During this week’s Theme Park Rangers Radar, we’re cooling off with creative new non-alcoholic beverages at Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios, where we also eyed banana bread beer thanks to Minion Land. Also on the menu as we inch toward Halloween: Zombie Fingers with Florida flair. Plus, the “Encanto” crowd gets more face time at Walt Disney World.

Radar is a weekly assortment of theme park happenings and hankerings. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Minion mixers

Just before Minion Land opened at Universal Studios, Executive Chef Robert Martinez Jr. walked us through beverage options at Minion Cafe. Two are specifically themed “Despicable Me 2,” including the PX-41, a bright purple concoction.

“The drink category here, we knew that was going to be equally as important as the menu itself. We wanted it to be fun,” Martinez said.

“The [film] storylines themselves lend very well to be able for us to say ‘Hey, how about we try to create the PX-41?’”

In the 2013 film, PX-41 is a serum that causes subjects to turn into little, purple, out of control, furry killers, basically evil minions.  The theme-park version, dubbed PX-41 Punch, is more low-key, of course.

“The flavor profile of it is like a blue raspberry lemonade,” Martinez said.  There are Pop Rocks involved, too.

Like in the film, Minion Cafe offers the Antidote, a bright yellow drink.

“The Antidote is flavors of banana cream pie. It’s got graham crackers on the top,” Martinez said.

For adults, an obvious choice for the menu might be Wells’ banana bread beer. It’s available outside of Universal.

The PX-41 and Antidote beverages cost $7.99. The banana bread beer is $10. All are available at Minion Cafe and via mobile order from the Minion Cafe Pickup window.

Disney: What’s new for parade on Not-So-Scary Halloween Party nights

Fingers food

Speaking of brightly colored foods, those are some awfully green cookies popping up at Magic Kingdom. Introducing Zombie Fingers, three ominous-looking digits emerging from a cup.

“We had a lot of fun this year in our pastries team,” said Wade Camerer, executive chef for Magic Kingdom. “It’s almond cookies for the zombie fingers, key lime white chocolate ganache and then little eyes on there as well.”

It’s looking back at you, but from down around the fingers. Of course, zombies can have nontraditional assembly. It’s a dramatic dessert that costs $6.49 and is available at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe exclusively during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events.

Partygoers wanting to keep the bright green theme going can order the River Stix Elixir at Cosmic Ray’s. It’s kiwi lemonade with luster dust, Disney says. It packs a sugary one-two punch in tandem with the fingers, but it’s non-alcoholic.  It sells for $5.49.

Meet Mirabel

Mirabel, a member of the Madrigal family from the Disney film “Encanto” will begin her character greeting stint at Magic Kingdom on Sept. 15.  The occasion will kick off Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month, but meeting Mirabel will be a year-round opportunity, Disney says.

But wait, something unspeakable also happens Sept. 15. Bruno, the “Encanto” brother we don’t talk about (but do bring into song about), will join the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, a sort of mini-parade in the streets of Magic Kingdom that was born in pandemic times.  Also look for Miguel from “Coco,” Princess Elena of Avalor (from Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor”) and Jose Carioca, the parrot character from “The Three Caballeros.”

Weekend outlook

• Two more marketplaces have debuted at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Visitors can now order from the Hawaii outdoor kitchen (Spam sushi, passion fruit cheesecake) and the Noodle Exchange (ramen with shaved beef, Thai shrimp).

• The Epcot fest’s Eat to the Beat concert series continues with performances by Joey Fatone and Friends from Friday through Monday.

• SeaWorld Summer Spectacular continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday with “Surf Holiday” stage show, Club SeaGlow, live entertainment at the beer garden and Flamecraft stages and “Ignite,” the end-of-night fireworks show.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.

PODCAST: Universal’s Minion Land blasts off and HHN’s spooky expectation (Ep. 191)