Just a year after it opened and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood is apparently in need of some repair.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD opened at Universal Studios Hollywood last February to much excitement and acclaim. It marked the first American iteration of the land that first debuted at Universal Studios Japan in 2021. Featuring beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong, the area is a fully immersive Super Mario Bros. game brought to life.

The Orlando version will open alongside Epic Universe sometime next year as one of five lands coming to the brand new Universal Orlando park. In addition to rides like Yoshi’s Adventure and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, the area will also feature the Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness roller coaster.
However, a recent set of photos and videos shared to X (formerly Twitter) seems to show the Universal Studios Hollywood version of the area in need of some repair already, just under a year after the area opened. Posted by @HighUniversal, several areas of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD seem to be in need of a good power wash and fresh coat of paint.
Super Nintendo World refurb update⚠️
It hasn’t happened yet. @UniStudios pic.twitter.com/nVndTdQU1X
— Universal HIGH🌎 (@HighUniversal) March 8, 2024
While these are minor problems, and thankfully nothing major in terms of actual attraction issues, it does seem to show a declining regard to routine upkeep, a trend that’s becoming more and more prevalent even in major theme parks like Disney and Universal. Disney fans have been criticizing the parks for years since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic caused the parks to let go of thousands of cast members. In the years since the parks reopened, complaints of various ride issues and cleanliness issues like mold, peeling paint, and dirty ride vehicles have become commonplace across social media.

Whether it’s due to fewer cast members or a shift in priorities, it’s hard to deny that the parks have seen better days. With a brand-new park area that’s less than a year old to already be exhibiting signs of wear and tear is disappointing, especially for Universal fans that have looked forward to immersing themselves into their favorite video games for years.
Hopefully Epic Universe won’t have similar problems given it will be a brand-new park, but the images are certainly enough to cause worry for fans. As the parks continue to return to pre-2020 normal, fans can only hope that they will eventually place the same importance on previous standards of upkeep, maintenance, and cleanliness in order to provide years of enjoyment for guests.
What do you think of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD already needing some TLC? Do you think maintenance standards have dropped since COVID? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!