Disney or USJ? How to Decide Which to Visit

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Helen Foster is a Sydney-based author, journalist and content creator. She has traveled to Japan six times and is planning trip seven. Her articles on Japan have appeared in publications including Reader's Digest (Asia Pacific), RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, the Japan National Tourism Organisation website and more. She is a digital publisher member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers.

1. Have You Been to the US Parks?

There is some crossover – many rides at Disneyland are the same or have small variations with the US Parks – although The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast is totally unique and amazing. However, if you regularly visit Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you might want to narrow down your decision to USJ or DisneySea and skip Disneyland.

If you go to Universal Studios Hollywood, the Harry Potter area, Super Nintendo World, and a few other things are kind of similar – although USJ has more SNW rides than Hollywood.

There will be more crossover with Universal Studios Florida once Epic Universe opens as that has Super Nintendo World. The big difference between the US parks and USJ is the anime-themed elements. If you like anime you’ll find enough differences to make it worth your while even if you do regularly go to the US Parks.

2. Are You Team Mario or Team Mickey?

I admit. I prefer Disney to USJ, and the main reason for this is that I’m more invested in the characters. I love Frozen, I’m a sucker for Eyeore, I wish Stitch were my best friend, I quote Dory more often than I should and Disney music always makes me cry.

Other than Minions and some of the cuter beasts in Harry Potter, I don’t have the same affection for the characters in the USJ universe.

I’m not into Nintendo, so Super Nintendo World pretty much passes me by, and I don’t know my anime very well (if you don’t either, our beginners guide to the characters might help).

This won’t make much difference to your enjoyment of the rides—a rollercoaster is fun no matter what its theme—but it does affect things like how much you’ll enjoy themed foods, merchandise, parades, and character meet-and-greets and your understanding of the stories related to the rides—particularly as they are all in Japanese.

If you love all things Disney, go to Disneyland or DisneySea (deciding between them is another post entirely). If you love Nintendo, Harry Potter, Hello Kitty or Japanese anime, USJ is better for you.

3. Do You Want Thrill Rides?

The rides at Disneyland are pretty tame. There are a few more thrills at DisneySea, but if you want most of your rides to have big drops, fast speeds, upside down flips and virtual reality immersion up the wazoo, go to USJ. They have proper rollercoasters and you will scream – a lot.

To compare specifically, DisneySea has the Tower of Terror and Raging Spirits as proper thrill rides, and Journey to the Center of the Earth and Indiana Jones are fast and fun.

Disneyland has no thrill rides right now as Space Mountain is under renovation, but Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain at least go fast.

USJ has The Flying Dinosaur, Hollywood Dream, Backdrop, and, to some extent, Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey as proper thrill rides – I won’t even go on the Flying Dinosaur as it looks too scary!

Flight of the Hippogriff and Jurassic Park are fast and fun. I haven’t done Minecart yet, but it seems to fall between the two. The VR rides, like Mario Kart and Space Fantasy, are fast and immersive.Even JAWS will make you jump. If you want to go to theme parks for the rides, go to USJ.

Don’t Forget to Buy Your Studio Pass

Everyone who visits USJ needs to buy a Studio Pass. You can buy a simple one that lets you into the park, or, if you buy them early, you might find the Klook special that also includes Super Nintendo World. They are releasing a little bit earlier than two months right now so, if you’re within two or three months of the day you want to enter the park, check if they’re available now.

4. How Much Do You Want To Spend?

I went to both parks on the same trip recently, and USJ cost me far more than my days at Disney. Comparing the two with today’s prices also suggests that. To compare the two…

Entrance Tickets

Disneyland and DisneySea: Starts at 8400 yen, can go up to 10,900 yen for adults (7000-9000 for 12-17 year olds, 5000-5600 for 4-11 year olds)

Universal Studios Japan: Starts at 8600 yen, can go up to 11,900 yen (5600- 6800 for children under 12, over 12 are adults)

View of the outside of the Mario Kart ride in USJ with coins with dollar signs over the top

Fast Passes

Disneyland: It costs 5000 yen to buy paid-for Disney Premiere Access for all three of Disneyland’s rides that have them.

DisneySea: Booking fast passes for all seven rides in DisneySea that have them will cost 13,000 yen.

USJ: The Express Pass 7 costs 17,800 yen, but USJ uses dynamic pricing, so that can go up. You can pay less by picking an Express Pass 4; these start at 9800 yen.

Once inside, the prices for food, drinks and merchandise are around the same.

RELATED READ: To see exactly how much I spent, see my guide to how much it costs to visit USJ or take a look at the Disney version of how much I spent visiting the Tokyo Disney parks.

Need Extra Planning Help?

