What are Universal Studios Japan VIP Tours or Passes?

A Universal Studios Japan (USJ) VIP Pass is the next step up from the USJ Express Pass in both expense and features. It gives you the opportunity to have a very special experience at Universal Studios Japan!

Universal Studios VIP Tour sellers

Both Klook and Trip are official USJ VIP ticket sellers.

Where should I buy USJ VIP Passes?

Use the website -NOT the app!

Whilst apps are useful during your visit, any VIP Tour or ticket purchase should be done on the sellers website (on either mobile phone or computer). The website version includes more details of what you are buying, shows important information form links and is proven to be much faster to secure your passes!

Officially recommended by USJ: Any partner purchase links in this feature are the official sellers for Universal Studios Japan for overseas tourists. Always be sure to buy your Universal Studios Japan VIP tickets through official sellers designed for international purchases. (The Universal Studios Japan Japanese website is only for Japanese residents – see the rule on their website)

Watch an Instagram reel of our five hour VIP day!

Which website should I buy my VIP Tour from?

Klook is currently the best website to purchase English language VIP tours.

Buy 3hr, 5hr & 8hr VIP Passes on Klook

What do you get on a USJ VIP Tour?

Led by a dedicated USJ Tour guide, you, your small group or family get to enjoy special VIP privileges such as a separate VIP entry and lounge, access to restricted areas, special character meet-and-greets plus being led straight to the front of popular rides!

How does a VIP Tour pass save me time?

A USJ planning group member recently reviewed their 5 hour VIP Tour and here is what they had to say:

The Universal Studios Japan VIP Entrance

As a VIP Tour member you can enter Universal Studios Japan via the special VIP entrance and Reception. Once you have cleared the security queue you can skip the entrance gates queue by using the red carpet VIP entrance!

The VIP Lounge

VIP Tour Members also have access to the large and comfortable VIP Lounge. Here you can meet your tour guide, leave your shopping bags, get free ponchos, enjoy cool drinks and even take bottles of water from the lounge with you on your VIP Tour! If there is a member of your VIP Tour who just needs a break, they can use the VIP Lounge to wait in in comfort. It’s a great base for your day at Universal Studios Japan.

The Luminant VIP Restaurant

Included in the 5 and 8 hour VIP tours a meal is included at the special Luminant VIP Private Lounge and Dining restaurant. This exclusive VIP restaurant is only for VIP Tour members and overlooks the beautiful Universal Studios Japan Lake.

The varied fare includes a range of delicious food and even cute, themed selections! Lunch is a buffet selection and Dinner includes special à la carte in addition to the buffet selections. You get about an hour and a half to eat your meal. If you finish your meal early you can go and do another ride!

What happens on a USJ VIP Tour?

On all VIP Tours you are led around USJ by your group’s very own Tour Guide! When you are with your tour guide you will completely skip the ride queues. You will get to see behind-the-scenes short cut passageways all the way to the front of the ride queue. You won’t have to wait in the Priority Queue like the Express Pass holders as you will be taken straight to the head of the queue!
You may also take part in games and special character meet-and-greets and activities. Your Tour Guide is there to help make your experience a wonderful one! They will tell you interesting facts as you walk around the theme park and even take family photos for you during the tour!

Read my 5 Hour USJ VIP Tour POV experience

Read a minute by minute breakdown of my own USJ 5 hour VIP Tour here.

When can I buy my USJ VIP tickets?

USJ VIP ticket releases usually happen the same time as the general ticket release, which is 2 months prior at midnight Japan time – give or take a few days.

The best way to work out your day of VIP Tour release is start watching the date releases on the selling websites and count them down.

Be warned that once they become available they can be snapped up very quickly, and once sold they do not reappear – even if cancelled.

What time do Universal Japan Tickets become available?

Currently, USJ tickets release one day at a time, two months prior to the ticket date (one day before) at midnight Japan time. Tours often start appearing around the 2am mark.

Any changes to this process are always announced promptly in our Universal Studios Japan Holiday Planning Facebook Group here.

Get your free Wise travel money card!

Take advantage of our free Wise travel money card offer to save the AUD$10 card fee here.

Get your free Wise Card

Do USJ VIP Tour Guides only speak Japanese?

No, you can get USJ VIP Tour Guides who speak not only Japanese, but English too! It’s possible to book all 3, 5 and 8 hour VIP Tours as English speaking Tours.

How do I book a USJ English Speaking VIP Tour?

Buy your Universal Studios Japan VIP tickets through trusted official sellers such as Klook, the best international website for overseas purchasers to successfully book English Speaking VIP Tour Passes. Klook usually offer the most English speaking tours.

Which VIP Tour booking company is the best?

1 – Klook offer all English speaking USJ VIP Tours. This is a reliable purchase choice and the best site to try first.

2 – Trip offers English speaking tours. Trip VIP Tours can often have more availability but may also be more expensive.

My recommendation is to try Klook first for USJ VIP Tours

Changing USJ VIP Tours to English speaking tours

VIP Tours often look like they default offer only Japanese language tour guides, however there are English language speaking tour guides available. Here’s how to request an English speaking tour guide. It’s not guaranteed, so if their English tour guide allocation has been exhausted, tour guides will need to use a translation tool. (A group member was recently notified that they were unsuccessful getting an English speaking to guide)

To get an English speaking VIP Tour guide, the process is that you fill in the Form sent to you immediately after payment and specify that you would like an English speaking Tour Guide on it.

