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VIDEO: New Harry Potter thrill ride at Universal Orlando sees ride track installation

in Entertainment, Harry Potter, Theme Parks, Universal Orlando

Posted on by Sean Sposato 1 Comment
Excitement builds at Universal Orlando as steel tracks twist and rise, cranes busily assemble a highly anticipated roller coaster, and castle-like towers take shape in the background—clear clues that a new Harry Potter-themed thrill ride is on the horizon.

The new Harry Potter thrill ride coming to Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure has received its ride track installation.

Regarded by Universal as the “next generation of thrill ride” and announced only last summer, this coming attraction is seeing a dramatic increase in production. The site already has its ride track, which was started only two months ago.

WATCH – HARRY POTTER THRILL RIDE UPDATE: 

ITM first visited the attraction earlier this year in June, after it had officially closed as Dragon Challenge. At that time, construction, for the most part, had only just begun.

A bright yellow crane towers over Universal Orlando’s construction zone, working alongside a castle-inspired building surrounded by lush trees—clear signs that an immersive new Harry Potter thrill ride is taking shape.
June 2018

The land had simply been cleared of its prior ride elements and had a single ride track installed along the inner perimeter of the site.

Today, only two months later, the site already has what appears to be a full track. Themed ride elements have not yet been placed in the area but should follow after the track’s installation is complete.

Universal Orlando’s latest attraction takes shape as steel roller coaster tracks twist dramatically across the construction site, with a massive crane in action and a castle-inspired building hinting at a thrilling new ride—likely set to immerse fans in the magic of Harry Potter’s world.

Roller coaster tracks twist past lush trees and a partially built castle structure behind wooden construction walls, offering a sneak peek at Universal Orlando’s new Harry Potter thrill ride as the latest addition to The Wizarding World takes shape.

The attraction’s completion is expected sometime in 2019, and judging by this ride’s current construction, Universal has a good chance of finishing this attraction by early to mid-year.

Stone walls and wooden fences surround the construction area, where warning signs and towering cranes hint at the excitement of a new Harry Potter thrill ride coming to Universal Orlando, with crews hard at work installing the track.

Towering construction cranes rise behind a wooden fence covered in notice signs, with a classic lamp post and leafy tree set against a bright blue sky—clear signs that Universal Orlando is gearing up for its next epic thrill ride adventure.

Another change from our last visit in June was the removal of large walls by Hogsmeade’s entrance. The walls had blocked views from inside the construction site.

No new updates have been released from Universal about the coming attraction. However, we do know “this new thrill ride will take you deeper into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, where you will encounter some of your favorite characters and creatures. It’ll be unlike anything we’ve ever done before and it will be fun for the entire family.”

It was also announced that the Universal Creative team would be collaborating with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films to bring this new coaster experience to life.

Are you excited for this new Harry Potter ride? Let us know in the comments below!

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