The Minions have truly taken over. At least an entire street at Universal Orlando, that is. On the heels of the recently announced interactive attraction, Villain-Con Minion Blast, the theme park has released new details about its anticipated Minion Land!
Slated to open this summer, the new land expands upon the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride and will feature photo-ops, eateries and shops centered around Illumination’s hit animated films.
According to a Universal Orlando Resort press release, “As soon as guests enter the land, they’ll be greeted by a fun, photo-worthy ‘Minion Land’ marquee featuring 22 Minions before embarking on the mischief that awaits along Illumination Ave.”
The Minion Cafe will take over the former Monsters Cafe and will be split into three areas: the Kitchen, where guests will get a glimpse of the equipment the Minions have used to whip up the cafe’s menu; the Breakroom, where diners can reside in the Minions’ break space that includes everything from “Office Safety Tips” to a vending machine stocked with mischievous items; and the Dining Room, a vibrant space adorned with colorful artwork courtesy of the Minions.
The Cafe will offer nearly 20 items inspired by the animated characters, including Otto’s Noodle Bowl, Agnes’s Honeymoon Soup and Carl’s Crispy Cauliflower (a vegan offering).
For the “mini Minions” in the family, the kids’ menu will include Mini Boss’ Mega Melt, and for dessert, there will be a Bob’s Teddy Bear Chocolate Cream Puff.
Also in Minion Land is the Bake My Day sweets shop, topped with a massive pink cupcake that’s visible from anywhere in the land. Universal says it will serve a selection of Minion-themed sweet treats, including cupcakes, macarons, s’mores and more.
Other foodie highlights include cool treats at Freeze Ray Pops and sweet and savory popcorn at the Pop-a-Nana stand. And yes, like Universal Studios Japan, it will serve banana-flavored popcorn!
But the most anticipated of all is Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, the park’s newest attraction taking over the space where Shrek 4-D used to be. Although Universal is keeping most information about the interactive ride under wraps, it will feature an interactive blaster where “guests can put their villainous skills to the test.”
Additionally, the theater marquee once housing Donkey and Shrek for meet-and-greets will turn into the Illumination Theater where visitors can interact with beloved characters like the Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes, plus new additions from the “Sing” films.
Minion Land in Universal Orlando Resort is slated to open Summer 2023. There are more updates to come, including Universal’s Epic Universe opening in 2025.