Use the Klook website instead of the app

More information (and sometimes a cheaper price!) is visible during the booking process when using the Klook website (which may not be visible on the app).

I can’t find the form in the VIP Tours application

If the application asks if you have filled in the pre information Traveler Form when applying and you missed it, the booking service will contact you with the form link, plus support chat can also provide you with the form link.

If your VIP Tour is confirmed, you will receive an email of VIP Tour confirmation with your VIP Tour QR Code. You will also receive a tour preferences form to fill out.

How long does it take to confirm a USJ VIP Tour after I have paid?

The official confirmation waiting period is 3 working days. It can be almost immediate, but usually it is a (working) day or two.

What happens if an English Tour Guide isn’t available?

Should an English tour guide not be available, you can still choose to go along on a Japanese speaking VIP Tour. USJ Japanese speaking guides can usually speak limited English. So even if you don’t speak Japanese, you can get by with their limited English and their translation tool to communicate with you. You will miss understanding a lot of chatter during the tour, however.

What happens if my USJ VIP Tour is cancelled?

If for any reason your VIP Tour application is cancelled by the seller, your money will be refunded, usually very promptly.

What is the difference between Private and Group VIP Tours?

There are two main types of Universal Studios Japan VIP tours – group and private

Group USJ VIP Tours – currently these are only all of the 3hr VIP Tours- where groups of 10 mixed people or families (unknown to each other) book and do the tour together. These tours are priced per person. There is currently a higher priced Kinopios Cafe version available too.

Private USJ VIP tours – these are the 5 hour and 8 hour VIP Tours. These are only private tours. These tours are priced from a minimum collective price of four VIP Tour participants (you must pay the price of four, even if you are only one, two or three people). You will receive one QR Code for four people.

Are less than four people allowed on a private VIP Tour?

Yes, you can be any number under four people but must still pay the minimum price of four people.

Can I add extra people on to our private tour?

Yes, but the way to do it keeps changing so it will be one of two ways…

Yes, you can pay by the person to add extra people to your tour for the same per person price.
If you buy for more than four people and are able to add extras during your order then you will receive extra QR Codes for each individual person. So, 1 QR Code covers the first 4 people and then you get 1 for 1 extra person, 2 for 2 extra people and so on. You can book up to a total of 10 people on USJ VIP Tours.

How do I add extra people to our VIP Tour?

Most recently the way to add extra people to the 5hr and 8hr VIP Tours has changed.

You will now either need to add all participants at the time of booking, or any extra VIP Tour participants using the information form sent to you AFTER paying for the initial 4 people set. You then pay for the extra people upon arrival at the VIP Reception entrance. Either way will work fine.

You will need to pay for the additional people not already paid for at VIP after arrival at Universal Studios Japan.

How much does a USJ VIP Tour cost?

Universal Studios Japan VIP Tours pricing varies upon the type of VIP and also the date booked.

You can see our USJ Price Comparison Graph here

VIP Passes are usually priced higher than Express Passes but are regarded as much better value. For both Express Passes and VIP Tours you will also need to purchase Studio Pass entrance tickets to USJ.

Is the USJ Express Pass cheaper than a VIP Tour?

Yes, most of the time. Check out our USJ Comparison Graph to see the price differences between Express Passes and VIP Tours side-by-side.

As a rough guide, these are the cheapest VIP Tour prices for February 2026 in AUD:

3hr VIP Tours $352.69 per person (Trip) $389.91 (KKDay) $389.75 (Klook)
5hr VIP Tours $2,423 for 4 people (Klook/KKDay) Extra person: $606 per person. (tour includes 1 meal)
8hr VIP Tours $3,400 for 4 people (Klook/KKDay) Extra person: $850 per person (tour includes 2 meals)

The 3 hour USJ Super Nintendo VIP Tour

What does a 3 hour USJ VIP Tour include?

The 3 hour USJ VIP Tour is a public tour, and so run differently to the 5 and 8 hour VIP Tours.

You can purchase places on a 3hr VIP Tour individually.
You can enter Universal Studios Japan from opening time or later.
You can use the VIP Entrance to skip the entrance queue. You will receive four ride Express Passes for use before or after the tour. These Express Passes are good for one ride use. They give you access to the Priority Lane of each USJ ride which allows you to skip most of the standard queue.
You will get access to the USJ VIP Lounge 20 minutes prior to your VIP Tour where you can enjoy complimentary drinks. There you will meet your Tour Guide.
You will receive a free ride poncho.
You will receive a 10% off discount voucher to dine at park restaurants – including Kinopio’s Café in Super Nintendo World.
During your tour you will do four rides once each with your tour guide. The tour guide will take you to the head of each ride queue, bypassing Express Pass holders. You will also get some free time from the tour to look around and shop.
With some higher-priced Kinopio Priority Access 3hr VIPs you will be taken to the ordering counter of Kinopio’s Cafe in Super Nintendo World at the end of your tour.

