Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem to go 2D at Universal Studios Hollywood
According to Screamscape the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride at Universal Studios: Hollywood has also dropped the use of 3D glasses and revised the attraction's pre-show to omit any mention of wearing the glasses during the ride. And according to rumors, this change could eventually be coming to the version of Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem at Universal Studios Florida as well, sometime before the end of the year!
The downgrading of 3D to 2D for both Ratatouille in Paris and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem in California both have interesting implications for the Florida counterparts of these attractions, but thinking more broadly, we have to wonder if the removal of 3D features will become its own larger trend. After all, Universal declined to include the 3D effects in Fast and the Furious: Supercharged as well as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (both of these are 3D at Universal Studios: Hollywood), and if both Disney and Universal parks are now looking at removing these effects (or not including them in cloned attractions, like with Ratatouille), could we be seeing the beginning of the end of this type of ride?
Image: Universal
Of course, it's impossible to see into the future, but with criticisms of this type of attraction growing, and new audio animatronic technology powering attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Hagrid's Magical Motorbike Adventure, it seems like screens and 3D effects could be on their way out. Now whether or not that is a good thing, we'll leave up to you to decide!
Comments
I personally am a fan of the 3D removal form these attractions, but I may be in the minority.
They actually removed the 3D effects in Forbidden Journey at Universal Studios Hollywood a little while back.
I don't think simulator rides are out. Disney recently unveiled their Flight of Passage attraction that was a huge hit.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/avatar-flight-of-passage/
Could cost be a factor? There’s an additional cost to maintaining 3D equipment. Repairing, cleaning, and/or replacing the stock of 3D glasses, potential liability from riders who get headaches or other head symptoms from the 3D experience (more common that you think—the eyes and brain were never designed to focus on a fixed point (the screen) and converge at some other point in space simultaneously)