Our Japan trip planners can help. Choose from our 62-page Japan Super Planner, which includes tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing. Or, try a specific planner like Tokyo Tips, Kyoto Tips, or the Rail Pass Planner. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.

5. Which is Nearest?

Some people don’t realise that USJ and Tokyo Disney are not in the same city. Tokyo Disney Resort is, obviously, in Tokyo, but USJ is in Osaka, about three hours away by train – and that train will cost about 14,000 yen each way.

If you’re flying into Tokyo and not planning to visit Kyoto or Osaka, Tokyo Disney is the best option fo you to visit.

If you’re flying into Osaka and are not planning to go to Tokyo, then USJ is best.

If you’re going to split your trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, then you can pick from both. But, maybe look at the next question as well.

RELATED READ: The distance between Disney and USJ is one difference between the US Disney parks and the Tokyo ones, find the other main differences here.

6. How Long Do You Have to Spend?

Tokyo Disney Resort has two parks—to visit both parks properly, you need at least two days, maybe three. If you only have one day, you’ll have to pick one park. Again, see our guide comparing Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea to help you do this, as, like here, there are a few things to consider.

USJ can be done in one day if you have an Express Pass or if you’re not bothered about riding everything. If you want to ride everything without an Express Pass, you need two days, as the queues can get quite long.

7. Are You Plus-Sized?

The rides at USJ run relatively small. I got size-tested on Yoshi (I’m about 5kg over the weight I should be, but it’s all around my middle, so lap bars are always fun!). I did pass, but it was a bit snug!

In my theme park Facebook group, some of the more Pooh-sized members have had issues with Flight of the Hippogriff, Hollywood Dream, and the Flying Dinosaur. Others said they couldn’t ride anything at all on the Express Pass.

Most people, even those who couldn’t ride at USJ, seem to be okay at Disney. The one ride that can cause an issue is Raging Spirits, as it’s an over-the-shoulder restraint, and it sometimes won’t fit if you have a larger chest – men and women!

This also has a height restriction of under 195cm.

One person who is bigger-built said they also had trouble at Disney on a few of the other rides with lap bars, such as Big Thunder Mountain, Aquatopia, and Tower of Terror; most people, though, say Disney is more size-friendly.

Don’t Forget to Buy Your Disney Tickets

If you’re within two months of your trip, why not order them now so it’s done? Unlike the Disney site, Klook takes all foreign credit cards. Plus, if you’re buying other tours or tickets, add the code JAPLANEASEKLOOK at checkout and you could save up to 10 per cent.

T&Cs apply; Tokyo Disney tickets and USJ tickets are not available for discounts.

8. How Old/Tall Are Your Children?

While each park can appeal to any age, there might be more to do for teens in some parks and more to do for little kids in others. But which is which?

Disneyland

The best option for very little kids. Fantasyland and Toontown both aim specifically at smaller guests, and there are eight rides, plus other attractions like Goofy’s Paint and Play House or Donald’s Boat for smaller children in these two areas alone.

However, most of the park’s rides have no height restrictions meaning smaller children can go on these if they want to.

However, if you’re traveling with infants, some rules about holding children on your lap might affect what you can ride (see our specific guide to all the Disneyland height restrictions and other rules to learn more about this). Parades, shows and character greeting also add to the things smaller children can enjoy.

The downside is that Disneyland might be a bit dull for teens who aren’t interested in Disney magic and want their rides to have a big thrill factor, especially while Space Mountain is being redone.

DisneySea

The better Disney option for older kids and teens who want more thrilling rides. Eight rides in the park have a height restriction, and these will satisfy older or more daring kids.

If you’re traveling with very small children, the Mermaid Lagoon area is especially for them, and it has three rides; however, they can go on most of the other rides in the park, especially the more sedate transport rides, like the Venetian Gondolas. Most of the headline rides, like Frozen and Rapunzel, also have no height restrictions.

See a full list of DisneySea height requirements and other rules for infants or very small children in our specific post on the height rules.

USJ

Good for teenagers and braver older/taller kids. Not so great for very small children.

There are only five rides in the park with no height restriction—and one of those is Jaws, which may or may not be a good idea as a large shark is jumping at your boat, and there’s some fire!

Even in the Universal Wonderland area which specifically aims at smaller children, there are only four rides with no height restriction, and many start at 92 cm—but note that children who are still under 122 cm can’t ride these alone. Others are even taller than this. See an exact breakdown of the rides by height here.

This doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do for small children there. They can still watch parades, meet characters and enjoy the atmosphere – and, a handy Child Swap service allows adults to enjoy the rides even if children can’t – but, it wouldn’t be my first choice for someone with smaller children.

So, there’s all the things to consider when choosing between Disney and USJ. Hopefully it will help you make a decision. If not, head over to our Japan theme park planning group on Facebook and see if other people can help you make up your mind.