Common Studios Florida has launched particulars and idea artwork for the brand new Minion Land that’ll characteristic rides, retail, eating places, meet & greets, placemaking, and extra. This publish covers what we all know concerning the upcoming Orlando addition, when it’ll open, and every part else we all know to date.
Let’s begin with fundamental background. Slightly than being a brand-new addition or enlargement, Minion Land is a reimagined space in the direction of the entrance of Common Studios Florida. Beforehand a part of Manufacturing Central, the land is predicated across the current Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction, whereas including a reimagined journey and restaurant that change Shrek 4-D and Monsters Cafe, respectively. Minion Land will even deliver memento outlets, meet & greets, and new themed design to the realm.
Because the title suggests, Minion Land options characters from the Despicable Me franchise of movies. The brand new attraction, Villain-Con Minion Blast, is predicated on final summer time’s smash hit, Minions: The Rise of Gru. The remainder of the realm contains characters and references to the opposite movies within the extremely profitable franchise. Even when you’ve by no means seen a single film, you’re most likely conversant in the little yellow mischief makers.
Persevering with with the background, let’s talk about Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. This attraction is now over a decade previous, however stays one of many extra common rides at Common Studios Florida–and for good motive. Minion Mayhem is a journey that strikes in sync with a film, which options the daughters of Gru and the Minions whereas touring and partying your manner by way of Gru’s lab. It’s cute, humorous, and endearing–rather a lot just like the Minions films themselves.
Calling it a tour of Gru’s lab undersells the motion, because it’s fast-paced with drops, twists, and turns. Nevertheless, it’s comparatively gentle as in comparison with just about every part else at Common and it now’s a 2D movie that doesn’t require the 3D “minion goggles.” Being a movie with movement simulator elements, there’s clearly the potential for points with movement illness.
Nevertheless, Minion Mayhem leverages comparatively new technological enhancements, making it a fairly easy and nice expertise. By way of a Walt Disney World comparability, assume Star Excursions meets MuppetVision however with Minions as a substitute of Muppets. In case you’re unfamiliar with our stance on MuppetVision, it is a very favorable comparability–Minion Mayhem is a must-do.
Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – That is the opposite attraction in Minion Land, an all-new addition changing Shrek 4D. Developed in partnership between Common Artistic and the filmmakers from Illumination, that is an interactive blaster recreation recreation inviting company to place their villainous abilities to the take a look at as they compete towards one another in a bid to hitch the ranks of the franchise’s most notorious supervillains.
Villain-Con Minion Blast transports company to Villain-Con – the most important felony conference on the planet – to participate in an epic competitors to see if they’ve what it takes to turn out to be the latest member of The Vicious 6, a infamous group of supervillains from Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Friends who’re up for the problem will seize an interactive blaster and step onto a motion-based pathway to place their abilities to the take a look at. They’ll wind by way of present scenes the place they earn factors by blasting gadgets, inflicting as a lot mayhem and destruction as potential. Villain-Con Minion Blast combines screens and bodily units to create an interactive game-based journey the place company encounter nefarious villains and tons of mischievous Minions. Villain-Con Minion Blast will open in Summer season 2023 at Common Studios Florida.
By way of a Walt Disney World comparability, Villain-Con Minion Blast sounds a bit like Toy Story Mania (all screens) meets Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin (all units) however on a shifting walkway as a substitute of in journey automobiles. It’ll additionally reportedly combine with the Common Orlando app to trace your rating and achievements, making it a bit like Mario Kart: Bowser’s Problem in Tremendous Nintendo World at Common Studios Hollywood and Japan. (Additionally coming in 2 years to Epic Universe in Florida!)
Illumination’s Minion Cafe – It’s Minions within the kitchen and mischief within the eating room on the new Minion Cafe, which is the marquee eating location inside Minion Land. This new eatery replaces Monsters Cafe and gives one thing for everybody in a restaurant that options three themed areas designed after beloved Minions Kevin, Stuart, Bob and Otto.
First, there’s the Kitchen. On this eating room, company get a glimpse of the gear and kit the Minions have used to whip up the cafe’s menu. There’s additionally the Breakroom, the place company can dine within the Minions’ break area that features every part from “Workplace Security Suggestions” to a merchandising machine stocked with mischievous gadgets. Lastly, the Eating Room; a vibrant area adorned with colourful art work courtesy of the Minions and extra. Friends may get pleasure from their meal on an out of doors patio that overlooks the enjoyable of Minion Land.
Minion Cafe will even provide a wide range of enjoyable meals. In response to Common Orlando, the menu options family-friendly fare and practically 20 gadgets impressed by characters from the Minions franchise, together with eclectic “despica-bowls” akin to Otto’s Noodle Bowl, Agnes’s Honeymoon Soup, and Carl’s Crispy Cauliflower.
