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Credit: UniversalA few weeks after its soft opening, Universal Studios Florida just officially opened its brand-new Minions ride – which seems to have gone down with more of a whimper than a bang.
Universal Orlando Resort has grown exponentially over the past decade. Fresh off the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure, the neighbor and rival of Walt Disney World Resort has added numerous IPs to its collection in the shape of buzzy new rides and attractions.
Related: Universal Orlando Announces Plans For SIX New Attractions
That includes the likes of a second Wizarding World area – this time themed to Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida – as well as a new Harry Potter roller coaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the Jurassic Park (1994)-inspired VelociCoaster, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, and the wildly unpopular Fast & Furious – Supercharged.
Its next major addition is set to come in the form of a third Park, Epic Universe. Currently set to open in the summer of 2025, this will feature lands inspired by Universal Monsters and How to Train Your Dragon (2010), as well as a third Harry Potter land – this time based on the Ministry of Magic seen in the film franchise.
In the meantime, there’s still plenty of ‘new’ heading to Universal Orlando Resort. The latest addition is Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – the new attraction in Universal Studios Florida’s Minion Land – which sees Guests face off against the Vicious Six.
Join Illumination’s Minions, Belle Bottom, Jean Clawed and the rest of the Vicious 6 at Villain-Con as you blast your way to supervillain stardom. Use your E-Liminator X blaster and test your skill in this fun, interactive attraction. It’s all-new fun now open at Universal Orlando.
Since its soft opening, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast hasn’t exactly established itself as a Universal Studios classic. The moving walkway system of the shooter ride has been panned by Guests who’ve dubbed it “terrible” and “boring.”
Related: New Photos Indicate Minion Takeover of Popular Attraction
As of today (August 11), the new Minions ride is officially open to the public. However, it seems like its popularity hasn’t exactly skyrocketed since.
At 12 p.m. ET, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast’s wait time sits at just 35 minutes – putting it on par with Fast & Furious – Supercharged (which is infamously the Resort’s least popular attraction).
Wait times were also longer for the likes of Skull Island: Reign of Kong, E.T. Adventure, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride, and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – the existing Minions ride at the Resort.
This wouldn’t be unusual if the ride had been open for a long time. Kid-friendly rides typically attract shorter lines at Universal Orlando Resort. However, considering that it’s the ride’s official opening day, this doesn’t exactly point to it being a massive hit with Parkgoers.
Have you ridden Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!