Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of HARRY POTTER is getting an expansion, including floo and Forbidden Forest themed rides!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions. And with the success of the Wizarding World Hollywood that opened last year, it was only a matter of time before the original park got another expansion. And with Universal starting to patent up, sources are beginning to talk, giving us an insight into what’s to come.

Reports from the Orlando Business Journal this week revealed that the Dragon Challenge coaster – which has been in the park since before the Wizarding World – is expected to be knocked down and a new dark, indoor ride with forest themes will be put up in its place, which makes us think that it will have something to do with Hogwart’s infamous Forbidden Forest. OBJ’s report says:

The new rumored ride would do away with the entire coaster approach and go with more of an indoor/outdoor dark ride concept using approaches made popular by other rides. “From what I was told, it may have a portion as if you are in a forest — with part of the ride outside — and other parts indoor designed to make you feel like you’re outside. It sounded more like a dark ride using technology like The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man as opposed to a true coaster where the G-forces guests feel come from the track,” the source added.

Hypable has heard similar things from another source as well, who says that a Forbidden Forest and one other expansion are in the works.

OBJ’s report also discussed a possible Floo Network:

Most intriguing is the patent of the vehicle transportation system that talks about using a retractable “launch room” that would cover ride cars on multiple sides with walls. “The launch room vehicle may include one or more show elements, such as displays, animatronic characters, speakers, fog machines, strobe lights or the like configured to operate in sync with each other and the movement of the launch room vehicle and/or ride vehicle,” said the patent, noting the launch room would move alongside the ride car to keep guests in the experience. One patent image shows a launch room with an animatronic figure, possibly a ghost, in front of a fireplace — possibly an entrance to Harry Potter’s Floo Network — and the subsequent image shows the fireplace having a retractable wall while that opens a way for the ride vehicle to be propelled forward. “In particular, during operation, the show elements may create an impression among the patrons that the ride vehicle is being pushed and/or pulled by an entity presented in the partial room. For example, the animatronic character may represent a monster, wizard or other entity that appears to cast a spell upon the ride vehicle,” said the patent.

Check out a few drawings from the patents showing the Floo idea and the room that can move guests. Hypable says, “think of the room like the Haunted Mansion’s portrait room — the elevator moves so slow that you don’t realize you’re being transported to another area.”

OBJ says the expansion might open in 2020, the same year that Universal’s Nintendo themed land will be opening. There is also some speculation as to whether the expansion might have something to do with Fantastic Beasts, though this does not seem extremely likely, as the company seems to be keeping these two worlds separate.

From these descriptions the expansion seems like it will be incredibly fun for visitors. I know I’m going to have to find a way to get to Orlando in 2020!

(source)