Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure is a standout attraction that blends immersive storytelling with cutting-edge ride technology. Located inside the iconic Hogwarts Castle within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, the experience begins before the ride even starts. Guests walk through detailed recreations of Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor common room, all while hearing familiar voices and seeing magical effects that build anticipation. The ride itself is a thrilling journey through the skies above Hogwarts, combining motion simulation with physical sets and screen-based visuals. Riders dodge Dementors, fly past dragons, and zip through Quidditch matches—all while seated in enchanted benches that tilt, twist, and glide. The transitions between scenes are seamless, and the pacing keeps you engaged from start to finish. It’s a perfect blend of fantasy and adrenaline, especially for fans of the series.

One of the coolest, most thrilling, and spookiest dark rides I’ve ever experienced. The robotic arm system moves you seamlessly through a perfect blend of screen and practical effects. From the fire-breathing dragon to the room full of dementors, this ride packs all the iconic spooky moments of Harry Potter into one incredible thrill ride. Truly a must-do for fans and thrill-seekers alike! There’s so many amazing things in the queue for fans as well!

Great for kids and Harry Potter fans — the theming is magical and immersive. ✨ But for adults it can feel a bit repetitive and not as thrilling as other rides in the park. Fun to try once, but not the most exciting.

If I could give 0 stars, I really would. Staff NEEDS a better disclaimer about how intense that ride is. I’ve heard multiple stories about my friends going and they end up vomiting , telling me not to get on. I ended up riding it, and was sick to my stomach. The flips and turns are so intense! It is the LONGEST ride I’ve ever been on, for it being so intense. I was beyond ready for it to end!! My fav rides are the Velocicoaster, the hulk, space mountain, hagrids, etc. Long story short I LOVE heights, thrill rides, but that “kid” ride was genuinely nauseating. Mind you I am only 21. Roller coaster do not make me nauseous and I’ve been going to universal/disney since I was 2 years old.. Worse ride universal has for sure..

FORBIDDEN JOURNEY is SERIOUSLY the best ride in the whole park. It completely exceeded my expectations and overshadowed two other of my favorite rides: cat in the hat, and transformers. each time i rode this ride, it’s always been a smooth, classic experience. I love harry potter. the performance is excellent, and the machines feel so real. the whumping willow is so beautiful. i mean, gosh… it’s my favorite part of the ride. i’ve never seen something so well polished. i’d say the whumping willow is legit my favorite character of all time (i also read the book and decided this.) anyways, this is such a good ride, sometimes i dream about riding it, and i never wanna wake up. I STRIVE TO BE THE BOY WHO LIVED. FORBIDDEN JOURNEY MAKES ME WANT TO LIVE! i LOVE this ride, although the giant ugly spider does scare me, so i have to turn on my flashlight or else i’ll get triggered - the other folks don’t like that too much haha. but i’ll go crazy and they’ll have to stop the ride again like last time. I LOVE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY.

A great experience - very immersive, making you feel like you're actually there in the HP world! And yes, the pictures occasionally move lol Definitely try the Forbidden Treasures ride! One of the absolute best rides there (and the Hagrids motorcycle one is pretty fun too. Note that the Fast passes do not apply to that one though, so expect a wait...)

Waiting in line and going through the castle is an experience unto itself. The herbology portion and inside the castle both have so much to enjoy. The ride itself was intense and I'm prone to motion sickness, so my eyes were closed for most of the screen portions. The animatronics and overall ride experience was so exciting.

One of the best overall experiences in either of the Universal parks. The exterior and interior design rank in the top two, with Gringott’s being the other. There are literally dozens of references to Harry Potter lore throughout, and the architecture is sublime. So many memorable moments throughout that the last half-hour of your wait will fly by. You’ll see multiple scenes and be entertained by several talking portraits. And the ride itself is top-notch — a technological marvel — also one of the best in the park(s). You’ll get whipped about in a secure seat on a robotic arm that is synchronized with on-screen action with amazing sound design and execution.

Easily one of my favorite rides when I visited Universal with my mom and stepdad last month! It's a great, modern simulation ride. Tons of fun and excitement! Tons of HP content - even the line has a lot to look at (you're basically walking around Hogwarts to get to the ride)! When we visited, this ride had the shortest waits of the HP rides (I finished it and got right back in line). Maybe since it's not new anymore? But sometimes it only had a 20-25 minute wait! Tons of fun. I giggled a ton (my gauge for a good ride, I'm more of a giggler than a screamer). If you're a fan of Harry Potter (and I assume you are if you're reading this review), don't miss Forbidden Journey.

This ride is so well done and I love that Harry Potter is guiding you along the way. My 11 year old son loved this ride the most. He wanted to go over and over again and I can't say I blame him. The best part is when you feel like you're riding on a broom and following Harry. Such a unique and fun experience.

