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Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience brings the wizarding world to Westchester County starting in autumn.
Calling all Potterheads! If you spent your childhood immersed in the magical adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then you won’t want to miss this.
Coming to Westchester County this fall, Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience disapparates from the UK and touches down at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights. Led by Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment in partnership with Thinkwell, Unify, and Fever, the event will offer an immersive experience that invites visitors to step into the Forbidden Forest and discover a taste of the magical lands that surround Hogwarts.
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What should explorers of the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience expect?
Running from October through January, the event will offer an after-hours look at the creatures that Hagrid and Newt Scamander might have come across during a jaunt through the woods. Guests who purchase tickets to the evening event will be able to walk along a lighted trail through the forest. Along the way, they’ll see beloved moments from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, spot magical creatures (centaurs, hippogriffs, nifflers, and unicorns, anyone?), and even try their hand at casting spells (because you know you’ve always wondered what your Patronus would look like).
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The Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is family-friendly, which means kids and adults alike will have a blast as they explore the corners of the forest and meet the creatures from the wizarding world. At the end of the walk, attendees can stop by the themed village to grab a bite to eat and drink and do a bit of shopping for exclusive goodies.
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The Details
While the experience kicks off this October in Westchester, tickets have been available for purchase since Thursday, August 18 at 11 a.m. Fans who signed up for the waitlist here unlocked exclusive access. Opening hours run from 5-11 p.m., with the walk taking approximately 45-75 minutes and the entire experience lasting 60-90 minutes. Tickets range from $35 for children to $46 for adults, while children under five are free. Special packages for families and groups are available as well. Parking can be found onsite and runs $8 for those who book ahead online or $10 for those who book a spot at the venue. Attendees should arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled timeslot for check-in. Since this is an outdoor event, visitors should wear walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.
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As for how the experience came to be, it’s the brainchild of Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment in partnership with Fever, an entertainment discovery platform; Thinkwell, a collective of theatrical designers and experiential creators; and Unify, a global experience design and delivery agency. If you’ve attended or seen popular immersive experiences themed around the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and Stranger Things popping up recently, this may very well be right up your alley.
Can’t wait to check out the Forbidden Forest for yourself? Read up on the FAQs here, then get your tickets before they sell out. Before you make your way over to the experience, get excited by binge-watching Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and maybe even rereading the series, too.
