“It Was So REAL!” We Rode the NEW Harry Potter Ride at Epic Universe. Here Is What You NEED To Know!

Take a seat, get comfortable, and make sure you’re wearing your reading glasses — you’re gonna want a CLEAR view of what we’re about to show you. There’s a brand-new theme park opening this May called Epic Universe (you may have seen a commercial or two on TV; it’s been VERY popular lately). Well, this new addition at Universal Orlando is set to change EVERYTHING about how you vacation in Florida, and now, we have one more thing to show you before the park officially opens.

Welcome to Epic Universe!

Before we dive in, let’s give you a little refresher. The new theme park will have five themed lands, each with its own rides and restaurants. We’ve learned more about some of those lands, like Celestial Park, which will act as the “hub” of the park. Then, there’s the highly anticipated Dark Universe land, a How to Train Your Dragon land, and more. But now we have a first look at Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.

Stay calm; it’s really happening! We were able to RIDE Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This ride is located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic section of Epic Universe. While we cannot share any photos or videos of the ride, we can share details about what we saw — and buckle up, because this ride is WORTH it!

Ride Entrance

First, there are test seats for guests to try outside the attraction. Our guide said that they are “some of the most accommodating test seats.” There is a lap seatbelt to help secure you during the ride.

There is also a height requirement for this attraction — you must be a minimum height of 40”. We spotted signs for a single-rider line, and we confirmed that Universal offers a Rider Swap room so that you can wait through the whole line and then exit right before boarding.

Test the seats before you hop on the ride

We believe this will be a very popular ride. Our reporter Quincy shared that she likes this attraction more than the other existing ones in the other parks. The immersion of the Ministry and this ride is fantastic. On this ride, you’ll travel through the Ministry of Magic, and you’ll see some familiar faces, animatronics, screens, and more.

This is a new story that won’t be found in any Harry Potter franchise book or film. The story still fits so well in this universe, though. We think this ride is similar to Spider-Man with the amount of screens, but these screens have updated technology, which makes them feel VERY real.

This ride also has a lot of nods for true Harry Potter fans, especially those who loved the books, so keep your eyes peeled when you ride it. Overall, this was a LOVE for Quincy! We will share spoilers below if you are looking for more details.

Quincy

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE QUEUE DETAILS!

The queue for this attraction is HUGE. You have offices for those who work in the Ministry of Magic here that go all the way up to the ceiling. You can also find a large screen with Dolores Umbridge’s poster.

Battle at the Ministry

Along the queue, you will find long hallways, moving portraits, talking statues, and you will even see Umbridge’s office. This is where you will find Higgledy, a house-elf who used to belong to Dolores. The animatronic of Higgledy is so lifelike.

Let’s get into the ride details because there is a lot to unpack on this new attraction!

Quincy at the Battle at the Ministry

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE ATTRACTION!

You begin your adventure in the magical elevator as you are going to the trial of Dolores. Along the way down, you pass Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Higgledy, who are also on the way to the trial. Then, you spot Dolores getting transferred to the trial in another elevator, but there is a Death Eater inside who breaks her out! This is where the ride really kicks off.

Ministry of Magic

They cast a spell on you, and you begin falling in your elevator. You begin moving further into the Ministry of Magic, where you will encounter Death Eater animatronics who are casting spells and fighting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and guys — these looked so real! Quincy shared that she even thought a few times they were live actors!

Battle at the Ministry

The graphics on the screens are also next-level, and you feel very much a part of the story. Next, you end up in the Department of Magical Creatures. You are now getting chased by the Erumpent, the magical creature that is like a rhino from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. You move into the next room, where you are faced with a MASSIVE animatronic of the Erumpent.

Seats on Battle of the Ministry

You are now heading to the time room, where you see Umbridge and Higgledy together. Umbridge is trying to turn back time, instead she breaks all of the time turners, and you will end up in a void where you see an animatronic of Dolores.

She is caught, and Harry and Ron are holding her. She was taken to trial, where she was sentenced by Kingsley Shacklebolt. Justice is served!

It’s so big!

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! There will be a LOT more new things to check out once Epic Universe opens on May 22nd, 2025. Want to learn more about Epic Universe and its various lands?

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What are you most excited about when it comes to Epic Universe? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Universal to attend an Epic Universe media preview. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.