PHOTOS: New Stand Replacing Silver Screen Snacks at Universal Studios Florida

Katie Francis

PHOTOS: New Stand Replacing Silver Screen Snacks at Universal Studios Florida

The top of a brand-new snack cart is ever-so-slightly peering over construction walls where Silver Screen Snacks once stood in the Production Central area of Universal Studios Florida.

New Snack Stand

universal studios new snack cart construction production central

A portion of Production Central will become part of the upcoming Illumination Avenue, with the new Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast joining Despicable Me Minion Mayhem in the array of attractions. It’s possible the new cart replacing Silver Screen Snacks will have a theme coinciding with this new overriding Minions motif.

production central snack cart

Whatever the new venue may be themed to or serving, what is presently visible is the only clue available. The exterior is green with a gold Art Deco stylized finish. Previously, Silver Screen Snacks was predominantly silver, with a film reel and various Coca-Cola bottles serving as decor.

production central snack cart 4

Churros, pretzels, chips, Powerade, Sprite, Coca-Cola, and various other Coke products were on offer, and it’s relatively safe to assume snacks and beverages will continue to be the purpose of this location. Beyond that, the end result remains unclear.

betty boop store sign removed usf4903

The adjacent Silver Screen store has also been caught up in an overhaul, with all of the prominently featured Betty Boop signage disappearing. No official announcements have been made for its future, though the entirety of this area seems to be preparing for the arrival of the Minions. The Hello Kitty Store in this area is also gradually becoming un-themed while it remains open.

Minions Invade Universal Studios Florida

The aforementioned Minion Blast attraction will replace Shrek 4-D, which permanently closed in January 2022. Villain-Con itself was featured in the first “Minions” spinoff movie, and the ride will star various villains from the franchise, including the Vicious 6. It is an interactive shooting attraction with guests on a moving walkway.

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Villain-Con Minion Blast and Minion Café are scheduled to open this summer.

While construction continues on the Minion Blast attraction and Minion Café, the façade of Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is also undergoing a refurbishment. The ride remains open, but construction walls, scrim, and scaffolding are up around the entrance. The refurbishment is likely because of concerns about falling debris. A noticeable missing brick was spotted just above the attraction’s entryway in late January. At that time, a large covered purple entryway was installed, seemingly out of an abundance of caution. That covered entryway remains in place.

Production Central is also home to Transformers: The Ride 3D and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. At this time, the exact layout of Illumination Avenue is unclear in terms of dividing the area up as the Minions attractions currently sit between Transformers and Rip Ride Rockit.

transformers painting 2081

The exterior wall of the Transformers: The Ride 3D show building behind Minion Café was recently painted bright blue and will reportedly have “Illumination” painted on it next.

With most Universal construction updates focused heavily on the Epic Universe site planned for a 2025 opening, it’s encouraging to see some attention still directed toward the original Florida park. Across the lagoon, Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone is also boarded up with a hefty DreamWorks revamp underway.

What are you most excited to see on the upcoming Illumination Avenue, or at Universal Studios Florida in general? Let us know in the comments.

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