Inside Donkey Kong Country at USJ: Ultimate Guide to Mine Cart Madness, Express Pass & More
If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in the classic Donkey Kong games, now’s your chance!
We just spent the weekend exploring Universal Studio Japan’s latest park expansion, Donkey Kong Country.
This new area inside Super Nintendo World Japan brings lush jungle vibes, DK’s treehouse, barrels, bananas, Rambi the Rhinoceros, and even Donkey Kong himself to life! 🍌
Most of all, the area offers an exciting, high-speed coaster with a “jumping” track effect—Mine Cart Madness. Having just experienced the ride, I can finally say, yes—it was worth the wait!
In this guide, learn everything you need to know and what to expect from Donkey Kong Country at USJ, including rides, attractions, food, and tips to help you maximize your time (and money) inside the park.
Ready? Let’s gooo!
Inside Donkey Kong Country at Super Nintendo World USJ
Donkey Kong Country – Key Takeaways
- Located: Inside Super Nintendo World USJ Osaka, next to Yoshi’s Snack Island
- Area Timed Entry Required? Yes, USJ Studio Pass + Super Nintendo World Timed Entry eTicket or Express Pass
- Best Way In: Express Pass (guaranteed entry) or USJ App (first-come, first-served)
- Must-Ride: Mine Cart Madness (Fast coaster with track-jumping effect!)
- Interactive Games: Rambi’s Bongo Breakout, KONG Letter Hunt, Coin Punch Barrels
- Best DK Food: DK “Wild Hot Dog” (Skip the sundae? 🤔)
- Best Time to Visit: Morning and with an express pass (Avoid 3-hour lines!)
- Power-Up Band Price: ¥4,200 (~$30 USD)
How to Get Into Donkey Kong Country USJ (Tickets, Express Pass & Entry Tips)
First things first, where is Donkey Kong Country inside USJ?
Once you enter Super Nintendo World within your designated timeslot, getting to DK Country is easy; head inside Mario Land and down the stairs toward the back-right of the park.
The entrance to Donkey Kong Country is right beside Yoshi’s Snack Island.
But before you can do that, you must obtain a valid Studio Pass PLUS an Area Timed Entry eticket for Super Nintendo World. 🎟️
To get an Area Timed Entry Ticket, you can either:
- Option 1 (FREE): Get an eTicket the day of your visit via the USJ app or park kiosks
- Option 2 (PAID): Purchase an Express Pass with guaranteed Area Timed Entry
🌟 Timed Entry eTickets for Super Nintendo World are required. You can get them through the USJ app with a registered Studio Pass or at park kiosks once inside the park, but they’re first-come, first-served. If you choose this option, try to grab one ASAP. (Desired timeslots or area entry are NOT guaranteed, so be aware of the risk.)
The easiest and most risk-free way to guarantee access into Super Nintendo World and Donkey Kong is an Express Pass. (And yes, having been to USJ and Super Nintendo World twice now, I can say it’s well-worth the cost!)
FAQs to get inside Donkey Kong Country:
- Do you need a separate timed entry pass? (or does it count under Super Nintendo World?)
You will need an Area Timed Entry to enter Super Nintendo World, which includes Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country! So, no, you don’t need a separate DK pass.
- How can you access Donkey Kong Country if Super Nintendo World is at capacity?
Access isn’t guaranteed if you wait until the day of your visit to get an Area Timed Entry for Super Nintendo World. And even then, sometimes you won’t be able to snag passes if the park is at capacity or you don’t get the lottery Area Timed Entry. 🫠
An Express Pass is the only way to guarantee access to Super Nintendo World (including Donkey Kong Country).
Note: It doesn’t matter if it’s an Express Pass 4 or 7, just as long as it’s an Express Pass. Just check that your chosen Express Pass includes Mine Cart Madness and Mario Kart rides to skip the lines at the two biggest rides and attractions inside Super Nintendo World.
In summary, for Donkey Kong Country:
- USJ Studio Pass: Required to get inside Universal Studios Japan
- + Super Nintendo World Timed Entry Required: A free option is to get a Super Nintendo World Area Entry eTicket via the USJ app or a park kiosk. However, these are limited and are first-come, first-served.
- Express Passes: Buying an Express Pass guarantees access to Super Nintendo World area
Express Pass Options for Donkey Kong Country
If you choose to buy an Express Pass (and that is wise if you want to maximize your time on the best rides), double check your Super Nintendo World entry timeslot.
Choose whether you want to spend all day there or split your time with other Universal rides.
Keep in mind: Once you access Super Nintendo World area, you cannot exit and re-enter.
If you want to spend most of your time at Universal between Super Mario and Donkey Kong worlds, then find an Express Pass that includes:
- Mine Cart Madness
- Mario Kart
- Yoshi’s Adventure
The best bang for your buck, in this case, might be the Express Pass 7, which includes a variety 7 of the best rides at USJ.
Express Pass 7 tickets will cover all 3 main rides inside Super Nintendo World, plus the two big ones in Harry Potter, plus two that you choose in Universal (either JAWS or Jurassic water ride, or Jurassic coaster vs Minions, for example).
