Credit: Universal Studios JapanFor the first time since the Park’s pandemic closure, Universal has reopened a family favorite.
Located in Osaka, Universal Studios Japan is Universal Destinations & Experiences’ most successful theme park outside of the United States.
The latest global rankings put it as the twelfth most-visited in the world – and before the pandemic hit, it sat at fifth place, even higher than Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.
That’s unsurprising considering how much investment the Park has received over the past few years. In 2019, it opened the first SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, immersing Guests in a real-life video game with the likes of Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure. The area is set to receive an equally dazzling expansion in 2024, this time inspired by Donkey Kong.
In 2025, Universal Studios Japan is also rumored to carry out a Jurassic World (2015) makeover for its Jurassic Park: The Ride, similar to that completed in Universal Studios Hollywood in 2019.
Before that happens, however, the Park has just reopened an attraction closed ever since the world shut down for COVID-19 in early 2020.
Young Guests can now once again experience the Cookie Monster Slide in the Park’s Sesame Street Fun Zone, located in Universal Wonderland.
Designed to look like riders are sliding down the tongue of Sesame Street’s cookie-obsessed fiend, this had previously remained closed due to lingering concerns over COVID-19 transmission.
Several other high-contact attractions remain closed, including Shrek’s 4-D Adventure, Sesame’s Big Drive, Ernie’s Rubber Duckie Race, and Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic. However, the reopening of Cookie Monster Slide is a good sign that Guests can expect more returns over the course of the year. Considering that Universal Studios Japan is one of just two Parks left in the world with an operating Shrek’s 4-D Adventure, we’re crossing our fingers that that’s next on the list.
