Despicable me Minion Mayhem

[MDH]

Can someone tell me why this ride seems to have such long wait times compared to anything else in the park? I understand minions are popular, but it's often a longer wait time than the harry potter rides, and I just don't understand? Now I've never been there, my first trip is in January, so any info is appreciated.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Which park is it in

 

[David Kohn]

I wondered that as well and learned that the Despicable Me ride should be our first ride during an Early Entry day. It looks like it's poor capacity to handle a large amount of riders, plus it's one of the first rides you see when entering the USF park makes the wait times an hour and half plus during peak times.

 

[hopemax]

There is only one theater. So the cycle time is long. Imagine Soarin with only one theater, and what kind of waits you would get.

It's amazing, we did Jimmy Neutron which was the film there before Minions. And it was not that good, especially if you weren't really familiar with the cartoons used. But Minions is a well done attraction, and I think it's funny for people who haven't watched the movies. So there are likely more people willing to experience this attraction than the previous incarnations ever did.

 

[Metro West]

Can someone tell me why this ride seems to have such long wait times compared to anything else in the park? I understand minions are popular, but it's often a longer wait time than the harry potter rides, and I just don't understand? Now I've never been there, my first trip is in January, so any info is appreciated.

I think the lines are long because this is a family friendly attraction so most people who visit want to do it. Plus its at the front of the park and the first attraction you come to. Same thing happens during Halloween Horror Nights when they use the queue...backs up very quickly. Also...the pre-show is kind of long so it takes a while to move through the attraction. If you have an Express Pass it will be a walk-on but if not, be prepared to wait.

 

[MDH]

Thanks for the answers

 

[schumigirl]

We just saw the shortest wait ever for regular queue on minions.........35 minutes around 4pm today......never seen it less than an hour up till now.

 

[Marc D]

I think the lines are long because this is a family friendly attraction so most people who visit want to do it. Plus its at the front of the park and the first attraction you come to.

This, plus the fact that it is a “thrill” ride that people who are scared of thrill rides can handle.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

What pp have said and also, it’s not scary for kids like Spider-Man or Transformers can be. I think it has a bigger population of people coming to the park who want to go on it. And our kids always want to re-ride it too. I think we’ve been on it 6 times in 2 trips. The only other rides we’ve ridden that much are Pterodon Flyers and FotH which are also very kid friendly but don’t have appeal to thrill riders.

 

[nighttowll]

Universal lacks attractions for young children, and those not into thrills.

This ride isn’t high, it doesn’t spin, it doesn’t go fast, it isn’t a coaster, and with the stationary seating even motion sickness isn’t an issue for most. This is one of the few attractions pretty much everyone can enjoy.

On top of that, it is a cute, funny, fun experience, with just enough action to keep you entertained, but not enough to be scary.

Then add in the limited seating capacity and the lack of an interactive themed queue, and it all equals one long boring wait.

Solution: ride first thing during early entry or use EP. You can also sometimes skip ahead a little if you want to sit in the stationary seats, as those almost never fill up, so letting you ride a little sooner doesn’t impact anyone else behind you in line.

 

[TheConsciousness]

The crazy-long introduction video definitely hurts the queue. I don't think removing it would be a good idea, but something must be done.

 

[hopemax]

The crazy-long introduction video definitely hurts the queue. I don't think removing it would be a good idea, but something must be done.

I assume the pre-show and the pre-pre show are the same length as the main theater show. They could remove the pre-shows but then people are waiting doing nothing because there is still only one theater running a 5 min movie that needs to cycle through.

 

[GoldmanTrust]

1. It's the first ride people see at the park.

2. It serves a purpose; it is a great ride for children and non-thrill seekers.

 

[damo]

I assume the pre-show and the pre-pre show are the same length as the main theater show. They could remove the pre-shows but then people are waiting doing nothing because there is still only one theater running a 5 min movie that needs to cycle through.

Exactly...the preshow just takes the place of waiting in the outer line...it adds nothing to the length of the wait.

 

[nighttowll]

I really think redoing the queue is the answer to this, but I’m not sure physically where they would find room to put an interactive queue. The wait is long, especially for Universal standards, but it isn’t ridiculously so. We aren’t talking 3+ hours most of the time. It just seems like you wait forever because you have nothing to do but stand around outside in the heat.

I think doing something similar to Dumbo and Jimmy Fallon would be great. Have a play area since this ride is geared toward kids. It isn’t a long wait if your kid is running around playing for 30 minutes. Move this waiting pen area inside and add air conditioning and some seats for Mom and dad, maybe a charging station or two. Now the wait becomes a nice break instead of a headache.

 

[Sparkly]

I'm surprised there's only one theatre with how popular the ride is? Shrek across the way has more then one.

 

[damo]

Another option is just to make this a return time ride. I do believe they do this occasionally.

 

[wookiebeck]

I'm surprised there's only one theatre with how popular the ride is? Shrek across the way has more then one.

Back before Shrek, it was the Hitchcock theater. The design was to progress your way through three or four 'shows' as one group of hundreds of viewers. You sat, got up, sat, got up after every 5 minute cycle. There are only so many cycles that fit in a day.

The preshows for Minions are designed the same way. You get your mind off of being queued up. Get you goggles and are assigned a seat. It all serves a purpose. The total daily throughput is the problem.

 

[RalphinSC]

I'm surprised there's only one theatre with how popular the ride is? Shrek across the way has more then one.

It's hemmed in on space. They only had room to build one theater in there. It's a cute ride, but definitely not worth the wait.

And the pre-show is as long and drawn out as it is because it matches the length of the actual ride time, if not a few seconds more.