April 14, 2025: Next up was Super Nintendo World! In comparison to Universal Studios Hollywood in California, Japan had entry into the Nintendo park down to a science. Maybe things have since changed in Hollywood since I was there in 2023, only about a month after Nintendo land had opened, but who knows? Oh wait…. I don’t think it was getting into the park that was the issue, it was the 3+ hours wait to get onto the Mario Kart ride 😛
Anyway, just to get into the Nintendo park, you had to make a reservation, and then show up sometime during your reservation window. So we did that and it was so much nicer than waiting in a lineup just to get in. Yes we still waited 3 hours from 11:05am to 2:10pm, but we were able to wander elsewhere on the grounds and do other things (Jurassic Park) until our window was up. Then we went back and just walked right in!
Lots to look at in the park! I attempted to cut out some of the crowds in my pictures but there were certainly a lot of people there!
We pretty much beelined for the Mario Kart ride, which is all augmented reality where we had to wear special visor for the full effect! You’re in a kart though, and have controller buttons to push just like in the Mario Kart games, and it was Team Mario against Team Koopa! There was a winner at the end!
The lineup for the ride took about 30 minutes to get through, which was much nicer than the 3 hour lineup at the Hollywood version. I must say though, at the time I think Hollywood was prepared for such a thing… The ride lineup was accommodating for a 3 hour wait, in that the entire lineup zig zagged all through the building which was decorated accordingly! It was like wandering through Super Mario World the entire time! Japan had only a small taste of that in it’s lineup queue, but it’s a toss up on which was nicer…. The long stroll through Super Mario World Hollywood, or the next to nothing lineup that we zipped through super fast in Japan!
After Super Mario, we headed for Donkey Kong Country and again, lots to look at during our stroll through it!
There was a second ride at Super Nintendo World Japan that we did not see at Universal Hollywood… Mine Cart Madness!! This was a Donkey Kong themed roller coaster, and it was an absolute blast. Nothing too crazy, nothing upside down, but it still has that roller coaster thrill.
No pictures of the actual rides, boohoo! Will have to get some group shots of stuff like this, going forward. You know, the pictures they take of you as you reach a certain point in the ride, hoping to get crazy (or just happy) expressions on peoples’ faces??!
