To find some of the best attractions in the world, look no further than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando.
The attractions in Harry Potter World have won numerous accolades and have continued to wow guests since the Wizarding World first opened.
There are currently three seperate Harry Potter lands, one in each park at the Universal Orlando Resort.
In 2010, Universal opened their first Wizarding World in Islands of Adventure, which included Hogsmeade, Ollivanders, the popular Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction and more.
It was so successful that they opened The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida a few years later. This included a new Hogwarts Express transportation between the two lands and a 3D roller coaster, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts.
Universal’s newest theme park, Epic Universe which opened in May 2025, came with an all new immersive Harry Potter world: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.
Most of the land is themed to Wizarding Paris, which is from the Fantastic Beasts spinoff series.
But which are the Best Harry Potter Rides at Universal Orlando Resort?
There are a total of six rides between the three parks. Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure has the most, coming in at four attractions.
I will rank each of the Harry Potter rides from worst to best and take a look at each of them in detail.
6. Flight Of The Hippogriff (Islands of Adventure)
Take flight on the back of a hippogriff, just like in the iconic scene from Prisoner of Azkaban. This is a roller coaster that’s perfect for young children. Plus, it gives you some great views of Hogwarts Castle.
This ride used to be The Flying Unicorn, which opened a little after Islands of Adventure debuted, given parents’ complaints that there wasn’t enough for kids to do. The track didn’t change at all when they converted it to Flight Of The Hippogriff. They just changed the theming around to Harry Potter.
The story of the attraction is that Hagrid is going to teach you how to ride a Hippogriff. The ride starts with an encounter with an impressive Buckbeak animatronic, which bows to you as you ride by, giving you permission to fly alongside her.
Flight of the Hippogriff is the best ride for little kids at Wizarding World. The roller coaster has no drops.
The only thing is it’s a little rough since it’s an old track, but it’s not too bad as something like Space Mountain.
The best way to experience this ride is to go at night, as you get some fantastic views of Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade lit up at night.
Also – and this is general advice for all roller coasters – go in the back row, as it’s much faster down the first curve.
This ride is a lot of fun and a must-do for Harry Potter fans, especially the little ones. But compared to the others, this one doesn’t have much theming and isn’t much besides a kid’s roller coaster.
This can also get some long wait times as well. If it’s over a twenty minute wait, then I wouldn’t say it’s worth it.
Related: Universal Islands of Adventure Rides – What You Need to Know
5. Hogwarts Express (Transport to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley)
This is an immersive experience that simulates the journey to and from Hogwarts Castle on the Hogwarts Express.
On your journey, you’ll see London, Death Eaters, Malfoy Manor, the Forbidden Forest, and more. You’ll also see Harry and his friends walk past you on the train, as well as a few foes, such as the ominous dementors.
I usually complain about the over-reliance on screens at Universal parks.
In this case, though, they integrate the screens seamlessly into the ride, making it really feel like you’re on board the Hogwarts Express traveling to Hogwarts.
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It’s also a very useful transport from Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure to Diagon Alley in Universal park. Especially if you need a break from the Florida heat. And as a bonus, each way has a different experience.
So if you have the time and the lines are short, it’s worth checking out both versions of the ride, one coming from Diagon Alley, and the other coming from Hogsmeade.
I love the queue at the Diagon Alley station because it is themed to King’s Cross Station.
There’s also an impressive effect where you can see other passengers going through the brick barrier to Platform 9 3/4, just like in the movies.
Keep in mind that the line in the Hogsmeade side isn’t as interesting. It’s a building with some Harry Potter music playing and that’s about it.
One bug with this attraction is that the only way to experience is with a park-hopper pass. That’s because again, it takes you from one park to the other.
Also, the line for Hogwarts Express is very slow.
If the line is more than 30 minutes and you just want transport to the other park, I would just walk to the other park.
4. Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts (Diagon Alley)
Now we’re getting to the really good stuff!
Escape From Gringotts is based on the opening of Deathly Hallows Part 2 where Harry and his friends break into Gringotts Bank and obtain a Horcrux from Bellatrix Lestrange’s Vault.
Bill Weasley takes guests on a tour of Gringotts, not knowing that Harry is planning the heist at the exact same take time…
Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts is a chaotic 3D roller coaster where you’ll come face-to-face with a dragon, trolls, and even the Dark Lord himself…
My favorite part of the attraction is actually the queue.
They replicate the iconic Gringotts bank set from the movies, complete with animatronic goblins. It really feels like you’ve stepped inside the movie and never ceases to blow me away.
The ride itself is also a lot of fun. You’re constantly in danger, whether that’s being attacked by trolls or falling down into the abyss.
This ride is one-of-kind as again, it’s a 3D roller coaster.
It is basically a combination of Revenge of the Mummy and Transformers: The Ride – 3D, with a roller coaster much like the Mummy and 3D effects from Transformer.
Don’t worry, the roller coaster portion of the ride isn’t that long, nor is it that intense.
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There is one steep drop, but it’s really short. If you really don’t like drops, then request the front row, as it’s less intense in those seats.
However, if you DO want a more thrilling experience, request the back row.
But the biggest issue with this ride is it relies too much on screens. I would’ve liked it a lot more if they had more sets and practical effects.
Don’t get me wrong, the 3D effects are very impressive. If this was your first Universal Studios ride, you’d probably think it was the best ride ever.
However, once you go on the other rides like The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, you soon realize they’re using the same tricks over and over again.
As a long-time Universal fan, I was impressed by the effects, but not that impressed.
Still, the roller coaster portion is very fun and some of the effects stand out.
