Top 5 Tips for Super Nintendo World

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We have been waiting for Super Nintendo World to open ever since it was first announced to make its debut at Universal Studios in Japan. The kids actually started saving their money to fly to Japan to see it in person when it opened in 2020. But then life (and covid) happened and we decided it might be better to wait until it opened here in Southern California at Universal Studios Hollywood.

We were honored to be guests of Universal Studios Hollywood, but as always, all opinions are mine.

The new land just opened in March, so of course it is a very popular place to be. Before you go, you may want to plan out a few things and that is why I am sharing what we learned with all of you. Without any more delay, here are my top 5 tips for Super Nintendo World if you plan to visit anytime soon.

1. How to guarantee entry to Super Nintendo world

If you want to GUARANTEE your entry into Super Nintendo World you either have to get the Early Entry passes or the Express Pass. If you do not have one of those and it is a busy day, you may not be able to enter the land due to capacity. The Early Entry will cost you an additional $20 a ticket and you get to enter the land an hour before it opens to the rest of the public.

The Express Pass acts like a fast pass for ALL rides, EXCEPT Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, but also guarantee’s your entry into Super Nintendo World. It is a bit more expensive, but definitely saves you time waiting in long lines for all the other rides in the park. A general admission ticket on a non-peak day will cost you around $109, an Express Pass will cost you $199.

If you are local to Southern California, you can check your nearest Costco for annual passes. Or to save on regular tickets check out this deal from Get Away Today!!! (affiliate link)

2. How to save time in line for Mario Kart the ride

Use the Single Rider line for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, it could save you a few hours in line. All riders must be 40″ to ride this attraction, 40-48″ must be accompanied by an adult (14 years or older), so in order to do single rider you need to be over 48.” You will be separated from your party/family, but you will be wearing 3-D glasses the entire time and wouldn’t miss them.;) haha! We waited over an hour in the single rider line, but it was still shorter than the regular standby line.

I would definitely head to this ride VERY FIRST thing in the morning, if you can. From about 10am-3pm is probably the busiest times of day to try to ride. There is parent swap for this ride if you have someone that is not tall enough in your party. Just ask your nearest cast member to help you do a rider switch after at least one adult has waited in line.

3. How to get a reservation at Toadstool Cafe

Reservations are only available on the SAME DAY you are entering the park and are limited in number. To make a reservation, scan the QR code posted at the entrance to Super Nintendo World and Toadstool Cafe. Joining the wait list does not guarantee admission to the cafe. By the time we got there around 10am, there were no more reservations for the day. So it does pay to get the Early Entry pass in order to get a reservation at the cafe.

4. How to meet characters in super nintendo world

You can meet Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi while visiting Super Nintendo World. Princess Peach is near her castle under a gazebo, while Mario and Luigi are located in the center of the land near a power up. Their next set time is listed near the location and I suggest getting in line AT LEAST 15 minutes prior to their arrival.

5. How to Play Interactive Games in Super Nintendo World

There are lots of interactive activities inside the land that are super fun for kids and adults, but in order to play you do need to have one of the specialty watches. These watches come in a variety of designs and cost $40 each. Once you have the watch you can link it to the Universal Studios Hollywood app to keep track of your progress. Kids collect coins throughout the land by hitting one-ups or tapping other interactive screens. Our kids loved these and wish we had time to do all of them. The watches also work on Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge as well as at home with your Nintendo Switch.

If you want to make the most of your time I suggest one parent to stand in line for a character and another parent takes the kids to stand in line for some of the interactive activities. Especially if you are trying to do other things at the park and not spend the entire day at Super Nintendo World.

What did you think of our top 5 tips for Super Nintendo World? Our kids can’t wait to go back and do even more of the activities. Now that we have a better understanding of the layout, lines and details I think we will be able to get it all done in a few hours. I hope you found this helpful, if you did, share it with a friend headed to the park. If you have any other helpful tips, leave them in the comments below. If you are looking for more travel tips, you can check out my travel section HERE.