Harry Potter the Forbidden Journey Details

[LVT]

On a side note: I found the Queue too dark. I obtained a mini flashlight to enjoy the details.

[Hull-onian]

We are going to Universal Studios in twenty days, and I want to thank you all for the postings. I just want to walk through the village and the shops, as I don't care for motion rides, and I think I will enjoy it for the walk through. I'm sure the kids will be fine with it......The tips are great......

[NJGIRL]

We are going to Universal Studios in twenty days, and I want to thank you all for the postings. I just want to walk through the village and the shops, as I don't care for motion rides, and I think I will enjoy it for the walk through. I'm sure the kids will be fine with it......The tips are great......

IMO the shops are very very crowded because they are not very big. Make sure you walk thru the castle, as already stated you don't have to get onto the ride. The castle is really worth going thru, you won't be sorry. Since you aren't going to spend alot of time in lines at that area, make the time to do the show at Olivanders. The line is usually long but the kids will love the show.

[Katzateer]

So if I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan, is it worth going to Universal for the day, just walking through the castle. And seeing all the shops and the wand show?? My daughter thinks it is. She has been twice and will ride all therides.

[MNNHFLTX]

Well, my son and I just got back from a combined WDW/Universal vacation and had a blast on the FJ ride! I was excited but a bit nervous about the "jump" factor (as in things suddenly coming at me, making me jump), but found it not to be a problem. We also had no problem with the motion of ride causing any kind of disorientation or queasiness, it all seemed to flow very smoothly.

We went on it four times and I wish we could have gone on it four more times!

[MargaretMessler]

Not to keep beating the dead horse, but to expand a little more on the type of motions...do you flip 360 degrees, as you would in an upside down roller coaster? Or just a lot of random movements in all directions? What type of restraint system is there? (My mother, for instance, doesn't really do rollercoasters, but she will if there are over the shoulder harnesses.) And what type of ride vehicle?

I ask because this is probably the last time I will be able to go with mom, and she will definitely WANT to do this, but I'm trying to warn her ahead of time of things, because while I can tell *I* will love it, I don't want her to not enjoy the rest of the day.

Also, as for walking through the castle and not riding, are we talking waiting in the ride queue with everyone else and just bowing out at the end for a quick exit?

[MNNHFLTX]

Not to keep beating the dead horse, but to expand a little more on the type of motions...do you flip 360 degrees, as you would in an upside down roller coaster? Or just a lot of random movements in all directions? What type of restraint system is there? (My mother, for instance, doesn't really do rollercoasters, but she will if there are over the shoulder harnesses.) And what type of ride vehicle?

You sit on "benches" (actually four seats grouped together, with over the shoulder bars that come down and are very secure. The benches themselves are maneuvered on "arms" that travel via a track on the floor. The arms lift the benches in various directions, never completely upside down but reclining back at a couple of points at greater than 90-degree angles. There are a combination of effects, from footage projected onto a screen that also moves around as the benches do, to real props that are animated.

If you have any more questions, let me know!

[doombuggy]

Like others have said, it is similar to Soarin' but there are only 4 people to your "bench" as the pervious poster called it, and the contraption moves on a track, instead of staying in one place like Soarin' does once you are up in the air.

That said, I can't handle coasters as well as I used to, so I wear motion sickness bands. We went to WWOHP last month and rode this and I was fine. You are on your back at least once, and leaning forward a few times, but the over the shoulder restaint keeps you in place. My concern was keeping my legs still. I swear one time I could have kicked a prop. I sat on the end (right end if you are looking at the seats). The queue was AMAZING!

[Melanie]

Like others have said, it is similar to Soarin' but there are only 4 people to your "bench" as the pervious poster called it, and the contraption moves on a track, instead of staying in one place like Soarin' does once you are up in the air.

I don't want to disagree with you at all, but I have a different take on this and must say that FJ is nothing like Soarin' in terms of the possibility of motion sickness. Soarin' has a very smooth, calm motion while FJ tosses and turns, almost tips you over completely at times, and jerks you in and out of scenes. Some days I'm fine with it, and other days it really messes me up. I just wanted to throw that out there.

[thrillme]

True what said above...you don't completely flip...just lean forward about 90 degrees in a couple of spots.

I do NOT get sick on any ride. This one didn't bother me at all. I found it movement wise similar to Dinosaur but "floaty".

[MargaretMessler]

I just want to say thanks to the last couple of posters for their input. I think mom will be ok with this, I was very excited to hear about the over the shoulder restraints. This is mom's "deal breaker" on whether she will try a coaster, and although this isn't a coaster exactly, I think the same will hold true.

[MNNHFLTX]

I don't want to disagree with you at all, but I have a different take on this and must say that FJ is nothing like Soarin' in terms of the possibility of motion sickness. Soarin' has a very smooth, calm motion while FJ tosses and turns, almost tips you over completely at times, and jerks you in and out of scene.

I agree, FJ is not like Soarin' at all, the ride action is much jerkier and fast-pace. From what I read, the concept of the robot "arm" that manipulates the benches is very similar to the "Sum of all Thrills" exhibit at Innoventions, as far as motion.

[Melanie]

I agree, FJ is not like Soarin' at all, the ride action is much jerkier and fast-pace. From what I read, the concept of the robot "arm" that manipulates the benches is very similar to the "Sum of all Thrills" exhibit at Innoventions, as far as motion.

It is the same company Beth - Kuka Robotics.

[MNNHFLTX]

It is the same company Beth - Kuka Robotics.

That definitely makes sense.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I don't thin FJ is like Soarin at all.. not close in my opinion... FJ is much better, and more thrilling...

Let me ask those of you who have been on FJ, have any of you felt as if your legs were going to get caught on any of the props underneath you, or some of the netting or tarps that you cannot see but are there under your ride vehicle, in certain scenes??? I've read online where some people have felt their foot hit or brush these tarps... I'm 6'0 but I didn't feel anything when I rode last year...

[MNNHFLTX]

Let me ask those of you who have been on FJ, have any of you felt as if your legs were going to get caught on any of the props underneath you, or some of the netting or tarps that you cannot see but are there under your ride vehicle, in certain scenes???

No, I can't say that I have. But I'm only 5'6" so that might be why.

[DisneyDog]

Ok, we went back in April. Here is my take on this. First of all, we had to wait 2 hours. Half way through our wait, DS9 had to use the bathroom. There is no exit, no "cast members" anywhere to be found. The poor boy had to suffer for another hour. He was almost in tears and in quite a lot of pain by the time we got into the building. Finally, someone let us out (after much begging) and told us how to get back in. It was not easy.

We got back in, and DS was happy again. We finally got on the ride. You sit in a ski lift type chair. A shoulder harness comes down from above and they instruct you to hold on by your shoulders. The next thing you know, you are being flipped and flopped and turned and twisted in ways I didn't know was possible. This was NOT like soarin'. This was fast and jerky and, although there was a movie/plot going on in front of my eyes, I couldn't focus on it to save my life. I've never been moved so fast in my life. It slows down and you think the ride is over. But Noooooo, you start flipping and flopping again. It felt like forever.

We got off the ride and I felt so awful. DS LOVED it, and I'm sure he would have gone on again. But DH and I both felt pretty sick. Amazingly, I didn't lose my butter beer. But, I felt sick until I went to sleep that night (we went on the ride at noon.) I felt dizzy and disoriented, and my stomach felt quite queazy.

So, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. If DS wants to go on that ride again, he's going to have to wait until he's old enough to go on it alone, unfortunately.