Donkey Kong at Universal Studios Japan: Guide and Ride Review
Last Updated on April 22, 2025 by Kay
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Universal Studios Japan has just opened its newest section of Super Nintendo World — Donkey Kong Country. This is the first and only place in the world where Donkey Kong is part of a theme park, which made its opening highly anticipated by fans of the game.
But is it worth the hype?
In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about this area, including rides, food, and souvenirs.
Table of Contents
How to Get Into Donkey Kong Country
In order to get into Donkey Kong Country, you need to first get into Super Nintendo World. There are three ways to do this.
Be One of the First to Enter Universal Studios Japan
If you’re able to enter Universal Studios Japan right when it opens, head straight to Super Nintendo World and you might be able to get in without an Area Time Entry Ticket.
To do this, I suggest lining up about 30 minutes to an hour before Universal Studios Japan opens. This is because sometimes the park opens at least 30 minutes ahead of their official opening time.
When I visited on December 12th, 2024, I arrived at 8:00 AM and although the official opening time for Universal Studios Japan was 8:30 AM, the park was already open. I was also able to get an Area Time Entry Ticket for a time slot in the morning, which I’ll explain next.
Obtain an Area Time Entry Ticket
Use the Universal Studios Japan (USJ) app to get an Area Time Entry Ticket, as shown below:
This Area Time Entry Ticket is completely free!
With this ticket, you can enter Super Nintendo World anytime during a certain time slot. But keep in mind that you cannot re-enter Super Nintendo World if you leave.
Before you apply for an Area Time Entry Ticket, make sure to register your USJ Studio Pass. To do this, tap on Timed Entry eTickets and then Register Park Passes. If you are traveling with more than one person, register all passes on one app. This way, you can get your Area Time Entry Tickets together (that is, at the same time).
Make sure you do not update the USJ app after you do this because your Area Time Entry Ticket will be erased from the app! You’ll also have to register your USJ pass all over again.
If this happens (like it did to me), tell one of the staff members at the Super Nintendo World who are standing around the entrance. They will check the system for your Area Time Entry Ticket and once found, they will let you in.
If you can’t get an Area Time Entry Ticket, you can apply for a lottery to get in. Only people with winning lottery numbers will be able to go inside Super Nintendo World.
Purchase an Express Pass
If you purchase an Express Pass for one (or several) of the rides at Super Nintendo World, you’ll be able to get into the area as well.
I suggest getting an Express Pass for Mine Cart Madness because the wait time for this ride is quite long.
Express Passes can be purchased online or at the ticket booth before you enter the park. It’s best to purchase an Express Pass in advance so you can get your desired date and time.
You can purchase an Express Pass from the official Universal Studios Japan website as well as Klook.
Keep in mind that even with an Express Pass, you will need to wait in line for a ride since other people have Express Passes, too. However, the wait is considerably shorter compared to if you don’t have an Express Pass. For instance, the general wait time for Mine Cart Madness was over two hours when I went — however, with my Express Pass, I waited for only twenty minutes.
USJ used to offer an Express Pass for only the Mine Cart Madness ride when it first opened, which is what I used, but now they no longer offer it.
Note that you need to purchase a Studio Pass separately to get into Universal Studios Japan, which is also for sale on the USJ website and Klook. Sometimes the USJ website has issues with foreign credit cards so if this happens, use Klook.
Overview Donkey Kong Country
As mentioned earlier, Donkey Kong Country is part of Universal Studios Japan (USJ), which is located in Osaka.
To get there, head down the stairs after entering Super Nintendo World and turn right. You’ll see the entrance to Donkey Kong Country right next to 1 UP Factory (a souvenir store).
You can go straight in — you don’t need any additional passes or tickets.
The area is colorful and beautifully done, making you truly feel like you’re immersed in the game! It is small, however, so keep that in mind when you visit.
I also recommend purchasing a Donkey Kong Power-Up Band, which you can get at the entrance of Super Nintendo World (before you go into the pipe) or inside. There are two styles — Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong.
Power-Up Band Spots
Make sure you don’t miss the Power-Up spots hidden throughout Donkey Kong Country. Look for the DK sign!
Drum Game
This is a fun (and free) game for all ages.
Hit the drums with your hands at the right time on all four pairs of drums to make a rhino emerge from the box. It’s easier said than done!
My five-year-old daughter played this game and she loved it!
Mine Cart Madness Ride Review
This is now one of my favorite rides at Universal Studios Japan, and I say this as an annual pass holder who goes at least once a month.
