Recently returned from a two-and-a-half week Asia trip (Tokyo, Kyoto, USJ, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore). Our main goal was to visit every Disney park in the world (already had CA, FL, and Paris) and threw in the trip to Universal Studios Japan because why not?
As a plus-size woman (5’6, 280lbs, US size 22ish) I was most nervous about USJ and read everything I could. There’s plenty out there about who did or did not fit on certain attractions, and seeing as we are all built differently, there are of course no guarantees until you’re on the ride.
That being said, here are a few tips I learned from our two days at USJ that I hadn’t seen before:
1) Try the test seats in different positions. DO NOT be embarrassed! Everyone we met was INCREDIBLY kind and gracious. If you don’t fit at first, try sitting slightly differently. Scooting around and figuring out what worked for me was key.
2) They do not have the modified seats like we do in the US, so be prepared. For example, I fit on the modified seats on Harry Potter here in Orlando without issue, but that was not an option in Osaka.
3) Talk to your travel buddies and prepare them. There were a few rides where I just couldn’t get the right angle to pull the restraints down more, even though I knew they could close further. Once a USJ team member pushed the bar down for me, but others were more hesitant. I asked my friend to just quickly help push the bar down before he got on, which was much easier for everyone involved, and worked without a hitch!
4) If you want to purchase the Express Pass but are nervous you won’t be able to use all of it if you don’t fit, BUY IT! We purchased the full pass from the Japanese site and if I couldn’t fit on a ride, the team members let us know we’d be able to exchange it for a different attraction. For example, I didn’t fit on Hollywood Dream. Since I had an express pass for both the normal and backward versions, my friend and I took that and used it for both of us to get a second ride on Jaws instead.
Hope this helps someone else who was as nervous as I was feel a little more at ease. Happy to answer any other questions should anyone have them 🙂
8 comments
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Ahhh what was your favorite Disney park?? I’m going to Hong Kong tomorrow and after that I’ll just have Shanghai left! /what were your standout rides and snacks?
Similar experience for me at USJ except I didn’t try Hollywood Dream. I ended up being able to do everything I tried except Flight of the Hippogriff. When I couldn’t ride that, we got two one-use fast passes for a different ride, even though my travel companion was able to ride FotH. It was so well-handled by the team members, and they were so apologetic. I fully expected it might be an issue and prepared my travel companion, so when it did occur it was really nbd.
Any issues at Tokyo Disneyland or Disney Sea?  Thats what we’re nervous about…
Would you be able to share your experiences outside the parks? Were people kind or neutral, or did you feel you attracted attention as someone above the locally average weight? I ask because I am planning a trip with someone who is plus-sized and they are nervous about standing out in Japan.Â
Thanks for the insight! I’m 5’9 245lbs, but I often have trouble with my thighs on rides. This hasn’t been an issue at Universal or Disney in the US, with the exception of The Hulk and Rip Ride Rocket, but I noticed when we went to Sea World Orlando that I couldn’t fit on any of the rides except one because of my thighs. Do you have any recent experience with that park? I’m hoping, based on your experience, that mine will be similar.
You’re my hero. That’s what i wanted to do but decided it was too much. Wdw is my home park. We’re going to do DL, then TDR Halloween, USJ, some tokyo, back to TDR for Christmas (fingers crossed).
Another data point for reference: I’m a fairly tall big guy and me and this bodybuilder guy in the row in front couldn’t get the leg locks on for the hollywood dream ride. Staff very apologetically brought us down to the control room and after profusely apologizing for something that wasn’t their fault at all, gave us 3 single use express passes for any other rides. Pretty nice touch and they didn’t have to at all.