Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood are getting new limited-time experiences in Super Nintendo World and at CityWalk in celebration of Illumination’s upcoming, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Here’s the latest on the character meet & greet, merchandise, and more coming to the parks.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, the Super Mario Galaxy Movie is inspired by the 2007 video game of the same name. Brothers Mario and Luigi are back alongside Princess Peach, Toad, and new friend Yoshi! If you never played these games on the Wii, I highly recommend them.
There’s a bundle of both games on the Nintendo Switch that came out last fall. You might even be able to find a deal on these games for MARI10 Day, although I haven’t had any luck with that yet. (Most of the games currently on sale are more ‘minor’ titles or older ones.)
As for the upcoming limited-time experiences at Epic Universe and Universal Studios Hollywood, they also launch on MAR10 Day (Tuesday, March 10, 2026) and will continue daily through Monday, April 13, 2026. Fans of all ages can look forward to leveling up with exclusive offerings and photo opportunities just in time for the film’s premiere on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
As a centerpiece of the experience at Super Nintendo World, Yoshi will participate in a limited-time character meet & greet opportunity at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort.
Previously, Yoshi has only met during Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. He met in both his blue and pink forms after guests completed a scavenger hunt, along with an open-access meet & greet in his iconic green form. We’d expect just green Yoshi for this.
Honestly, I’d be more excited for Yoshi if I ever had any success meeting Donkey Kong at his hut in Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe. I’ve literally never seen him out, despite making many attempts.
I must just have bad luck with characters at Epic Universe, because I’ve also never seen Toad or the Invisible Man–and no, the latter is not a lame joke. I really haven’t. I have seen all of the other Dark Universe characters, though.
I assume Yoshi will be easier to spot since he’s part of the marketing budget for the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but still. It’d be nice if Donkey Kong were out with greater regularity. (Speaking of which, I’m surprised there wasn’t a tie-in for Donkey Kong Bananaza when that was released.)
In addition to the Yoshi meet & greet, there will be a specialty dessert crafted to reflect the cosmic adventure available for purchase at select dining locations. Universal Studios Hollywood and Epic Universe will offer movie-inspired food, including the Rosalina Cupcake – a blue velvet cupcake filled with blueberry cheesecake, lemon buttercream and topped with a chocolate crown and star, and Galaxy Popcorn – a multicolored berry flavored popcorn with edible glitter.
Nintendo fans at both destinations can take home a piece of the galaxy experience with limited-time merchandise inspired by the film and available to purchase. The exclusive first-of-its-kind interactive shoulder pals themed to the Luma in the film will be offered in both blue and yellow, which feature light and sound and communicate with each other when close together.
The fun will extend to Universal CityWalk Orlando and Hollywood, where guests can capture unforgettable memories with a themed photo opportunity inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The vibrant setting will invite fans to pose in a galactic tunnel-like experience straight from Mario’s newest onscreen journey.
Fans can also catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the big screen at Universal Cinema at Universal CityWalk Hollywood and Universal Cinemark at Universal CityWalk Orlando, beginning April 1, 2026.
Ultimately, I don’t have much additional commentary beyond the Donkey Kong character grievance. It’s great that Epic Universe and USH are both doing something to celebrate the Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I love this type of thing. It’s a win-win for guests and Universal; it gives fans a reason to visit the land and get excited, and helps hype up a movie that (honestly) probably doesn’t need much additional awareness.
I’d love to see more of this when it comes to announcements and releases from Nintendo. Obviously, there’s the difference of Universal having a vested interest in promoting its own films, but the synergy on the video game side would likewise be a win-win. I’m inclined to “blame” the lack of that on Nintendo as opposed to Universal, counterintuitive as it might seem. I doubt Universal would be averse to the marketing, whereas Nintendo seems sort of stuck in its ways despite making such imaginative games.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Universal’s plans to celebrate MAR10 Day and the release of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie? Excited to meet Yoshi, eat the special food or buy merchandise? Have you met the elusive Donkey Kong in Epic Universe? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!