Planning to visit Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka during Halloween? Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know, including where to stay, transportation, tickets, Express Passes, Super Nintendo World, and prices!

🎃 Halloween Horror Nights

Every fall, Universal Studios Japan transforms into a Halloween celebration with terrifying haunted attractions, street zombies, live performances, themed food, and nighttime entertainment.

2026 Halloween Horror Nights: September 11 to November 8.

Opening hours: Park hours change daily, typically opening around 8:00 to 9:00 AM and closing between 9:00 and 10:00 PM during busy Halloween dates.

Check the official calendar for your visit.

Good to know: Halloween Horror Nights entertainment is generally included with regular park admission, although some special experiences may require additional tickets.

Top 3 Hotels Near Universal Studios Japan

1. The Park Front Hotel at Universal Studios Japan

Approximately 1-minute walk to USJ
Directly across from the park entrance
Great for visitors prioritizing location
CLICK HERE FOR: The Park Front Hotel

2. The Singulari Hotel & Skyspa

Directly connected to Universal City Station
Rooftop spa, baths, and sauna. Convenient for exploring Osaka.
CLICK HERE FOR: The Singulari Hotel & Skyspa

❤️ 3. Oriental Hotel Universal City (Where We Stayed!)

We chose Oriental Hotel because of its amazing location and all the food we'd seen people talking about on TikTok!

Located inside the Universal CityWalk area approximately a 1-minute walk from Universal City Station and just a short walk to USJ! One of the Official USJ hotel with ticket purchasing options.

Room Type: Superior Twin Room with Lounge Access
Room Size: 290 sq. ft.
Beds: 1 twin bed + 1 queen bed
Stay: 3 nights (October 13 to 16, 2025)
Breakfast: Included
Guest Lounge Access: Included

Hotel food highlights:

Guest welcome lounge with drinks and snacks
Soft-serve ice cream and pancakes
Evening hot dogs, including a special black Halloween hot dog during our visit
Breakfast buffet with a donut wall
Freshly prepared beef burgers
Croffle Eggs Benedict
Fresh orange juice
Osaka specialties, including takoyaki and kushikatsu

Estimated hotel price: $80 to $150+ per room per night, depending on dates, room type, and breakfast options.

🚆 Getting to Universal Studios Japan

Closest station: JR Universal City Station

Train line: JR Yumesaki Line (Sakurajima Line)

From Osaka Station: Approximately 15 to 25 minutes, depending on train connections.

Universal City Station is right beside Universal CityWalk, a large shopping and entertainment district leading directly toward the park.

CityWalk has restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, convenience stores, and even an entire takoyaki dining area called TAKOPA.

It's a great location for grabbing dinner, shopping, or exploring after leaving USJ.

🎟️ USJ Tickets Explained

There are three different tickets to understand:

1. Studio Pass (Required)

Your regular admission ticket allows you to enter Universal Studios Japan and enjoy attractions using their regular standby queues.

Price: Approximately $55 to $75+ per adult for a 1-day pass, depending on the date.

2. Area Timed Entry Ticket (Free)

Some popular areas, particularly Super Nintendo World, may require an additional timed-entry reservation.

Available through the official USJ app after entering the park
Free of charge
Limited availability
Usually run out super early!
Does not provide shorter ride queues

Having a regular Studio Pass does NOT guarantee entry into Super Nintendo World when timed-entry restrictions are operating.

3. Universal Express Pass (Optional)

Express Passes provide access to shorter queues for selected attractions.

Certain packages also include guaranteed timed entry into some areas.

Important: Express Passes do not include regular park admission. You must purchase a Studio Pass separately.

We booked our tickets through Klook!

USJ 1 DAY PASS: CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS

KLOOK EXPRESS PASS: CLICK HERE FOR EXPRESS PASS OPTIONS

🎢 Our Express Pass: Variety Theater 8

We purchased four Universal Express Pass 8: Variety Theater tickets

Our package included guaranteed timed entry into both Super Nintendo World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The eight Express experiences included:

Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge
Yoshi's Adventure
Mine Cart Madness
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Flight of the Hippogriff
Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast
Detective Conan 4-D Live Show
Choice of The Flying Dinosaur OR Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

Some attractions required us to follow a designated schedule, while others could be used once at any time during the day.

Why did we buy Express Passes?

During a previous visit, we arrived before the park opened and RAN to get Super Nintendo World timed-entry tickets. Even arriving that early, we received an entry time for much later in the day, and availability sold out so fast!

This time, I wanted guaranteed access without the stress (ain’t no way my moma was sprinting to get an entry ticket)

One person in our group was also injured, making shorter queues especially important.

Typical wait time for rides can exceed 60 to 120 minutes for popular attractions, especially during busy Halloween dates! Long wait times are the norm, I’ve waited over 2 hours for a ride that lastest a few seconds.

Which Express Pass Should You Buy?

Klook offers several different Express Pass package: Express Pass 4, 5, 7, or 8 variations.

The number generally represents how many Express attraction experiences are included.

THE EXACT PASS WE BOOKED CLICK HERE

However, each package includes a different combination of attractions, and not every package guarantees entry to the same themed areas.

Tip: Choose your Express Pass based on the specific rides and areas you want to visit, not simply the number of attractions.

🍄 Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band

Inside Super Nintendo World, you can purchase an interactive Power-Up Band.

The wristband allows you to collect virtual coins, participate in interactive challenges, collect digital stamps, and unlock the Bowser Jr. final challenge after collecting the required keys. They’re sold at a little kiosk right outside the area. You can use them all over inside like bopping the prize boxes.

You can connect your band to the official USJ app to track your progress.

Price: Approximately $37 (¥5,600).

Important: Power-Up Bands are optional. They do not provide entry into Super Nintendo World, access to rides, or Express Pass privileges.

💰 Estimated USJ Trip Costs

Price List coverted from JYP to (USD)

1-Day Studio Pass ........ $56.00

Klook Express Pass 8: Variety Theater ........ $241.21 (4 people: $964.82 estimated)

Oriental Hotel Superior Twin Room with Breakfast ........ $310.17/night (3 nights: $930.50 per room we got 2 rooms)

Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band ........ $37.33

Yoshi's Spinach Carbonara Pasta ........ $16.67

Bowser's Hamburger Steak ........ $18.00

Mario's Bacon Cheeseburger ........ $17.33

Mushroom Soup ........ $6.00

Super Mushroom Pizza Bowl ........ $12.67

Harry Potter Butterbeer ........ $6.00

Hogwarts House Churro ........ $5.67

Rotisserie Chicken & Shepherd's Pie Meal ........ $20.00

🎃 Tips for Visiting During Halloween

Book early: Halloween is a popular time to visit USJ, and Express Pass packages can sell out.
Download the official USJ app: Check attraction waiting times and request free timed-entry tickets when available.
Check your Express Pass schedule: Some attractions require you to arrive during specific time slots.
Arrive early: Security checks and entrance queues can take time.
Stay for the evening: Halloween Horror Nights comes alive after dark with street zombies and special entertainment.
Wear comfortable shoes!: Expect plenty of walking and lot’s of standing.
Check ride restrictions: Attractions have different height, health, and accessibility requirements. My stepdad was too tall for some rides.

Final Thoughts

If you're planning to visit Universal Studios Japan during Halloween, I highly recommend staying near Universal CityWalk and booking an ezpress pass. It will save you so much time and allow you to actually be able to see everything without spending most of the day standing in lines. And don't forget to explore CityWalk while you're there!