Location: 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 554-0031, Japan
Telephone Number: +81 570-200-606
Official Website: www.usj.co.jp
Park Hours and Calendar
Nearest Train Station: Universal City Station
Admission Passes and Express Pass Prices
How to Buy USJ Tickets Online & Timed Entry Tickets to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
It’s a different kind of feeling when you drink butterbeer without having to line up, shop for Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and Chocolate Frogs without the store looking like it’s hit by a tornado, and endlessly Snapchat your favorite moments as if the entire park is yours.
These things are never going to happen if you buy your ticket on the day of your park visit.
So how did I manage to ride the Forbidden Journey twice? Why were there were no timed entry tickets on the day I went to USJ? How can I buy timed entry tickets to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in advance?
The answer? It pays to plan ahead.
If you don’t plan, you’ll be waking up early in the morning just so you can buy tickets at the counter, well before park opening hours. You’ll never get to buy these magical things at Dervish & Banges, Filch’s Emporium and Ollivander’s. Say goodbye to Marauder’s Map because they run out of stocks!
If you don’t plan, you’ll end up taking chances on entering the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Yes, to all newbies, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter isn’t opened all the time. Should crowd influx increase, the park reserves the right to close this area and not allow any more visitors.
Tip 1: Buy your USJ Tickets in Advance
So if you plan on buying USJ tickets online, I would recommend that you buy 1 month in advance.
There’s two passes you need to purchase: The Admission Pass to the USJ park, and the Express Pass that will help you loads. The Admission Pass is your ticket to the park, but it can only guarantee you entrance.
Tip 2: You need to buy the Express Pass to get a Timed Entry Ticket to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
On the other hand, the Express Pass will grant you a quicker access to rides that are often overflowing with lines, such as the Forbidden Journey, Spider-man, and Jurassic Park. There are three types of Express Pass, namely version 3, 5 and 7, and this link will show you the differences among the three Express Pass types.
In order to gain access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in advance, you must either buy the Express Pass 5 or 7, as these come with a timed entrance, which I will show you below.
How to Buy USJ Tickets Online
Everyone says that the USJ website’s English version doesn’t allow you to purchase ticket. But the Japanese version of the website does. Make sure you use Google Chrome browser, as it is equipped with Google Translate which will come in handy.
Step 1: Go to http://usj.co.jp/ticket/
Step 2: From the white box, click the button that says “Pass”. The others are for Annual Pass.
Step 3: Click the Calendar dropdown to select the date when you want to visit.
Step 4: From the calendar, you can see when tickets are still available for a certain day. Stars indicate the park have a magical parade at night. Select the date when you will be going to USJ.
Step 5: Once you have selected, click the big yellow button with magnifying glass.
Step 6: With the help of Google Translate, the list of possible admission passes will appear. Select the 1 Day Studio Pass by clicking the Buy button.
Step 7: For convenience, click the Direct Inn option which allows you to print your ticket at home. Prepare an A4 size of paper to print the QR code properly.
Step 8: Select how many tickets you want and click Add to the Cart.
If the USJ admissions pass is all you need, then you’re ready to check out! Proceed to Step 12.
Step 9: To select an Express Pass to go along the day you set, select the type of Universal Express Pass you want. You can click the details to know what the pass includes, but basically, the Express Pass 5 and 7 contains the Forbidden Journey ride. (Remember that Express Passes get sold out quickly, even on Mondays! So if you want to save time, it is best to purchase them a month in advance.)
Step 10: Wait for the page to load the date, and select Direct Inn once again to print the QR code.
Step 11: The trickiest part of the whole purchasing tickets is this portion. If you’re entering the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you have to choose what time you want to enter the section of the park. Clicking the dropdown shows you the available time. In this example, there are no more slots in the morning so the earliest possible time to enter the park is at 2:40pm for this day.
Also, you should refer to this page for the schedule on when you’ll be able to ride the Forbidden Journey. For example, at 2:40pm, you can only ride the Forbidden Journey between 3:00pm to 3:15pm. If the area is extremely populated, and you didn’t manage to come on time, you might lose access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It is best to arrive early!
This is also the very reason why I advise to purchase tickets 1 month in advance. The timed entry tickets get exhausted quickly, especially during peak season.
Step 12: Once you’re finished shopping, you can now proceed to checkout by creating a Club Universal Studio account. You’ll be asked to input your name in Katakana, and you can use this website to convert your name into Katakana.
After this, you can check out using your Visa or Mastercard.
And that’s it! It’s quite simple, as long as you know which date you’ll be going.
Tip 3: If you don’t mind getting wet, visit the park during the rainy season.
Just bring a poncho, and you’ll be just fine. I didn’t mind the rain, and I got to roam around the park freely. And that was how I got to ride the Forbidden Journey twice.
How to Get Harry Potter Timed Entry Tickets for Free
Also, there is a way to get Timed Entry tickets for free. On the day of your visit to USJ, you can directly proceed to the Timed Entry Tickets booth just across the great big shark of Jaws and follow the arrows to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter ticket booths. USJ staff will help you secure a timed entry ticket IF there are still available slots for the specified times. Unlike the Express Pass, the Timed Entry tickets will only allow you to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and not get an Express Pass to ride the Forbidden Journey. You will still need to fall in line to ride.
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