Forbidden Journey Oi Fun Fact
When originally designed, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey had many more Dementors, including the ones painted on the walls in ultraviolet light that were originally going to be activated by the ride vehicles. However, Harry Potter creator JK Rowling and Warner Bros. deemed them too scary, so the Dementors remain dormant on the walls to this day.
The Forest Hides Many Secrets
A woodland trail inspired by the Forbidden Forest from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series is set to open at Arley Hall & Gardens in Cheshire this Autumn. Taking fans on a journey that will quite literally illuminate some of their favourite Forbidden Forest moments, the incredible experience makes for a perfect getaway if youre looking to escape the city, just in time for Halloween.
With illuminating sets, atmospheric lighting and magical creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, there is plenty to discover along the way. Want to get your hands on tickets before theyre gone? Tickets are on sale now and you can get yours here.
Transforming the beautiful location into a spectacular outdoor light trail inspired by the wizarding world, guests are invited to step into a magical woodland filled with curious creatures and characters from both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series taking up residence in the Forbidden Forest.
An interactive experience packed with surprises aspiring witches and wizards will come face to face with Centaurs, bow to a Hippogriff, cast a mesmerising Patronus and even spy some cheeky Nifflers. That is, all before stumbling upon a charming village where guests can enjoy food and drinks under the stars and shop official Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts merchandise.
The Castles Backdoor Entrance
A guided tour of Hogwarts takes you through the grounds, passing statues of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, and Albus Dumbledores office, as well as switchbacks through the greenhouse to re-enter the school through a backdoor.
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What Is The Seat Format On Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
Seats in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey go in twos or fours. After going through the castle and entering the ride itself, you will reach a point where you will strap yourself in a coaster chair.
Those chairs do not have the typical rollercoaster foot support, but your feet will be dangling in the way. This way, it will look like you are also riding a broomstick together with Harry and the others.
In most cases, you can choose to go in twos particularly if there are two of you riding. However, you can also go with 4-seating options. This option is more convenient if you have a larger family or going with a bigger group .
The beauty of this ride is that, unlike other rides, you are not cramped into other groups of people. Youll be able to enjoy your trip without being bothered by the strangers around you.
Seats used to be smaller, but now they were made to fit people of multiple sizes. Seats in the front are the regular, appropriate for people of average size, whereas people on the plus-size will have to use the seats in the back. This way, the staff can be sure that the restraints and everything fit around you properly.
However, bear in mind that the maximum limit for the seat is 265 lbs.
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
In the fifth book, Dumbledore is demoted from Chief Warlock of the , voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards, and is almost stripped of his Order of Merlin First Class due to his speeches regarding the return of Voldemort, although it is reported that he is unconcerned as long as he is not taken off the Chocolate Frog cards. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Magic does everything they can to discredit him and Harry mainly through the . At the beginning of the book, Dumbledore enrages Fudge when he stops by at Harry’s with a witness to ensure that he is not expelled. While Harry feels better when Dumbledore assists him, he becomes annoyed to the point of being angry that the headmaster refuses to speak to or even look at him.
During the following year at Hogwarts, the Ministry passes Educational Decree Twenty-two, allowing Fudge to place to the post of teacher . Through her, Fudge gradually gains power over Hogwarts and Dumbledore, who he fears is building an under-age wizard army to overthrow the Ministry. Umbridge forbids practical defence practice in her classes, forcing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to form with fellow friends. When the Ministry discovers the D.A., Dumbledore, choosing to accept the responsibility, falsely claims that the organisation was his own subversive creation, and allows himself to be removed as headmaster rather than allow Harry to be expelled.
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Attraction Review: Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Ride
Excitement is building as Universal Orlando lets more Guests by the day into their new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure. Recently, limited soft openings have allowed all park Guests to finally enter the area, enabling many excited visitors to experience the groundbreaking new attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
I have had a chance to ride Forbidden Journey three times this week and have already written my completely spoiler-free thoughts on the attraction. If youre not interested in potentially ruining the ride by reading details about whats inside, I recommend reading that article rather than what I include below.
From this point forward, this post will be filled with spoilers as I take you step-by-step through the entire Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride experience, offering both descriptions of each scene as well as my own personal thoughts on how well those scenes work. Get ready for an exciting ride
Whats The Standby Waiting Time For Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
Waiting time depends on a number of factors. The average standby time is around 30-45 minutes, but it can stretch for as much as 250 minutes on a very busy day.
This is why you might want to go in line at the perfect moments when the waiting time is at its shortest. The best times are thought to be at noon, at around 12PM, 4PM, and 7PM close to evening.
