Beginning June 13, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure will take guests on a wild ride into the Forbidden Forest.
“We’re so excited that Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will come to life as the epic new addition to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” said Robyn Ryan, senior director of travel industry sales for Universal Orlando Resort. “We love creating new experiences for your clients that truly immerse them while visiting our destination.”
During their journey, riders will come face to face with rare magical creatures from the “Harry Potter” stories, including centaurs, Cornish pixies and the menacing Blast-Ended Skrewt.
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Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures takes riders through ancient ruins hidden in the Forbidden Forest.
Credit: 2019 Samantha Davis-Friedman
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According to Alan Gilmore, art director for the “Harry Potter” films who also worked on bringing The Wizarding World to life in Orlando, the enchanted motorbike ride vehicles will twist, turn and rush forward — and backward — at speeds up to 50 mph. Plus, he says, the adventure will be different depending on whether guests choose to ride in a motorbike or its sidecar.
Hagrid, Hogwarts’ gamekeeper and the ride’s guide, will also be Universal’s most lifelike animated figure.
“Hagrid is a huge fan favorite, so we knew we had to make this unlike any other experience in the world,” Gilmore said. “It features amazing environments, the highest levels of storytelling and the best use of technology. I promise it will be the most highly themed immersive coaster ever created.”
Attraction Review: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is no ordinary roller coaster, prompting Universal Orlando to create the term “story coaster.”
“Walking through the queue is not separate to the ride,” said Alan Gilmore, art director of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “It’s all one journey.”
Indeed, I found the entire experience to be one seamless story as I ventured beyond the Hogwarts grounds; through Hagrid’s secret workshops within mysterious ruins; and into a real forest filled with magical creatures — some never before seen beyond the pages of the books.
Riders can choose to ride motorbikes like Hagrid or in sidecars like Harry Potter. Each has a unique experience, so, of course, I tried both. The sidecars hug the tracks around every twist and turn, while the elevated motorbikes provide a more hair-raising ride (especially for those seated in the front row). Plus, only motorbike riders can push a button on Hagrid’s command to kick into high gear.
The attraction’s innovative technology also breaks a few records. With seven launches (the most in the world), Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is now Florida’s longest coaster and the first in the U.S. with a nearly 17-foot free-fall vertical drop — a surprising way to escape the clutches of Devil’s Snare.
The Details
Universal Orlando
www.universalorlando.com
