It’s finally time to enter the Mushroom Kingdom at Super Nintendo World!

We’re at Universal Studios Hollywood on the opening day of this brand-new land taking in all the sights, sounds, and of course — EATS! There is SO much to see and do, and we’re bringing you along with us — so let’s hop in a warp pipe and get started!

Super Nintendo World is the newest, highly immersive land at Universal Studios Hollywood, and we’ve been so excited for it to officially open to guests! The land takes guests into the world of Super Mario, where they can battle Team Bowser on the Mario Kart ride, eat at Toadstool Cafe, and grab some fun merchandise.

Over in California, it’s opening day for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood! 💥 pic.twitter.com/erOvQsko9S

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

The day has finally come, so get ready to step into a real-life video game with us!

That’s how you make an entrance! #SuperNintendoWorld pic.twitter.com/ixtNZeEDN8

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

First, though, you’ll need some information about HOW to get into this land.

Virtual Line

Right now, Universal is limiting capacity in Super Nintendo World by using a Virtual Line reservation system. You may not always need reservations, but it will most likely be the case throughout the opening weeks and months. You can make reservations in the Universal Studios Hollywood app after buying park tickets and arriving onsite.

When we visited on the opening day, we did not need a reservation with our Universal Studios Express ticket. At first, people were let in without reservations, but once the land reached capacity, Universal began requiring people to join the virtual queue.

Atmosphere

We arrived at Universal Studios Hollywood and saw lots of decorations up to celebrate the land’s opening day.

We hopped in line to go inside!

We were definitely NOT the only people excited for this big opening. Look at this line to get inside!

We headed down an escalator towards the entrance…

…and got a great view of the entire land.

Finally we arrived at the entrance!

There are lots of cool details to check out throughout this land, and there were tons of people there with us to see all the features.

The land really does feel immersive…

…and we even got to see Princess Peach’s castle!

There are mystery blocks and POW blocks all over, along with Goomba!

The land was VERY crowded when we went, which will likely be the case for the first few months as people head in to check out the new area.

Make sure to spend some time checking out the features and atmosphere when you visit.

But there’s more to do than just look around — you can get a Power-up Band to elevate your experience.

Power-Up Bands

You can also take your adventures in the land to the next level with your Power-Up Band.

These very colorful POWER UP bands can be found in Super Nintendo World! pic.twitter.com/47ama8ljS7

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

The bands cost $40 each, and there are a variety of options available, including bands themed to Mario, Luigi, Toad, and other Nintendo characters.

These sort of work like Disney’s MagicBands, but the Universal version lets you keep score throughout the land as you take on challenges, collect digital coins, and more. You can buy these at the Character Shop, 1-Up Factory, and various kiosks.

You’ll use the bands on Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge to keep track of your score as you ride, collect digital keys by winning Key Challenges, collect coins by punching Blocks, and more.

You can keep track of everything in the Universal Hollywood app.

Find the POW and ? blocks around the land and hit them to collect more points on your band!

Having a Power-up Band makes the land much more immersive and interactive, but you don’t have to buy one if you’d rather just explore and look around. And you can still eat at the Toadstool Café and ride the Bowser’s Challenge ride without it!

Attractions

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge

We rode Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, so here’s a look at the entrance, queue, and ride!

There were a lot of cool effects happening right outside the entrance.

♦️🟡🧩 pic.twitter.com/29oA1OznlQ

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

The queue took us through lots of different lands, which you may recognize from the game!

Some of the areas were dark, with glow-in-the-dark elements, while others were bright and colorful.

We entered Bowser’s castle…

…where we got to see his throne!

Watch out for cool details in the queue, like these race cup signs…

…and a computer that’s showing the various races available in Mario Kart.

There’s a lot to see while you’re waiting in line to board the ride!

We’re in the QUEUE for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge! pic.twitter.com/HBONZk0aAf

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

Now, it’s time to ride! We got our gear and headed to boarding.

Here’s a look at the boarding process…

…and at the ride vehicle.

Check out these videos to see what it’s like to ride!

LET’S-A-GOOO! pic.twitter.com/EtcB8qK6Oc

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

Throughout the ride, you collect coins and throw green shells at whoever’s in front of you. The Mario hat was AR goggles that you wear throughout the ride.

How fun! #SuperNintendoWorld pic.twitter.com/2VimsUB1si

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 17, 2023

This attraction is kind of like Toy Story Midway Mania in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, only it was Mario Kart themed, of course, and it used AR goggles instead of screens.

Dining

Snack Kiosk

There’s a drinks, popcorn, and snacks kiosk in this land, which has a few smaller eats that you can grab during your visit.

There are some snacks, like popcorn, as well as a few flavors of fruity cream soda and some collectible popcorn buckets and sippers.

Here are the Cast Members hard at work making the popcorn…

…and here’s a closer look at the Mario Kart and Super Star popcorn buckets.

Let’s check out the full restaurant next.

Toadstool Cafe

You’ll find one dining option in Super Nintendo World — Toadstool Cafe. Guests can dine on dishes created by Chef Toad himself while watching the madness going on behind the scenes in the kitchen (by way of virtual screens).

When we stopped by, there were HUGE lines of people waiting to get inside the cafe. We received a reservation card that gave us a return time, which was a 15-minute window. We’ll return at that time to head inside and try out the food!

Stay tuned for more photos and a full review!

Merchandise

The main place to get merchandise in this new land is the 1UP Factory.

There were t-shirts…

…plushes of Nintendo characters…

…candy…

…popcorn buckets…

…and more for sale here.

There were even headbands with Mario and Luigi on top, so it’d look like they were standing on your head!

We’ll continue to update this post throughout the day as we explore Super Nintendo World, so come back for more photos and information about the land.

Stay tuned to DFB for all the latest theme park news!

Learn More About the Future of Universal Attractions Here

Are you heading to Super Nintendo World soon? Let us know in the comments!