3 hour USJ VIP Tour FAQs

Do you get unlimited rides on a 3hr VIP Tour?

No, you only get unlimited rides on a 5 or 8 hour Universal Studios Japan VIP Tour.

How many rides do you get on a 3hr Tour?

There are 4 rides on the tour plus another 4 rides accessible via the Priority Lane before or after the tour. So 8 expedited rides are included.

What rides are on a USJ 3hr VIP Tour?

A Super Nintendo World 3 hour VIP Tour currently includes one ride on each of the following rides:

• Jaws
• Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness
• Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge
• Yoshi’s Adventure

What rides can I use my extra Express Passes on?

You can use your 4 additional Express Ride passes on almost any of the rides located outside of Super Nintendo World (because you will do all three Super Nintendo rides during the 3hr Tour Guide led tour). The rides you can choose from include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast (possibly)
• Detective Conan 4-D Live Show: Jewel Under the Starry Sky (possibly)
• Space Fantasy – The Ride
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• Hollywood Dream – The Ride
• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• The Flying Dinosaur
• JAWS
• Jurassic Park – The Ride

The above list is correct as of February 2026 – it can slightly change seasonally

Can I use my 3hr VIP Tour Ride Express Passes before the tour starts?

Yes you can! You can pick up your 4 Express Passes as soon as you arrive and use them to access rides via the Priority Lane before or after your VIP Tour.

Can anyone use the Express Passes?

Yes, the VIP3 Express Passes are flexible. You can share the express passes amongst your group and the eligible rides, as. They are not attached to any particular ride (only rides as listed above) or person.

Do I get VIP access to Kinopio’s Cafe on my 3hr VIP Tour?

If you buy the higher-priced Kinopio Priority Access 3hr VIP Tour your VIP Tour will conclude inside Super Nintendo World and your tour guide will escort you to the service counter of the famous mushroom shaped Kinopio’s Cafe at the end of your VIP Tour. One group member asked to be left there on a standard 3hr VIP and was successful so it may be worth a try!

Do I get unlimited entry into Super Nintendo World with a 3hr VIP?

No, you don’t get unlimited entry into Super Nintendo World. Once you leave Super Nintendo World you’ll need another SNW timed entry to get back in. You only get unlimited entry to Super Nintendo World with a 5 or 8hr VIP Tour.

The 5 & 8 hour USJ VIP Private Tours

What does a USJ VIP Private Tour include?

You can enter Universal Studios Japan from opening time or later using the VIP Entrance after security to skip the entrance queue.
You will have access to the USJ VIP Lounge all day which includes complimentary drinks.
You will have your lunch and/or dinner in the exclusive USJ VIP Restaurant.
You will receive a VIP wristband to wear which gives you unlimited access to USJ rides and Super Nintendo World all day.
You will receive a free ride poncho.
Note: There may be some special paid event shows which may not be included in your VIP tour and so should be pre-requested on the information forms at the booking stage.

How do we get to do what we want on the VIP Tour?

A detailed questionnaire form will be sent to you once your VIP Tour has been confirmed. There you can select or request the USJ activities and rides of most interest to you. Here are some screenshots from the form.

On the day of your USJ VIP Tour you will meet your Tour Guide at the VIP Lounge at your booked tour time. Together you will sit down to further plan your perfect VIP tour itinerary! You will discuss what you would like to do during your tour so that your tour will be fully customised and personally tailored to suit your group’s wishes.
If you haven’t already picked them up, you will each be given a VIP ride wrist band and poncho.
Your meals times will usually be arranged before your tour and are usually outside of your tour time itinerary. Your tour guide won’t be with you for meal times.
This sit down planning session with your Tour Guide will be included in your VIP Tour time.

What can I choose to do during my Private VIP Tour?

You can choose to do almost any attraction and experiences within the theme park. Your private VIP tour will be designed around the rides/experiences/character meets your group would like to do!
Some examples might include activities like VIP seats at shows like Waterworld, shopping, private character meet and greets or perhaps a Harry Potter Olivander’s wand show where one of your tour members will have a wand carefully selected for them!

Will my VIP lunch or dinner be included in my tour time?

Your meal time will usually be outside of your 5 hr VIP Tour time. 8 hour private VIP tours include both lunch and dinner, and usually one meal will be outside of the tour time.

What happens on the 5hr and 8hr VIP Tours?

You may like to read my detailed 5hr VIP Tour review here.

During your private VIP Tour your tour guide will take you right to the front of each ride queue you would like to ride so that you can board almost immediately. If you wish to, you can even repeat favourite rides multiple times!

Perhaps you want to spend time some time shopping – your Tour Guide can look after your shopping for you while you look around the store and then help you to skip the store’s checkout queue when you’re ready to buy your merchandise. The same goes for food queues – straight to the front!

Your Tour Guide will follow your pre-planned itinerary throughout your VIP Tour to help you to do what you love and make your day the best USJ day ever!

5 & 8 hour USJ VIP Tour FAQs

How can I meet characters for a photo?

On the five hour VIP tour you will be allowed to skip the line for the Nintendo pipes photo at the entrance to super Nintendo world and also the jaws shark photo Queue. You’ll need to pay for your character photos from these and any other characters that you must line up for.