Still one of the best rides at Universal Studios. Those with bad backs need not ride. It'll jolt you around like a cowboy on a bucking horse. Also, if you have little kids who scare easily, or if you scare easily, skip this ride. You can always tour the castle without riding this ride. You'll be tossed and see in 4D, like a Rollercoaster meets a 3D ride, into a Dementor filled Quidditch ride. It's not for the faint of heart.

Great ride, not too many bumps, some spinning involved. It can get a little dark and scary for younger kids. I really enjoyed the ride as well as the line waiting for it. There's a lot of cool rooms to go through in line. The employees here are always nice.

My favorite ride in all of Harry Potter World and probably in all of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure combined! This ride is so magical and is right at my tolerance level of intensity for a ride, so it's truly perfect for me. As a huge Harry Potter fan, you'll absolutely love everything about this ride, including the queue! The line is probably going to be quite long for this ride, but it's so worth it because you get to weave and wind through the castle and see up close so many of the things from the books and movies! The moving images in picture frames, moving staircases, Dumbledore's office, the greenhouse with all sorts of herbology creatures, and so much more! It is so entertaining standing in this line, soaking it all in, and feeling like a proper student at Hogwarts! The ride itself is absolutely incredible! You are basically flying on a broom through the expansive grounds of Hogwarts with Harry! It's a true adventure and you'll definitely encounter a few hiccups along the way if you get my drift and it's all so immersive and realistic that I'm just hooting and hollering the entire way through! Absolutely love this ride and it is more than worth the wait! This is a must-do in my book every single time!!

This forbidden journey roller coaster was by far my favourite. They did such an incredible job decorating the waiting area that made it perfect for a ton of photos. Unfortunately, I locked up my phone so I couldn't properly document how amazing it was. One suggestion would be to try doing this roller coaster twice - one in the morning and then again at night. IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC

Have gone on this ride several times...there is usually a wait time and have to store items in the lockers inside the castle. Nothing loose can be on you as it will fall out and one cannot go retrieve it at all. Must remember where your locker is and get back to it before you have to pay...the amount of time gets adjusted based on the wait time. As you go in, you weave through and get to look at everything Harry Potter related til you get ready to board your ride. Hopefully not a long wait and one can zip all the way to boarding. Everyone must buckle up for the ride as it take you an adventure with Harry Potter and friends - up and down, side to side, rotate around... be careful boarding and exiting as the walkway does move. fun ride overall...can go more than once if the line isn't too long or not a bad wait time. I never paid the extra $ to get quicker entry.. the cost of the park ticket alone is not cheap. After the ride, collect your valuables from the locker and visit the store if you have never been before. On certain nights there is light show at the castle. check the times and try to get your spot before it starts..it does get quite crowded. Keep an eye on your belongings and enjoy the show!

I really enjoy this ride. The outside castle, inside shows the schools and the ride itself creates a simulation making it feel like your flying around on a broomstick. It is a bit rough as there's plenty of sudden movements and random objects popping up. If you aren't a fan of this type of motion I'd avoid it. Also beware if you have deep pockets secure all of your items in the locker as my IPhone almost flew out. If you love HP this is the ride to go on. More simulation and great inside decor.

This ride is great. You get to walk through Hogwarts just to get to the ride. The atmosphere is amazing. This ride is very unique and really fun. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5 is just because it can get you a little dizzy and motion sick. I can usually only ride it once. If I rode it more than once in a row I'd get super nauseous.

This is a very fun and exciting ride at universal. My family and I really enjoyed the fun and scary that this ride provided. We like the other two Harry Potter rides better but this is a lot of fun and a must when you are at universal

Listen to the motion sickness warnings‼‼ I saw the signs but figured "hey I've spent my career riding in the back of an ambulance, this won't be so bad"...WRONG. DEAD WRONG. I blew chunks allll in the bathroom immediately after I got off this ride...3 separate times. Phenomenally put together, beautiful, truly wish I could have enjoyed it. Loved the scenery. The ride isn't the problem, I just couldn't handle it. Whew!

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of my favorite rides at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Universal Studios Hollywood also has this ride. This is one of my go-to rides with my daughter every time we visit Universal's Islands of Adventure. It's located at Harry Potter area, right across from Flight of the Hippogriff. There is a locker associated with the ride to put all of your loose items in. The ride also accepts express pass. The wait queue is one of the best in my opinion at Universal's Islands of Adventure. The wait queue is inside the castle at Hogwarts. You'll walk through and see Dumbledore's study, moving pictures and much more! There is a height restriction for the ride, so make sure to check it prior to walking into the queue. My family and I went during the holidays, and the wait time averaged between 30 minutes and 60 minutes without the express pass. If you get motion sickness easily, avoid this ride! It moves up and down a lot and there is 3D screens as well. The ride takes you through the Harry Potter Castle, Quidditch match, and the dark woods. It's a dark thrill ride where you will move in a variety of different ways such as forward, back, side-to-side and much more. It's a wonderful ride though and one of our favorites. After the ride, there is a beautiful gift shop that you walk into. It has all Harry Potter themed items such as clothes, ornaments, plushies and much more!

