When my girlfriend first invited me on this trip, the first thing she said was that we’re going to Super Nintendo World, because she rightly guessed that would be the thing we were most excited about. So when we first got past the gates of Universal Studios, the first thing we did was head to the Lower Lot and follow the Warp Pipe to Mushroom Kingdom.
Seeing the place in person felt like stepping into a Mario game and even before seeing the attractions I was already mesmerized by this area.
We also met some famous faces while we were there. We got to take pictures with Toad, Princess Peach and both Mario and Luigi.
The main attraction at Super Nintendo World right now is Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which is a cross between a dark ride and an augmented-reality shooting gallery in which you sit in a kart and try to beat the other team by scoring points the same way you would in a Mario Kart game: collecting coins and throwing turtle shells. All while wearing goggles that make it look like Mario characters are driving alongside you as you steer your way to victory. Took me a while for my primitive brain to figure out exactly what I was doing, but it was a lot of fun.
The line to the ride starts outside Bowser’s Castle and through his sinister lair until you reach the racetrack. It’s a long way up a few flights of stairs but the queue is so amazing and detailed that you will have plenty to enjoy while you wait for the race to begin. These pictures I took are just a few of the many things I saw.
The only thing left at Super Nintendo World that my girlfriend really wanted to do was visit Toadstool Cafe. When we first got there the restaurant was fully booked and there were no tables left, but being a dutiful boyfriend I let Constance know the minute the cafe opened up again. Not only was the food great, but the restaurant had some nice touches. For example, when you look out all the windows that surround the room, it looks like you were dining in the actual Mushroom Kingdom. At one point a Toad looked through the window from outside and waved at the customers.
We spent most of our first day in the park at Mushroom Kingdom and used the second day (my birthday) to check out all the attractions we didn’t get to on our first day, but once the day was over, we went back to our hotel, left in the morning, took a Lyft to Burbank and flew back home, but I’m glad I was lucky enough to get to visit Super Nintendo World. As a Nintendo fan, it was a mind-blowing and memorable experience. And so was this entire trip to Los Angeles. If it was just Super Nintendo World that I got to see, that would be enough, but I also got to see a ton of great theme park attractions, see some famous landmarks in person for the first time ever, take some great pictures and explore the streets of Hollywood, the place that I constantly obsess over in this very blog. For a shy, homeschooled kid from Oakland who never in his life thought he would be able to afford a Hollywood vacation, and for a film-obsessed idiot who calls himself an entertainment junkie all the time, it was a dream trip!
Glad you enjoyed the land!
LikeLiked by 1 person