Unfortunately, I haven’t found an Express Pass 4 that covers all 3 rides inside Super Nintendo World.
So, the Express Pass 7, if you also want to do Harry Potter, is the best value. (Or even if you don’t—we skipped Harry Potter on our second visit).
Our Express Pass 4 was a bit cheaper than the Express Pass 7, and covered Mario Kart and Mine Cart Madness (the two we wanted), but not Yoshi’s Adventure. But out of the three, Yoshi’s Adventure will have the shortest normal line wait time (50min).
Another thing to consider is your chosen designated entry time.
On our first visit to USJ, we entered Super Mario Land in the late afternoon (4pm) and stayed until after dark. (This was when DKC wasn’t open yet.)
While it was fun to end the day in the Mushroom Kingdom, we missed out on the Key Challenges and Kinopio’s Café due to time and crowds.
On our second most recent trip, we wanted to spend most of our time in Super Nintendo World, in both Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Land, so we chose an early area timeslot (11am).
This allowed us the flexibility to do all the Key Challenges, unlock Bowser Jrs. mini game, and get a lunch reservation at Toad’s (Kinopio’s) Café.
We ended up staying five hours just exploring these two areas, so I’m glad we went early and finished up with the rest of Universal Studios later in the day!
Check available Express Passes here
Mine Cart Madness at USJ: Ride Experience, Wait Times & Express Pass Info
Donkey Kong Country’s main attraction is Mine Cart Madness.
This is a high-speed, family-friendly roller coaster ride with a fun “jumping” track effect—just like in the games!
This is the reason we came back to Super Nintendo World, and the ride didn’t disappoint!
The jumping effect, combined with all of the twists, drops, and hidden easter eggs, plus the awesome decor and atmosphere inside The Golden Temple, makes this a must-ride in Super Nintendo World.
The ride doesn’t last long—in fact, it’s pretty short at 2 minutes, but it was worth it and we wanted to go again!
With our Express Pass timeslot at 11:30am, we waited roughly 15-20 minutes, which was faster than Mario Kart. Later in the day, we circled back for a DK Sundae and saw the regular wait time was 3 hours! (That’s wiiiiiild.)
Again, I highly recommend investing in the Express Pass, otherwise you’ll just lose your day in lines.
Interactive Donkey Kong Power-Up Band Activities
You can use your Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band across both Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country, so it’s also worth getting one as you enter the park. (They cost ¥4,200 or about $30.)
That’s great news because with the expansion of Donkey Kong comes with more interactive games and features, including:
- Rambi’s Bongo Breakout (hit the drums to the beat to release Rambi!)
- Balloon-popping prizes (collect coins, prizes, and stamps)
- K-O-N-G letter hunt
- Coin Punch Barrels
Compared to Mario Land, there aren’t that many games or interactive experiences to do here, so it’s fairly easy to find and do them all!
PS—you can also do a Character Meet and Greet with Donkey Kong at his treehouse. However, Power-Up Bands not required!
Donkey Kong-Themed Food & Drinks
There are only two snack options inside Donkey Kong Country:
- DK “Wild Hot Dog” with avocado and cheese sauce (¥1,300)
- Jungle Beat Shakes ft. DK “Crush Sundaes” with a tropical banana flavor and toppings (¥1,300)
- with collectible DK mug (¥2,000)
Personally, the sundae teetered on maybe good, maybe gross? I was thankful my boyfriend was there to finish it, because I wouldn’t have been able to!
Next time, I’ll go for the hot dog.
But if you want more of a filling meal, I definitely recommend getting a reservation at Kinopio’s Cafe in Super Mario Land. The food there is so much better!
🍄 To snag a table at Kinopio’s Cafe, you need to scan the QR code at the cafe and be within 80m of the cafe to complete the reservation. (You can’t take a photo of it and try to do it while wondering the park.)
If no times are available, wait until the next hour change (e.g., 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm), as more timeslots will load—hurry and pick one before they’re gone! Fill out your name and party size and you’ll get a confirmation in your email. Enjoy!
Final Tips for Doing Donkey Kong Country & Super Mario Land in One Day
The expansion of Donkey Kong adds a whole new level of fun to Super Nintendo World.
However, that does mean less time for exploring the rest of Universal Studios and other rides!
I think it is possible to enjoy both parks, plus your favorite areas inside USJ, in one day.
That said, try to optimize your time as best you can!
Here are some final takeaway tips:
- Check that your designated time entry for Mine Cart and Mario Kart aren’t back-to-back in your Express Pass (ours were and we almost missed our window due to crowds)
- Have breakfast before coming to the park!
- Get an Express Pass 7 to skip the long lines at the top rides
- Reserve lunch inside Kinopio’s Cafe so you don’t have to exit for food (or just fill up on snacks at DK and Yoshi’s Island)
- Buy your Power-Up Band at the entrance to Mario Land so you can enter and start punching coin blocks right away!
If you have any leftover questions about Donkey Kong Country or Super Nintendo World, please feel free to ask in the comments below! 🍌
