Ride Spotlight: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Universal Orlando Resort has some amazing, unique rides. One of our faves is Forbidden Journey.

It’s located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so duh, it’s automatically cool. But to add to the cool factor, it’s located INSIDE the castle!!

The Basics

Forbidden Journey has a 48″ height requirement and is located in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. This ride takes Express Pass and has a single rider line. You’ll need to use a free locker if you have a backpack or bag (but a fanny pack is ok).

The Queue

Walking through the queue, you’ll get to see the sorting hat, Dumbledore’s office, moving pictures, and so much more. If you’ve ever wanted to step inside Hogwarts castle, Forbidden Journey is the only way to do it. Of course, if you’re a chicken, you can still go through the queue and then opt not to ride it- just let a team member know.

The Ride

The Forbidden Journey ride itself features a combination of 3D screens and movement through a real set. I’d compare it to a combination of Flight of Passage at Disney and Spiderman at Islands of Adventure. You’ll hop aboard a bewitched bench along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as you fly above the Quidditch pitch, soar past the Whomping Willow, and escape Dementors.

Each bench has 4 seats attached to a moving arm which transports you throughout the set- think of seats connected to an octopus arm. The seats do fling you around a fair amount, and there are parts where you are tipped backward- not completely upside down, but you do go pretty far back. The dementors also fly at you and dragons breathe in your face, so the ride can be a little intense. There’s a 48″ height requirement, but even if your child meets that- take into account how much your child can handle before letting them on the ride.

However, if you think your kid can handle it- do it!! My then-7 year old got off the ride and said it was so good, his legs were shaking!

Forbidden Journey also tends to make a lot of people motion sick, so if you are prone to that, be careful. I don’t have this issue on the ride, though there is a part at the very end where you go from a screen to the wall, and for some reason, that feels disorienting to me.

Overall, Forbidden Journey is a unique ride with so. much. Harry Potter. Every HP fan should try it at least once. If nothing else, walk through the queue and see the castle.

At the end of the ride, you’ll come out at the gift shop (of course) and if you look up, you can see all of the items Filch has confiscated from students.

We make sure to do this ride several times every trip!