On the 8 hour VIP tour you will have free rein to visit and skip the queue of every character in the Park with the exception of Donkey Kong and a package of photos will also be included.

Are Power-Up Bands included in 5 and 8hr VIPs?

If they wish to, VIP tourers are allowed to purchase Power-Up bands from the main USJ gift store cash registers near the park’s main front entrance. Proof of VIP must be shown. Power-Up bands are also readily available to purchas inside of Super Nintendo World.

Are there included snacks and vouchers?

Not officially. Many VIP Tour participants have reported receiving free snacks during their tour such as Butter Beer and popcorn. No specifics are listed anywhere about vouchers – it seems to be the luck of the draw!

Do you get unlimited rides on a 5hr or 8hr VIP Tour?

Yes, you do get unlimited rides on a 5 hour and 8 hour Universal Studios Japan VIP Tour.

Can I use my Unlimited Ride wrist band before the tour starts?

Yes you can! You can pick up your unlimited ride wristband as soon as you arrive at USJ. You can use it before or after your VIP Tour to access the Priority Lane of each USJ ride, allowing you to skip most of the standard queue. It can take approximately 5-10 minutes to board a ride using the Priority Queue. The Donkey Kong Minekart can sometimes take longer. You can use the ride Priority Lanes as many times as you like with your VIP wristband.

Is my meal included in the VIP Tour price?

Yes, any stated VIP Tour meal at the VIP restaurant is included in the price of your VIP Tour.

Do I get unlimited access to Super Nintendo World with a 5hr or 8hr VIP Tour?

Yes, your 5 or 8hr VIP bracelet will give you unlimited entry into Super Nintendo World.

Do I get VIP access to Kinopio’s Cafe on my 5hr or 8hr VIP Tour?

You can ask your tour guide for a Kinopio’s visit to be factored into your VIP tour when you sit down to plan your tour together. You can’t swap the value of one of your VIP meals, so you would need to pay extra for your Kinopios meal.

One group member’s 8 hour experience

Here is detailed group member recap of their 8 hour VIP Tour

Japan mobile phone internet data eSims

Buy an eSim so that you have data from the moment you land in Japan. Airalo eSIM is proven to work reliably in Universal Studios Japan and allows you to access the internet in Japan.

Buy an Airalo eSim

Universal Studios Japan VIP Pass General FAQs

Do I need to buy a Studio Pass if I have a VIP Pass?

Yes, all VIP Tour participants still need to buy a Studio Pass entrance ticket even if they have bought a VIP Pass.

Should I use the VIP sellers app or website?

Whilst apps are useful during your visit, any VIP Tour or ticket purchase should be done on the sellers website (on either mobile phone or computer). The website version includes more details of what you are buying, links to forms and is proven to be much faster to secure your passes!.

What order should I buy my USJ tickets in?

As you may have difficulty buying the exact USJ VIP Pass date you want, it is wise to wait to buy your park entrance Studio Passes. Once you have confirmed your VIP Tour, then it’s time to buy your Studio Pass tickets from the same seller.

Are USJ VIP Tours refundable?

No, USJ VIP Tours are not refundable. It is always advisable to purchase Travel insurance before you start making trip bookings.

Where should I buy my Studio Passes?

The easiest way is by using the same website you bought your VIP Passes on. You already have an account and know it will accept your number of tickets – and your credit card!

Can I arrive at USJ before my VIP Tour?

Yes, you can access USJ earlier than your VIP Tour providing it is during normal opening hours. You will be given and able to use the bonus passes/wrist band according to your VIP Tour Package.

Are children allowed on a VIP tour?

Yes, children are welcome on USJ VIP Tours. Children cost the same price as adults. Children under the age of four are free. As per usual, children can only ride according to individual ride height or age ride restrictions. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult on a USJ VIP Tour. Although you don’t pay for an under-4yrs child, it’s a good idea to let them know you will have an extra family member along with you on the information form.

Can parent ride swap be used on VIP Tours?

To use the parent ride child swap facility during a 3 hour VIP Tour, the ride vouchers for the second parent’s ride may be arranged to be given for use after the tour (so as not to hold up the 3 hour VIP group tour). A private VIP Tour will be necessary to use parent swap for both parent’s rides during the tour.

Do you get unlimited rides on a VIP Tour?

You do get an unlimited ride pass for use all day after or before your 5 or 8 hour USJ VIP Tour, however you don’t get an unlimited ride pass with 3 hour VIP Tours – you get one ride each on four rides during the tour and are given four individual one-use Express Passes for outside the tour on the same day.

Does a VIP Pass give you early entry to Universal Studios Japan?

No, a USJ VIP Pass does not give you early entry to Universal Studios Japan. You do get to enter the theme park through a special VIP entry instead of having to wait in the general queue after the first security queue.

What do I do if I’m running late for my VIP Tour?

If you are running late for your USJ VIP Tour, group members have had success with asking staff to take them to the front of the security queue to make their VIP Tour on time. It’s always best to plan to arrive with enough time to pass through security prior to your VIP Tour.

Can I go on a Japanese speaking USJ VIP Tour?

Yes, if you only speak English you can still join a Japanese speaking VIP Tour. Be aware that even if some tour guides speak basic English there is constant dialogue in Japanese, so you will miss a lot.

