Credit: Dick Thomas Johnson, FlickrIndefinite attraction closures are affecting one Universal Studios theme park, with no reopening date in sight.
Attraction closures are an unavoidable part of theme park operations, Universal included. To ensure smooth operations, rides and shows must frequently undergo refurbishment, receiving the necessary care to uphold the park’s reputation for delivering high-quality, immersive entertainment.
Not that that makes the closures any less frustrating in the meantime.
For the most part, Universal closes a small number of its attractions at a time in order to mitigate the impact that has on parkgoers. However, one theme park has shuttered nearly half a dozen of its attractions indefinitely – some for years now – with no reopening date in sight.
Universal Studios Japan Shutters Rides En Masse
The Osaka theme park – which recently announced the first in a series of global Pokémon expansions – has an unfortunate reputation for closed attractions in recent years.
That’s despite its other reputation for massive crowds, which have made headlines on countless occasions.
The following five attractions are currently listed as closed indefinitely on the Universal Studios Japan website:
- Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
- Shrek’s 4-D Adventure
- Space Fantasy – The Ride
- Ernie’s Rubber Duckie Race
- Sesame’s Big Drive
This is nothing new for many of these attractions. Ernie’s Rubber Duckie Race and Sesame’s Big Drive have been closed since June 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the region’s theme parks.
Meanwhile, Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic and Shrek’s 4-D Adventure closed indefinitely in January 2026. Space Fantasy – The Ride shuttered indefinitely to make way for a series of overlays, including Space Fantasy – The Ride: CLUB ZEDD REMIX, in June 2025.
Frustrations Over Ride Closures
While this list already seems lengthy, these are in addition to other, less long-term closures. Both Hollywood Dream – The Ride and Hollywood Dream – The Ride: Backdrop (which sees guests ride the same attraction, just backwards) are currently closed with the original version reopening on February 21 and the Backdrop option returning on March 20.
Meanwhile, Meet the Hogsmeade Magical Creatures and Hippogriff Magical Lesson are both closed until March 19. JAWS is also slated for a temporary closure between March 7 and March 26.
Some of the above indefinite closures may have made sense at the peak of the pandemic when social distancing was a top priority. However, with theme parks (largely) back to normal, the decision to keep several of these attractions shuttered long-term is becoming increasingly tough to justify.
Notably, Universal Studios Japan has struggled with staffing shortages in recent years, which has likely played a role in the decision to reduce attraction numbers. Theme parks, in general, have also slashed budgets. But with Universal Studios Japan repeatedly beating out Tokyo Disneyland for Japan’s most-visited theme park for the second year in a row in 2024, a little extra capacity would go a long way.
Have you ever visited Universal Studios Japan?