded, but no, a day at USJ without an Express Pass is not automatically a bad idea.

Our Morning Start

We visited on May 1, 2026. We reached Universal Studios Japan at around 7:45 AM, and there were already huge lines in front of us. There was a little rain in the air, and the whole morning felt tense because we knew getting into Super Nintendo World early would decide how the day went. We cleared security at around 8:30 AM and entered the park after ticket scan at about 9:00 AM.

Straight to Super Nintendo World

The first thing we did was run to Super Nintendo World. This was the most important part of our plan because we had no guaranteed entry and no Express Pass. Our backup would have been to try for timed entry later and just hope for the best, but luckily we got in right away. That one bit of luck changed the entire day.

We joined the Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge queue at around 9:15 AM and got on the ride at about 9:45 AM. It was fun, creative, and very well themed, but not our favourite ride of the day.

Next, we went for Yoshi's Adventure. The wait time was already 70 minutes, and it actually took almost exactly that long. We got on the ride at around 11:00 AM. It was mostly fun because of nostalgia. If you grew up playing Mario, it feels sweet and charming. If not, you may not enjoy it as much.

Mine Cart Madness was under maintenance, and we could already see a lot of people gathering around that area. We decided not to wait around and moved on instead.

Before leaving, we spent some time walking around Super Nintendo World, taking cute pictures, and picking up a popcorn bucket. Even with the crowds, this area felt special and was one of the highlights of the day.

Quick ratings from Super Nintendo World:

• Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge: 6/10
• Yoshi's Adventure: 8/10

Harry Potter World Was Even Better Than Expected

From there, we made our way to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. By this point, the rain had disappeared, the sun was out, and there was not a cloud in sight.

Our first ride there was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and this was one of the biggest surprises of the day. The posted wait time was just 25 minutes, which felt unbelievable for Golden Week. We got on the ride at around 12:30 PM and loved every second of it. It became our favourite ride in the whole park.

After that, we took a food break for churros and Butterbeer. We had been looking forward to Butterbeer for so long, and we are happy to report that it was absolutely worth the wait.

Next was Flight of the Hippogriff. The posted wait was 35 minutes, and the actual wait was more or less the same. We got on at around 1:30 PM. It was short, fun, and just thrilling enough.

We also did the Ollivanders show. There was no real wait for this. The show itself was around 15 to 20 minutes long. It was a nice experience, not something mind-blowing, but still fun if you love the Harry Potter world. At the end, you walk into the wand shop, where you can buy a wand and use it at spell spots around the area.

Quick ratings from Harry Potter World:

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey: 10/10
• Flight of the Hippogriff: 9/10

Minion Land, Surprise Short Waits, and Good Parade Luck

On the way to Minion Park, we passed The Flying Dinosaur. It looked intense enough that we simply could not gather the courage to ride it.

While walking through the Hollywood area, we also caught part of the parade. It was only a glimpse, but it was still one of those moments that adds a lot to the day. The energy was amazing.

Once we reached Minion Park, we went first to Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. The posted wait time was just 5 minutes, and we got on at around 2:45 PM. That said, there were several pre-show rooms and instructions before the actual ride started, so it still took around 10 to 15 minutes more than expected. The ride itself was very fun.

Next was Freeze Ray Sliders with a posted wait of 40 minutes. We were on the ride by around 3:30 PM. It was decent, but not a must-do if you are short on time.

After that, we did Villain-Con Minion Blast. The posted wait was 40 minutes, and we got on at around 4:30 PM. This one is more of an interactive attraction where you stand and use a blaster to hit targets for points. It was fun enough, but again not a top ride for us.

By then we were very hungry, so we grabbed hot dogs in the Hollywood area.

Quick ratings from Minion Park:

• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: 9/10
• Freeze Ray Sliders: 7/10
• Villain-Con Minion Blast: 7/10

One small tip: the themed churros in Harry Potter World and some other areas looked more special, but we noticed that similar churros in the Hollywood area were almost 50% cheaper. The main difference was simply that they were not themed.

Universal Wonderland and a Very Stressful Suica Moment

Later, we went to Universal Wonderland and rode The Flying Snoopy. It was a gentle ride, but we had fun and enjoyed the break from all the heavier attractions.

Then came the most stressful part of the day. At some point, my husband realised he had lost his Suica card, and it had quite a lot of yen loaded onto it. We were panicking.

We went to the lost and found department, and thankfully they had found it for us. We do not think we will ever forget how relieved we felt in that moment. We lost around 45 minutes because of this, and by then it was already close to 6:00 PM, but we were so grateful to have the card back that it completely changed our mood again.

We will probably write about that incident separately because it deserves its own story.

Quick rating from Universal Wonderland:

• The Flying Snoopy: 7/10

The Best Part of the Day Happened at the End

After the Suica card panic ended, we headed to Space Fantasy. The wait time was around 30 minutes, and the ride turned out to be such a fun surprise.

Then we did Hello Kitty's Cupcake Dream, which was a cute and gentle ride.

We also managed to do JAWS right at the end with almost no wait time. It was a fun classic ride.

By this time, the sun had almost set and the park was getting closer to closing time, so we decided to try our luck with Forbidden Journey one more time. And this is where the evening really paid off. The wait time was just 5 minutes, so we rode it again. Then, because we loved it so much and the wait was still tiny, we rode it a third time. So yes, that tells you very clearly what our favourite ride in the park was.

Quick ratings from the final stretch:

• Space Fantasy: 9/10
• Hello Kitty's Cupcake Dream: 7/10
• JAWS: 7/10
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey: still 10/10

So, Was USJ During Golden Week Without an Express Pass Worth It?

For us, this was a really successful trip. We are so glad we did not cancel just because so many people online said it would be too crowded. Yes, it was busy. Yes, there were long waits. Yes, an Express Pass would definitely have made the day easier.

But even without one, we still managed to:

• Get into Super Nintendo World
• Do both Mario Kart and Yoshi's Adventure
• Explore Harry Potter World properly
• Watch part of the parade
• Ride Minion Mayhem, Space Fantasy, and more
• Re-ride Forbidden Journey twice at the end

That does not sound like a wasted day to us.

My Honest Advice

If you are worried about visiting USJ during Golden Week without an Express Pass, this is what we would say:

• Go as early as you can
• Make Super Nintendo World your first priority if that matters most to you
• Accept that you may not do every ride
• Use the evening smartly because some wait times can drop a lot
• Do not let scary online comments make the decision for you

Would we say it is the easiest day to visit USJ? Definitely not. Would we say it is impossible or not worth it without an Express Pass? Also no.

If you want a quick visual recap from all across the park, this carousel gives a better feel of the full day:

For us, it was crowded, chaotic, tiring, and still completely worth it.