In January 2025 we took our two girls — aged 4 and 2 — to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. We knew one thing before we went: our youngest was 88cm tall, and a surprising number of the “kiddie” rides start at 92cm.
So this is not a “best rides at USJ” list. It’s an honest, time-stamped record of what a 2-year-old just under the line could actually ride, what she couldn’t, and how we got through a whole morning with almost zero waiting.
What an 88cm 2-year-old could ride (and couldn’t)
Here’s the short answer first. These are the attractions we did, in the order we did them. Rules are as of our visit and USJ does change them, so check the official site before you go.
| Attraction | Rule | Our 2-year-old (88cm) | Our wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAWS | No height minimum | ✅ Whole family rode together | 0 min (9:05) |
| Big Bird’s Big Top Circus | No height minimum (with an adult) | ✅ | 0 min |
| Elmo’s Little Drive | Ages 3–5, child drives alone | ❌ (4-year-old only) — closed as of August 2026 | 0 min |
| Hello Kitty’s Cupcake Dream | No height minimum (with an adult) | ✅ | 0 min (10:20) |
| Sing on Tour | Show | ✅ | 11:00 show |
| Super Nintendo World | Timed entry | Entry only | 9:00 → got an 11:40 slot |
| The Flying Snoopy | 92cm+ (with an adult under 122cm) | ❌ | — |
In the end, our youngest could ride only the attractions with no height minimum at all. That’s the whole story of USJ at 88cm.
The 92cm wall — even on the “little kid” rides
The one that stung was The Flying Snoopy. It’s a gentle ride that circles slowly up and down — it could not look more toddler-friendly. The minimum height is 92cm.
What made it harder: at Hong Kong Disneyland, the Orbitron works almost exactly the same way, and our youngest rode it there before she turned one. Same kind of ride, different rule.
If your child is around 2 and around 90cm, measure them before you plan the day. Finding out at the gate is how plans fall apart. For reference, other rides families ask about: Yoshi’s Adventure is also 92cm, Minion Mayhem is 102cm and Mario Kart is 107cm. Children under 122cm need a companion on most rides.
Weekday, right at opening: zero waits all morning
We went on an ordinary weekday. Official opening was 9:30, but we’d heard the gates often let people in early, so we left our hotel at 8:30, queued about 20 minutes and were inside before 9:00.
We were staying at the Oriental Hotel Universal City, about 200m from the park — three adults and two children for roughly ¥35,000 a night (about $233 USD). With small kids, being able to walk to the gate is what makes arriving at opening time realistic.
The first thing we did inside wasn’t a ride.
Step one: get your Super Nintendo World entry time
Entry to Super Nintendo World is by timed ticket on busy days. At 9:00 we got an 11:40 slot. Lock that in first, then plan the rest of the morning around it.
Our day, time-stamped
9:05 — JAWS. We hadn’t planned it; it was just right in front of us. No age or height minimum, so the whole family rode together. Zero wait.
Big Bird’s Big Top Circus. No height minimum, zero wait. In Japan you’ll see adults ride this too; elsewhere it’s the kind of ride only kids go on. It was faster than we expected, and there’s no seat belt. Our 2-year-old rode it again and again.
Elmo’s Little Drive. While the little one was on the merry-go-round, our 4-year-old went to drive. It’s for ages 3 to 5, and they drive alone. No wait. (Update: as of August 2026, Elmo’s Little Drive has closed.)
She’d driven ride-on carts before, so we assumed she’d be fine. She was terrible. She barely moved forward and blocked every other car on the track. I filmed it, but I was laughing so hard the video is mostly shake.
10:20 — Hello Kitty’s Cupcake Dream. No wait again. It’s a teacup-style spinner, and I worried about motion sickness — but if you don’t spin the wheel yourself, it’s gentle. Both girls loved it.
We grabbed a quick snack here, because we had a fixed time coming up.
