Is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey A Roller Coaster
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is not a roller coaster. Instead, this is a darkthemed ride at Universal Studios Wizarding World of Harry Potter that takes you through the Hogwarts castle.
The ride uses motion simulation with 4D technology to make you feel as though youre travelling with Harry, Ron & Hermione around Hogwarts.
Is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey A Simulator
No, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is not a simulator, even though the objective is to simulate flying on a broom. Instead, the riding vehicle is linked to a track-mounted mechanical arm. A flight over Hogwarts castle, a battle with the Thwacking Oak and a troop of Dementors, and a Quidditch match are all part of the experience. The rollercoaster dips, twists, bends, and spins passengers but does not turn them upside down.
What Are The Seats Like On Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
The seats on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey are in a bench style with three people to a bench, each seat within the bench then has over-the-head shoulder harnesses to secure you in place.
Guests looking to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey need to be at least 48 tall.
However, while this ride has no maximum weight limit you will not be able to ride if the over-the-head shoulder harness can not secure you in place.
Test seats are located at the entrance of the ride and again at the front of the queue just before you board the ride.
Each test seat has a red, yellow and green light to indicate whether a guest is able to fit securely in the seat.
If the light is green then youre safe to ride in any seat. Meanwhile, if the light is yellow then youre permitted to ride in one of the modified seats and finally, if the light is red then youre sadly unable to ride.
Note that seating modifications for larger guests are only available at Universal Studios Orlando and not at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
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What Is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
The first part of Hogsmeades signature attraction is a tour of Hogwarts Castles most iconic rooms, including Dumbledores office and the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. The ride itself takes you on a flying adventure around the grounds of Hogwarts, as you dodge Dementors, survive a giant spiders lair, and face a fire-breathing dragon.
Whats The Average Standby Wait Time For Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey And Is It Worth The Wait
Typically the standby wait time for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is between 80 and 120 minutes.
However, the exact wait time will vary dramatically depending on the time of year youre visiting Universal Studios, the weather, and what time youre wanting to go on the ride.
The time of year you visit both Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood has a significant impact on the standby wait times for most rides in the park, Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey included.
If youre visiting over a bank holiday weekend or a holiday then expect to wait longer.
The weather you experience when visiting Universal Studios is also going to have an impact on how long you wait.
While this doesnt have as much of an impact as the time of year you visit, you will generally find that if its raining more people leave the parks early.
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Flight Of The Hippogriff The Ride
The Flight Of The Hippogriff is a smaller coaster. It falls under the category of a family coaster. It is not quite a thrill ride, but certainly not a kiddie coaster. Think Barnstormer at Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom, but better.
Universal did a great job re-theming the coaster to feel undeniably Harry Potter.
You walk through the open-air queue to see a life-sized replica of Hagrids Hut before you arrive at the loading station.
Its a smaller area, a smaller train, and a shorter ride, but its still pretty fun. Once loaded into the train, you will be taken past Buckbeak, the famous Hippogryph who let Harry ride him in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. Id say 90% of the time, at least one child will yell, Hey, Its Buckbeak!
After that, its a standard roller coaster, but its a little faster than you think, and most people have a great time.
Id say most could stand for it being a little bit longer, but other than that, its a gem. The fact that its right next to Hogwarts Castle also adds plenty of theming goodness to the fun.
Recommended age for the ride:
Just about all ages can climb onto the Hippogriff. Again, its more about height restrictions than age here on this Harry Potter World rides. This one has a nice and low restriction at 36, so most kids will be able to climb aboard.I feel comfortable saying any kid whos tall enough can handle this one safely.
Backpack checking:
Kids Ride Share:
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Filchs Emporium Of Confiscated Goods
Once off the ride, you can peruse items taken from students who got on the wrong side of the schools resident caretaker, Argus Filch. From t-shirts, bags, caps, and scarves to plush toys, stationery, and mugs, every fan will find at least one must-have item here.
