Credit: Universal Studios JapanOne Universal Studios theme park is changing its ticketing system, with all guests now required to visit its website.
Theme park tickets aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days of simple, flat-rate admission—now, it’s all about dynamic pricing, reservations, and crowd control. Post-COVID, parks have doubled down on date-based pricing that shifts with demand, while some require advance reservations just to step through the gates. Capacity limits and paid skip-the-line perks have also reshaped the experience, making last-minute trips trickier and planning more essential than ever.
Ticket Sales Shift Online
Even the way we buy tickets has shifted. With digital purchases becoming the norm, many parks are scaling back or shutting down traditional ticket booths altogether. The shift streamlines entry but also means snagging a last-minute ticket on-site isn’t always an option, making advance planning more important than ever.
That’s the case at Universal Studios Japan, which has announced plans to shutter its ticket booths.
According to Yomiuri, the Osaka theme park has decided to shift all of its ticket sales online. That means guests will no longer be able to purchase tickets at the theme park itself and will instead need to purchase them on its website in advance. The park plans to enforce the change by this spring, with onsite sales reportedly falling in recent years.
It’s not the first park to axe its ticket booths. Universal’s biggest rival in Japan, Tokyo Disney Resort, notably also doesn’t sell tickets at the park entrance anymore. The same is true of Disneyland Paris.
Universal Studios Japan has introduced a range of changes lately. Earlier this year, it shifted its park security system. In late 2024, it also debuted a brand-new land within the park: Donkey Kong Country. Acting as an expansion of its SUPER NINTENDO WORLD area, this features the roller coaster Mine-Cart Madness. The same coaster will also be available at Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe when it opens in May.
Beyond Nintendo, the park is also home to its own version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, plus lands inspired by the Jurassic Park franchise, Minions, and Jaws. Other lands include Hollywood, New York City, San Francisco, and Universal Wonderland, with the latter containing three sub-areas: Snoopy Studios, Hello Kitty’s Fashion Avenue, and Sesame Street Fun Zone.
How do you feel about Universal Studios Japan shifting ticket sales online?