Universal Studios Japan Vacation Planning (2026) Hotels, Tickets, Itineraries and Tips
If you’re thinking about Universal Studios Japan vacation planning, you’re probably wondering whether it’s worth building part of your Japan trip around a theme park. And how to actually plan it without stress.
Unlike the US parks, Universal Studios Japan doesn’t offer traditional “vacation packages” in English, which can make planning feel confusing, especially for first-time visitors or families. The good news is that with the right approach to tickets, hotels and timing, USJ can be one of the highlights of a Japan trip.
We’re right in the middle of Universal Studios Japan vacation planning as part of our wider trip to Japan next year: our fourth trip to Japan and our second vacation in Universal Studios Japan. We love the park, and we’d love to share our insights so you can love it too!
This guide covers exactly how to plan a Universal Studios Japan vacation in 2026, including where to book tickets, how many days you need, the best hotels to stay at, and whether Express Passes are really worth it.
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Is Universal Studios Japan Worth Planning a Vacation Around?
For many visitors, my answer is absolutely! Universal Studios Japan is worth planning a vacation around, especially if you’re travelling with kids, teens, or theme park fans. For us, it’s a nice addition to a wider trip to Japan.
USJ is home to some of the most popular attractions in Japan, including Super Nintendo World (honestly, the absolute highlight of the experience), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and seasonal limited-time events that don’t exist anywhere else in the world.
If this is your first visit to Universal Studios Japan, most people find that at least one full day at the park is essential, and some choose to stay nearby for two nights to reduce travel time and early starts.
If you’re already visiting Osaka or Kyoto, adding Universal Studios Japan to your itinerary is straightforward. If you’re travelling specifically for USJ, staying at a park-adjacent hotel can make the experience far more relaxed, especially during busy periods. I’ll cover all of these options below.
Does Universal Studios Japan Offer Vacation Packages?
The simple answer to this question is no! You CAN’T buy a vacation package that includes flights, hotels and tickets directly from the Universal Studios Japan website. This is very different to the American Universal Studios parks.
You can buy a Universal Studios Japan package that includes flights and official hotels through USJ’s travel agent partners. These occasionally (but not always) include park tickets too.
You can book Universal Studios Japan vacation packages via Expedia, which is probably the best and easiest way to book these official packages.
👉 You can check out their official package page here.
Prices vary wildly depending on when you want to travel, which hotel you want to visit, and how long you want to stay. To answer some of the questions I knew you guys would have, I ran a couple of dummy bookings to get some example prices.
The cheapest stay I could find was coming in at £775 per person (based on two sharing). travelling from 21st October – 24th October. This package would see you staying at the Universal Hotel Port, which is an official Universal Partner Hotel and just a 5 minute walk from Universal Studios Osaka City Walk. The flights are with China Eastern Airlines, and you would have a long layover in Shanghai to secure these prices. More details on this offer here.
Worth noting that this package price doesn’t include park tickets or breakfast in the hotel.
Happy to spend a little more? I found a similar package but with school holiday dates and direct flights. Travelling from 28th October – 31st October and staying at the very luxurious Park Front Hotel. You’ll get direct flights with British Airways from London Heathrow, but the flights are pricey and ramp the price of this package up to £3,641 per person (and that’s why we never fly direct!) You can find more details on this offer here.
This includes a breakfast buffet but still doesn’t include your park tickets.
Buying Universal Studios Japan Tickets
I’m going to be honest here, we’ve never booked a Universal Studios Japan vacation package. Rather than switch from our central Osaka hotel to a Universal Studios hotel for just a night or two, we prefer to travel from our hotel in the city via the Metro and just book day tickets into the park. Universal Studios Japan is only 20 minutes away from central Osaka.
This works best (in my opinion at least) if you’re planning to explore the city as well as visit its theme parks.
As an added bonus, as well as being the easiest and most convenient way to visit Universal Studios Japan, this is also the cheapest way to visit the park.
