Minion recruits: mark your calendars!  Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, one of the most anticipated theme park attractions of 2012, will officially open at Universal Orlando Resort on July 2.

This brand-new ride combines the outrageous humor and memorable characters of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s blockbuster film Despicable Me, with an all-new storyline, incredible new animation and the latest 3-D technology to create a wildly hysterical theme park experience.

Families will watch in amazement as they are transformed into minions, laugh together as they train to join Gru’s minion army and boogie down during the world’s-first minion-inspired dance party.  Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is hilarious and heartwarming fun for the entire family.

The ride begins when guests enter Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes’ home and learn they are being recruited to become minions.  After picking up 3-D “minion goggles” in the living room and being scanned for “human germs” in the Minionization Prep Room, guests board Minion Transformation Pods to begin their training.  Things don’t go as planned and guests find themselves on an unforgettable adventure through Gru’s lab that’s filled with laughter, chaos and tons of minions. 

The ride experience is capped off with an exciting dance party where guests can show off their best moves with the minions.  With a sparkling disco ball hanging overhead, the interactive celebration features large projection screens so that guests can see themselves partying with the minions to the legendary disco tune “Boogie Fever.”

Although Despicable Me Minion Mayhem officially opens on July 2, the attraction is now in technical rehearsal, meaning park guests may have the opportunity to experience the ride as a work in progress while Universal puts the finishing touches on the experience.  Leading up to the grand opening, the attraction will run select days and times.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is located in Universal Studios Florida.  For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com.