Universal Studios, best practices

Just went to USJ on Nov 6th it was a monday and we thought it wouldn't be as busy. We got there at around 11 and there were alot of people. Line ups were around an hour or so. We didn't get an express pass but I found overall when we inquired about the express pass and the "timed ticket entry" none of the staff could explain what it was.

On the ticket or pamphlet, I read somewhere about a timed ticket entry, no one knew what I meant. Does this exist and is it available to general admission or is it only for express pass people?

Does the express pass get you ahead of the line all day?

Are there better days to go?

We were very sad to see that the parade was cancelled the day we went. FOr some reason, some people had the yellow sheet with the schedule, but we didn't get it in our english guide. Also, the xmas decorations were up, but all the special events began the following weekend. Sigh

How can we plan our trip better next time? I got the talking minion popcorn figure that was $34.00 yen. Ouch!

We fit in about 5 rides, don't know how that compares to everyone else if that's good or bad. Can someone give me an idea how many rides you should typically get?

Hi!

I believe the timed entry ticket is for crowded days in regards to the Harry Potter area. On what USJ considers "crowded" days you get a timed entry to the Harry Potter area and you can't just walk into it whenever you want to. I have a friend who went in February 2016 or 2015 and needed to use one, but when I went in June 2016 I did not. I suspect if you had 1 hour lines at 11, that would be considered a "less busy day" since 1 hour for a theme park is not that bad and you got there 2 hours after opening.

-Go on a Weekday that is not a holiday
-Get to USJ about 30-40 Minutes before they open. You can usually get the tickets at the time.
-The Express Pass is just for specific rides that have much faster line. Check the website for details of those rides.
-The time ticket is in this case, is for Harry Potter area. When the area is busy, they usually close off the area and direct you to the time ticket area. When you get there, you scan your park ticket and the time card will print out with the time that you can enter. E.G 1200-1300 . Everyone will need this time card to enter Harry Potter area. Go enjoy the other areas in USJ and then go to the entrance of Harry Potter at your schedule time. Show the time card to cast member to go in. You can stay inside the area for as long as you want. Just note that you won't be able to come back in if you decide to leave midway.
-90+ mins is pretty normal for lineups.
-Pick out the rides you want to ride the most or areas that you want to see the most.
-Finally, it might be better to come to USJ spread out in 2 days instead of one but this will depends out what you want to do at USJ.

Hope this helps!