Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — Attraction in West Hollywood

Vow Vow Vow . I recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Harry Potter-themed ride, and I must say it was nothing short of fantastic! The ride truly brought the magic of the wizarding world to life.

The sensation of flying high and trying to catch those elusive little balls with wings was exhilarating. It felt as if I were right there in the magical skies, soaring alongside the enchanted creatures. The ride's ability to invoke such a sense of adventure and wonder was truly remarkable.

The thrilling heights and the swirling chairs added an element of excitement that kept me on the edge of my seat (literally). It was a heart-pounding experience that had my adrenaline pumping in the best possible way.

One of the highlights of the attraction was the meticulous attention to detail. The life-sized and magnificent replica of the university or school from the Harry Potter series was awe-inspiring. It felt like stepping into the pages of the books and the scenes from the movies.

For any tourist visiting the area, I would highly recommend not missing out on this attraction. It's a journey into the magical world of Harry Potter that will leave you spellbound and wanting more.

And, of course, the Butterbeer! It was a delightful treat after the ride, and the taste was as enchanting as the stories themselves. I couldn't get enough of it.

To top it off, the opportunity to purchase magic wands that you can use to cast spells and perform magic tricks around the stalls was a fantastic touch. It added an interactive element to the experience that fans of the series will absolutely love.

One more captivating aspect of the Harry Potter-themed ride - during the evening, they conduct enchanting light shows on top of the life-sized building. It's an absolute treat to watch these mesmerizing displays, accompanied by a magical background score that adds a whole new layer of excitement and wonder to the experience. The interplay of lights, music, and the imposing backdrop of the wizarding school creates a truly...

We went to Universal Studios Hollywood for the first time on 12/3/2024. We went specifically for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - big fans!!! We went on a slow day and had no wait time at all for this ride, which means we missed ALL the Hogwarts castle scenes in the waiting line. We really should have gone back through the line just to look at everything!!! We did pause to listen to Dumbledore's speech and wow, it was so profound! The line itself is totally worth being in just to see everything and its really easy to skip the ride at the end. When you enter just tell them you are doing the tour and not riding so you can carry your bag instead of checking it in. Once you reach the ride, just tell them you are on the tour and not riding, and they show you a door to the exit stairs. My son and husband did take the ride, while I listened to those getting off the ride to determine if I could go on it because I get nauseous easily. Many were dizzy and had to be stabilized by others when they got off and one child even fell over onto the moving walkway near the edge which made me cringe. Fortunately there is a protective plastic barrier over the edge. One couple came off and the husband said "See it was better with the 3D portion removed." The wife responded, "No, it was just as bad as before." Most people had no issue exiting the ride, but I took all this evidence together and determined that the ride was not for me (i get car sick constantly). I LOVE Harry Potter so much and I so wanted to go on this ride, but my son looked at me afterward and said it was not for me and had to believe him. I wish there was another Harry Potter ride I could have gone on because I love Harry Potter so much and its why we came to USH. In the end, I did not get to go on either Harry Potter rides, so I just wish...

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a popular and motion-based dark ride located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-themed areas of Universal Studios Hollywood. In fact, this ride has been highly acclaimed for its innovation and theming. The ride utilizes robotic arm technology in a ride system that takes guests in and around Hogwarts Castle depicting virtual scenes and environments from the Harry Potter series of books and films.

To enter the ride, guests walk through the gates of Hogwarts and begin their journey in the dungeons where they see items featured in the movies and books. As guests proceed throughout the hallways, they encounter replicas of the rooms of Hogwarts castle, including the Headmaster's office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and the Gryffindor common room. Before continuing on, visitors receive a safety reminder from the Sorting Hat and several paintings in the next two rooms.

The ride is a motion-based dark ride that uses robotic arm technology, combining real sets, animatronics, and wrap-around projection screens to create an immersive experience. Guests are seated in "enchanted benches" that are lifted and moved through various scenes from the Harry Potter films, including encounters with a Hungarian Horntail dragon, giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest, a Whomping Willow, and Dementors. The ride simulates flying, complete with twists, turns, drops, and spinning motions. The ride is intense and features sudden movements, therefore not suitable for the people with motion sickness or back pain. During the journey you get shaken up quite a bit and the video effects intensify the whole thing. This ride is simply amazing that will be a highlight of your time at Universal...