Fans of the hit movie Despicable Mewill want to run to Universal Studios Orlando to become a minion on Minion Mayhem!
Minion Mayhem is a motion simulator ride which allows you to join Gru, Agnes, Edith, Margo, Dr. Nefario, and of course the minions as they get ready to celebrate a big day! With the voice talent from Despicable Mebringing their characters to life on the ride, Steve Carrel, Miranda Cosgrove, Elsie Fisher, & Dana Gaier to name a few, this is the only opportunity to see these characters until the sequel hits the theaters in 2013!
Universal Orlando’s Creative team worked closely with producer Chris Meledandri, the founder of Illumination Entertainment, to create all-new animation for an all-new “Despicable Me” adventure that places guests right in the center of the action. This brand-new ride combines the humor and memorable characters of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s blockbuster film Despicable Me, with an all-new storyline, incredible new animation and the latest 3-D technology to create a fun and unique theme park experience.
Families are transformed into minions, laugh together as they train to join Gru’s minion army and boogie down during the world’s-first minion-inspired dance party. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is super fun and a really complete journey into the world of Despicable Me that you aren’t going to want to leave.
Riders must be over 40”to ride the motion simulator, 48” to ride unaccompanied, and there are stationary platforms available for smaller riders or those that prefer not to move. There is also no Express Pass for this attraction.
And this is where the spoilers begin…so don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!
Ready…Then let’s go!!!
Upon entering Gru’s house from the streets of Universal Studios Orlando, the fun begins as you pass the banana trees to enter into the main queue when you watch a 15 minute video that plays continuously on several monitors and prepares you for the ride…How you’ll become a minion. The video is full of footage from the movie, and includes minion quizzes, and vital information about the various characters you will encounter (Gru, Agnes, Edith, Margo, and Dr. Nefario), and lots and lots and lots and lots of minions. In this part of the queue you will also find fun posters and vignettes inspired by the movie that entertain you while you wait.
Then you get to enter the main, and most exciting part of the queue…you enter Gru’s house. As soon as you walk through the door make sure you take a look at everything! While this is the area where you will pick up your 3D glasses (the glasses are the same as they use at The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man and Star Tours), don’t let that be your main focus. There are lots of fun details from the movie like the portrait of Dr. Nefario, the piranha over the fireplace, and the special minion entrance just to name a few. Also, don’t forget to take a look up for a big bang. In this room you will also be able to view another shorter video preparing you for what you will encounter ahead.
And now it’s time for the transformation to begin. You’ll be able to see what it’s like to be screened and become a minion in the Minionization Prep Room. It is definitely a fun experience! This is also where you find out that Agnes is trying to give Gru a present for the celebration of their adoption anniversary, but Gru is too busy making plans with Dr. Nefario and the minions to pay attention. Take a peek at the transformation video…minus the smell of bananas…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYgOjGJ452Q
Once you have been Minionized, you enter the Minion Transformation Pods to watch another pre-pre-pre-pre ride video with instructions and warning for the rides before the lap bars are lowered and you put on your goggles to before you are minionized by Gru’s gun to begin the crazy minion journey! I have to say that while the motion simulators are extremely smooth, there is a lot of “swinging” movements that can be a little disorienting and there is a lot of violence towards the minions which could be a little scary to younger minions.
At first you are put through various minion obstacles and tasks by the girls, including Edith taunting you with a banana, before you enter into Gru’s workshop by accident. But when you are in the workshop, Agnes loses her present for Gru which leads to a huge chase to recover the gift.
Once you’ve recovered the gift by working together with Gru, Edith, Margo, Agnes, and the minions you enter a HUGE party full of fun rides to celebrate the anniversary of their adoption! While you are enjoying the party, there is a mishap you are unfortunately turned back into humans and are quickly led out of the party and new minions are sent in to replace you.
Upon exiting the ride you get to enter into your own dance party with minions and human minions. Under the shiny disco ball, you’ll definitely catch “Boogie Fever” and get caught up in the fun for a few minutes. The lighting in here is difficult for pictures, but you are going to want to do your best since this is a great opportunity to catch some silly memories!
After the dance party, you’ll exit into the gift shop that is full of minion mementos and SO FLUFFY unicorns!!! The store is themed really well, and is a great way to adjust your eyes to the bright light since you have been in dark spaces for awhile by this point.
While the use of the motion simulator itself isn’t ground breaking, the projections are amazingly clear and the story line is well formed and extremely enjoyable. The dance party is a great way to extend the ride experience into the ‘real world’. It’s a great ride that was thoughtfully created for fans that I would ride again and again…and I have a feeling that is exactly what Zoe is going to make me do after she rides it for the first time!