This is a classic Harry Potter ride! I could not wait to try it so many years ago when this section of the park opened. Once my children were tall enough we were able to go on this tons and tons. True this is still a pandemic, but the lines do get very long as the day goes on. We were here for Spring Break, so the park did fill to capacity every day for most of the afternoon, so if you love this ride as much as I do, go in the morning. Staying on property, take advantage of the early entry. Or, the lines at night may be shorter, we came here close to closing time and had a very short wait. This ride combines so many elements. The walk through the castle is an amazing journey in itself. If this were a Harry Potter exhibit, I would be happy just doing that. Once on the ride, you have a combined speed, 3D effect complete with glasses, and your are carried away similar to the Peter Pan ride at Disney. There are many memorable moments tied to the movie, but you would still enjoy it even if you are not a fan due to the fast paced adventure. There are tons of great photo opps, especially the castle at night, incredible to look at. Even though there are lockers you much use, the employees told my daughter she could keep her phone on the ride. I like the additional safely measures put into place. I wish they will keep them, including hand sanitizer and personally handing you the glasses, instead of plucking them off a shelf. Be careful on this ride if you are prone to dizziness. The floor to get on and off the ride also moves fast. A woman at my hotel told me her brother-in-law tripped and fell. It is swift and dark, so take precautions if necessary. Lastly, I do not mind at all being led into a gift shop. I for one love Potter merch, especially the candy! I like to stock up once we are here, it is toooo good!!! The prices are a bit high, so be aware, but the sweatshirts we have purchased the past several years have held up and lasted for us to not have to replace them on any additional visits. The sweatshirts have been pretty good quality.

It's nice when walking in, but it's upsetting you have to put your bags in the locker. It was even more annoying and frustrating waiting for an hour on a line in a hot castle just for staff to say 'you're too fat to go on the ride! sorry!' It wasn't put this way exactly but it isn't worth 1 free express pass to make up for an hour of wait time. So just so you know before you go on it, if anyone or yourself is has a big belly you may not be able to go on the ride. Oh and let's add you do it in front of the whole entire line of people.. fat shamed in front of everyone. But when you walk there there is NOTHING saying you need a certain weight requirement it's just a height requirement. At least the staff was okay about it and the aesthetic was cool but that was humiliating and a waste of time. I would give it a 1 star if it wasn't cool looking.

Sensational ride. I have never experienced any rides as fun as this one. I recommend go through the normal line so during the wait you can see all the Harry Potter culture. The ride is fun. If I have time I will take more times

Great virtual reality type roller coaster located in islands of Adventure in Hogwarts castle. You feel safe in the ride but it will move you quickly and up and down throughout the ride. The ride is very well done, very lifelike, as if you are in a Harry Potter movie. The line is pretty long on the weekends, we waited over an hour, but it was worth it. Will definitely put this on a must do list for islands of adventure and universal as I enjoy the thrill rides.

Seeing Hogwarts as you come into Hogsmeade or enter in from the Jurassic World side is a stunning view- you will want to stow your belongings in the lockers on the side of the castle. This is another ride to use that single rider line to cut the wait time and on this ride the over the head latch makes it so you can't even see who you are next to- aka, it doesn't really matter if you are next to someone you know or not. After going through the line you jump on a conveyor belt and hop into a seat while moving sideways. This is not a roller coaster- but instead a motion based "dark ride" using KUKA robocoaster technology, which allows the seats to pivot while being held above the track by a robotic arm. AKA- the twist, turns and jerks of the ride have the potential to cause motion sickness if you are prone to it. I highly recommend your flight about the castle and grounds!

This ride is the essence of Harry Potter world: it's the CASTLE ride, like come on! They really went all out for people even when waiting in line- each room brings new nostalgia and nods to the HP series and it's the best. You can walk through the courtyard/ greenhouse and see Professor Sprouts latest garden gurus. As you walk inside you'll see the House point competition, and the entrance to Dumbledores study. There are some green screen parts where you see the Golden Trio in action, and you can even listen to the speaking picture frames of the house founders and more. The ride itself is a 3D ride- you're sitting in kind of a weird chair and follow Harry and friends through an amazing tour of the castle and all things HP. It gets pretty twirly, whirly and jerky, so know that. My dad and a good friend of mine don't go on this ride anymore (even though they'd like to) because they just get too motion sick for it to be worth it. This is just a fantastic ride though, and it never gets old as you wait or ride!

