Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida opens doors to Minion Land Friday

Orlando theme park goers can partake in mischievous fun with the new attraction Minion Land opening Friday at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida.

Minion Land, based on the “Minion” franchise from the animated film “Despicable Me,” is an interactive gaming attraction built in partnership with Illumination, according to Universal.

Located on Illumination Avenue in Universal Studios, Minion Land will expand on the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction to allow guests to engage in villainous pursuits in Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast game.

Minion Land will offer its own themed dining experience and meet-and-greet opportunities with characters like the Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes.

Single-day, single-park tickets start at $104 for children and $109 for adults.

Earlier this year, Universal also announced that Halloween Horror Nights will feature “Stranger Things” and “The Last of Us,” themed houses.

Minion Land:Coming to Universal Orlando this summer. Here’s what we know.

A slow summer for central Florida resorts means shorter waits

Earlier this summer, the Wall Street Journal reported that fewer people have visited Orlando resorts this year than in previous years. In fact, Independence Day weekend at Walt Disney World was one of the slowest in nearly 10 years. As tourists frequently visit both Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World, analysts say the visitor trends are similarly depressed this summer.

But according to an analysis by Touring Plans, this means wait times for attractions are also down.

For example, the average wait time for attractions at Universal Studios Florida theme park on the Fourth of July was down to 28 minutes this year compared to 38 minutes in 2022, but in line with 2019 wait times.

Florida also has had a record-breaking year for persistent heat and humidity, with central Florida as a hotspot.