New Wizarding World of Harry Potter Details: Ministry of Magic to Debut at Universal Orlando in 2025

Jul 31, 2024 in "Universal Orlando Resort"

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic concept art
Posted: Wednesday July 31, 2024 9:00am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will introduce its third Harry Potter-themed land, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, as part of the upcoming Universal Epic Universe. This new addition will be set in wizarding Paris, as depicted in the Fantastic Beasts films, and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series. The land will offer multiple experiences, including dining, retail, entertainment, and a new ride that Universal describes as one of its most ambitious projects to date.

Developed by Universal Creative in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is the latest expansion in the Wizarding World franchise at Universal Orlando. This follows the earlier openings of Hogsmeade in 2010 at Universal Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in 2014 at Universal Studios Florida.


Upon entering this new land, visitors will journey from a Muggle park in Paris to 1920s Place Cachée, a hidden shopping district in wizarding Paris. The area will feature Haussmannian architecture, shops, sidewalk cafés, and Parisian domes. Guests can engage in interactive wand activities, encounter magical creatures at a traveling circus, and, for the first time within the Wizarding World, travel between countries and eras using the Métro-Floo system, leading to a new adventure within the British Ministry of Magic.

Below is a look at everything waiting to be discovered in this new world:

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

 

With its unique combination of massive environments, powerful storytelling and first-of-its-kind ride technology, the adventure begins when guests travel by Métro-Floo – a unique mode of wizarding transit inspired by the iconic Floo Network seen in the films – to journey from wizarding Paris to the British Ministry of Magic for the long-awaited trial of the infamous Dolores Umbridge. Upon arrival, guests will enter the Ministry’s grand atrium and venture through other departments before boarding magical, omnidirectional lifts to watch the trial take place…until Umbridge attempts to escape. Guests then join Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and a house-elf named Higgledy in a thrilling chase that will propel them up, down, forward, backward, sideways and more throughout the Ministry as they try to capture Umbridge – all while dodging attacks from Death Eaters, rampaging creatures and more along the way.

Le Cirque Arcanus

For the first time ever in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, guests will enjoy a live, full-scale theatre experience in the heart of the land with Le Cirque Arcanus. This show features live performers and aerialists, puppetry, pecial effects and more to take guests on a whirlwind journey where they’ll encounter fantastic beasts like never before. The show follows Ringmaster Skender, who has stolen Newt Scamander’s suitcase – where Demiguise, Diricawl, Mooncalves and more reside – to try and bring the failing Le Cirque Arcanus back to its former glory. It’s then up to circus employee Gwenlyn to rescue these creatures before they end up in Skender’s greedy hands forever.


Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique

Guests can shop some of the world’s finest wands designed by esteemed artisan wandmaker, Cosme Acajor, in the premier Parisian wand shop, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique. In addition to popular imports from Ollivanders, visitors will find a selection of exquisite wands packaged in unique three-sided boxes – each containing a list of locations throughout the wizarding world where guests can practice casting spells.

Inspiring Wand Magic

As guests explore the streets of wizarding Paris, they can use their interactive wands to create magical experiences as they cast spells at various locations, interact with fantastic beasts such as Nifflers, Bowtruckles and a Demiguise, and engage with enchanted objects in many of the storefront windows plus other areas throughout the marvelous Place Cachée.


Entertainment

While exploring the streets of Place Cachée, guests will also encounter other visitors, officials and residents from the wizarding world, including exchange students from the Hogwarts and Ilvermorny Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry, an Aurorfrom the Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France who roams inquiring of suspicious characters, talking portraits of delightful wizards who engage with locals about the happenings in Place Cachée, and more.

Guests can also enjoy international fare and shop for souvenirs and merchandise during their visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at highly-themed dining and retail locations, including:

  • Café L’Air De La Sirène – A wonder of French architecture adorned with carved marble and details of fantastic beasts hidden in the tile and mosaic designs, Café L’air De La Sirène is a charming café where guests can find French sandwiches, plats du jour and desserts.
  • Le Gobelet Noir – In the shadowy corners of Place Cachée is a mysterious timeworn auberge, where international Dark witches and wizards gather to escape the prying eyes of the Paris Ministry and have a hearty meal over hushed conversation. Menu offerings include starters such as soups and salads as well as a variety of entrées and desserts.
  • Bar Moonshine – American witches and wizards can enjoy a taste of home at Bar Moonshine, where they’ll find exclusive beers, wines and cocktails served amid U.S. Quidditch team pennants and other items of wizarding Americana.
  • Bièraubeurre Cart – No visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is complete without Butterbeer! Guests can stop by the Bièraubeurre cart during their visit to Place Cachée for a frosty, delicious mug of the fan-favorite beverage.