This is my favorite Harry Potter ride, and it is fantastic. You are sat on a moving bench (that I found out later is a mechanical arm on a conveyor belt that keeps the seat moving) and the ride takes you on a flying adventure with Harry Potter. The ride moves along at a very quick pace and if you get motion sickness, this is NOT the ride for you. (Back of house note - this is the ride that the most people get sick on!) It really does feel like you are flying and the special effects are amazing. At one point you are trying to avoid Hagrid's escaped dragon, and it is quite a wild ride. The line for this ride is usually one of the longest, so if you have the opportunity to get a fast pass - use it for this one! We actually had to wait in line just to deposit our bags in the (free) locker. Once you get inside the wait is more interesting just because there is so much to see i.e. the Mirror of Erised, talking portraits, a brief snow, Dumbledore, the sorting hat, etc. This ride is definitely not to be missed!

What a fantastic ride. We came after Labor Day, so the wait was negligible. But I would have loved it even if I had to wait a half hour. This ride as quite the harness, and it was needed for the time I nearly went upside down. You get to experience the dungeons, the Quidditch pitch, the Forbidden Forest, among other things.

This attraction is different compared to the other attractions at Universal which I really like. I do though wish in some of the scenes they made it so that we don't see the other attraction vehicle when flying in the air. Making you see this vehicle takes you out of the perspective of being on the "broom." With how creative the Harry Potter imaginers are, I think it would have been nice if they added the cafeteria from the school to the castle. Make it a reservation only system with decently priced food though, nothing expensive where it would cost $30 - 100 per person. Maybe an average about $20 per person. The second issue I have are the lockers. If you come during busy hours you can lose your spot in line and that could lead to longer wait times. Especially in this attraction, the queue lines are ridiculously long something like you'd find in Flight of Passage. If this ride every does get a refresh, it would be interesting to see an actual broom stick vehicle, like Hagrid's motorbike or Tron's cycle where we sit one behind another and just fly through the scenes like normal.

One of the rides you won't mind waiting in a line. There's so much to see starting off with the Mirror of Erised. The majority of it in indoors so you're not baking in the sun. The only part partially outside is through the Herbology Green House. The more involved area incorport a screen the first is past the Garygole into Dumbledore's office where he welcomes you. Then there's the Defense of the Dark Arts classroom with the Golden Trio where they describe their plan to get you to the quidditch game - falling snow/bubbles involved. The actual ride features a loose dragon, spiders (where the camera is located), the Whomping Willow, Dementors, until you're back at Hogwarts. All this accomplished through animatronics, elaborate sets, and screens with 3D goggles. It's an awesome ride that had so many great details - glowing claw marks across the Astronomy Tower from the dragon. The small spray of water with the spiders' hissing. The rider's face projected into smoke to emulate the Dementor's kiss. Small lockers are free for the duration of the ride. Larger lockers available at a cost Single rider line available After the ride you end up in Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Good which is the gift shop. And if you pay a visit to the bathroom you'll hear Moaning Myrtle.

This was so fun, I went 10 years ago and remember the line being super long. This time we went single rider and took the ride twice in a row, while the group riders inches along.

Absolutely fantastic. They have free lockers for your things while you ride, and the ;line takes you through Hogwarts castle. There are so many things to capture your interest - waiting is at least entertaining here! We had the Express Pass, so it took about ten minutes from when we go into the line until we were done with the ride. On the ride, you get transported to Hogwats via floo powder, and then you get a "tour" that involves some nasty turns like dragons, dementors, the Whomping Willow, etc. The have screens that make it seem like you are absolutely flying and experiencing it alongside Harry and the others! The ride is relatively short, but they have so many amazing touches that make it amazing and worth riding over and over again!

As a super HP geek....this is probably my favorite ride at Universal! Although I have to say Hagrid's is trying to compete....but....Forbidden Journey still wins for me! My sister-in-law gets motion sickness and so this was a bit much for her but #1 for me!

AMAZING. it was the best time we had in this park. all of the rest of the park can be destroyed and more Harry Potter stuff should come. I do not wanna make this a long review cause u need to come here and see it. I felt the magic of the place all over. the journey from the moment you get the train and come in here, drink your butter beer (not alcoholic btw) eat at a tavern and watch the castle night show, it is just perfect we came here every single day while staying in the universal grounds cause we just could not stay away from this area. download the app to make sure to know the times of wait time in line for the rides it is super helpful to plan the park visit.

