In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry headmaster Albus Dumbledore tells the students during their first-day dinner that the forest on the grounds is forbidden. With a number of temperamental magical beings — centaurs, unicorns, huge spiders — roaming those woods, the warning was probably a good idea.
Meanwhile, people are clamoring to go explore a “forbidden forest” just over the Frederick County line at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience opened in late October to sell-out crowds. The nighttime walk takes guests through a forest of magical creatures, complete with lights and sound effects and a village to rest and get a bite to eat midway through the journey.
A few tickets remain for November and December, with good availability in the final month of the show in January. There are only three locations worldwide for this experience: Westchester County, New York; Cheshire, United Kingdom; and Leesburg.
“After a hugely successful UK run, we [Unify], along with our Warner Bros., Thinkwell and Fever partners, looked at many locations and cities, but in the end we chose the venue at Morven Park because of its beautiful forest and existing trails and pathways,” said Heather McGill, producer and creative director at Unify, a production agency based in the UK “We are delighted that this location in particular offers our guests a real mix of woodland and twists and turns, which is perfect to enjoy the magic of this experience. The close proximity to great transport links is also a real benefit to us and our guests across the DMV area.”
The full Forbidden Forest experience takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Guests walk a trail until they reach the midway point, which is marked by a village concession area. Chose from a number of foods and drinks—including Butterbeer and Hogwarts hot chocolate. During the recent media preview, food menu items like savory Cornish pasty, sausage roll and chicken and mushroom pie were available.
Those with a sweet tooth can indulge in mini chocolate cake, lemon and cherry traybake and mini chocolate cake. Gluten-free and vegan options are available. Guests can enjoy the meal at a large picnic area with tables.
After some refreshments, continue walking the trail to its end. The walking trails on their own are estimated to take about 45 to 75 minutes to walk.
The experience ends with a gift shop that Nifflers — those magical creatures who love shiny objects — would certainly enjoy.
About 95% of the trail is based on creatures and scenes from the Harry Potter franchise. There are a few references to the most recent Wizarding World franchise, “Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them.
“It took many months for our dedicated and highly skilled teams to develop the amazing creatures that you see on site and a vast team of technical specialists to bring some of the magic to life on the trail,” McGill said.
While tickets run on a timed entry, folks can take their time and walk at their own pace. A number of scenes are photo-worthy: Harry’s pet owl Hedwig, gamekeeper Hagrid with his dog Fang, Grawp the half giant.
The trail also includes interactive elements, like casting a spell with a wand and bowing in front of hippogriff Buckbeak.
Fans of the series know one of the biggest creatures found in the Forbidden Forest is Aragog. We don’t want to spoil too much, but he makes an appearance. For anyone who has a fear of spiders, the experience allows folks to skip this section and move on to the remaining portion of the trail.
A number of small touches throughout the trail make it all the more magical—but easy to miss, if you’re not paying attention. Luna Lovegood’s shoes hang from a bush. Owls look on from trees.
The path is softly lit in a variety of creative ways, and some portions feature audio clips from the movies.
“We hope that guests will be able to immerse themselves in the same magic of the Wizarding World that they felt both on screen and in print,” McGill said.
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