Venture into the dark depths of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds as you search for a lost Hippogriff in this unique walkthrough experience, new this year for Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff at Fan Fest Nights
Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff takes place in the extended outdoor queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. To access, guests are actually sent through part of the queue in Hogwarts Castle, then back outside to the switchbacks in the greenhouse. From there, Team Members send staggered groups of guests into the “forest.”
A sign surrounded by flickering fireflies warns students that entry to the forest is forbidden except for Care of Magical Creatures lessons. A handwritten note in the corner adds “Do NOT follow the spiders!!!”
We pass a Niffler’s nest filled with glittering Galleons and jewelry on the way to meet up with a professor, who will guide us through the forest.
The Care of Magical Creatures professor reveals that Fleetwing, one of the Hogwarts Hippogriffs, has escaped her pen and fled into the Forbidden Forest, and she needs our help to track her down. She asks students with wands to have them at the ready, then has the group collectively cast the Lumos spell to illuminate the path.
The light reveals a stash of packages and mail being ripped apart by mischievous Cornish Pixies. One of the boxes contains an agitated Monster Book of Monsters thrashing about inside.
After retrieving and restraining the Monster Book of Monsters, the professor has the students cast the Immobulus Freezing Charm to paralyze the pixies, then has a student soothe the Monster Book of Monsters back to sleep by stroking its spine. And with that, we’re back on the Hippogriff hunt.
We next enter a dark, imposing glade covered in spiderwebs. The professor reassures us that Acromantula are more afraid of us than we are of them.
However, when a giant spider begins descending next to her, she panics and casts Arania Exumai to drive it away with a burst of purple light.
After escaping the spiders, we enter a clearing, where the professor spots tracks. As she tries to decipher them, hoofbeats rumble nearby, and a Centaur emerges from the trees.
The Centaur is angered by our trespass and the casting of loud spells. The professor explains that we’re searching for Fleetwing the Hippogriff, and the Centaur tells us that “the stars speak.” We hear a distant cry, and the professor exclaims that Fleetwing is close. The Centaur firmly tells us to “finish, then leave,” and then departs.
The professor figures out that Fleetwing is trapped within a nearby growth of Devil’s Snare. She has us cast Lumos Solem to blast sunlight at the overgrown path, and the vines retreat.
As we emerge from the tunnel, we see Fleetwing struggling to escape an entanglement of Devil’s Snare. The professor tells us to cast Lumos Solem once again to free her.
With a blinding blast of sunlight, the Devil’s Snare curls up.
Fleetwing triumphantly screeches and stretches her wings, bathed in the spell’s golden sunlight.
Fleetwing continues shaking her head and wings as the professor thanks us all for our help in finding the lost Hippogriff.
The professor leads us in a collective bow, which Fleetwing gratefully returns.
We head to a softly lit grove with some of the packages retrieved from the Cornish Pixies. The professor thanks us all again, awards points to our respective Houses, and implores us all to study hard. She says the light of our wands will lead us back to our common rooms, and bids us a lovely evening.
The exit queue drops you into Springfield, by The Simpsons Ride and the escalators to the Lower Lot.
Watch our highlight reel of this interactive Fan Fest Nights experience:
Is Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff a must-do for your Fan Fest Nights plans? Let us know on social media.
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