The ride which you ll never forget... HP lovers gonna love this... Fantastic ride. Lots of twists and turns. Universal kicked it up with this one. This ride mandates that things must be stowed away in the lockers provided at the entrance. Locker is free and it is in sync with your waiting time till you come back so don't worry ;). we have visited this in off season so it was only 10 minutes wait for us and as we read the reviews before going ( like as soon you enter the park, go back to the end of the park which is Hogsmeade village) so we did not face much crowd and enjoyed this ride twice within 30 minutes On your way to the ride inside the castle, you get to see the talking and moving portraits, go by dumbledores office to the defense against dark arts classroom. Dumbledore's office is marvelous with each and every detail in place. The film is breathtaking and the mixture of animatronics and film make the ride even more unique. This is the game changer for Universal Studios! The ride is simulated one, surrounded by screens that simulate flying alongside Harry around Hogwarts until you encounter a dragon. You are then swung through another series of set pieces that include a fire (smoke) breathing dragon. You also encounter the spiders from the forbidden forest (one spits water at you) and the Whomping Willow. The next simulation footage is of the Quidditch pitch that eventually swarms with dementors. The next series of set pieces is of dementors. You then end by flying back to Hogwarts, where you are greeted by the Harry Potter cast and Hogwarts students congratulating you. You then use floo powder to travel back to where you began. Be sure to practice your Patrons Charms before you get here...you'll need it! The magic world is in your hands! Rating - 9/10

I had a very poor experience on this attraction. Yesterday was my first time ever at Universal Island Adventure. This was the second to last ride my friend and I decided to ride. I had my water with me (which I was never told I could not take and my friend had hers too). We were only told backpacks were not allowed. When it was our turn to ride I sat in my seat and a Universal employee came up to me and said (pointing to my water), "Needs to go in pocket." However, he was pointing to the ground and kept saying, "Pocket! Pocket!" At Disney, there are typically carriers to place items in under your seat so since he was pointing at the ground I was looking for a pocket under my seat. He finally lifted up my chest strap and screamed, "What're you doing?!" I said, "Looking for the pocket." He then finally points at me and says, "It needs to go in a pocket!" I was wearing athletic shorts so I stuck it in the side of my shorts to hold the water in place. I assume this was not good enough for him so he told me to get off the ride. I handed him the water finally after he kept screaming at me to get off. (He let me ride after snatching the water from my hands). I was so confused by the entire situation. I am a rule follower and try to keep my nose low to the ground. My friend got to keep her water on the ride so I'm not sure why I was being singled out and shouted at over a water that I was trying to put away as told. The ride was fine (not suited for those who get motion sickness), but I have never been treated so poorly by any staff member before. I myself have worked in customer service and I would never treat someone this way.

My FAVORITE ride of all time. It's located in the Hogwarts Castle. For one, this castle looked so real! While waiting in line, they did a good job with the decor. Everything looked so real and matched the series. I always wait until later in the day to ride this because the lines seem shorter. Right before you get on, they put on a show, one of the Weasley brothers and a goblin in the office talking to us; it's pretty cool since it looks holographic. Once you're in, you step on a conveyor belt and strap in; legs will be dangling. It's a simulated ride and you feel like you're flying. You're on the quidditch field and one moment you're flying around the castle. There's a dementor that pops out. I always have such a fun time on this ride! I wish I can ride it over and over again lol! Don't miss this one!

Ride itself was great. All of the production was INCREDIBLE! As a HP fan, you can't ask for anything more. However, the ride barely fits an average size male adult. They need to do better with making this ride and the HP rides more specifically, easier to accommodate taller and wider hiped patrons.

The ride good the only issue is it may make you nauseous if you have motion sickness but minus that it's good.

closed when we were there. no reason given. So were a lot of other rides that day.

Wow just wow.... I knew this was a popular ride so I made sure to go directly here first. Upon walking up you see the sign for lockers, you are not allowed to bring anything on this ride such as purses, sunglasses or cellphones.......lockers are free, you just have to use the automated computer system that requires your fingerprint to access. It only took a few minutes, I was pleasantly surprised only a 20 min wait...but wait there was a sign for single rides (first I thought hey I could meet some single guys :)... since I was here by myself I got in line and it was only a few minutes until I was boarding. Honestly I needed more time to see the castle, paintings and other items along the way lol. The ride itself did not disappoint, I loved the graphics and all the special effects... so awesome...I immediately got back in line to go again... only 5 mins in line this time! I ended up hitting this ride up one more time before I left the park... So much detail was put into this place.