And if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll marvel at the fact that you’re dropped into the middle of a Harry Potter movie.
3. Harry Potter And The Battle For The Ministry (Epic Universe)
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY
In this attraction you’ll travel via the Floo Network to the Ministry of Magic. The story takes place after Deathly Hallows Part 2, where you witness the trial of Dolores Umbridge. You board a magical elevator and of course, since this is a Universal ride, things don’t go according to plan…
People compare walking into the Ministry with the hangar set piece in Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance over at Disney Hollywood Studios.
This part of the queue is massive. I cannot comprehend the size of this room. Like Gringotts, it feels like you’ve been dropped into a movie.
One gripe I have though is that potentially, you could be waiting in line in this room for an hour, and the wow-factor does wear off. Still, it’s impressive nonetheless.
The newest Harry Potter attraction stands as one of the most immersive theme park rides in the world. It combines practical and screen effects seemlessly.
Even after riding it a few times, there are still a number of moments where I can’t tell what’s real.
My favorite part was the library scene, where again, I really can’t tell what’s a screen and what’s a practical effect.
Not to mention, the two incredibly advanced Death Eater animatronics. I’ve heard some people ask if they’re real people.
They look outstanding, maybe even some of the best Universal has created.
There’s also the massive Erumpent (basically a big Rhino in the Fantastic Beasts series), which is one of the biggest animatronics Universal has created.
I was surprised at how fun the floating elevator was. It’s essentially a motion simulator on a track like Spider-Man, except it’s high up. I didn’t expect it to move very fast, but this thing really whips you around.
In theory, there is a supposed to be a freefall drop in the middle of the ride, much like Tower Of Terror. However, as of writing this, they’ve turned it off, probably because it caused technical problems that would cause the ride to shut down.
I still haven’t experienced the drop.
I wish the drop was there, because I love drop rides, and I think the ride could’ve been a little more thrilling. However, I can imagine if it had a big drop, it would turn away a lot of people. This ride is already making people motion sick, and a drop probably wouldn’t help.
I like this ride, but like Gringotts, I wish it wasn’t so screen heavy.
I don’t like simulators like Transformers: The Ride – 3D where you’re just moving around in front of a screen. I always prefer practical effects, which Battle At The Ministry has plenty.
However, there were a couple scenes where you just move around in front of a screen. When they combine the practical effects with the screens it’s amazing, but moving around in front of a screen just isn’t exciting for me.
Still, I can see why people say this is THE best Universal attraction. It has a lot going for it. Personally, I don’t love it, but I see why others do.
2. Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey (Islands Of Adventure)
Forbidden Journey takes you soaring around Hogwarts, where you’ll fly through the Forbidden Forest, the Chamber of Secrets, and more. You’ll encounter dementors, the whomping willow, and other terrors from the world of Harry Potter.
The best way I can describe this ride is it’s like a Harry Potter Greatest Hits Album. You’ll experience many of the iconic moments from the movie in the span of just a few minutes.
The thing that puts this above the rest is how realistic it is. This ride uses a Kuka arm ride vehicle which perfectly simulates the feeling of flight. Also, the sets and special effects are stunning, and truly make you feel like you’re in a Harry Potter movie.
This ride also has one of the best-themed queues I’ve ever seen. It takes you through some of the iconic locations in Hogwarts, including Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor Common Room, and more.
The queue is almost the best part of the experience.
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This attraction does have a reputation for being quite frightening. Some of the monsters, like the dementors, get very close.
Personally, I think this adds to the experience and makes it more realistic, but I can see why some might not be so keen… If you don’t want to go on the ride but still want to see the queue, there is a walk-through experience where you can just go through the queue and not have to go on the ride.
One of the reasons I didn’t put this at the top is the ride can get pretty uncomfortable. It tips you side-to-side and even all the way on your back.
It doesn’t go upside-down and it’s not fast, but it can get a little uncomfortable.
I also could use less of the dome screens. For the most part I don’t mind them, but they take up a large portion of the ride and look dated.
Still, I could ride this many over and over again, never getting bored.
1. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (Islands Of Adventure)
This is a high-speed roller coaster where you ride Hagrid’s iconic motorbike and sidecar, then blast through the spooky Forbidden Forest. You’ll also spot a number of magical creatures, including a unicorn and Fluffy the Three-Headed Dog.
Back when Islands Of Adventure first opened, the plot of land where this ride stands used to be Dueling Dragons, an intense dueling inverted roller coaster.
Once the area around it converted to the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter in 2010, they changed the theme of the roller coaster, now called Dragon Challenge, to be based around the First Task in the Triwizard Tournament, where Harry must obtain a golden egg while evading a fire-breathing dragon.
Hagrid’s is a major improvement from its predecessor, Dragon Challenge. It was a fantastic roller coaster, but besides the queue, it didn’t really relate to Harry Potter that much.
Hagrid’s, on the other hand, has many references to the Harry Potter movies and fits much better with the rest of Wizarding World.
This roller coaster has everything – special effects, seven launches, a backward drop, as well as a freefall drop. It strikes a good balance of being intense enough that thrill seekers will love it and not being so scary as to turn away too many kids.
It also has a unique ride car, where you can pick to either ride the sidecar or the motorbike. Either will provide a fun experience, but I prefer the motorbike.
It’s also quite long for a roller coaster, meaning the long line is well worth it.
Besides the somewhat bizarre choice of name that’s very lengthy, I have nothing to complain about in this ride.
It’s the perfect roller coaster, as well as the perfect Harry Potter ride.
No matter which Harry Potter ride you pick though, you’ll still get something out of it. All of them are unique and show you different aspects of the world.
Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando. In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.