This is because at around those times, people are typically stopping for lunch, dinner, drinks, or are simply going home for the night.
Bad weather will also make the line shorter, so if you do not mind getting a little wet , then you should stand in line for the ride.
Rides are still going when its rainy, but many people prefer to find shelter during the rain which means the lines thin out quite significantly. Thats the shortest standby waiting youll be likely to get.
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Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Ride
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey can currently be found at three Universal parks, with a fourth currently being planned. Here are the opening dates at the different Universal Parks around the world:
- Universal Studios Hollywood in 2016
- Universal Studios Beijing
Using KUKA robocoaster technology, the ride allows park guests to fly around Hogwarts, head into the Forbidden Forest, flee a horde of Dementors, and even zoom around a Quidditch pitch. The storyline is fun, and very much in line with the Harry Potter world.
Here are some quick facts about the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride:
- Duration: 4:06
- Rows per vehicle: 1
Does Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Have Drops
That depends on your definition of a drop. As you ride, you will come across a simulated drop on the screen but theres no actual drop.
However, it comes with a lot of movement often made more intense with the motion simulator. Theres one five-foot dip, but many riders say that its not that bad.
That being said, if you are prone to motion sickness, it may affect you. Mixing that with seeing creepy scenes such as huge spiders coming straight to your face, it might add to your upset stomach even more. The drop might not affect you as much as the creepiness of the whole ride would, along with the motion-stimulating effect.
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Can You Use An Express Pass For Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
If you do not want to wait in long lines, then you might be interested in the Universal Studios Express Pass.
Universal Studios offers Express Passes for almost every ride you can find on the premises and fortunately, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of those rides. You can also access priority seating at shows using an Express Pass, but the best part of it is that it saves you quite a lot of time.
While the waiting time is much shorter, it doesnt mean its non-existent. After all, you wont be the only person with an Express Pass and there will also be the ones without the Express Pass to consider.
Seating and places in line will have to be considered as well. You will simply be seen as a priority. As a result, instead of waiting 45 minutes to get on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, you will wait under 20 minutes with an Express Pass.
It might not seem like much in the beginning, and you might think why not skip the wait altogether, but think about it: that Express Pass can be used almost everywhere. With the time you save on this attraction and the time you save on the other ones, youll be able to see more attractions on the same day.
Flight At The Hippogriff
During Flight at the Hippogriff next well travel across two islands of adventure wherein the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade youll find the roller coaster flight of the Hippogriff. The ride originally opened on June 29 2000.
As the flying unicorn, once the Wizarding World opened on June 18 2010 it was then redeemed to fit Harry Potter. The ride was manufactured by bakoma and is considered to also be a junior coaster. But for a junior coaster its pretty thrilling as it reaches speeds of up to 28 point five miles per hour. As you step into your ride vehicle youll find yourself on a test flight of a Hippogriff.
While you fly over the Forbidden Forest and Hagrids height the ride is a sizable drop includes many twists and turns with the entire experience lasting one minute and six seconds. Now dont let the size of this coaster trick you because even though its small it provides a decent thrill which is worth experiencing if the weight isnt too long.
Image Credits WikiMedia
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What Is The Forbidden Journey Queue Like
A huge appeal of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey lies in its queue, which snakes all throughout Hogwarts Castle and contains nearly as many Easter eggs from the books and films as all the rest of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade combined.
The greenhouse
Once youve entered the castle via the regular line, youll walk a very short distance through a hallway meant to be its dungeon and past a statue of Gunhilda of Gorsmoor, which hides the secret passageway from Hogwarts into Honeydukes . After a few steps, you are back outside, in the partially covered section that is Hogwartss greenhouse. And though its really just a large holding area, there are still details to take notice of, such as the baby Mandrakes ready to be re-planted.
The castles backdoor entrance
Having navigated the switchbacks through the greenhouse, youll enter Hogwarts again through a backdoor. If youre a dedicated fan of the Harry Potter movies, the sights and sounds will become familiar to you as you pass a statue of Godric Gryffindor, the scorekeeper for the House Cup, and another statue, this time of Salazar Slytherin.
Dumbledores office
Defense against the Dark Arts classroom
In this room, youll await the arrival of Professor Binns and his Hogwarts history lecture, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione appear instead they sneak into the room underneath the Cloak of Invisibility and unveil themselves in front of everyone.