Get blasted through a barrel while riding in a cart and then zoom along tracks that run from inside The Golden Temple throughout Donkey Kong Country. Some of the tracks are “broken” so you’ll zig-zag from one to another. You’ll see characters from Donkey Kong Country during your short journey and also be sprayed in the face with water, so you will get wet.
There’s a part where the cart dives into water as well but haven’t gotten get wet yet (this may have been because I always end up sitting at the back of the cart, though).
Wait times for this ride are quite long at the moment since it’s a new ride, and since it’s really enjoyable, I can’t see the wait times decreasing anytime soon.
The first time I rode Mine Cart Madness, I used an Express Pass but the second time, I waited for about 110 minutes with my daughter. The time went by surprisingly fast, though, probably thanks to my daughter being enthralled by the sights in the waiting area, like these giant flowers:
The fun little coconuts here and there:
And everything inside The Golden Temple:
Keep an eye out for the colorful banana on the ceiling!
There are power-up band spots throughout the waiting area as well:
There’s Cranky Kong, too!
Also, how cute is this water fountain?!
You are not allowed to use your phone on this ride so make sure to put it away before getting on.
At the end when you exit the ride, you have the option of purchasing a photo of yourself on the ride.
This ride isn’t intense like The Flying Dinosaur or Hollywood Dream, so it’s perfect for people who want a fun ride but nothing too crazy. However, I found it a little jerky the second time I rode it and didn’t enjoy it as much as the first time. I also thought the initial part of the ride when you’re blasted out of a barrel was a little underwhelming.
Mine Cart Madness With Kids
My daughter first rode Mine Cart Madness when she was five years old.
Although she insisted on waiting in line for it because she loves roller coasters, she had mixed feelings about the ride. She found the last drop into water scary, and when she got off the ride, she said she never wanted to go on it again.
However, when she told her father about her day at USJ, she said she wanted to ride Mine Cart Madness again, so I suppose only time will tell!
Note that children have to be at least 122 cm tall to ride on their own and 107 cm tall to ride with a guardian. Make sure you know your child’s height if you want to purchase an Express Pass for Mine Cart Madness because the last thing you want is for your child to be unable to go on this ride because they’re too short.
Food and Drinks at Donkey Kong Country
If you’re feeling peckish, then grab one of the unique foods and drinks at Donkey Kong Country.
In terms of food, you can get a DK Wild Hot Dog, which is topped with an avocado and cheese sauce as well as tortilla chips. At 1300 yen it’s a little expensive but it is super filling. To give you an idea, I ate this at around 10:00 AM and I was still full at 5:00 PM!
Although the hot dog was very juicy, it was a little too much for me so I don’t think I would get this again unless I was sharing it with someone. But it’s worth trying, especially since the line to purchase this moves quite quickly.
When it comes to drinks, head to Jungle Beat Shakes where you choose either a cold DK Crush Sundae in banana flavor or, in winter, a DK Crush Hot Sundae in chocolate and banana.
Both flavors also come with a souvenir mug option for an additional charge.
My daughter wanted the souvenir mug so I shelled out for it but it was worth it despite the price. It tasted really yummy (I never thought of pairing ice cream and popcorn together but it really works!). Now my daughter uses the mug for her pencils.
Merchandise at Donkey Kong Country
There’s one souvenir shop in Donkey Kong Country called FUNKY’S Fly ‘n’ Buy. It’s quite small so it can get quite crowded.
Below are some of the many types of merchandise for sale at this souvenir shop at Donkey Kong Country, such as shirts, keychains, headbands, pass holders, tissue box covers, plushies, hats, mugs, and more.
Note that if you have an Express Pass that includes a 2,200 yen coupon, you do not need to limit your purchase to this store only. You can use it at any of the stores in Super Nintendo World, including 1UP Factory.
1UP Factory carries Donkey Kong merchandise as well and has a larger selection than the store inside Donkey Kong Country!
I especially like these adorable smartphone holders.
And check out this amazing Super Nintendo World watch featuring DK!
Donkey Kong Greetings
You’ll be able to meet Donkey Kong and take a photo with him, and best of all, unlike meeting Mario and Luigi or Princess Peach, it’s completely free!
Donkey Kong Country at Night
If you visit at nightfall, you’ll be treated to the area completely lit up.
I prefer Donkey Kong Country during the day because it’s so colorful, but I think Super Nintendo World itself is amazing at night, so it’s worth seeing anyway. I think the best time to go is at dusk (so around 5 PM) so you can see Super Nintendo World during the day and at night!
Is Donkey Kong Country Worth It?
Donkey Kong Country is quite small but if you’re a fan of the game, I think you’ll enjoy this area. It’s like being immersed in the game and the Mine Cart Madness ride alone is worth a visit!