Meeting the costumed characters of the animated movie franchise “Despicable Me” could have been a highlight of a family’s visit to Universal Orlando Resort.

Instead, when Richard and Tiffiney Zinger later took a closer look at a video from a March 23 visit to the resort, the husband and wife said they made a shocking discovery: One of the costumed characters posing with their biracial children made a white power sign.

Mr. Zinger, 40, is white and Ms. Zinger, 35, is black.

The couple — both United States Army veterans who served in the war in Iraq — said the episode happened during a breakfast with the movie’s Minions characters at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando.

An actor dressed as the character Felonious Gru put his hand on the shoulder of their daughter, who was 6 at the time, and made an upside-down “O.K.” sign with his fingers.