The Fat Lady and the Daily Prophet
Gryffindor common room
Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Is Still A Classic But The Visuals Feel A Bit Dated And You’re Prone To Get The Most Dizzy On This One
Ride length: Four minutes and six secondsWait time when I rode: 45 minutes/under 20 minutes for express ticket holders
Forbidden Journey was my favorite “Harry Potter” ride for the longest time, but as you get older, the tossing and turning of the vehicle may leave you a bit dizzy and disoriented.
While riding the “Potter” rides back-to-back, it’s easy to see how aged the graphics in the ride video have become, especially when compared to those on 2014’s newer Escape from Gringotts ride, which also uses video screens. The latter’s graphics are crisper and clearer. Still, the ride’s animatronic dragon and Dementors still frighten me every time I ride. There’s also nothing quite like walking through a real-life Hogwarts castle for the first time. The length of the ride and detailed ride queue make up for any qualms on the actual ride.
Queue grade: A
What’s not to love? Universal built the Hogwarts castle and brought the hallways to life. More than that, there are real moving and speaking portraits in the castle, just like in the films and books. Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all appear so the ride queue never feels boring. There’s always something to look at.
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Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
At the beginning of the third novel, Dumbledore is forced to accept onto his school’s grounds for the protection of his students from , a supposed murderer and accessory to murder, who had escaped from . After Black’s breach into Hogwarts, Dumbledore issues orders to close every entrance to the school and grounds. After Harry falls off his broomstick during a match because of the Dementors, Dumbledore becomes uncharacteristically angry with them and uses his wand to cause Harry to levitate safely to the ground. Later in that book, Dumbledore suggests that Hermione use her Ministry-approved to go back three hours to save the and Black from their unjust executions.
Getting To The Ride Is A Journey
Rounding the bend at the end of The Wizarding World’s impeccably detailed Hogsmeade village, the sight of Hogwarts Castle punctures the sky and stirs the senses. The mythic building, which had previously only existed in the minds of adoring readers and on screen as part of the film series, looks picture-perfect in person. To board Forbidden Journey, guests pass through its gates and into the majestic castle.
Ambling through Hogwarts is, in itself, an immersive attraction. Nestled throughout the queue are artifacts from Rowling’s world that will delight ardent fans. Hey! There’s the Mirror of Erised. And look! We’re entering Professor Sprout’s Herbology gardens. In California, there are stunning views of the Hollywood hills to add to the ambiance.
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Experience The Magic Of Hogwarts With Harry Ron And Hermione
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an experience like none other! More than a ride, this attraction allows for Wizards and Muggles alike to explore the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For the first time in the U.S. in 3-D, Hollywoods version of this beloved attraction brings about an exciting new element for guests to experience without having to make a trip to Japan!
Sirius Black’s Enchanted Motorbike
Sirius Black owned a flying motorbike, which he lent to Hagrid the night Harry’s parents died. It is first seen when Hagrid delivers the baby Harry to Number 4, Privet Drive in the first book, and then again when Hagrid uses it to transport Harry to a safe house in the seventh volume. In Deathly Hallows, various modifications have been made to the bike by Mr. Weasley, allowing it to create a brick wall or a net that erupts from the exhaust pipe and to shoot dragon fire from the exhaust, impelling the bike’s sudden acceleration. The dragon-fire feature is used to great effect by Hagrid and Harry when being chased by Voldemort however, Mr. Weasley did warn that he was unsure of its safety and that they should use it only in an emergency. He was right to say this, as the sidecar of the motorbike, unaffected by Hagrid’s magic dislodged after the abrupt acceleration.
The bike is severely damaged when, with Hagrid and Harry aboard, it crashes into and ‘ garden pond. Mr. Weasley covertly tells Harry that he plans to put the bike back together when “he has time”, meaning when Mrs. Weasley is distracted or has forgotten about it. He hides it in the chicken coop and manages to repair it, giving it to Harry between the end of Deathly Hallows and the epilogue. The bike is now still in Harry’s possession, but he doesn’t use it.
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Can You Take Your Bag On Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
This depends on where you are planning to go through Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and how big your bag is. Typically, fanny packs are permitted but anything bigger than that will not be allowed. The general rule is that unless you can fit it in a pocket, it will have to go so obviously, the fanny pack cannot be too big either.
After all, it might mess with the restraints, which is why you might want to leave it in the locker before entering the queue. Rest assured, considering that lockers have biometric scanners, your belongings are completely safe.
Some people say that as long as you are not intending to ride, then you might be able to take a bag in with you. You may get a few funny looks from the other people, but considering that you arent riding anything, you may as well carry your bag with you.