There’s something unbelievably loveable about the bright yellow, googly eyed, overall wearing Minions in Despicable Me that make them appeal to all ages but do you have what it takes to become a Minion? The Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride at Universal Orlando puts wanna-be Minions through the paces to join the ranks of the Stuart, Dave, and the rest of Gru’s henchmen during a fun ride that any Despicable Me fan will love.
Disclosure: Universal Pictures invited me and the kids for a Despicable Me 2 weekend and covered our travel, accommodations, and passes to Universal Studios and provided us with other goodies during our visit. No compensation was received and opinions are my own and those of my Minion loving travel companions.
Head through the Universal arches and a little ways down main street to find Gru’s house which serves as the entrance to Minion Mayhem. Park guests enter the door and join one of two lines depending on if you purchased the Universal Express Pass Plus option. The Express Pass Plus option whisks you through the queue and past Minion recruitment posters much faster than the regular line to arrive at the pre-ride area sooner.
The pre-ride queue consists of two parts, the first of which is modeled like the interior of Gru’s house. Details abound for Despicable Me fans who will notice the crayon self portrait by Margo, Agnes, and Edith with the rainbow and darling Gru=Daddy drawing that are at kid-height as you approach the area to pick up your 3D goggles for the ride. Just before you grab your goggles- look up! The lion with the dog with the cat with the mouse bust is just above you!
Continuing through the queue, there’s a short film to watch before entering another holding chamber with a second fun recruitment video where the hilarious Minions garner laughs for fart jokes and their love of bananas as you wait to enter the ride. Pre-ride spoiler: The banana scent that you sniff during the film may look like it comes from the corners of the room above the doors but in fact it’s piped throughout the room in the stainless steel queue separators. Feel underneath the top handrail and you can find the spot where it comes out then wait for that point in the movie and sniff!
When the doors open, Minion recruits file in to take a seat in the 4-seater vehicles that face the screen. Don your 3D glasses, put down the safety bar, and get ready to be transformed from human to Minion. The fun ride features Gru, Agnes, Edith, Margo, and the Minions putting you through training, including the ever-difficult task of resisting bananas and rescuing a present that Agnes has made for Gru. The story is sweet, the ride adventurous, but unfortunately the changes don’t stick and those hoping to turn yellow during the ride will be sadly disappointed.
Not to fear though! Exit the ride for a Despicable Me dance party and the opportunity to purchase your very own extremely huggable and fluffy unicorn that Agnes would be jealous of!
Despicable Me 2 opens on July 3. If you’re planning to see it, read my review and the one on Common Sense Media to determine if it is right for your family! We loved it and plan to see it again!
That looks like so much fun! Will definitely have to take the kids to Orlando (lucky we’re so close) to check out the Minions!! Can’t wait to see the movie this week!
My six years old son loved this movie! Yesterday we saw Turbo, he like it very much but Despicable Me is a favorite.