The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
Universal Studios Hollywood · Illumination Avenue
Overview
Riders become stray puppies in cardboard-box vehicles, searching the streets of New York for Max, Duke and a new home. The ride mixes animatronics, sets and screens, and the boxes give it a playful look for a low-intensity family dark ride. With a low 34-inch height requirement, it's one of the more accessible indoor rides at the park for younger children.
ParksLog verdict
This doesn't try to be more than it is, and that's part of its charm. The cardboard-box vehicles add charm, and the low height requirement makes it genuinely useful for mixed-age groups with younger kids. Not a must-do for adults without children in tow, but a pleasant, easy addition to a family day.
About this experience
Family dark ride through New York apartment scenes as stray puppies journey toward adoption, with physical sets and character figures.
Best for
- Families with young children
- Secret Life of Pets fans
- Guests wanting a low-intensity indoor break
Tips
- The 34-inch height minimum makes this accessible to younger kids who can't yet ride some of the park's other dark rides.
- The cardboard-box vehicles are a fun detail for kids.
- It's a good air-conditioned stop to pair with nearby Despicable Me Minion Mayhem for an Illumination-focused family stretch of the day.
Details
History
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash opened on April 16, 2021, a year later than planned because of the pandemic, adapting Illumination's Secret Life of Pets film franchise into a family dark ride along Illumination Avenue.
Fun facts
- Ride vehicles look like cardboard boxes, the kind a puppy might be adopted in.
- It's based on Illumination's Secret Life of Pets film franchise rather than an original story.
- At 34 inches, it has one of the lowest height requirements among the park's indoor dark rides.