We always buy our Universal Studios Japan tickets through Klook for many different reasons:
- Tickets are delivered instantly to your phone
- You can use them straight from your phone by scanning the QR code (no printing required)
- It’s the cheapest option if you use my exclusive discount code
🎫 TICKETS ARE DATE SPECIFIC AND BOOK UP FAST so I recommend getting your park tickets as soon as possible
👉 Click here to check prices and availability and to book your Universal Studios Japan tickets
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an extra 5% off all Klook ticket prices
Universal Studios Japan Vacation Itinerary (1, 2 or 3 Days)
If you’re planning a Universal Studios Japan vacation, you may be wondering how many days you need in the park. Unlike in Florida (where you can visit for a week and still not see everything across 3 parks) there is only one Universal park in Japan. Queue lines can be long, but despite this, the compact nature of the park means you’ll have a great time whether you choose one, two , or three days in the park:
One-Day Universal Studios Japan Vacation
Best for: tight itineraries or adults travelling without kids
- Arrive 30–60 minutes before park opening
- Focus on headline attractions (Nintendo World, Harry Potter, major coasters)
- It will cost a little more but an Express Pass is strongly recommended if you want to see and do as much as possible in just one day
Two-Day Universal Studios Japan Vacation
Best for: families or first-time visitors. This is what we do, and it’s what we’ve booked again for this spring too!
- Day 1: Full park day with Express Pass or early arrival
- Day 2: Slower pace, shows, repeat rides, character meet-and-greets
- Stay at a nearby hotel to avoid long travel days
Three-Day Universal Studios Japan + Osaka Trip
Best for: visitors building a short Japan vacation around USJ
- Day 1: Full park day with Express Pass or early arrival
- Day 2: Slower pace, shows, repeat rides, character meet-and-greets
- Day 3: Have a little start in the parks and make time for dining and shopping at Universal City Walk
Note: Please don’t go to USJ and not save some time for exploring Osaka. Osaka is an amazing, vibrant city! And it would be a sin to fly all the way to Osaka and not explore what this amazing city has to offer: so if you’re just flying in and out, then definitely allow an extra day/night (at least) of your trip to really enjoy Osaka.
🎴 You can get some ideas of things to do in Osaka in our 14 day Japan Itinerary.
🍙 You can also read 3 Day Osaka Itinerary (2026): The Perfect Family Guide to Japan’s Most Fun City
✨PLEASE note that Universal Studios Japan is in Osaka and Tokyo Disneyland is in Tokyo: These 2 cities are 320 miles (515 kilometres) apart. You CAN visit them both in one vacation, but they’re not right next door to each other: this isn’t Florida. Its a 2 and a half hour bullet train ride between Tokyo and Osaka, so realistically, if you want to visit both you’ll need to plan a two city break. I’ve seen so many people make this mistake, and I don’t want it to happen to you! ✨
What Are The Best Universal Studios Japan Hotels?
There are 8 official hotels for Universal Studios Japan. The best-known of these are the Park Front Hotel, the Hotel Keihan Universal City, the Hotel Kintetsu Universal City, Hotel Universal Port and the Hotel Universal Port Vista.
All of these hotels are within walking distance of the park and the City Walk leisure area. Some of them also offer special benefits to guests with park tickets, like early park entry, which is handy on days when you don’t have an Express Pass and want to get straight into Super Nintendo World as soon as you possibly can.
Because we’ve never stayed in any of the official Universal Studios Japan hotels, I’m not in a position to write a comprehensive review of these and I can’t give my usual first-hand experience. But based on reading extensive hotel reviews, I’ve put together a list of my four favourite official Universal Studios Osaka hotel partners below for you to check out:
The Park Front Hotel at Universal Studios Japan
What To Pack For Universal Studios Japan
Another question that i’m asked a lot is about what we pack in our backpack for Universal Studios Japan (and all the theme parks we visit, really!) I appreciate the question, and understand that if it’s your first theme park visit with kids you might be feeling a bit nervous.
