Super Nintendo World
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
Race team Bowser as you steer through all of your favorite Mario Kart tracks to throw shells, collect coins, and win the Golden Cup! We had a lot of fun on this interactive ride that the whole family can enjoy.
FAQ:
I heard the seats aren’t very roomy, will I fit?: Universal rides aren’t always the most size inclusive, however they are really good at having practice seats outside the ride in a not super visible area so you can try a seat on for size before getting on the ride. Our tall, broad shouldered husbands were both able to take on this ride, and both used the test seat before getting in line to be sure. (The test seat for this ride is pictured below) Also, the back row has a little more legroom than the front row.
Will I get Motion Sickness?: If you are prone to motion sickness, we suggest a morning dramamine for all of Universal. There are several rides with screens and motion that could be problematic for more sensitive tummies. This ride, however, didn’t give any of us issues. There is a screen attached to your helmet where you can toss shells and see other characters, however, if this is a problem for you, just don’t wear the goggles and enjoy watching the real life parts of the ride instead of the digital parts.
How tall does my child have to be to ride?: Children must be 40” with an accompanying adult, children over 48” can ride on their own.
Is it wheelchair accessible? You must be able to transfer from a scooter or wheelchair to the ride.
The rider test seat is located to your immediate right as you enter the tunnel to the ride. Pull the lever back, if you get a green light on the top of the pull bar, you are good to go.
Power Up Bands
These bands are a fun addition to Super Mario World. They come in all of your favorite characters and can be attached to your app where you can keep track of points you’ve earned. All around the land there are question mark boxes where you can earn coins just like Mario. There are several mini games you can play to earn keys and once you earn all the keys you get to go to a special room to fight Bowser Jr!
All of this is 100% an extra perk. We got one band between our two kids and let them each have a chance to try a few things. These bands are not necessary to enjoy the park, but can add an extra touch of fun and can be reused every time you go back to the park.
One thing to note: Mini games all have a line. Even though we were there early, we waited in line for one mini game for 15 minutes and didn’t really have it in us to waste time at the others. As the day goes on these lines do get really long so plan accordingly.
Early Entry
Early entry is a flat cost per person on top of your ticket cost. It ranges from $20-$30 per person depending on the day. This pass allows you to enter Super Nintendo World one hour before park opening. We felt like the value in this is incredibly high right now. The interest level in the land is still very high and Bowser’s Challenge can get up to a 4 hour wait some days.
The day we went, the park opened at 9, we arrived at 7:30, scanned into the park around 7:45, and at 8:00 they scanned your ticket for access onto the escalators to take you to the lower level. We went right to Bowser’s Challenge, did a little shopping, played mini games, snagged a reservation for Toadstool’s Cafe for later that morning, took pictures, and were ready to leave the land by 9:00 when everyone else was arriving for the day. We felt like this was a huge advantage and definitely worth the cost, especially if you only have one day at Universal.