Can I buy the USJ Japanese website VIP Tours?

No. Overseas purchasers are not allowed to book any VIP Tours on the Japanese USJ website. These are available to Japanese residents only.

Are there Chinese speaking USJ VIP Tours?

Yes you can sometimes find Chinese Tour Guide VIP Tours for sale on Klook here.

Should I tip my VIP Tour Guide?

No, Universal Studios Japan Staff are not allowed to receive tips or gifts, however there is a way to thank them – with “Fan Mail”.

Staff Fan Mail

You can thank a USJ employee by writing a thank you note to them praising their service. This can be on a postcard or note which you then take to the Customer Service office inside the theme park, or the one located between Security and the main entrance. They will give you a short form to fill out so you can put the staff members name and date of your VIP Tour (or wherever the general USJ staff member helped you). They will attach the two documents together for you to “post” in a box. Fan Mail also helps the Staff member be recognised as a good employee by USJ!

Universal Studios Japan Planning Facebook Group

Love all things Universal Studios Japan, or just have more questions? Join our 80k+ member Universal Studios Japan Holiday Planning Facebook Group here!

What’s the cheapest airline to get from Australia to Japan?

We partnered with Jetstar Australia to fly from Australia to Japan. Jetstar Australia offer cheap fares to Japan every day – check their website for their low Tokyo and Osaka fares and frequent sales!

Check Jetstar’s cheap Japan flights here

Have a question? Drop a comment below! I’d also love to hear about your own USJ planning experiences!

This page may contain affiliate links. If you book a stay, product or an attraction through one of them, I may receive a commission which will not affect the price you pay. Thank you for your support! Any prices are correct as of February 2026 – always check with the source websites for the most recent prices.

The post Universal Studios Japan USJ VIP Pass & Tour Beginners Guide appeared first on Let's go Mum.

We’ve just experienced a 5 hour VIP tour at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) – here is our VIP Tour review from start to finish, with lots of handy tips along the way!

First things first…

Before we get to our minute-by-minute 5 Hour VIP Tour itinerary, here are some need-to-know things about the USJ VIP 5 Hour Tour.

Arrive early – around 7:30am to 8am – if you want to use your VIP day to maximum effect and fit in as much as you can. This will allow you enough time to pass through security when it opens and go straight to the Universal Studios Japan VIP Entrance. There you will wait for (the usually early) opening time.

Arrive at least an hour before your VIP Tour starts – if you want to arrive as late as possible. This will give you time to clear security and get checked in at the VIP entrance, then walk to the VIP Lounge to have a free drink or two and meet your Tour Guide. I wouldn’t recommend leaving your arrival too late – you will be able to get your unlimited ride bracelet as soon you enter and start using it straight away. Very few people say they had too much time at USJ!

What is the VIP Tour entrance?

To the left of the main turnstile gates at the theme park entrance, you’ll find a special VIP entrance – complete with a red carpet. It’s here you’ll be met and checked in. You will have your Studio Passes and VIP Tour code checked. Then you will be supplied with your VIP bracelets (or express passes if you are on a 3hr VIP) for the day. You won’t meet your guide until your Tour meet up time at the VIP Lounge.

What can I do with my unlimited ride VIP bracelet?

Every person on your 5hr VIP Tour will be given a VIP bracelet as soon as you check in to the park. VIP bracelets are great, because they act as an unlimited ride Express Pass when you are not on tour with your VIP Tour guide. They allow you to enter the Express priority laneway of any ride at Universal Studios Japan and be expedited at some shows too. In addition, you can skip the queue into Super Nintendo World anytime you like without any Timed Entry slot.

Unlimited access includes Super Nintendo World entry

A mere flash of our VIP bracelets allowed us to skip the queue at every ride we wanted before and after our VIP Tour, and like the name says you can ride as many times as you like.

You can’t get an unlimited ride pass with unlimited Super Nintendo World access any other way than a private VIP Tour. We definitely felt like VIPs with our VIP bracelets!

What’s the difference between Express Pass and private VIP pass?

Before our tour using our unlimited VIP bands we accessed the same Express Laneway as Express Pass holders do. The big difference is that Express ride passes usually only allow one ride (and one Super Nintendo World entry with some) each.

We could use the Express Laneway on the same ride multiple times if we wanted to, and we had multiple entry into SNW.

Using the Express lane always involves a short wait, relative to the time and ride. Wait times can vary anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes or more if it’s a busy period, following a ride break-down or a very popular ride like Donkey Kong Minecart Madness.

Your VIP Tour Guide takes you right to the front of rides

During our private VIP Tour our Tour Guide personally took us to the very front of each ride. He did this a variety of clever ways! Often it was via the ride exit or even back ways and hidden passages, such as in Bowser’s Castle in Super Nintendo World, or Hogwarts Castle in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Two exclusive VIP buildings

The USJ VIP Lounge

You will have access to the USJ VIP Lounge all day which includes complimentary hot and cold drinks and secure bag and shopping storage via lockers.

The USJ VIP Lounge will be where you first meet your Tour Guide to discuss your day. Even though you submit a form with your VIP purchase, you can still add or subtract activities if you like.

