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Universal Studios Japan park entrance
The former Magical Starlight Parade
Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie joins Charlie Brown, Snoopy, the Pink Panther, Hello Kitty and Woody Woodpecker for Universal Studios Japan's 10th anniversary in February 2011.
Elmo and Zoe at the entrance gate for Universal Studios Japan's 5th anniversary in 2006.
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is the Japanese Universal Studios theme park, located in Osaka. The park opened in 2001. It is also the first Universal Studios theme park to open outside of the U.S.
Sesame Street has been a prominent feature in USJ since the addition of Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic in late April 2003, and is one of the park's more popular character-based franchises along with Hello Kitty and Peanuts. Walk-arounds of Elmo, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, The Count, Abby Cadabby, and an original character Moppy appear throughout the park regularly for photo ops and in stage shows, while Grover and Big Bird appear occasionally.
Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
- Main article: Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
Shown at USJ's Cinema 4-D Theater in the Hollywood area. The same theater also houses another 4-D attraction, Shrek's 4-D Adventure. (Shrek's 4-D Adventure operates from opening time until 1:45pm, and Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic operates from 1:45pm until closing time).
10th anniversary, 2011
Elmo, Hello Kitty and Snoopy in a promotional image for the opening of Universal Wonderland in 2011.
In February 2011, Universal Studios Japan celebrated its 10th anniversary with special Sesame Street events and shows, one of which introduced a new original character, Moppy.
- Happy Surprise, a stage show featuring the song "GOOD LUCKY!!!!!";
- Elmo and Snoopy Swirl illusion, What will happen with the “Elmo and Snoopy Swirl illusion” artwork when you watch it after staring at the swirl sign;
- Sesame Street Dream Factory, a dream charm encapsulator gift shop;
- Characters 4U - Collaboration shop merchandise, featuring products with the images of Elmo, Snoopy, Hello Kitty and Pink Panther together.
- Universal Studios Japan presents close in Kids! Dance Dance Dance, a touring show "from March 26th to July 17th visiting 12 cities and 17 locations", with Cookie Monster and Elmo. Presented was a segment of Happy Surprise.
Universal Wonderland
- Main article: Sesame Street Fun World
On March 16, 2012, USJ opened Sesame Street Fun World as a section of its new Universal Wonderland area (in addition to Snoopy Studios and Hello Kitty Fashion Ave).
Atmosphere Entertainment & Parades
Sesame Street's Magical Market(USJ-2009)
Sesame Street characters have appeared in interactive shows and park parades over the years.
- Hollywood Premiere Parade (2003) : In this parade, Grover drives a Muppetized taxi cab with Elmo as the passenger. Big Bird also walks around near the float. Other characters and floats that appeared in the parade include characters from Peanuts, characters from Shrek, The Mummy, the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, E.T. and Charlie Chaplin.
- Sesame Street Christmas (seasonal, 2003) : Elmo, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie sing Christmas songs. Big Bird shows up later on.
- Sesame Street Birthday Celebration (regular, 2004) - Elmo, Cookie Monster and a female hostess/singer celebrate a park guest's birthday.
- Happy Harmony Celebration (2005; occasionally 2006-07)
- Zoe's Flowers (2005)
- Full FX (2005) : Interactive street show with Ernie and some live-actor dancers. At one point, the Count subbed in for Ernie.
- Royal Sweet Wedding Parade (Summer 2005) : A parade that focused on a fictional marriage between Shrek and Princess Fiona. The parade featured large character balloons, which included the likes of Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Park characters walked on the ground, which included Sesame Street characters.
- New Year Wish : A bus show that was shown during the new year.
- Dreams of Dancing (2007)
- Sesame Street Magical Market (2009): Another bus show also featured flimsy puppets based on Sesame Street 's Muppet vegetables. [1]
- Magical Starlight Parade (2009): A nighttime light parade that featured floats based on fairy tales; The beginning of the parade features a large Elmo float, alongside Snoop' and Hello Kitty. The 3 floats could sometimes spin around on the parade route.
- Sesame Street Big Face Project (2010): Another bus show.
- Universal RE-BOOOOOORN!!! (2016): The 15th Anniversary parade/street show that features dedicated floats for Cookie Monster and Elmo. Other characters also had their own floats.
- Festa de-Parade (2017): A Halloween parade that reused floats from Universal RE-BOOOOOORN!!!. Elmo and Cookie Monster kept their floats from that parade, while Bert & Ernie also had their own float.
- Minions Hacha-Mecha Christmas Party (2017/2018): A Christmas parade featuring train-inspired floats, giant balloons, streamers and confetti, Santa Claus and of course, the Despicable Me Minions. Alongside other park characters, Elmo, Cookie Monster and Moppy appeared on one of the trains. In 2018 the parade was reduced to just the train floats, but increased the amount of Confetti and Balloons used.
Merchandise
Sesame Street merchandise is available through USJ gift shops. See Universal Studios Japan Merchandise.