USJ Express Pass: Which to Book

Studio Pass or Express Pass?

They are two different tickets. The Studio Pass is the admission ticket: Universal describes it as covering park entrance and use of all attractions in the park. An Express Pass is an add-on that gives you shorter lines at the attractions printed on it. Universal's own Express Pass page says separate theme park admission is required, and its ticket store says the pass must be used together with a Studio Pass. Turn up with only an Express Pass and you have nothing that gets you through the gate. So book the Studio Pass for your date first, then decide whether the add-on is worth it.

What a Studio Pass includes

The Studio Pass is sold as a one-day, 1.5-day or two-day ticket, and you choose your date when you buy. The 1.5-day version starts in the afternoon of the first day. Children aged 4 to 11 need a child ticket, visitors aged 12 and over need an adult ticket (Universal's ticket page explains a school-year exception), and children aged 3 and under are free. The pass does not include an Express Pass, extra-charge attractions or the area ticket for Super Nintendo World, and it does not allow re-entry once you leave. Booked through Klook, it cannot be cancelled, but an unused pass can be changed once to a new date.

What an Express Pass does

An Express Pass gives you a shorter lane at the attractions printed on it. It is valid only on the date you bought it for, and only for the person who bought it, so everyone in your group needs their own. Some attractions on a pass have a set time printed on the ticket, and others are open all day. Show the whole ticket screen, not just the QR code. If you arrive late for a timed slot there is no refund and no new time. Once bought, an Express Pass cannot be cancelled, and it does not override height or health rules.

Reading a pass: the number is not the whole story

Names such as Express Pass 4, 5 or 8 sound like a ladder, but the number only tells you roughly how many lines the list has. Universal's ticket store sells several different passes under the same number, each with its own set of attractions, and some lines say 'either one', so you choose between two rides. Premium passes are described as covering all attractions. The store changes which passes it offers from day to day, so the ride list on the pass page for your date is what you are actually buying. Read it line by line against the rides you want.

Super Nintendo World: look for the label

Depending on how busy the park is, you may need a ticket to enter Super Nintendo World. Universal says you can get one in advance in two ways: with certain Express Passes, or in some travel-agency packages. In the ticket store the passes that include it carry the label 'Includes Timed Entry Tickets' and a note about guaranteed timed entry. Some passes do not have that label. Some booking pages also sell a Studio Pass bundled with guaranteed area entry, which suits you if you want certainty but not shorter queues. Without either, you rely on the official app inside the park.

Read next: Super Nintendo World Entry Guide

Express Pass or the official app?

The official app issues timed-entry tickets once you are inside the park. One kind, Yoyakunori Reserve & Ride, lets you reserve a ride time for applicable attractions and spend the wait elsewhere. You need your Studio Pass registered, you can hold only one ticket at a time, and availability can change without notice. It is not the same as an Express Pass: you can still queue for any attraction without a ticket, and the app tickets stop once capacity is reached. If you have a short visit and a ride list, a pass gives you set rides. If your day is flexible, the app alone may be enough.

Height, age and health rules

An Express Pass does not waive any ride rules. Universal says you cannot use an attraction if you do not meet its height requirement, whatever pass you hold. Crew check your height at the entrance and give you a handstamp. The store lists a minimum height on each pass, and the figure differs from pass to pass, so check it against your children before you buy. Some attractions also have health rules, and Universal's requirements page covers pregnancy, wheelchairs and other cases. Because a pass cannot be cancelled, one built around rides a child cannot board is a real cost.

When and where to buy

Express Passes are sold for selected dates, and the types and prices vary by day, so the store shows only what is open for the date you pick. Universal sells through its own web ticket store and through travel agencies it lists on its site, Klook among them. It also says resold tickets are not accepted and that QR codes bought from resellers can be nullified. Sales at the entrance booths ended in May 2025, so buy your Studio Pass before you arrive. Check the date first, then the pass, then the cancellation terms.

A simple way to choose

Match the pass to your day, not the other way round. Start with the rides or the area you most want, then work out whether a numbered pass, a pass with the timed-entry label, or a Studio Pass bundle covers it. Each option below fits a different kind of visit, and none is the best choice for everyone. Before you pay, check the date, the ride list, the height rules and the cancellation terms.

• Short visit and rides in mind: a numbered pass whose list matches them
• Area entry matters most: a pass with the timed-entry label, or a Studio Pass bundle with area entry
• Young children: check heights first, or skip the pass
• Flexible day, no must-ride list: a Studio Pass and the official app

Who this isn't for

Skip the Express Pass if you have no particular rides in mind, since it only covers the attractions printed on it. Skip it if you dislike fixed times, because some entries are time-designated and late arrival is not refunded. It is not for anyone who needs to change plans freely, because it cannot be cancelled. And it is not a substitute for admission: if you have not bought a Studio Pass, that is the ticket to book first.