What is it about theme parks?
To me, they are just pure magic, an alternate universe you can escape to for a day and basically be a kid again without worries. As an only child growing up, I buried myself in books and toys, creating mystical kingdoms and visiting strange worlds where I had endless adventures and plenty of playmates. So visiting theme parks as an adult brought back memories of my childhood, as I reveled in all the parades and costumes my imagination could conjure up.
And so, Universal Studios Japan has always been on my list of theme parks to visit and I was over the moon to join KKDay on this trip to Osaka to explore USJ!
The moment we stepped off the train at Universal City Station into the Universal Citywalk Osaka (yes, not even in the actual park yet), I went a little trigger happy in the souvenir store and bought these adorable headbands (and just a few other knick-knacks) for our day in Universal Studios Japan ~ Disclaimer: I don’t usually shop a lot but my anti-consumerism sentiments basically betray me in all theme parks 🙁
After our mandatory touristy shots at the iconic USJ globe, our first stop was Universal Cool Japan’s latest attraction Detective Conan: The Escape, starring the world’s littlest genius detective. I don’t personally follow the series but was super excited for this game because we were told it is essentially a giant escape room! Scratch that – it’s an escape BUILDING, complete with your personalised iPad to unlock various games. We have 4 sprawling levels of rooms, puzzles and challenges to explore as we follow a murder mystery. The challenges were immensely creative and the story spellbinding, perfect for kids of all ages and even adults! At the end of it all, they will reveal the answer so no worries even if you didn’t manage to uncover everything in time. This is Universal Cool Japan’s largest Conan offering to date so Conan fans, get your spectacles and red bow ties ready!
Detective Conan: The Escape was so much fun that it was nearly an hour later when we finally emerged, ready for more adventures! Our next stop was the ride I was most dreading – the Attack on Titan XR Ride D: I don’t watch this series as well but my boyfriend does and man, it is goryyyyy. Furthermore, I am TERRIFIED of speed and the description for this ride literally reads: ” Flee for your life at mind-boggling speeds through a world of despair!”
So sadly… I chickened out 🙁 But my friends came out raving about the ride, where they sat in specially-engineered carts through an underground passage toward the safety of the inner walls with Levi and the Survey Corps while surviving unexpected Titan attacks! It definitely sounds like a ton of fun but definitely not for my stomach. Thrillseekers will love this XR Ride, a super-fast roller coaster in which guests wear special goggles, and features a lot of intense movements, such as quick accelerating, ascending, descending, and taking sudden turns, as the XR technology sends you flying through the grim world of Attack on Titan and you can experience the terror of a Titan attack!
After escaping the clutches of an army of Titans, we’ve earned ourselves a celebration as new Survey Corps recruits! Our reward awaited us at the exclusive Survey Corps Mess Hall in the form of a sumptuous welcome feast, and we also had a photo opportunity with Hange and Levi.
For dessert, we stopped by Conan Crepes for their seasonal Conan’s Lemon Pie Crepe, Akai’s Coffee and Chocolate Crepe and some steaming hot Conan’s Hot Chocolate! It had just started to drizzle a little and it was so comforting to sip on warm cocoa in the cold ~
Next up: it’s… MINIONS’ MAYHEM!!! I was super pumped to try out one of Universal Studios Japan’s most iconic rides in the Minion Park (but still a little worried about the speed). It was so adorable and so much fun, a little fast at some parts but I laughed till my tummy hurt at all the minion’s antics ~ Personally, I love theme parks for the festive atmosphere and photo opportunities, so we spent more time in Minion Park capturing shots with our little yellow pals.
Finallyyyyyyy we were headed to the highlight of Universal Studios Japan (for me, at least): The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
Out of all the mini kingdoms in Universal Studios we visited, I love this one the most. We had to walk through a dark path shrouded by evergreens and lit with floating orbs to the entrance, which made us feel like we were actually transported to another world.
A true Potterhead, I felt the excitement in my bones as if I was really a Hogwarts student waiting for the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 and 3/4. Of course, beautiful photo opportunities were everywhere but remember to turn on your night mode and be patient waiting for the crowds to pass! We settled down in a lovely outdoor seating area that overlooked the Great Lake and the Hogwarts Castle, sipped on warm butterbeer (which for some reason was much sweeter than the chilled version) and shopped for wands at Ollivander’s. It was such a magical night!
My favourite ride also happens to be in the same area: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey! After receiving the honor of the world’s number one ride for five consecutive years, this exhilarating experience that immerses you in the wizarding world has been upgraded! With ultra-realistic images, you can go beyond reality without 3D glasses and with additional magical effects, you’ll actually feel the dragons’ heat and the Dementors’ chill in the journey! It was a truly unforgettable sensory adventure, just enough drops to keep things exciting but not terrifying.
I was quite sad to leave this magical world behind, but we had to catch the Universal Spectacle Night Parade! It was so cold along the streets by then that I had to keep ducking into the restrooms to warm up but the array of floats and performances were fantastic! The wizarding world came back for a final farewell, the Transformers had a spectacular segment with the world’s first transforming float, the dinosaurs roared their fury in Jurassic World and the mischievous Minions turned the streets into a disco pa-pa-pa-party!
What a wonderful way to end a whirlwind day at Universal Studios Japan! We picked up some souvenirs, bought our last tubs of popcorn and headed home via the metro, tired but full of smiles 🙂
