In 2010, every Harry Potter fan's dream came true: they could go to Hogwarts. With a land dedicated to both the wizarding school and Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure – and another based on Diagon Alley opening several years later – it was finally possible to step into the wizarding world.
Nowadays, there are Harry Potter attractions across the globe. Rides include a "forbidden journey" through Hogwarts, a daring escape from Gringotts, and a flight on a Hagrid's motorbike. But with such a rich and detailed world to draw from, there are still plenty of potential future magical experiences.
The Whomping Willow
One of Harry and Ron's most misjudged adventures comes in The Chamber of Secrets when they fly Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia to Hogwarts – and hit the Whomping Willow. The most famously violent plant in all of Harry Potter then throws the car around before the pair finally manage to get to safety.
An adventure as iconic as this would easily translate as a rollercoaster. What could start as a fast-paced flight around the Hogwarts grounds would devolve into a more violent journey, with animatronic tree branches threatening your every move.
The Black Lake
A theme park staple missing from every international iteration of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a water ride. Luckily, there's already a prime concept in the series: the Black Lake.
Cavernous and mysterious, this only really plays a big role in Goblet of Fire when Harry has to dive into its depths for the Second Task. A ride wouldn't have to follow the same plot. Instead, a boat ride on the surface could showcase its residents, such as the Merpeople or Giant Squid. For an action-packed finale, a drop could even take riders into its depths to reveal more of the lake's secrets.
Portkeys
What makes Portkeys so mysterious is that travelers can never be wholly certain where they'll end up (or when they're actually using one). Case in point: the Triwizard Cup in Goblet of Fire which, when touched, takes an unsuspecting Harry and Cedric straight to Voldemort.
It's this uncertainty that would make such an exciting attraction. Twisting, turning, and accelerating whenever they come into contact with a Portkey, riders could travel from one wizarding location to the next – all while trying to find the right Portkey to get them to their intended destination of Hogwarts.
Thestral Flight
Over at Florida's 'other' resort, Disney's Animal Kingdom is home to Flight of Passage. Inspired by the world of Avatar, this sees visitors ride a banshee through a simulation of Pandora. Everything looks and sounds so real, to the extent that riders can even feel the creatures breathing beneath them.
Something along these lines would work incredibly well with Thestrals. As they're invisible to anyone who hasn't seen death, there'd be no need for animatronics or ride vehicles. Instead, riders could jump onto these majestic creatures – taking a flight perhaps over the Hogwarts grounds, or Muggle London.
The Third Task
Of all the tasks of the Triwizard Tournament, the third task is the most mysterious. Plunged into an endless maze, Harry has to navigate his way to the center while defeating any obstacles that might come his way.
Whether it's as a full-on ride or a walk-through, any attraction based on the Triwizard Maze would be an adrenaline rush. It could draw from the movie's mystical fog and deadly hedges, or look to the book's slightly more adventurous approach with magical creatures and challenges around every corner. And at the center – or the ride's finale – riders would be awarded the Triwizard Cup (fortunately, without being transported to face Voldemort).
Wizarding Duels
While visiting the world of Harry Potter is exciting, what every fan wants more than anything is to be able to do magic. There are already a few spots around Universal Studios where visitors can buy and use interactive wands, but something far more immersive would be truly magical.
The perfect solution is an attraction focusing on a series of duels. When prompted, riders could interact with their own wands, aiming at targets as they learn specific spells - though perhaps not the most dangerous spells in Harry Potter - or fight their opponents. At the end, they'd be given a score based on their performance – one that could correlate with canon grades such as "Outstanding," "Exceeds Expectations," or "Troll". This would be a must-ride for any aspiring witch or wizard.
The Shrieking Shack
As the place where Remus Lupin spent years secretly transforming into a werewolf, the Shrieking Shack is believed by many Hogwarts students to be haunted. So what else could it be at the Wizarding World other than a haunted house?
Of course, it would be much more than the average carnival's haunted house. Beyond the existing Hogsmeade area, a realistic recreation of the building could house a terrifying dark ride filled with some of Harry Potter's scariest creatures. Alternatively, it would work great as an annual pop-up for the Universal Resort's annual Halloween Horror Nights.
The Knight Bus
Currently, the Knight Bus is nothing more than a photo-op at Universal Studios. But its scene in Prisoner of Azkaban speaks for itself – the triple-decker bus, zipping around London at breakneck speed, was born to be a ride.
Admittedly it would be tricky as a full-blown rollercoaster, just because it's so big. However, Universal is master of the simulators, and could definitely whip up something exhilarating enough to do the Knight Bus justice. The cherry on top would be full narration by Stan Shunpike himself.
Dragon Flight
So, admittedly dragons already factor into the Wizarding World. One sits above Diagon Alley – thrilling the crowd by breathing fire every ten minutes – in Escape from Gringotts, one of Universal Studios Florida's greatest attractions. Islands of Adventure was also once home to Dragon Challenge, a rollercoaster inspired by (but not actually featuring) any dragons.
But wouldn't the latter be incredible if it did? A high-tech experience where guests weave in and out of danger, before coming face to face with an animatronic as realistic as that outside Gringotts, would be the ultimate thrill ride.
Quidditch
It's strange to think that Quidditch wasn't top of the list when mapping out a Harry Potter theme park. The adrenaline-packed sport is such a quintessential part of the series and lends itself so well to a theme park attraction.
Creatively, the possibilities are endless. Riders could board their own broom-like seats on a suspension coaster, legs dangling in the air as they try to catch the Golden Snitch in their first game of Quidditch. Each vehicle could be a different house team, with two racing against each other at a time and one declared winner of the House Cup in the finale.