I don’t like to carry alot of stuff around when we visit theme parks. I think all those years of lugging buggies and nappy bags around means that I’m enjoying the hands-freedom. Instead, we have just one backpack between the four of us (which Mike always carries like a Gent!) and here’s what we were glad we brought:
- Light ponchos (for JAWS + unpredictable weather as we visit in Spring). Ours are here.
- Our trusty refillable water bottles (I mention these a lot but they save us a fortune and there are water refil stations around the park)
- My speedy portable power bank/phone charger (Don’t forget to bring one of these – between taking photos and constantly being on the USJ app, I used it twice!)
- Mini first-aid kit (My boys and their endless running also means endless scrapped knees!)
- Sun hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses for everyone.
You’ll find loads of theme park advice, as well as packing tips in my eBook! Japan With Kids: The No Stress Family Guide For First Time Travellers. Get your copy here!
Universal Studios Japan Vacation FAQs
Do I need to buy an Express Pass at Universal Studios Japan?
There’s absolutely no need to buy an Express Pass at Universal Studios Japan. They can be a huge financial commitment, and we had a great day in the park without them. But I will say that on the day we had the Express Passes, we got so much more done. If you only have one day in Japan and can afford it, they’re well worth buying. Express passes do sell out quickly, so if you want one of these then book as soon as possible.
👉Check availability and book your Universal Studios Japan Express Pass here.
Is it cheaper to buy USJ tickets online or at the gate?
I would strongly recommend buying your USJ tickets online and in advance. It used to be that tickets were more expensive on the gate (USJ offer an advance booking discount) but now you CAN’T BUY TICKETS ON THE GATE! The tickets office at the entance to the park are closed
👉 Don’t risk missing out. Buy your USJ tickets in advance from Klook here.
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an exclusive reader discount
Is Universal Studios Japan suitable for toddlers and young children?
Universal Studios Japan has a huge area called Universal Wonderpark that’s perfect for both babies and toddlers. Elmo, Hello Kitty and Snoopy all call this part of the park home. There are also splash pads, toddler-friendly playgrounds (for letting off steam), and small rides that little kids will love here. I truly believe this is a theme park that has something for everyone.
Are lockers available at Universal Studios Japan?
Sure thing! You’ll find lockers located at the park entrance. These cost between 500-1,500 yen per day depending on the size you need. A small locker is 500 yen, large is 1,000 yen, and extra large, which would be big enough for a suitcase, is 1,500 yen.
Can you bring food into Universal Studios Japan?
The USJ website clearly states that food brought in from outside may not be consumed in the park. However, if you want to bring some bottled water or toddler/baby snacks then there may be some leeway here. We had a few small breakfast snacks in our backpack. It’s worth noting that your bag is likely to be checked at the park entrance, so leave those huge picnic baskets at home!
Can I bring my selfie stick into Universal Studios Japan?
Sadly not, extendable selfie sticks are banned. So are monopods and tripods. If you have a selfie stick that fits within the palm of your hand, can be used in one hand and don’t extend above your head then this should be permitted.
Is Universal Studios Japan better than US parks?
This is such a subjective question, and a hard one to answer! USJ is often considered more immersive, with unique attractions and seasonal events not found elsewhere. But you will only find one Universal Park in Japan (as opposed to the 3 park resort in Orlando) so the US wins in terms of size and volume of rides!
🎫 Here’s one final reminder to book your Universal Studios Japan tickets BEFORE you travel.
👉 Click here to check prices and availability and to book your Universal Studios Japan tickets
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an extra 5% off all Klook ticket prices
Keep Planning Your Trip To Universal Studios Japan
Looking for more hints and tips to help you keep planning your trip to Universal Studios Japan? Check out this further reading, because you can never be too prepared for your big Japan trip!
🚄 How to Get to Universal Studios Japan: A Step-by-Step Guide
🎢 Ultimate Guide to Universal Studios Japan with Kids
🐵 Donkey Kong Country in Universal Studios Japan: What You Need to Know
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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
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