The Luminant VIP Restaurant

The Luminant VIP Private Lounge and Dining restaurant is where you’ll enjoy your buffet lunch or buffet-a la carte dinner. Your guide isn’t with you during your meal and your lunch or dinner (whichever you choose for your VIP Tour) is scheduled outside of your VIP Tour time.

The VIP restaurant overlooks the Universal Studios Japan Lake and is a lovely space to enjoy a meal. There’s plenty of great options with kid-friendly foods, including lots of themed snacks you would normally pay for in the park. There’s also a small bar with some standard alcoholic drinks included such as beer, wine, whiskey and sake.

Our Universal Studios Japan 5hr VIP day

For a rough idea of how you can shape your 5 hour VIP Tour at USJ, here’s our own blow-by-blow diary/ itinerary which was pretty-much completely unplanned. Our strategy was no strategy at all, other than riding the Flying Dinosaur and hopeful most of the other major rides too. What followed was a gloriously self-indulgent romp through the park which we all loved to pieces! (For privacy I am not naming our Tour Guide).

USJ 5 Hour VIP Tour Itinerary

Date of VIP Tour: 01/05/2026
Number of people: 3
Price of USJ tickets: 2,325.62 AUD (for up to 4 people, purchased 19/03/25)
3 x USJ 5hr VIP
3 x Studio Passes

What we did before our 5 Hour VIP Tour started

9am – Checked out of Hotel Kintetsu Universal City. Left our luggage there for the day
9:06am – Enter under the USJ theme park Archway – grab some photos at the globe
9:11am – Get processed through USJ security – bags and body scans
9:16am – Arrive at the VIP Entrance queue – there is approximately 12 people/3 groups in front of us. We are immediately welcomed in the queue and our Studio Passes and VIP Tour QR codes are checked in line.
9:25am – We enter the VIP Entrance reception & are assigned a reception staff member to welcome us, check us in and give us our unlimited ride bracelets. The staff member asks about any disabilities and if a wheel chair is required. He lets us know what time our lunch is and shows us where the VIP restaurant is located in the park. As we already knew in advance, our lunch time is confirmed as 12 midday to 1:30pm and our VIP tour commences at 2pm from the VIP Lounge.
9:36am – We enter the park and decide to go straight to the VIP Lounge to take a look and have a drink.
9:40am – We locate the VIP Lounge and are welcomed in. At the VIP Lounge there are several families with their tour guides or having a drink at the tables. There is free tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks and water.
10:10am – We leave the VIP Lounge to spend time in the park until our VIP Lunchtime. We meet and get some character photos with Felix the Cat, Cookie Monster and some other Sesame Street characters. We look through a few stores and do some shopping and stop for a special Mario Brothers themed pancake breakfast.
11:00am – We enter the family-friendly Wonderland Area to explore and do some rides. We look around Snoopy Studios and use our ride bands to use the priority queue to ride Snoopy’s Flying Ace Adventure roller coaster and The Flying Snoopy. We wait about 10 minutes for each ride. The regular stand by queue waiting times are 30 minutes.
11:55am – We leave Wonderland to head across the park for lunch.

VIP Lunch at the Luminant VIP Private Lounge and Dining Restaurant

12:05am – We enter the Luminant VIP Private Lounge and Dining Restaurant. Lunch is a buffet selection of basics like pizza and rice to elegant seafood cocktails and fancy desserts and snacks. Drinks are readily served with attentive serving staff almost outnumbering diners. Alcoholic drinks are included and served from a small bar.
1:08pm – We leave the Luminant restaurant to do a ride or two before our tour at 2pm.
1:12pm – We enter Minion Park to do some shopping and use our unlimited ride wristbands to access the Express queue to ride Despicable Me Minion Mahem. We enter the pre-show area of the ride in 5 minutes.
1:52pm – We leave Minion Park to go to the VIP Lounge to meet our Five Hour VIP Tour Guide