I recently came back to both Universal parks in December 2019. Lines were insane. Most Harry Potter attractions had wait times of 2-5 hours each. Absolutely insane. It looks like the only way to avoid this is to get the VIP passes which were about $400 per person per day to get 4-5 fast-pass-type admissions to the rides THEY will give to you, and they aren't the most popular rides (such as Hagrid' motor bike). That's not worth the money to me. Employees here were rude and condescending when I asked questions about attractions. Disney has far better customer service, exceedingly better dining options, and a much more reasonably priced, better-valued vacation. Yes, Universal has Harry Potter going for it, but that doesn't account for much unless you have 4-5 hours of time to wait for most Harry Potter attractions. Even the wait to get between parks was 2 hours. Crazy!

A fun Harry Potter ride with lots of twists and turns that keep you on your toes. It always has a line and a pretty hefty wait time, so be sure to try and go here during off times, like weekdays and first thing after open, if you can. The queue does have a good theme to it and holds your interest with lots of things to look at, but a part of it is outside and on hot Florida days, it can be brutal with those wait times. The ride itself whisks you into the fantasy world of Potterdome. It's pretty intense if you are prone to motion sickness or have a bad neck or back you'll want to pass on this one. It's got a 3D like effect so that can cause some people some grief - I for one, love it, but I get that it's not for everyone. Overall: A If you are into HP and fun twisty turny rides with great themes...hop on, hold on and ENJOY!

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is my favorite theme park ride----EVAAAAA!!!! It's quite intense though so if you can't handle a lot of moving around or 3-D effects, this probably isn't for you. Most of my friends liked Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts better, but in my eyes....Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey steals the Harry Potter show. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the OG ride of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Found in Islands of Adventure's Hogsmeade area, it opened with this section of "Harry Potter World" in 2010. The worst thing about this ride - it breaks a lot. The first time I went to ride it with my friends, the single rider line was flowing nicely! Then...nope...broke on down! We waited about 45 minutes and they finally dismissed us because they didn't know when it would be operational again. They gave us Front of the Line passes for our next ride. It didn't go back up for a few hours! The next day we all rode it and it got stuck while we were on it! We were in varying positions, some of us tilted pretty far back, and we were stuck for close to 20 minutes. This time they didn't give us front of the line passes or get to ride again. The third day, I was able to ride 4x in the single rider line at the very beginning of the day. It was great to finally see the ride in it's entirety but man does it have some technical kinks to work out so it doesn't keep breaking down on people. The best thing about this ride - Everything else. My stomach literally drops in two places in this ride. You don't wear any 3D glasses for this ride but it's so incredibly immersive, you feel like you're right in the thick of it. It includes so many different elements of the various books and so many different types of thrills, it is just mindblowing. My mind was honestly blown to bits after getting off this ride. It truly is intense though and most of my friends could barely stomach one time. The one morning I rode four times in a row, I must admit I was starting to feel a bit nauseous on my fourth time 'round and I'm pretty hardcore when it comes to rides. I don't want to ruin the ride for you but will say it's a MUST DO. I'm a Disney & Universal junkie and this is hands down, the best ride I've been on in my life! Get there as early as you can to avoid waits. Shorter waits to be had in the single rider line but you must go through the normal queue at least once to experience the entire pre-show which is a very cool part of the ride, as well.

Possibly one of my favorite rides. As with all the rides in the Wizarding World, the lines are long but don't feel like it. There's so much entertainment just in line that the whole experience feels like a ride. Enjoy your stroll through Hogwarts, including a run-in with Professor Dumbledore in his office, and plotting an adventure with Harry, Ron and Hermoine in the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom, have a chat with the Fat Lady and listen to a rhyme from the Sorting Hat... all before even getting to the ride!

So as a big fan of HP, I was blown away by this ride and would've ridden it so many more times if time wasn't an issue. Visiting Islands of Adventure during New Year week was a tad crazy and that's that we even had a park hopper and universal express pass. The setup of the line is quite weird as it's a line within a line. First you wait in line to gain access to their lockers (they're free when you're waiting in line for a ride) and then you get in another line to ride the attraction. Unlike my family who didn't listen to me... DON'T WAIT IN THE LINE THAT WRAPS AROUND THE CASTLE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BACKPACKS ETC. Go through the gift shop on the right hand side and then enter through the locker room. Voila! You're able to skip the unnecessary part of the line that wasn't applicable to you and wait in the actual lines whether you have a fast pass or not. I will say the queue line areas are amazing and saturated in details. I don't wanna give away what you'll see but you'll appreciate it as a Potter fan. For those of y'all who have the fast pass you'll get to walk through a room exclusive to you. Take a minute or two to see all of the portraits and be in awe. As for the ride itself: IT'S ABSOLUTELY BADASS Full use of current technology to immerse you so much that you'll reminisce the whole experience. You will almost go upside down at times so prepare for that and definitely not a ride for those who have motion sickness. Some of the sights you'll get to explore are the Deadly Forest, Quidditch Field, Hogwarts Castle, and so much more! Loved this ride and can't wait to go back.

