Have you ever dreamed of going beyond the grounds of Hogwarts? Do you remember the excitement as you would read about the thrilling and wondrous adventures in the Forbidden Forest? Well, get ready for your dreams to come true at Universal Orlando Resort.
Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan, roller coaster enthusiast, or are looking forward to the latest Universal Orlando Resort attraction, here’s the ultimate guide to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure.
THE QUEUE:
For the first time ever, you will get to venture to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Alan Gilmore, Art Director for the Harry Potter film series, joined Universal Orlando Resort in making this truly immersive and magical experience for all guests to enjoy. Here are some tips and things to keep an eye out for that the team included…
- Make sure to enjoy the views as you walk in because you can spot Hogwarts castle, Hagrid’s hut, and a view of the ruins that you’ll soon enter.
- When you enter the ruins, you’ll spot statues of rare magical creatures found in the wizarding world.
- You’ll see some incredible drawings in this room that are definitely worth your attention.
- In the ruins, you may encounter some familiar faces who will help prepare you for your journey.
- Once you reach the fireplace, you’ll may spot footprints belonging to a small fiery creature.
- These ruins seem uninhibited, but act as a holding space for some of Hagrid’s belongings, such as a curious collection of eggs.
- Keep an eye out for Hagrid. It seems he’s been up to something.
- Notice scratch marks and burn marks on the walls?
- Looks like Hagrid left teddy bears and blankets?
- Did you spot the page in The Monster Book of Monsters?
HAGRID
You’ll meet Hagrid face-to-face in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, as he takes you through the Forbidden Forest for a Care of Magical Creatures class. As you climb aboard a magical motorbike, you’ll experience how it feels to be a beloved student of Hagrid. The team at Universal Orlando left no detail untouched when it comes to this animatronic version of the beloved half-giant…
- Hagrid stands at 7 feet, 6 inches tall.
- His movie-real costume weighs about 50 lbs.
- If you look at Hagrid’s hands, you’ll find dragon-skin gloves.
- Does Hagrid look real? That’s because he’s Universal Orlando’s first human-like animated figure.
- Meticulous work went into placing individual hair strands – including eyebrows and lashes.
- Incredible attention to detail was taken to recreate Hagrid’s likeness from the films, including a meticulously hand-sculpted face, digital scans of Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane’s teeth, and careful placement of individual hair strands -including eyebrows and lashes.
- See more Hagrid facts here.
MAGICAL CREATURES YOU’LL ENCOUNTER
Get ready to encounter some of the Wizarding World’s magical creatures. As we all know, Hagrid, Hogwarts gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor, has a soft spot for even the most ‘seriously misunderstood’ creatures. You’ll encounter lots of these creatures along your journey through the Forbidden Forest…
- Fluffy, Hagrid’s Three-Headed Dog
- In this new adventure, Fluffy weighs 8,000 Ibs, which is roughly as big as two standard Muggle cars.
- Blast-Ended Skrewts
- Described as a cross between scorpions and elongated crabs, Skrewts aren’t afraid to attack other Skrewts they encounter. They have incredibly strong armor that can’t be penetrated by spells – proving to be a challenge for Hagrid since they hatched.
- FUN FACT: Manticores and Fire Crabs were the magical creatures Hagrid used to create Blast-Ended Skrewts.
- Described as a cross between scorpions and elongated crabs, Skrewts aren’t afraid to attack other Skrewts they encounter. They have incredibly strong armor that can’t be penetrated by spells – proving to be a challenge for Hagrid since they hatched.
- Magorian, the Centaur
- A Centaur is a magical creature with a human head, torso and arms, joined to a horse’s body. They are, however, their own species and should be treated with great respect.
- Devil’s Snare
- This perilous plant from the wizarding world has been known to strangle people, who touch it, with its dexterous vines. Devil’s Snare flourishes in damp, dark environments and it has a strong dislike of light and fire.
- Remember, “Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare is deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun.”
- This perilous plant from the wizarding world has been known to strangle people, who touch it, with its dexterous vines. Devil’s Snare flourishes in damp, dark environments and it has a strong dislike of light and fire.
- Cornish Pixies
- Cornish pixies are electric blue tricksters who love to create mischief – often at the expense of others. They’re about 13 inches tall and you’ll find more than a dozen pixies throughout this adventure.
- Fire Crab
- Make sure you keep an eye out at the end of a tunnel in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure as you’ll get a glimpse of a heavily jeweled shell of a Fire Crab.
- Manticore
- You may see a drawing of this dangerous creature that has an animal head, a lion’s body, and scorpion’s tail.
- Gnomes
- They’re hard to spot, but you may hear these mischievous garden creatures as you’re headed toward the Forbidden Forest.
- Salamanders
- Traces of these fire-dwelling creatures can be found around heated areas of this attraction.
For more details on the creatues found in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, check this out.
THE COASTER
For the first time, students will get to fly to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Not only is this an incredibly immersive ride but this roller coaster is literally a record-breaker. See for yourself what makes this a record-breaking roller coaster…
- Longest roller coaster in Florida at 5,053 feet long
- Coaster with the most launches in the world, with 7 launches
- Enjoy a true free fall vertical drop at nearly 17 feet
Other roller coaster facts:
- Enjoy two unique ride experiences as you can ride Hagrid’s motorbike or the adjacent sidecar
- This attraction reaches a maximum height of 65-feet
- There is a 73-degree spike that goes backward in one-movement
- This attraction is 3 minutes of non-stop ride time
- There are over 1,200 real trees that were used to recreate this enchanted forest.
For some more roller coaster facts, read this blog about all the thrilling details of the ride and ride along with the Ride Guys!
OK, so who’s excited to experience their own journey to the Forbidden Forrest? Come see us soon, choose a seat on the motorbike or in the sidecar, and experience all this for yourself!