The Wizarding World

Inside The Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience In New York

The forest hides many secrets, and you can unearth them all.

by Kaitlin Cubria

Another part of the Wizarding World has come to life. After months of waiting, Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience made its way to Westchester County, New York, and it’s nothing short of magical.

Harry Potter’s Patronus

The immersive experience starts off with a statue of Harry’s stag patronus, glowing in the most luminous fashion.

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Hedwig

Look up and you may be able to spot your favorite snowy owl, perched atop one of the thousands of tree branches.

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Flying Ford Anglia

The enchanted car that once belonged to Arthur Weasley — which Harry and Ron famously *borrowed* in Chamber of Secrets — is still running in the wild.

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Aragog

Hagrid’s acromantula makes a spine-chilling appearance that would make Ron squeal. Aragog’s children descending from above is the stuff of nightmares.

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Buckbeak

Oh look, it’s Buckbeak. Bow your head to Hagrid’s hippogriff, as a sign of respect, and he may just bow back.

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Pygmy Puffs

Though Ginny’s pink fluffball only had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in Half-Blood Prince, a group of pygmy puffs (aka a poffle) can be found among the grounds of the Forbidden Forest.

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Beyond the visuals, you can hear familiar voices and music from the films throughout, snag themed food, drinks, and merch, plus you may get the opportunity to cast a spell or two. Expecto patronum!

Tickets for this immersive experience are currently on sale through Jan. 22, 2023. For more information on this exciting Wizarding World-themed outdoor light trail, visit the official Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience website.

This experience was created by Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment in partnership with Thinkwell, Unify, and Fever.