I think this ride truly captures Harry Potter. The only reason I give it a 4 star is that the wait line is horrendously stupid. I believe I waited over 2 hours for it. I do recommend that you skip the single rider line. The big part of the ride is exploring Hogwarts castle, which you skip if you do the single rider line. Make sure you enjoy the environment and all the details the put into the castle design. It's great and fun and makes you feel like you're in Harry Potter's world. The ride itself was very satisfying as well. It's a quick moving simulator ride that goes along a track. It takes you to different parts of Harry Potter and various scenes. I'd recommend this ride. It's exciting, but tame but definitely something any Harry Potter enthusiast must experience.

I loved this ride. They did a great job of telling the story line through your tour of the castle, before the ride... just listen closely to all of the characters along the way. Once you get on the ride, it's a bit different from the other experiences in the park (I won't ruin it for you). This ride is definitely not for those who easily feel dizzy. I am like this myself but managed well with the ride. There is one part towards the end that disoriented me a bit but it was not terrible. On this ride you definitely feel like you are part of the experience and the transitions are done very well. Definitely recommend this ride/ experience! Be careful with the wait times! We waited over an hour in the heat and it was a bit much. Part of the wait is outside and part inside. See my "Tips" for more on this.

This ride was spectacular when it opened and I enjoyed it a lot. Now, I do enjoy it too, but every single ride something doesn't work. There is either no steam coming out of dragon or there is some spots on one of the screens. However, it is definitely a must-visit because of the castle. The Hogwats Castle is beautifully made and there is a lot to see on the inside.

For this ride, you take a tour through the castle complete with talking pictures, sorting hat, etc. Very cool. It's worth waiting in line to get a look at the castle. This was my favorite ride at the park! So well done. You get on a flying bench and fly outside the castle into a quiddich match, encounter some dementors, etc. If the line is really long, you can get in the single riders line and bypass the people who have to wait an hour. We did this several times. However, you won't get to see all of the castle.

Universal's Islands of Adventure houses the village of Hogsmeade where you will find one of five Harry Potter rides that you will encounter during your tour. "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" requires that all riders place their belongings in lockers that are available for free in an adjoining locker room. There's good reason for this, since you are on a fast moving, heart pounding thrill ride in 3-D. Led by Harry himself, you follow along with him on enchanted broomsticks all the way through classrooms, corridors and the landscapes of Hogwarts, including high above the castle on an adventure that's not for the faint of heart! Whether you are a fan or not, walking through a portion of the castle itself just to get to the ride offers an amazing array of visual fantasy that transports all onlookers into the magic world of Harry Potter. You can't help but get excited about what this ride has in store for you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h6nInv4RY4

Absolutely astonishing and fun ride. You can spend hours exploring just through the line portion of this ride. Then the ride itself is creative, innovative and fun. This ride represents the future of amusement parks. Even if you are not a Harry Potter film you will still love this ride

I was worried about waiting in line forever for this ride but the line for the lockers was longer than my wait in the single rider line (and I had nothing that needed a locker) as such, I wish they would have a line for people that need lockers and then don't need lockers instead of waiting in line for the lockers and then having the line break off to single riders/regular line. The ride itself isn't "scary" but is fantastically done. I had a smile on my face the entire time. I'm not a Harry Potter fan and I still enjoyed this. The graphics made me feel as if I was a part of the ride (with no 3D glasses). This ride is a must do at Universal.

