Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
Dolores Umbridge, the holier-than-thou bureaucrat who slithered into control of the Ministry of Magic, became an authoritarian, and wielded the instruments of the government against its own citizens, is finally being held to account in a court of law. But as they're preparing to send the pink condescending witch off to Azkaban, she escapes, and riding in floating elevator cars—sorry, lifts—you're caught in a high-stakes pursuit of Umbridge through the back halls of the Ministry to stop her from reaching the Time Room to bring back the dark days of Voldemort.
When people call this family ride epic, they really mean it. The sets are enormous—5 or 6 stories tall. The animatronics are incredibly lifelike. The projections and animations are often so crisp that you can't tell what's real. And the surprising soaring sensations of the ride system are unlike any other. Yet despite the superlatives, the relatively gentle movements of the vehicle are safe for kids and old bones, although some people find the mix of motion and screens makes them feel a little ookie for few minutes afterward. It’s actually so tame you won’t need to put your stuff in a locker.
Then there's the astounding queue area, which explores the monumental Ministry of Magic and its inner chambers as seen in the Potter movies. The waiting area is a spare-no-expense replication of the movie set, over-the-top and gargantuan. It could be an attraction unto itself. To begin the experience, you'll enter a section that beautifully replicates the design of the oldest parts of the Paris Métro system and be directed (after a probable wait in a standard queue) to walk through the Métro-Floo, a magical, misting portal that takes you indoors from the Paris of this Wizarding World. When you step out, you've been transported to a full-sized atrium of the Ministry of Magic, gleaming in arches of green English glazed tile. Everywhere you look, there's another fine detail, from the Fountain of Magical Brethren to magical weather swirling on the ceiling to spinning fans visible in the windows of upper-level offices. Wherever you look, there's more to see. The word for what most people feel is awe.
Even if you don't want to participate in the lift-car chase, you shouldn't miss seeing this pre-ride area. Anyone can use the Single Rider line to enter and have a look around only the atrium portion of the queue, but no farther. If you're using the Single Rider line as a rider and not a sightseer, be warned that it's often even slower-moving than the main line and it might not save you any time. Non-riders who want to see more than the atrium (which is incredible, but there's much more to see) should consider just getting in the regular line and ducking out at the last minute before boarding a vehicle, because then you'll be rewarded with all gorgeous stuff the queue has to show you, including a living portrait gallery of past Ministers and Umbridge's own powder pink and chandeliered office, where an animatronic Higgledy, her former house elf, is busy packing up her kitty-cat knick-knacks in advance of the trial.
For all these reasons, there's always a long wait for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. In the early days of Epic Universe, as engineers worked out the kinks of their groundbreaking, heavy-duty ride system, the wait was often compounded by unexpected breakdowns and delays. (Our advice is not to get out of line even if there's a pause. If crew thinks there's no hope of the ride getting back on its feet again soon, they'll clear the queue area anyway.) Prepare yourself for a long wait, but at least there's that phenomenal queue to keep you amused. From entrance to exit, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Ministry of Magic is a mindblowing banquet with very few boring moments.
You'll find the entrance to this complex, which sets a new high bar for the audacity of theme park attractions, behind a deceptively bland entrance at the end of the street to the left of Le Cirque Arcanus.
Ride vehicles hold 14 passengers: 3 sets of 2 seats in the front row plus a row of 8 seats in the elevated back row, and you can safely rest any bags between your legs during the ride. All seats have a good view. Ride duration: 4 minutes.
Dolores Umbridge, the holier-than-thou bureaucrat who slithered into control of the Ministry of Magic, became an authoritarian, and wielded the instruments of the government against its own citizens, is finally being held to account in a court of law. But as they're preparing to send the pink condescending witch off to Azkaban, she escapes, and riding in floating elevator cars—sorry, lifts—you're caught in a high-stakes pursuit of Umbridge through the back halls of the Ministry to stop her from reaching the Time Room to bring back the dark days of Voldemort.
When people call this family ride epic, they really mean it. The sets are enormous—5 or 6 stories tall. The animatronics are incredibly lifelike. The projections and animations are often so crisp that you can't tell what's real. And the surprising soaring sensations of the ride system are unlike any other. Yet despite the superlatives, the relatively gentle movements of the vehicle are safe for kids and old bones, although some people find the mix of motion and screens makes them feel a little ookie for few minutes afterward. It’s actually so tame you won’t need to put your stuff in a locker.
Then there's the astounding queue area, which explores the monumental Ministry of Magic and its inner chambers as seen in the Potter movies. The waiting area is a spare-no-expense replication of the movie set, over-the-top and gargantuan. It could be an attraction unto itself. To begin the experience, you'll enter a section that beautifully replicates the design of the oldest parts of the Paris Métro system and be directed (after a probable wait in a standard queue) to walk through the Métro-Floo, a magical, misting portal that takes you indoors from the Paris of this Wizarding World. When you step out, you've been transported to a full-sized atrium of the Ministry of Magic, gleaming in arches of green English glazed tile. Everywhere you look, there's another fine detail, from the Fountain of Magical Brethren to magical weather swirling on the ceiling to spinning fans visible in the windows of upper-level offices. Wherever you look, there's more to see. The word for what most people feel is awe.
Even if you don't want to participate in the lift-car chase, you shouldn't miss seeing this pre-ride area. Anyone can use the Single Rider line to enter and have a look around only the atrium portion of the queue, but no farther. If you're using the Single Rider line as a rider and not a sightseer, be warned that it's often even slower-moving than the main line and it might not save you any time. Non-riders who want to see more than the atrium (which is incredible, but there's much more to see) should consider just getting in the regular line and ducking out at the last minute before boarding a vehicle, because then you'll be rewarded with all gorgeous stuff the queue has to show you, including a living portrait gallery of past Ministers and Umbridge's own powder pink and chandeliered office, where an animatronic Higgledy, her former house elf, is busy packing up her kitty-cat knick-knacks in advance of the trial.
For all these reasons, there's always a long wait for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. In the early days of Epic Universe, as engineers worked out the kinks of their groundbreaking, heavy-duty ride system, the wait was often compounded by unexpected breakdowns and delays. (Our advice is not to get out of line even if there's a pause. If crew thinks there's no hope of the ride getting back on its feet again soon, they'll clear the queue area anyway.) Prepare yourself for a long wait, but at least there's that phenomenal queue to keep you amused. From entrance to exit, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Ministry of Magic is a mindblowing banquet with very few boring moments.
You'll find the entrance to this complex, which sets a new high bar for the audacity of theme park attractions, behind a deceptively bland entrance at the end of the street to the left of Le Cirque Arcanus.
Ride vehicles hold 14 passengers: 3 sets of 2 seats in the front row plus a row of 8 seats in the elevated back row, and you can safely rest any bags between your legs during the ride. All seats have a good view. Ride duration: 4 minutes.
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