The biggest news out of Universal this year may have been the opening of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, but some other news has been coming out of Universal Orlando Resort in recent weeks that you might have missed! From changes to existing attractions to character changes and even a transportation addition, here’s all the low-key changes that Universal fans should definitely know about!
1. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem goes 2D
Image: Universal
The popular Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction at Universal Studios Florida has followed its West Coast counterpart by removing the ride’s 3D effect. This attraction now features a remastered the 2D film, no glasses required! No reason was given for this sudden change, but some have speculated that the growing unpopularity of 3D attractions could be behind this change.
“We consistently evaluate and refine our Guest experiences, and we are excited for them to experience Despicable Me Minion Mayhem this way,” Universal said in an official statement about the change.
2. She-Ra now meeting guests through the end of August
Image: DreamWorks/ Netflix
Universal quietly debuted a new character at Islands of Adventure several weeks ago: She-Ra from the Netflix/DreamWorks series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Right now She-Ra meets guests outside of the Mythos restaurant several times a day beginning at 10:30 am. Interestingly, Universal has confirmed that right now this character greeting experience will be a temporary offering, with She-Ra currently scheduled to leave the park after August 31st.
3. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure gets another operational update
Image: Universal
Though Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure has been open for over a full month, it looks like the technical issues that have plagued this attraction since its grand opening are not going away any time soon. A few weeks ago Universal announced that they would start opening this attraction at midday, every day, and would be using the morning hours to perform maintenance on the ride to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible for as long as possible before they close the ride for capacity.
However, Universal switched gears last week, and said that from this point on they will be opening the ride in the morning, but shutting it down early before the park closes to perform routine maintenance. And though the timing has changed, our advice to those who are visiting this park and want to experience this attraction remains the same: get there early.
4. New Jurassic Park – Lost Continent bypass bridge now open
Islands of Adventure has been flooded with guests trying to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade this summer attempting to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which has led to plenty of congestion and traffic issues around this area of the park. However, the good news is that Universal has completed work on a new bypass bridge that allows guests to navigate the park without entering The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. The bridge also has high walls hiding the construction of the new, unannounced Jurassic World roller coaster that is currently being built in the Jurassic Park area of Islands of Adventure.
