The Universal Studios Florida wait time sign in Production Central has been repaired. It was recently moved and sustained some damage.
Universal Studios Florida Wait Time Sign
The sign is near the entrance to Universal Studios Florida, next to the new snack stand that replaces Silver Screen Snacks. Construction walls came down from the area this week, revealing the sign’s new position in a planter.
Universal hasn’t turned the sign back on since taking the construction walls down. It would usually display Universal Studios Florida attraction names and their current wait times.
The brown paint on the sign’s base was peeling when we last took a look.
The base has since been repainted and is looking much nicer.
The new snack stand has yet to open. While the stand and sign are not Minion-themed, Production Central is being taken over by the “Despicable Me” characters as a portion of the land becomes Illumination Avenue. The stand and sign may remain in Production Central or be part of the new land.
Illumination Avenue
Illumination Avenue will include Villain-Con Minion Blast, Minion Café, and the pre-existing Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.
Villain-Con Minion Blast replaces 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.
Next door is Minion Café, which replaces the Universal Studios’ Classic Monsters Café and the Bone Chillin’ Stand. A Minion Café already exists at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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. A large covered purple entryway was installed out of an abundance of caution and 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 sit between Transformers and Rip Ride Rockit. The back of Transformers: The Ride 3D’s show building was painted bright blue to apparently match the new Illumination Avenue theming.
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.
Make sure to take a look at some of our most recent Universal Parks coverage using the links below:
- Demolition Begins on Drink Stand at Universal Studios Florida
- First Look at Minion Café Façade at Universal Studios Florida
- 2023 Halloween Horror Nights Houses Forming at Universal Studios Florida
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