What is it?

The theme park wars in Orlando are always a back and forth affair. For every Hogsmeade, there’s a Pandora and for every Slinky Dog Dash, there’s Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. We recently ventured over to Hogsmeade to ride Island of Adventure’s newest (so far…) coaster.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure ranks higher on the thrill scale when it comes to coasters and fits in perfectly well with Universal’s older-trending audience.

What Can I Expect?

Outside of Flight of the Hippogriff, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is definitely the most coaster-y of the Harry Potter-themed rides. There is no need for any 3D with this ride because all the effects are practical and done with animatronics and props. This is a welcome change from most of Universal’s new rides. Despite its newness, it quickly jumps to one of the better rides in Islands of Adventure and is behind only Forbidden Journey in the pantheon of Potter rides.

The Queue

If there’s one thing that leaves a bit to be desired, it’s Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure’s queue. There are bits and pieces to look at here and there, but the majority of the queue is blank hallways. Even when there are things to look at, they are static.

The outdoor portion of the queue is the best part. It starts by giving a birds-eye view of the ride itself, allowing you to get even more excited as bike after bike zoom by you. You’ll make your way deeper into the forest where you pass by Hagrid’s famous hut. Keep an eye out for Buckbeak’s favorite food and some evidence of his snacking. 

You’ll eventually head indoors where you’ll see a video pre-show featuring Hagrid and Fang. The next interesting room is the egg room where (likely) dragon eggs surround you. Following the egg room are a series of blank corridors that seem to stretch on forever. 

The next interesting room is filled with tapestries and accessories for some of your favorite magical creatures. This was our favorite part of the queue. After more tunnels that seem to stretch forever, you’re in the final room. This is a much bigger room than the rest of the queue and features Hagrid and Arthur Weasely doing various activities with animals and Hagrid’s bike. 

The entertainment in this room is hard to describe in words. It’s not a video, but rather a series of lights and shadows projected above the ceiling to give a sense of motion and activity. It’s pretty cool to look at, but it’s way too loud. We had a hard time holding a conversation in this room.

The Ride

It’s nice to see Universal create a new ride that is in no way based on 3D or video. All the characters you see and the things you experience are either part of the roller coaster ride or a practical effect. The animatronics used in the ride aren’t Disney quality, but they move more fluidly than the older rides.

As a roller coaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure really delivers. It’s not a hypercoaster, so there are no inverted loops or corkscrews or anything like that. The most extreme moments in the ride come during the backward portion and the vertical drop. The ride goes pretty fast after the three launches, the fastest coming at the end, but they don’t reach Mako or Test Track speeds.

Coaster fans will absolutely love the ride and anyone who can’t take high speeds or sharp turns definitely won’t. We would put it at a solid 7.5 or 8 on the intensity scale. Potter fans will get a kick out of some of the animal elements, but it’s nothing compared to Forbidden Journey or Gringotts.

What’s The Verdict?

If there’s one thing Universal does really well, it’s roller coasters. Rip Ride Rock-it is smooth and fun, Hulk is intense and The Revenge of the Mummy is the best coaster in the whole city. We can now add Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure to this list. 

As far as coaster elements, this ride is a ton of fun and brings something unique to the city in the free fall. The queue leaves a bit to be desired and aside from gorgeous crafting of the buildings, the ties to the Potter universe are relatively thin. That being said, if you’re a Harry Potter or a coaster fan, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is firmly entrenched into the “must ride” category in the park.