PRO TIP: There are plenty of authentic movie prop replicas stationed throughout the store. Plan to spend some time pointing out your favorites. Mine is the Marauders Map complete with moving footprints!
Riding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey feels like flying through the scenes that have lived in your imagination for years great for both hard core and casual fans of the Harry Potter films. Ill never be able to express how immersed I felt when I first got on board and realized everything Ive always wanted to see was coming to life in front of me.
What are you most looking forward to seeing inside Hogwarts castle? Tell us in the comments below!
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Harry Potter Comes To Universal Stuidos
Before Harry Potter, I can still remember going to what seemed like an abandoned Universal Studios and wondering, how in the world does this place stay open? My wife and I would walk empty streets on the way to rides with no line. Wed walk up to Dragon Challenge or The Incredible Hulk roller coasters and climb aboard the train.
Even the hotels were empty most of the time. Wed stay at The Royal Pacific or the Hard Rock Hotel and have the run of the place. It was quiet, almost too quiet. That was the case for the first 3-4 times I was there.
Then came Harry Potter.
Without exaggeration, the first time we went there with Harry was in 2011, the year after it opened. It was like night and day. There were droves of people standing in line for ButterBeer, which is fantastic, by the way, and The Forbidden Journey ride in Hogwarts Castle.
It was unbelievable.
Where did all of these people come from? Id say.
Im never one to complain about a lack of lines and people in my way, but I was legitimately nervous that wed lose the whole place for a few years.
The Wizarding World changed that with a thunderous crash immediately!
The people came for a good reason. Its truly epic. It takes you into the books, and movies like no theme park had ever done before. I have yet to hear someone go to The Wizarding World and leave saying, meh. It just doesnt happen.
Tips For Riding Hogwarts Express
- A good thing to remember is that the trip is different from traveling the opposite way. They do a great job of setting up the land you are about to enter. If you are heading from the Studios side to Islands of Adventure, you will see Hogwarts Castle outside.
- When traveling From IOA to The Studios and Diagon Alley, you will see London and the relative characters outside.
- If you can ride both ways, you will more than likely be happy you did. Especially with the kids.
- I prefer the ride from London To Hogsmeade. Its a bit more intense and spooky!
Arriving at the Kings Cross Station right next to Diagon Alley is great. Again, Universal does a great job using the landscapes and characters you know and love to get you excited and in the mood for some Harry Potter action.
When you are heading to Hogsmeade FROM Kings Cross station, you will get to experience platform 9 34. This is where you can take videos and pictures of your family and friends disappearing through the brick wall. Very VERY cool!
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Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Voice Cast
Speaking of the audio track, many of the stars of the Harry Potter movies reprised their roles for the attraction, including Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. The highly-anticipated 2010 opening of the very first Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando Resort was a star-studded event with Michael Gambon , Tom Felton , Matthew Lewis , James and Oliver Phelps , Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright , and Grint all in attendance.
Six years later, Warwick Davis and Evanna Lynch joined the Phelps twins and Felton to welcome The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Universal Studios Hollywood.
Both Grand Opening events featured an orchestra performing the Harry Potter score conducted by composer John Williams.
The Filmed Sequences Are An Ingenuity
The vehicles’ freedom of movement combined with the enveloping screens gives a “you-are-there” dimensional quality. Among the many design mysteries that had us scratching our heads was the fact that the vehicles are constantly moving forward on a track through the ride building, yet the screens remain fixed in front of the benches for at least 20 seconds at a time for each of the filmed sequences. Each ride vehicle has its own mini domed screen that follows it for the duration of each sequence and the vehicle and screen follow a circular path for each scene. Considering the number of vehicles in the high-capacity ride, that’s a lot of screens. And a testament to the ingenuity and level of attention lavished on Forbidden Journey.
In the original Forbidden Journey at Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, the filmed sequences were not rendered or presented in 3D. At Universal Studios Hollywood, however, they were originally shown in 3D. There, passengers were given “Quidditch goggles” prior to their journey. The added depth and intimacy made the experience more immersive.
