The new Harry Potter land at Epic Universe theme park will feature a Ministry of Magic-based ride, a full-scale theater experience and characters roaming the streets of 1920s Place Cachee, Universal Orlando announced Wednesday.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is the fifth Epic land to be detailed by Universal. It will have Parisian settings based on the “Fantastic Beasts” films and British elements from the “Potter” franchise created by author J.K. Rowling.
The news was made public on the birthday of the Harry Potter character, which is also Rowling’s birthday.
The centerpiece ride – dubbed Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry – will transport visitors from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic for the trial of Dolores Umbridge, once the cruel headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In the attraction storyline, Umbridge tries to escape, then the familiar wizarding trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione, plus a house-elf known as Higgledy, chase after her whilst dodging Death Eaters.
The attraction will utilize “omnidirectional lifts,” and it will be the “most ambitious, groundbreaking ride Universal has ever created,” a company news release stated.
The Wizarding World land will also be home to “Le Cirque Arcanus,” a show with live performers, aerialists, puppetry and special effects. Its story revolves around Ringmaster Skender and creatures including demiguises, diricawls and mooncalves, who debuted in the 2016 film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
The Place Cachee streets will be populated by exchange students from Hogwarts and Ilvermorny Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic was developed by Universal Creative and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment.
Dining options in the land will include Cafe L’Air de la Sirene (French sandwiches, plats du jour), Le Gobelet Noir (gathering spot for international witches and wizards), Bar Moonshine (gathering spot for American witches and wizards with quidditch team pennants and drinks) and Bieraubeurre Cart (Translation: butterbeer).
Wands will be available for purchase at Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique. Interactive wands will cast spells in the land and create interactions with beasts and enchanted objects in storefront windows.
Other store names include Les Galeries Mirifiques, Tour en Floo and K. Rammelle, a confectionary shop.
Epic Universe is scheduled to open near the Orange County Convention Center next year. Other lands now under construction include Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Celestial Park and Dark Universe, which will feature the monster-based experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. An Epic Universe preview center is now open at Universal CityWalk.
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