The real reason we went: Sing on Tour
Honestly, the whole trip was for Sing on Tour. The moment our youngest saw the sign she shouted “Johnny!” The first show was at 11:00, so that’s what the morning was built around.
The entrance is set up as a theatre box office, with Miss Crawly selling the tickets — the detail is lovely. You can’t take photos inside. The show itself was a lot of fun.
And during that first show we learned something useful: if you sit in the right seats, Johnny comes close enough to touch. We went back for a second show later, sat there, and our youngest got her high five. If your child loves Sing, it’s worth going twice.
Super Nintendo World with toddlers: we got in, and rode nothing
11:40 — Super Nintendo World, on the timed ticket from the morning. It is genuinely beautiful. The game world is built in astonishing detail, and you can see why everyone wants in.
But here’s the honest part. Even with timed entry, it was packed. The crowd density was so high, and there was so little our girls could ride, that we left almost straight away.
With a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, go in with the mindset of “we’re here to look.” That’s the realistic version.
We did buy popcorn: caramel peach and mushroom cream. The savoury mushroom one tasted almost like truffle — easily the best snack of the day.
Minion Park, churros, and out by 14:40
We walked through Minion Park and ran into Snoopy and Charlie Brown on the way. One banana-chocolate churro later, we left the park at about 14:40.
Out of the hotel at 8:30, out of the park at 14:40. With two under-fives, that’s about the limit — and because the morning had no queues, it felt like a full day.
The nappy changing setup is excellent
This is the thing I most want parents to know. At USJ, nearly every women’s toilet we used had baby changing tables right at the entrance, not inside an accessible cubicle.
A lot of places in Japan put the changing table inside the multi-purpose toilet, which means waiting for one specific cubicle. Having open changing stations made every change quick, with no queue.
One small annoyance: someone had put their handbag on the changing table while using the mirror. I asked politely and they moved it — but please don’t park your bag where babies get changed.
Souvenirs: you can buy “park visitor only” items online afterwards
We bought a few things in the park, but the best tip is this: the USJ online store has a “park visitor only” section that you can still shop after your visit. An Elmo item that had sold out in the park was available there.
Delivery was fast — a day or two. When you’re juggling two small kids, not carrying shopping bags around the park is a real help. Note that this works for delivery to addresses in Japan, so it suits families staying longer or sending to a hotel; check the store’s delivery terms before you count on it.
Before our Shinkansen home, we picked up a Rikuro’s jiggly cheesecake at Shin-Osaka Station. Non-negotiable.
Know before you go
- Tickets: USJ uses date-based pricing, so the price changes by day. Children aged 3 and under get in free; the child price covers ages 4 to 11. Check the official ticket calendar for your date — sources differ, so the official site is the one to trust.
- Height rules: Several rides start at 92cm, and most rides need a companion for children under 122cm. Rules change; check the official height restriction page.
- Super Nintendo World: On busy days, entry is by timed ticket. Get it as soon as you enter.
- Getting there: From Shin-Osaka (the Shinkansen stop), take JR to Universal City Station, usually with one change at Nishikujo. The hotels around Universal City Station are a short walk from the gate.
- Crowds: USJ has a fairly compact footprint and it felt very dense, even on a weekday. Most of the crowd were overseas visitors. With preschoolers, arriving at opening on a weekday is the single biggest thing you can do.
In short
- 2 years old, 88cm: Plenty of fun on the no-minimum rides and shows, but a lot is off-limits.
- 4 years old: Rides she could do on her own opened up the day completely.
- The real dividing line is 92cm, not age. Measure before you plan.
- Stay within walking distance, be at the gate at opening on a weekday, and get your Super Nintendo World time first.
- With under-fives, treat Super Nintendo World as sightseeing.
- If your kids love Sing, see Sing on Tour twice and sit where Johnny can reach.
Our honest verdict: USJ works with a 2-year-old, but it’s more fun from about 3 — or, more precisely, from 92cm.
Comparing theme parks? Here’s how our Tokyo Disney trip with a 3- and 5-year-old went.