New 'Harry Potter' Ride Coming to Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort is continuing to expand and grow.

Universal Orlando Resort is home to two world-class theme parks in Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, as well as a water park in Universal’s Volcano Bay.

While people from all around the world come to ride iconic attractions like Jurassic Park River Adventure, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Revenge of the Mummy, E.T. Adventure Ride, and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, there is nothing more heavily-trafficked than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The Wizarding World is available at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure features Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, The Flight of the Hippogriff, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, which is connected to Hogsmeade by the Hogwarts Express, features Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.

But, Universal isn’t done with its endeavors in the Wizarding World.

One of the heavily-rumored lands in the Epic Universe, the newest Universal Park set to open in 2025, is an addition to the Wizarding World. ScreamScape has now revealed rumored details on an all-new Harry Potter ride that is expected to be included in the land. The anchor attraction for the land is tentatively being called “The Battle for the Ministry of Magic.”

The report reads:

As Guests come up into the loading station for the actual ride they will see it is laid out as a dual-side station just like Gringott’s or Revenge of the Mummy, which would be a first for Universal when building a Spider-Man / Transformers style dark ride system. Guests will board and be transported to the courtroom to see the trial of Umbridge. From here, in true Universal ride fashion, things go horribly wrong rather quickly.  (Warning: Spoilers Ahead!)
    Death Eaters arrive on the scene to free Umbridge, and the storyline will see the arrival of your three favorite Potter characters (Harry, Ron and Hermione) to battle the evil and stop their evil plans.   It seems breaking Umbridge out of the Ministry isn’t enough, she is trying to get into a storage area for powerful magical artifacts to get her hands of a time travel device. If I understand things correctly, Umbridge wants to open a portal back in time to when Voldemort was all powerful and bring that version of Voldemort to the present in order to take over the Wizarding World.

    Guests will ride along and enter various rooms in the Ministry and pass through the chaotic magical battlefield as shown through both projection and real-world animatronic effects. When I say Animatronics… apparently Universal is putting some new animatronic figures to use here that go by the codename Megabot. From what I’m told these are the most advanced animatronics ever put to use by Universal Creative ever and not only feature fluid human-like motion, but fully projection mapped animated faces.
    While I’m not 100% up on all my Potter universe and magical creatures, you’ll not only encounter some kind of fire breathing chicken creature, but also a frightening encounter with Newt’s Erumpent. While trying to get away Umbridge apparently frees the Erumpent, which is sort of a massive magical creature with a rhinoceros style horn coming from the top of its head. From what I’m told, Universal is going to borrow the effect they created for the Jurassic World dark ride in China here, as the guests will come face to face and then look like they are trying to run away from the charging Erumpent.
    It all comes to a head when Delores thinks she has the Time Turner she was seeking out in hand, only to realize that Hermione has done something to it. I’m not sure if she created a fake one, or put a curse on a real one, but in the end Delores Umbridge will see her plan fall to pieces and litterally slip through her fingers, and find her obnoxious pink garb transformed back into prison black & white stripes as she is apprehended once again. From here everyone is taken back to the court room for the final sentencing by Shacklebolt and as the finale scene for the ride.

In addition, the report indicates that the actress who plays Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) has signed off to film footage of the ride, and Universal has reached out to Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) to reprise their roles in the attraction.

The Epic Universe is also rumored to have a Classic Monsters Land and a How To Train Your Dragon Land. Super Nintendo World has already been confirmed by Universal for the theme park.

Universal is currently in the midst of its Halloween Horror Nights celebration. The event runs through the end of October and Halloween Horror Nights is tabbed as “the premiere Halloween event of the season.”

What do you think of these details about the Ministry of Magic ride? Let us know in the comments!