Recently opened at Universal Studios Florida is the all-new Minion Land on Illumination Avenue. The hugely popular Minions from the Despicable Me move franchise have taken over Production Central with a new array of attractions, eateries and character meet-and-greets.
This entire are will expand upon the existing Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride and immerse the guests into a minion paradise that begin with the large Minion marquee at the beginning of Illumination Avenue.
Minion Land Attractions, Eateries & Experiences
- Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ™
- Illumination Theater
- Illumination’s Minion Cafe
- Bake My Day
- Freeze Ray Pops
- Pop-A-Nana
Villain-Con Minion Blast
Located in the former Shrek 4D building, Villain-Con Minion Blast will be a family-friendly interactive “blaster” game where guests compete in a shooting style game in an effort to join the ranks of the super villains. First introduced in the “Minions” movie back in 2015, Villain-Con is “the biggest criminal convention on the planet”.
According to Universal, “Villain-Con Minion Blast combines innovative screen technology, state-of-the-art gaming interactivity and elaborate physical sets to create a one-of-a-kind, game-based adventure where guests encounter immersive environments, nefarious villains and tons of mischievous Minions from Illumination’s films in a whole new way“.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ™
Guests join Gru, his girls (Margo, Edith & Agnus) and the Minions for an anniversary celebration of Gru’s adoption of the girls. But before the fun begins, the guests are turned into Minions.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem™ is a motion simulator type attraction where ride vehicles move along with the action on the video screens. There are three individual phases of this ride beginning in Gru’s living room, the laboratory and the main show theater.
Illumination Theater
For those looking for meet-and-greet opportunities, there is the outdoor Illumination Theater where guests will find:
- Gru
- The Minions
- Margo, Edith & Agnus
In addition to the characters in the Despicable Me move franchise, guests will find opportunities to meet some of the stars from the “Sing” films including Rosita, Gunter and Johnny.
Minions Cafe and Other Eateries
Illumination’s Minion Cafe is located in the site of the former Monsters Cafe and will be a sit-down restaurant with three individually themed seating areas. These three areas of the cafe are dubbed as the following:
- The Kitchen – where Minions make the food
- The Break Room – the place where the Minions go to relax
- The Dining Room
Universal has indicated that the menu will include approximately 20 dishes including Otto’s Noodle Bowl and the Steak & “Cheese Ray” Sandwich. In addition to the sit down area, there will be a walk-up window for those guests looking to grab-and-go.
The interior of the Minion Cafe is very well themed. Each of the three different rooms are very well designed and are a fun place to grab a bite to eat.
In addition to the Minions Cafe, there will be number of smaller eateries including:
Bake My Day
Visitors that enjoy sweet treats will love Bake My Day. This bakery and gift shop features a number of themed cupcakes & cookies as well as a very wide array of Despicable Me souvenirs & apparel.
The store is even topped by a bright pink cupcake!
Freeze Ray Pops
If you are looking for something cold on a hot summer day, then look no further than Freeze Ray Pops. Guests will enjoy a variety of frozen delights inspired by the Minions and the characters from Despicable Me.
Pop-A-Nana
Grab your banana flavored popcorn at Pop-A-Nana. Located just past the Minion Cafe, guests can purchase a cup of regular popcorn ($5.19) or banana popcorn ($6.99). Minion themed popcorn buckets are also available for $29.99 (Selfie Minion) or $38.00 (Minion Car).
Specialty drinks include the “PX-41 Punch” and “The Antidote”. Guests can also purchase traditional soft drinks as well as three types of beer (including the Wells Banana Bread beer).
Click here to see the best restaurants at The Universal Orlando Resort
Where Should We Stay When Visiting the Universal Orlando Resort?
The Universal Orlando Resort has a number of great on site hotels at Universal and each and every one of them have their own benefits, characteristics and price points.
There are multiple “categories” of hotels which are as follows:
- Premier Hotels & Resorts
- Preferred & Value Hotels and Resorts
- Prime Value Hotels and Resorts
Premier category hotels include the Lowe’s Portofino Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel and the Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Although higher in price, the added benefit of the free Universal Express Unlimited (TM) is well worth the expense. Once you experience unlimited front of the line access, it is VERY difficult to go back to a theme park without it.
Check out all the Universal on-site hotels and resorts as well as our recommended off site local area hotels by CLICKING HERE.
