How to get early access to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios

Olivia Richman Published 08/01/2023

Nintendo fans have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Super Nintendo World at Universal Hollywood since it was originally announced. Now, some lucky gamers can get access to the park early.

North American Nintendo fans have been jealous ever since Universal in Japan opened Super Nintendo World. With a 4D Mario Kart ride, exclusive merch, and interactive areas all over, it seemed like a dream to step into Mario’s universe. But due to global health concerns, Japan wasn’t open to visitors for the duration of the grand opening, leaving fans daydreaming about eating food prepared by Chef Toad.

Then, Universal Studios revealed that Super Nintendo World was coming to North America as well. It would first open in Hollywood and then in Florida as part of a bigger expansion to the already immense theme park.

When is Super Nintendo World opening in Universal Hollywood?

Universal Studios Hollywood will finally unveil its version of Super Nintendo World on February 17th, 2023.

This is a little more than a month away at this point, so fans won’t have to wait much longer. The park has been under construction for a few years now, and park insiders have been grabbing photos of its progress the entire time. Super Nintendo World could be seen in the distance from a bunch of different areas, but fans could only dream of walking through the pipe and entering the Mushroom Kingdom.

But now, some gamers can jump into the pipe earlier than expected. Here’s how.

How to get early access to Super Nintendo World

Universal is allowing some people to get early access to Super Nintendo World. Passholders can now get an early preview of the new area before the official grand opening. Here’s how:

Head to the Universal Pass Member website here on January 9, 2023, at 12 PM PST
The preview dates will be from January 29 – February 11. There will also be various time slots for each of those days
Reservations are limited and are available first-come, first serve, so be ready to pick a date and time

It should be noted that you must already be a Passholder and have gone to the park before January 5th in order to participate in the reservations. You will then be able to check out Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and some select locations throughout Super Nintendo World on your selected date. The rest of the park will also be available.

It’s been a bit tricky for Passholders. The early access reservations were initially supposed to open on January 5, but Universal had to delay them. At the time, Passholders felt left in the dark as to what would happen next.

Read the message: “We apologize for the inconvenience as we work through a network outage affecting Pass Member reservations for Super Nintendo World. Please visit UniversalPassMember.com or Twitter at @UniStudios on Friday, January 6 at noon PT for updated information. All reservations will begin early next week, and previously announced AP preview dates will remain the same. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience, and we look forward to your visit.”

Now, the date and time have been revealed. Passholders will, once again, head to the official site and attempt to grab a spot so they can see Super Nintendo World early.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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