The scheduling is so important for USJ. If you arrive for park opening you don't even need to join the virtual queue, you can just head straight in there. I would also definitely recommend getting an express pass if it's in your budget, as it is worth it to skip all the ride lines. We went in early January just after the New Year holidays ended and the park was empty! We went on every ride and never waited longer than maybe 20mins. HP Forbidden Journey was basically a walk on. We got food with zero queues and the shops were not crowded at all throughout the day.
Have the feeling it's just always like this. I went to Fuji Q once on a random Tuesday figuring it would be less crowded. Lines were so massive that I was happy I hadn't bought a day ticket and left again. (You can enter for free and pay for attractions). I went to USJ last September. Did have a better time then what you were describing but I'd never been to a Universal park. Also I was alone so some queues were shorter (jaws was five minutes. Hollywood an hour instead of two. Jurassic flight was just as long though). I had a grudge with Mario, first thing I did was try to sign up with the app which didn't work. Asked where the ticket machine was and got directed to a sign with a qr code which did nothing. Went back to the info desk, got sent to the same place. After trying again with the app went back to the info desk. Told them my problem and person disappeared behind the door. Waited for 15 minutes and person didn't return. Eventually I found an area hidden from view by hedges with no signs where computers were to do it. I figured out late that resident evil also required time slots. This time I just started asking all staff as soon as I was close. Took them two tries still. Luckily that one wasn't as popular because I got into Mario after attractions closed. I highly recommend the shows more than some rides. Waterworld, the parade and Sing were all quite spectacular.
I think October might just be a particularly busy time with Halloween Horror Nights, plus the excitement over Super Nintendo World... Even the parades were absolutely swarmed. I would have needed to camp out for a spot for hours if I had wanted a parade viewing spot. =P
Did you go on a weekday or weekend? With all the students I'm thinking it was a weekend. They also sell 1/2 day passes if you wanted to enter in the afternoon.
I made sure to go on a weekday to hit a less crowded time. And yes, 1/2 day passes would have been a better idea! But at the time I wanted to do both an opening time thing and a closing time thing, so I didn't even consider a half day until I was already in the park.
The scheduling is so important for USJ. If you arrive for park opening you don't even need to join the virtual queue, you can just head straight in there. I would also definitely recommend getting an express pass if it's in your budget, as it is worth it to skip all the ride lines. We went in early January just after the New Year holidays ended and the park was empty! We went on every ride and never waited longer than maybe 20mins. HP Forbidden Journey was basically a walk on. We got food with zero queues and the shops were not crowded at all throughout the day.
Have the feeling it's just always like this. I went to Fuji Q once on a random Tuesday figuring it would be less crowded. Lines were so massive that I was happy I hadn't bought a day ticket and left again. (You can enter for free and pay for attractions).
I went to USJ last September. Did have a better time then what you were describing but I'd never been to a Universal park. Also I was alone so some queues were shorter (jaws was five minutes. Hollywood an hour instead of two. Jurassic flight was just as long though).
I had a grudge with Mario, first thing I did was try to sign up with the app which didn't work. Asked where the ticket machine was and got directed to a sign with a qr code which did nothing. Went back to the info desk, got sent to the same place. After trying again with the app went back to the info desk. Told them my problem and person disappeared behind the door. Waited for 15 minutes and person didn't return. Eventually I found an area hidden from view by hedges with no signs where computers were to do it. I figured out late that resident evil also required time slots. This time I just started asking all staff as soon as I was close. Took them two tries still. Luckily that one wasn't as popular because I got into Mario after attractions closed.
I highly recommend the shows more than some rides. Waterworld, the parade and Sing were all quite spectacular.
I think October might just be a particularly busy time with Halloween Horror Nights, plus the excitement over Super Nintendo World... Even the parades were absolutely swarmed. I would have needed to camp out for a spot for hours if I had wanted a parade viewing spot. =P
Did you go on a weekday or weekend? With all the students I'm thinking it was a weekend. They also sell 1/2 day passes if you wanted to enter in the afternoon.
I made sure to go on a weekday to hit a less crowded time. And yes, 1/2 day passes would have been a better idea! But at the time I wanted to do both an opening time thing and a closing time thing, so I didn't even consider a half day until I was already in the park.
Would a 1/2 day and an express pass be enough to do Mario & Harry Potter?
Do the rides have the single riders line like the one in Orlando? That's what my friends and I did in Florida.