Our 5 hour VIP Tour Starts

1:59pm – We arrive back at the VIP Lounge and are met by our Tour Guide. We grab a free drink and all sit down around a table to discuss what we would like to do most on tour. We can basically choose what we do, when we want to do it and however many times we would like! The form I filled out with our preferences has also been printed out.
As it was a rainy day, we discuss how roller coasters could present a challenge as they are closed on-and-off during showers of rain, but our Guide was ready to work with us to help us ride the Flying Dinosaur and other major rides wherever possible.
We are given VIP lanyards to wear during the Tour and a free wet-weather poncho each for rain or the Jurassic Ride. Because the Donkey Kong ride “Mine Cart Madness” is closed for unscheduled maintenance, we are also given one bonus free Express Lane ride pass each for use at a later date.
2:15pm – We leave the VIP Lounge with our Tour Guide to go to our first ride of choice. Our Guide suggests the nearby Space Fantasy The Ride which has a Club Zedd Remix overlay theme. When we arrive the Tour Guide takes us through a chained off area to experience the pre-show, and then walks us right to the head of the ride queue to board the ride. We love the ride and ask if we can do it again – one of us chooses to wait it out with the Tour Guide as we once again skip the ride queue and ride Space Fantasy The Ride one more time before moving on.
2:48pm – We leave Space Fantasy The Ride to go over to the Hollywood Dream Coaster.
2:52pm – We enter the Hollywood Dream Coaster with our Tour Guide, using the exit to go straight to the boarding area. The ride is experiencing a breakdown. We can see all the people who have queued for over an hour waiting it out but our Guide says we can pop back later and whips us back out the exit and on to our next closest choice – the Flying Dinosaur.
3:00pm – We start to walk over to the Jurassic Park area to ride the Flying Dinosaur.
3:05pm – We arrive at the Jurassic Park area.
3:10pm – We arrive at the Flying Dinosaur and stow our bags in the free lockers. We take an elevator straight up to the boarding area, entering directly onto the platform the opposite direction to everyone else. We really are saving a lot of time with these shortcuts! Every ride operator allows our Tour Guide to go where he likes with us and we are given whatever seat we like on each ride.
3:30pm – As it is now raining the ride stops operating. We wait a little while. Eventually we agree to give up and our Tour Guide takes us back down the elevator to go to another ride. I feel bad for the other people who have been queuing for an hour and now can’t ride the Flying Dinosaur!
3:35pm – We head for Jurassic Park The Ride
3:41pm – After stowing our bags in free lockers we are taken straight to the front of the queue to board the next Jurassic Park The Ride. We put our waterproof ponchos on as this is a splash ride. Our Tour Guide gives us a ride tip – sit on the 3rd row to avoid getting wet! We choose to do the ride sitting in row 3 and barely get splashed! At the end of the ride our Tour Guide is waiting. He doesn’t do any rides with us but surprises us with some photos of us he took of us on the ride! We ask him to take more photos and videos of us throughout the tour and he happily obliges.
4:00pm – We leave the Jurassic Park area and walk over to the Harry Potter area, THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER
4:13pm – We arrive at THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER.
4:16pm – We arrive at and ride the Flight of the Hippogriff. There is a 40 minute wait time but we enter via the exit and board straight away. We choose the front cars to sit in. The front car is the one you want if you are tall, by the way so ask for it!
4:31pm – We arrive at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and store our bags in the locker. Our Guide bypasses the entire standby queue with us via the Express Pass priority lane and we arrive near the boarding area. Our wait time to board was 5 minutes.
4:52pm – We leave the Harry Potter area and head for Super Nintendo World
5:00pm – We enter the walkway leading to Super Nintendo World
5:02pm – We arrive at the entrance to Super Nintendo World and are taken to the front of the queue for a Super Star Plaza Photo Opportunity which is a professional photo of us popping out of the green Super Mario Game (warp pipe) tubes. Our guide videos and takes photos on my phone, and I purchase two professional printed and digital photos on the spot for 2,200 jpy (almost all professional photos are included with an 8 hour VIP Tour)
5:13pm – Right before we enter Super Nintendo World we check the app and see that the Flying Dinosaur ride has now re-opened and we ask the Guide if we can quickly return to the Jurassic Park area to try and ride it. He is unflappable and helps us to get there as quickly as possible as rain is an ever-present threat.
5:16pm – We re-enter the Jurassic Park area
5:22pm – We arrive back at the Flying Dinosaur ride. There is already a new standby queue of 20 minutes and Single Rider 15 minutes but our Guide takes us straight up to the boarding platform again and onto the next ride. We choose the front row and have a thrilling ride! I choose to ride one more time and the girls wait down with the Guide – climbing the first hill face down is full-on!
5:48pm – We leave Jurassic Park return to Super Nintendo World.
5:51pm – We enter Super Nintendo World. There we play some games with our Power-Up wrist bands (available for purchase in SNW).
6:01pm – We arrive at the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge™ ride, having skipped the main queue by taking hidden passages through Bowser’s Castle to reach the ride boarding area. Our Guide gives us our special visors to wear during the ride and we are immediately loaded into a Kart carriage. Because we have done almost all of the rides before on previous trips we have no interest in the pre-show areas, but you can ask your Guide to let you also do them if you wish.
6:20pm – We finish the ride and leave Bowser’s Castle and Super Nintendo World, walking past a Princess Peach photo opportunity with a long queue*.
*Only 8 hour VIP Tours can skip major character queues, we would have to line up on our 5 hour VIP Tour. This rule doesn’t count for non-character photos like the SNW entrance warp pipes and the Jaws shark photo opportunity.
6:38pm – After a quick discussion we opt to hurry back to Jurassic Park to fit in one last go on the Jurassic Park ride. It’s quiet enough so that we can have a whole boat to ourselves with some quick placement by our Guide and the ride attendant! We sit in the front row without ponchos on and all vow to plunge down the final drop arms-up at the end. Our Guide is ready to film this hilarious moment! But time is getting short now and we decide to make our last VIP Tour ride the Jaws ride!
6:49pm – We follow our Tour Guide into the Jaws ride through the exit and he puts us into the front row as requested. It’s getting dark now which makes the Jaws ride even more fun. This is the only standalone Jaws ride left in the world!
7:00pm – We get off the Jaws ride and skip the queue on the Jaws Shark photo opportunity out the front. As well as the professional photographer taking our photo our Guide takes our photo on our phone too. We don’t buy the professional photo of this one, opting for our phone version.
7:01pm -0ur VIP five hour tour is over! We thank our Guide profusely and bid him goodbye. We don’t want to return to the VIP Lounge with him just yet. We want to use our unlimited ride bands some more, heading into the Wonderland Sesame Street area. These rides are slated to be removed soon so we take the opportunity to check them out.
7:41pm – We leave Wonderland, pick up our bags from the VIP Lounge and go shopping in the big main gift stores near the main park entrance. The park closes at 8pm!
8:00pm – Park close time. We leave Universal Studios Japan to pick up our luggage at the Kintetsu Hotel and walk down to the Hotel Universal Port where we are staying that night. Absolute best day ever!