Guests can also shop for wizarding gear and memorabilia in Les Galeries Mirifiques, satisfy their sweet tooth at the French confectionary shop, K. Rammelle, or make a stop for Ministry of Magic-inspired items at the Métro-Floo gift shop, Tour En Floo.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

View all comments →

BrianLo1 day ago

I didn't know they were making a live action How to train your Dragon. Certainly fortuitous timing.

UNCgolf1 day ago

Yeah, that's why I added the "if maintained and functioning properly" disclaimer.

JoeCamel1 day ago

And Spidey just got another TEA award at IAAPA, amazing for an "old" ride

drkarcher221 day ago

River Adventure can get moved back up when they finally get around to fixing all the Dino’s and scenes that just don’t work anymore

SplashJacket1 day ago

Yeah, the FJ screen domes have aged really poorly. Also think part of the issue is screens often direct your focus towards some time of specific action or event whereas non-screen scenes have a less focused attention, leading to more diversity of experience and thus increased re-ride ability, because the moments perceived are different each time. Thankfully, I think Universal realizes this, and thus the premiere dark rides here are done right.

UNCgolf1 day ago

I personally think screen heavy attractions suffer from this in general. It's happened to Flight of Passage for me too -- I still like FoP, but I honestly find NRJ more enjoyable now. I'm sure it varies from person to person, but there's something about being in a physical environment that feels different/less replicable than watching something happen on a screen. Attractions like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Spaceship Earth haven't lost any of their appeal to me compared to ones like FoP and Spiderman. FJ and Spiderman are both obviously more than just screens (unlike FoP) but they're still a major part of the experience.

SplashJacket1 day ago

Spider-Man and FJ were both super high on my list when I first experienced them but now they’re no where near the top. It is interesting that both have fallen so much in comparison to other attractions like Indy or RSR. Perhaps because both focused more on technology? I don’t think the Epic premiere attractions will suffer the same fate, but we’ll see

UNCgolf1 day ago

Forbidden Journey wasn't even the best ride at Islands of Adventure when it opened -- both Spiderman (which I'm also nowhere near as high on as other people) and Jurassic Park River Adventure were (and are) better, at least when maintained and functioning properly. FJ has more impressive technology for sure, but it doesn't really use it very well.

sonoma151 day ago

It's still my third favorite dark ride of all time, right behind Spiderman and Tower of Terror!

TalkToEthan2 days ago

Could you elaborate on that below as I’m not understanding what you mean—— I must be missing an obvious point you’re making. Thanks thanks

SplashJacket2 days ago

Look at what opened 15 years after Indy opened and then look at what opened 15 years after FJ opened. Not exactly a similar slate

DarkMetroid5672 days ago

Oh yeah, it’s still very good, especially the physical set dark ride portions. But the “#1 best ride ever” talk didn’t last long.

ToTBellHop2 days ago

He does look at that dragon the same way Nala looks at Simba during “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”

drkarcher222 days ago

“and the Time Room – which is overflowing with a variety of Time-Turners and unique timekeeping devices.” This would imply that we would be going into the department of mysteries, the room where the time turners are kept is in the department. They get destroyed in the final battle in Order of the Phoenix. Presumably because the author was tired of people pointing out how pretty much every single plot in the series could be solved with them. Oh, Fudge doesn’t believe Voldemort is back, well just have him send an Auror back to Little Hangleton at the time Harry says Voldemort returned to check the validity of his claims. Even if they can’t interfere in what happened they’d still have clear proof that he returned and knowledge of his plans and the names of the Death Eaters in his inner circle, but that’s enough overthinking a book. The ride looks incredible, I love that we’re getting in queue animatronics in multiple rides with Ministry, DK and Monsters. (Along with potentially more depending on how they do the fortune teller for Curse of the Wolf, although I’d assume that will be done with a screen like Bill in the Gringotts line)