This is an extremely impressive attraction. The castle is gorgeous. There's an incredible amount of attention to detail in the queue areas with lots of eye candy right out of Harry Potter. HPatFJ beats out Manta as my favorite line for a ride ever. The ride itself is a blast. It's very realistic looking, it's of a pretty long length so I didn't feel short changed after waiting an hour and the motion of the flight simulator combined with the visuals left me a bit dizzy after I stepped off the ride. Forbidden Journey is definitely a flagship, don't miss attraction, as evidenced by the fact that the Harry Potter area was by far the most crowded of all the Islands of Adventure. Even if you're not too into Harry Potter - I'm not a huge fan; it came along after my youth and I eventually saw the movies well after the fact but never read the books - it's immensely enjoyable. Universal spent a jaw-dropping $131 million on Forbbiden Journey alone - and it shows. So for all this enthusiastic raving why am I not giving this fantasticness the full five stars? The locker situation is abysmal! The Hulk coaster was easy in, easy out with the lockers as they were across the midway from the coaster itself with no narrow doorway to thread your way through or claustrophobia induced hoard of people to fight through. I reluctantly accept the need for lockers on some attractions, even something like Forbidden Journey that doesn't even go totally upside down. But the lockers here should be outside of the castle, across the midway under a large awning to protect from the elements like the Hulk. I felt bad for the guy who had to shout out directives to ride goers all day on the locker situation, especially considering how people didn't even listen to him. Only one member of your party should go into the locker room he repeated endlessly. Well, wouldn't you know it, I got stuck behind some guy and his girlfriend who both felt like they needed to go in. Dude was built like a linebacker and was carrying this absurdly large backpack. "What in the world would make you feel the need to carry around some giant backpack at a amusement park all day?", I kept wondering. I still don't have a satisfactory answer. This couple took an absurdly long time at the lockers, because among other things, the friggin backpack was too big to even fit in! Dude had to walk of shame back out still carrying it! There's two kinds of lockers, one to scan your ticket and one that takes a fingerprint. There's not clearly marked lines for either. Unfortunately I ended up in the fingerprint line and the scanner decided to get difficult on my way back out. It took like 5 tries to finally getting open and I was practically having a panic attack as I was holding up the impatient line and contemplating the possibility of having to find an employee to help me. And and guess who ended up being right in front of me again? That same dumb couple with the huge dude with his giant backpack right in my face again! I don't even know how it was possible but there they were. Ugh. People on the way out have to fight through people on their way in and visa versa, too. No signs, no crowd control. It's insanely frustrating and way scarier than anything on the ride. I know I've been ranting here, but this was the only bad part of my day at Islands of Adventure. There's a couple of other things I could complain about but I can shrug them off as minor. They've already receded in my memory underneath all the good stuff. Everything else at this park seemed to be intelligently laid out. But this locker situation here is horrible and I wish they would fix it. Five stars for the ride itself. Five stars for the queue itself, even with the lengthy wait. Zero stars for the pre-wait and post-ride locker room debacle. If you have a non-rider in your party you can leave any loose articles with, go for it.

I've rode this ride almost every time I've been to Islands of Adventure and I can't say I love it because I am not a Harry Potter fan. In fact I know nothing about it lol. But I think its a very well done ride. The line moves quick because they load so quick. You sit in a group of 4 side by side and your car will go up and down and all around throughout the ride. I don't like simulators and would probably feel pretty nauseous on this ride if it didn't have some live action along with the movie screen simulation. So that's good. You get wet when there's water. You feel heat when there's fire. You look up, you look down, you're completely immersed. Its a good ride. What I DON'T Like is the locker situation. I appreciate the free lockers but those areas get so super congested. And they say one person per party go get your locker and that never is enforced and it doesn't happen and I hate that a family of 7 people are shoving through an already crowded area to open one locker. It drove me nuts. I don't think it would be as bad if just one person per party went in. Why do that to yourself families? Send one, send the rest of them outside. I'd rather not use a locker and just hold my crap than deal with all of that.

Going on this ride is the only way to get into Hogwarts, so it had to be done. Waiting in line (which wasn't long at all for me the days I was there) lets you walk through the hallways of Hogwarts and see the sorting hat which is pretty neat. The 3D roller coaster ride has lots of jerks, ups and downs and you get some very bumpy flying lessons as Hermione levitates you and you follow them on their brooms. Racing through quidditch fields, escaping the womping willow, and soaring high over the castle is everything you get to experience on this ride.. If you can stomach it. It's a bummer that you don't get to walk through any of these places. I would love to see the womping willow or a quidditch field, or just have more access to the castle in general. I think it's great that you can at least experience them on the ride. As I've mentioned in other reviews I definitely struggle with motion sickness and this was the worst ride for me to get through. I just had to close my eyes at one point because I was so dizzy. The ride got stuck upside down for about five mins so that was fun. Overall, I'm glad they incorporate some more of Harry Potter into this ride, but I wish you could see more of the castle. Also, for anyone with motion sensitivity, it's a rough one.

The Harry Potter castle ride is amazing. The theming throughout the queue makes for an excellent time on the ride. The staff help in fully immersing you in the experience as well. Incredible attraction, lots of fun. Highly recommend.

Long wait times for the most part, but if you can go early (if you're staying onsite or have a season pass), then this is the place to head to. The ride is starting to show some wear after these years, but it is still a fun experience. One of the best things about this ride is the actual line, since they have made it very reminiscent of the castle itself...although keep in mind that the cool stuff really begins inside the castle, and if you're stuck outside, it'll not be as interesting. Now the ride itself is a moving chair, essentially gripped by a large mechanical arm. It's not in 3D, but the video/physical effects meld together quite well. Honestly, you'll be enchanted the whole time (unless you have severe arachnophobia...in that case, just close your eyes in that part). The ride is over far too soon, but that just puts you in a grave decision...ride it immediately again? Or perhaps take a break with some frozen butterbeer before riding it again.