Our Universal Studios Japan strategy for this visit didn’t end there…

Something to keep in mind is that I do take up extra time collecting content for guides like this one – so you may well be able to pack more into your day than we do!

We bought tickets for a second day

We had decided to take advantage of our VIP Day to do as many rides as we could because we would have our unlimited ride bands which save hours of waiting time. We decided not to waste our time on long shows which weren’t hard to queue for. Therefore we bought entry tickets the next day for extra time to do some shows including JUJUTSU KAISEN: The Real 4-D and Detective Conan 4-D Live Show and do a couple of rides we had missed like the Hollywood Dream Backdrop coaster – plus a little more shopping and snacks! Sometimes it’s nice to have some extra theme park time to just soak up the atmosphere.

I hope you found this review helpful in your Universal Studios Japan research! Some other VIP guides you may find useful are:

Universal Studios Japan VIP Pass & Tour Beginners Guide – an ultimate guide to USJ VIP Tours

USJ Express Pass versus VIP Tours Comparison Table – to see the differences between Express Passes and VIP Tours side-by-side.

Get your free Wise travel money card!

Take advantage of our free Wise travel money card offer to save the AUD$10 card fee here.

Get your free Wise Card

Watch an Instagram reel of our five hour VIP day!

Japan mobile phone internet data eSims

Buy an eSim so that you have data from the moment you land in Japan. Airalo eSIM is proven to work reliably in Universal Studios Japan and allows you to access the internet in Japan.

Buy an Airalo eSim

Where should I buy my Studio Passes?

I recommend using Klook to buy your USJ Studio Passes. Klook is the most trustworthy, easiest official seller of USJ VIP Tours and all USJ tickets.

Universal Studios Japan Planning Facebook Group

Love all things Universal Studios Japan, or just have more questions? Join our 80k+ member Universal Studios Japan Holiday Planning Facebook Group here!

What’s the cheapest airline to get from Australia to Japan?

We partnered with Jetstar Australia to fly from Australia to Japan. Jetstar Australia offer cheap fares to Japan every day – check their website for their low Tokyo and Osaka fares and frequent sales!

Check Jetstar’s cheap Japan flights here

Have a question? Drop a comment below! I’d also love to hear about your own USJ planning experiences!

The LETSGOMUM family attended this VIP Tour as partially sponsored guests of KKDay. As always, all opinions are our own.

This page may contain affiliate links. If you book a stay, product or an attraction through one of them, I may receive a commission which will not affect the price you pay. Thank you for your support! Any prices are correct as of August 2026 – always check with the source websites for the most recent prices.

The post Universal Studios Japan USJ VIP 5 Hour Tour Review appeared first on Let's go Mum.

It’s that time of year again – Universal Studios Japan famous Halloween Horror Nights are upon us – for some this is a time of great excitement and anticipation. For other – not so much. With the scary zombies coming out to play, here’s everything you need to know to join in – or avoid them!

What is Universal Studios Japan HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS?

Halloween Horror Nights is the Universal Studios Japan Halloween event which turns the park into a spooky Halloween experience like no other! Enjoy random zombies, scary street and stage shows, horror house mazes and frightening ride overlays throughout the park.

When is USJ Halloween Horror Nights 2026?

USJ Halloween Horror Nights runs from September 11th to November 8th, 2026

What time does Halloween Horror Nights start?

Halloween Horror Nights is an extra event period which covers elements and certain areas of the Universal Studios Japan theme park, with horror actors and shows appearing on the streets from 6pm each night.

What is the Halloween Horror Nights age recommendation?

The park operates and is open to all as normal up until 6pm, but after 6pm Halloween Horror Nights goes into full swing and the USJ “zombies” (actors dressed up to look and behave like scary Zombies) come out to wander many areas of the theme park. Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for children 5 and under and parental discretion is advised for kids aged 12 and under.
The pay attraction Halloween attraction Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation is age restricted to 18 years and older.

Are there any safe zones in USJ during Halloween Horror Nights?

Whilst two roller coasters and one 4D Theatre will feature Halloween themes the rest of the park will operate as normal up until 6pm each night during the Halloween Horror Nights event period.

From 6pm only the family-friendly Wonderland attractions area will be Halloween theme and zombie-free, with a connected safe passageway free of scary themes all the way to the exit.

How can we leave USJ after 6pm without seeing zombies?

You can use the safe zombie-free laneway from the Wonderland children’s area. Here is the official map to follow so that the kids don’t get frightened by zombies at USJ after 6pm. The blue area remains unaffected by Halloween Horror Nights all day and night right up until closing time.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Official Zombie Map