After all, Minion Cafe will even provide adorably-themed desserts akin to Bob’s Teddy Bear Chocolate Cream Puff. The restaurant will provide a children’ menu for the “mini-Minions” within the household that features gadgets just like the Mini Boss’ Mega Soften, and extra. Minion Cafe will even characteristic an specific window with a restricted menu for seize and go choices.
Bake My Day – Topped with an enormous pink cupcake that’s seen from wherever within the land, Bake My Day is a whimsical retail location and bakery that includes a choice of Minion-themed candy treats, together with cupcakes, macarons, s’mores and extra, together with unique Minion-inspired merchandise like attire, plush, drinkware, equipment, keychains and extra.
Pop-A-Nana – Banana-flavored popcorn, anybody? This walkup location options candy and savory popcorn impressed by the Minions’ love for bananas. Right here, company might also discover an assortment of cute popcorn buckets, together with the Minion Selfie bucket.
Freeze Ray Pops – That includes a wide range of colourful popsicles impressed by Gru, the Minions and Vector – together with drinks.
Illumination Theater – Friends can meet, greet and work together with characters just like the Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes–plus new additions from Sing, together with Rosita, Gunter and Johnny–at an out of doors Illumination Theater facade. There will even be murals, picture ops and extra all through Minion Land that remember further characters from common films.
By way of when, particularly, Minion Land will open in Summer season 2023, we haven’t the slightest concept. Though we provide a surplus of speculative posts about Walt Disney World, that’s as a result of we have now way more perception and expertise with Disney. These predictions, even when flawed, are predicated upon previous precedent or our understanding of how issues work at Walt Disney World. We’re way more informal and less-connected in relation to Common Orlando.
With that stated, I might not anticipate Minion Land to open any time within the subsequent month or so. Common Orlando simply shared extra particulars and idea artwork for Villain-Con Minion Blast, Minion Cafe, and the opposite eating. If they’d a concrete opening date–and even an anticipated month–it’s possible they’d’ve shared that. We’re solely a pair weeks from the beginning of summer time season!
The absence of that data means that one thing (or issues, plural) is just not prepared with Minion Land and the timeline is just not established for some motive. It’s potential that Common Artistic continues to be engaged on take a look at & alter for Villain-Con Minion Blast, or that one thing concerning the underlying expertise is proving troublesome. It’s additionally potential that it’s extra routine, maybe delays with suppliers or contractors engaged on the tasks. It’s troublesome to say.
All we all know is that if Common Orlando had a agency inner date for the opening, they’d’ve introduced it by now. The absence of that strongly suggests opening most likely received’t happen till July or maybe even August 2023. Then once more, Common Artistic is often quicker and extra nimble than Imagineering, so maybe they will scramble and have Minion Land able to roll earlier than the Independence Day vacation weekend.
Finally, we’re wanting ahead to Minion Land at Common Studios Florida. Admittedly, we aren’t large Minioniacs (or no matter Minions followers name themselves) however the identical may very well be stated for us and plenty of of Disney and Pixar’s greatest franchises. Our curiosity in or fondness for movie franchises has little bearing on whether or not we view them pretty much as good theme park additions.
Minions is, with out query, an amazing franchise for theme parks. The little buggers are lovable, mischievous, and enjoyable–completely bursting with persona that makes them tailored for rides, eating places, bodily environments, and–one thing that shouldn’t be missed for repeat guests–enjoyable meals. Common already did a unbelievable job with Minion Park at USJ, creating an space with lots of appeal and enchantment. This doesn’t look fairly that good, but it surely’s a pleasant retrofit of a bland land that makes it extra partaking.
Typically, we like to see Common Orlando taking drained areas of its current parks and injecting new life and persona into them. Whereas we have been large followers of the ‘journey the flicks’ basic points of interest of Common Studios Florida, it’s additionally nice to see the corporate leveraging newer and extra common franchises. That’s essential to make Common’s theme park advanced extra interesting to youthful audiences and aggressive with Walt Disney World.
We additionally love unique parks IP simply as a lot as any park followers, but it surely’s plain that established characters from popular culture resonate extra with most of the people.) Between this, Tremendous Nintendo World, and every part else on the horizon for Epic Universe, the longer term is vibrant for Common Orlando Resort!
Want journey planning ideas and complete recommendation to your go to to Central Florida? Be certain that to learn our Common Orlando Planning Information for every part about Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida. In case you’re planning a visit out to the already-open Tremendous Nintendo World, see our exhaustive Information to Common Studios Hollywood. For normal updates, information & rumors, a heads up when reductions are launched, and rather more, join our FREE e-mail e-newsletter!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Minion Land at Common Studios Florida? Excited for Villain-Con Minion Blast, Minion Cafe, or the placemaking generally with this reimagined space of USF? Some other updates you’d wish to see to Common Orlando? Which films, video games, or characters do you assume Common ought to adapt into theme park points of interest? What sort of rides would you wish to see constructed? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!