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Earlier this month, a Universal Orlando Resort guest jumped off the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride, prompting an immediate shutdown of the attraction. The event, which the guest’s child filmed, raised serious concerns among theme park fans.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is a popular simulator attraction in Universal Studios Florida’s Minion Land. In 2019, this unique ride transitioned from a 3-D experience to a 2-D format, eliminating the need for special glasses to view the storyline. During the ride, vehicles move in sync with the on-screen action using complex mechanics located underneath the seats.
Credit: Universal Orlando Resort
On July 8, TikTok user @its.sanaiyah shared footage of her family’s ride on Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. The video shows her father suddenly unbuckling his safety restraints and jumping from the moving ride vehicle.
@its.sanaiyah Mind y’all this my dad. I was recording my sister crying next thing I know my dad hoping out his seat. #heokay #universalstudios #mysisterisokayshewasjustoverreactingasusual #funny #orlando #florida
Seconds after the jump, Universal Orlando Resort team members stopped the attraction, and the lights came on. Other riders watched as the man wandered, thankfully unharmed by the fall or moving ride mechanics.
The video quickly gathered over 340,000 views and hundreds of comments, with many fans expressing their worries about the danger of jumping off a moving ride. Several commenters suggested that the man could have been seriously injured and questioned whether there should have been consequences for his actions.
Credit: Martin Lewison, Flickr
“That’s an easy way to get a ban girl,” said @peeonmemom. “Those cars lift off the ground with huge pneumatics leaving giant holes in the ground that he could fall in and get crushed. Y’all got really lucky.”
“Yeah don’t do that,” @fake.nerd added. “If you step off that ride wrong, you will drop like 8 feet.”
In a follow-up video, the TikTok user explained that her father was experiencing a medical emergency at the time of the incident. “If he hadn’t gotten off the ride, he probably would’ve had a stroke or heart attack,” she said.
@its.sanaiyah Replying to @Noenemiesonlylove
She also clarified that Universal Orlando Resort was understanding of the situation and compensated her family with new tickets for another visit.
“That was actually our first ride of the day,” she explained. “We had just gotten to the park…He was saying that he was already feeling a little bad, but he was just thinking because he didn’t have his caffeine, that it was just a caffeine headache.”
While many Universal Parks fans expressed relief that the guest was okay, others cautioned against such actions in the future. Instead of jumping off a ride in an emergency, they suggested waving or otherwise alerting a team member that something is wrong.
Credit: Universal
“I get that he was having an emergency but he absolutely could have waved down a ride attendant to stop the ride safely,” said @gordita.ari. “He could have gotten seriously injured.”
Universal Orlando Resort reminds guests to read the safety warnings before queuing for attractions, particularly if they have health concerns that could be exacerbated during the ride.
Do you agree with Universal Orlando Resort’s decision to compensate this guest and his family? Disney Tips would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