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Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Ride Description
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a fantastic dark ride that revolves around characters introduced in the Harry Potter books and movies. The queue, which is housed inside Hogwarts Castle, is one of the most elaborate ever created. It takes guests past numerous Harry Potter landmarks, including the Greenhouse, Dungeons, and Potions Classroom, as well as famous artifacts, like the Mirror of Erised, the One-Eyed Witch, the Sorting Hat, a statue of the Hogwarts architect, and the school hourglasses that record House points.
The queue also includes multiple pre-shows that take place in the Portrait Gallery, Dumbledore’s Office, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The Portrait Gallery contains portraits of the Four Founders as well as other witches and wizards. Many of the portraits throughout Hogwarts actually speak. You’ll hear everything from conversations about Harry Potter to Quidditch tips.
There is an excellent Hogwarts Castle photo opp on this bridge, which separates Jurassic Park and Hogsmeade Village.
The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride turns into a greatest hits adventure from here. You visit multiple locations, including the Chamber of Secrets, the Whomping Willow, the Forbidden Forest, etc. You see all manner of creatures from Hagrid’s lost dragon and a giant spider named Aragog to Dementors. You also see multiple characters including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Draco.
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.
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More Great Family Fun Activities In Orlando
Kennedy Space Center Unleash your inner astronaut at this great educational attraction.
Universal Orlando Park to Park Ticket Enjoy the rides at Universal with this 3- park ticket.
Tour the Everglades by Boat on this great 90 minute adventure.
Orlando Museum of Illusions See some of the best optical illusions at this great family fun museum.
The truth is, theres still plenty more to see and do in the Wizarding World on top of everything weve already discussed. Its an amazing place, and you can easily see why its become the sensation it has had over the years.
Even if you spend the week there and uncover every single thing you can see or do, you will be happy to learn that Universal is building an entirely new Harry Potter-themed land in their brand new theme park Epic Universe!
But until that new park opens, we have more than enough Harry Potter attractions to keep us entertained. If youre planning a trip to the Orlando area and are trying to decide which parks to spend your hard-earned money at, just know this.
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando has spared no expense in vying to be your choice. Its an epic adventure that changed the theme park game, and even if you dont consider yourself a Harry Potter enthusiast, and you will still have a fantastic time youll remember forever!
Food And Treats Of The Wizarding World
Remember when I spoke about allowing yourself to get whisked away into the world Universal is trying to take you to? Well, the food of Harry Potters lands can help achieve that in a way few theme park restaurants can hope to accomplish.
They are themed perfectly to the movies and even have traditional Old English menus that do a great job of continuing the illusion that youve left the muggle world behind.
Over in Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure, you will dine in the Three Broomsticks restaurant.
Menu items such as Shepherds Pie, Beef Pasties, Fish & Chips, and Pumpkin juice make it feel like you might not be in a theme park at all any longer. The theming is on point, and the food is actually very good. Its not enough to have cool menu items, ya, know. Making them taste good is critical!
We were very happy with all of our lunches at the Three Broomsticks over the years. Its a great break from the heat as well. They make it really feel like youre in a dark and dank restaurant in the middle of the English countryside
- A nice hint is that the outside seating is usually abandoned. While the inside of the restaurant is packed to the gills, weve had almost the entire outside area in the back to ourselves on more than one occasion.
- Now you even get a pretty great view of the Velocicoaster flying by. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
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Is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Scary
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter is home to some of the best rides at the Universal Studios resort in Orlando.
One of which is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey, located inside Hogwarts Castle located at Universals Islands of Adventure park.
The Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey ride can be scary to some people. However, this ride is not a rollercoaster, instead, its a dark-themed motion simulation ride with small drops. You will spin around, twist and turn, however, you will not go upside down.
However, you do lie flat on your back at one point. As such whether you find this ride scary or in any way uncomfortable is likely to depend on your age, experience with motion simulation and fears.
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 School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 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 castle 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!