Universal Studios Japan (USJ) English Site - Express Pass Payment Fail

freeb1e4me on 29/03/2025 - 21:05
Last edited 30/03/2025 - 13:04

Hi OzB Community,

I’m getting a payment fail error when trying to pay for the express pass on USJ English site - it was significantly cheaper than klook

There are two payment options: credit card or Alipay. With credit card option I noticed that the name field does not allow for spaces so you cannot enter your full name, which is likely causing my payment failure error. I feel this is for Asian character names with no spaces could be deliberate.

It’s possible Japan/USJ wants outsiders to use official third party resellers like klook, which is usually more expensive and has less time slots available so that the local japanese people get priority.

Has anyone else experience this?

Update: Problem Solved Thanks @petestrash

Buy express pass via the Japanese site:
usj.co.jp/ticket/expresspass(usj.co.jp)
You will get Japanese ticket. USJ English site no longer works

You will need to translate the webpage from Japanese, and once you are booking use your hotel address.

You might also want to try this hack if time slots are sold out on klook. Price was cheaper and there are more time slots available on USJ Japanese site!

Travel Asia Japan Universal Studios Universal Studios Japan

Comments

  • jv on 29/03/2025 - 21:08
    -4

    I’m getting a payment fail error

    Is there enough money in your account?

  • jv on 29/03/2025 - 21:10
    -4

    I feel this is for Asian names with no spaces.

    Yoko Ono ??

    jv on 29/03/2025 - 21:10 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • MS Paint on 29/03/2025 - 21:17

      Eggsactly

      • jv on 29/03/2025 - 21:20
        -2

        That is Yolko Ono…

        • MS Paint on 29/03/2025 - 21:21
          -2

          That eggsplains it. My bad.

  • tenpercent on 29/03/2025 - 21:22
    -3

    I can't believe that Universal Studios Japan (a subsidiary of an American business) has not accounted for the hundreds of thousands or even millions of foreign tourists that visit every year and who have spaces between their given names and family names.

    I'm also not convinced that Asian names lack spaces between given names and family names.

    Are you sure you have sufficient funds?
    Have you tried on another device?

    • petestrash on 29/03/2025 - 21:26

      They have accounted for overseas visitors, but the site pushed them to the English pages, where the prices can be higher, the same express pass packages are not offered, or out of stock.

      Since the opening of Super Nintendo World the park is packed.

      Rides in that area have 2 hour queues most of the day.

      The best express passes (express pass 7's) normally sell out within hours of being released.

      It's almost like they are hording these passes for the local market and only a small portion make it to the English sites or resellers like Klook.

      • freeb1e4me on 29/03/2025 - 23:53

        It's almost like they are hording these passes for the local market and only a small portion make it to the English sites or resellers like Klook

        100%

    • Hardlyworkin on 29/03/2025 - 21:42
      +1

      Have you been to Japan? They've been stuck in the year 2000 since 1980.

  • petestrash on 29/03/2025 - 21:24
    +1

    USJ Japanese site has issues with some foreign credit cards.

    The card issuer must use 3d secure (so they send you a text to verify payment).

    It's really flaky. A type of card that works one day may not work the next.

    I used the 28 degrees Mastercard successfully last a few weeks ago.

    Other say that Amex normally works, though this does not appear to always be the case.

    And sometimes trying during Japanese business hours seems to work when trying after hours doesn't.

    What type of card did you try.

    There are plenty of USJ groups on Facebook where you can ask about particular cards that work.

    They can't help you fix the issues but someone may agree that your card won't work.

  • mboy on 29/03/2025 - 21:26

    Booked a couple of years ago. All I can remember is that the payment portal is very temperamental about what foreign cards it will accept. It would keep throwing a generic error and push us back to an earlier step.

    Just google “USJ credit cards” and you’ll find countless Reddit posts with people discussing which cards work and which don’t.

    We ended up trying 3 or 4 different cards a bunch of times before we got an AMEX to work.

  • c2pv1ru5 on 29/03/2025 - 21:26
    +2

    If you see Alipay, that means you are not using the USJ japan site. The USJ Japan site only give credit card and payment in person at Lawson as options. I have no issue purchasing tickets using the USJ Japan site. The USJ Japan ask for name and surname, email address and phone number separately and in Japanese.

  • freeb1e4me on 29/03/2025 - 21:37

    To answer some of the questions:

    1. Here is the official ticketing site for usj
      https://www.usjticketing.com/

    2. Yes I have plenty of credit and using Bendigo Ready credit card

    For the credit card option the name field does not allow for spaces, both in app and on the website. There is definitely an Alipay option as well!

    • askbargain on 29/03/2025 - 21:48

      Just put name without space?

      • tenpercent on 29/03/2025 - 21:56

        Surely OP is not so dumb they haven't tried that yet?

        • askbargain on 29/03/2025 - 21:59

          It’s his second time banging on about it so I’m guessing he hasn’t.

      • freeb1e4me on 30/03/2025 - 08:53

        Yes I’ve tried that :-)

    • petestrash on 29/03/2025 - 22:00
      +2

      While usjticketing.com is an official site and linked from USJ, it's actually an official reseller site.

      It even has this banner at the top of the page.
      "This booking site is operated by JTRWeb LTD. - an authorised ticket reseller of Universal Studios Japan."

      Have you tried buying via the Japanese site?
      usj.co.jp/ticket/expresspass

      You will need to translate the webpage from Japanese, and once you are booking use your hotel address.

      But it worked for me and had better availability.

      • freeb1e4me on 29/03/2025 - 23:51

        You get a Japanese Ticket :-)

        Definitely more time slots available!

        • try2bhelpful on 30/03/2025 - 06:49

          If this worked for you maybe update the original post to include this info.

  • b0b0 on 29/03/2025 - 21:55
    -1

    just put name without space. Whatever name will do.

  • Blokeinhisundies on 30/03/2025 - 07:17

    I went last year and ended up just booking through Klook as I could not get the USJ page to work. It would either reject my credit card or the captcha would continuously be rejected even when it was right.

    • freeb1e4me on 30/03/2025 - 08:42

      Same thing happened to me except the credit card field name did not allow for spaces in it so could not enter full name, which I suspect was causing the transaction to fail - I got a super helpful message, ‘payment fail error’. I mean it could work on a different browser (only tried Windows Edge) but who knows. In any case, USJ Japanese site has more time slots so is better anyway.

      I feel USJ English site is forcing outsiders to buy from more expensive third party resellers like klook - I call scam but that’s another topic

      • iNeed2Pee on 30/03/2025 - 12:03
        +1

        Thanks for this hack.
        Honestly, I have been to Universal in Orlando, so i am contemplating if this is even worth it….all for Mario.

        Hmm. Some say yes, some say no. Least now with your hack it opens my eyes again!

        • petestrash on 30/03/2025 - 15:22

          Donkey Kong is a unique coaster for now, It's queues are pretty much 2+ hours all day if you look in the app (as are most rides in the SNW area). If that doesn't fuss you, you'd be better off going to DisneySea in Tokyo as it has a lot of unique rides not found in other Disney Parks around the world.

          • iNeed2Pee on 30/03/2025 - 16:58
            +1

            @petestrash: After my initial comment, I actually YouTubed it and saw exactly what you said. Definitely will go to DisneySea instead of Universal.

            Did 95% in Orlando so would rather focus it on things I have not seen. Thanks petestrash.

  • spackbace on 31/03/2025 - 11:38
    +1

    Yeah I ended up getting mine off Klook and just dealing with the extra cost involved. Only have 1 day there so just went for it.

    Can't wait, leave for Japan next week!

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join