A short review of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Let’s just get something out of the way right from the outset – if Spider Man WAS your favorite ride at Universal (or even your favorite in all of Orlando), the Forbidden Journey is going to take the trophy from Spidey and spit some pumpkin juice in his eye for good measure. Yes, the Forbidden Journey is that good!

The Forbidden Journey combines animatronics and motion simulation (comparable to Soarin’ at Disney’s Epcot) perfectly. Riding  ”enchanted benches”, you follow Harry and Ron through a Quidditch match while dodging Dementors, spitting Spiders and Hargrids misbehaving dragon. This ‘robocoaster’  swings you through several dome projections and real sets that look straight out of the movies. It will take a few rides for you to notice everything and the projections do tend to blur a bit due to the speed at which you are moving but all in all, the Forbidden Journey is the next step in ride technology.

Look for a more detailed review coming soon but I should mention that if you feel queasy on motion simulation rides, the Forbidden Journey might not be for you. Also, even if you have no intention of riding, the queue is amazing and worthy of a walkthrough. The talking portraits are very well done along with the holograms of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Dumbledoor.

For fans of the books/movies, or even casual fans like myself, the Forbidden Journey is a ‘must experience’ attraction while in Orlando. I rate rides on if I would stand in line for 60 minutes to ride it a second time. I just completed my 4th ride this past weekend.

Link to Universals video