The long-awaited Minion’s Land inside Universal Studios Florida will have it’s official grand opening on Friday, August 11th. The land, which has been in soft opening for Universal guests since July, has been a work-in-progress for over a decade now after the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction opened at the park in 2012.

Universal first confirmed the upcoming Minion Land in December of 2022, announcing the land would open in 2023 & would encompass the currently-existing Minion Mayhem attraction along with a brand new attraction, Minion’s Cafe, as well as multiple meet-and-greet opportunities, shops & other eateries. The new attraction – titled Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – has been operating under technical rehearsals for guests at the park since July and replaces the now-defunct Shrek 4D attraction. No height restrictions exist for the attraction, making it the perfect family attraction for kids & adults alike visiting Universal Orlando.

Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast brings guests directly into the villain convention first seen in “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” where villains from across the globe gather to demonstrate their villainous gadgets & schemes. According to Universal Creative, “this will truly be a one-of-a-kind, interactive blaster game experience that will immerse guests in the world of Illumination’s Minions franchise as they compete to see if they have what it takes to be the next supervillain.”

Just outside of the new attraction, guests will find the outdoor Illumination Theater façade where franchise-favorite characters will meet & greet with guests, including Gru, Margo, Edith, & Agnes. The all-new Minion Cafe replaces the former Monster’s Cafe & will feature three distinct seating areas themed to the Despicable Me & Minion’s franchises as well as a brand new menu. Along with Minion’s Cafe, guests entering Minion Land will also find banana-flavored popcorn (& Minion popcorn buckets!) at Pop-a-nana and Minion-themed popsicles & drinks at Freeze Ray Pops. Another retail location has been constructed in Bake My Day, a Despicable Me-themed bakery featuring themed treats, desserts, cakes, & more.

For more in-depth details on what guests can find in the new land, read up on all the new Minion experiences here.

Although Minion Land doesn’t officially open until August 11th, most of the experiences & eateries are ready for guests to enjoy now under a soft opening! Be sure to stay tuned to Theme Park Professor for more details on this fantastic new land!