Thursday 18 November 2021

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

As the sun sets over Arley Hall in Chesire, its woodlands come alive with the sound of werewolves, owls, and mischievous pixies. Until 3rd January 2022, budding wizards and wise witches have the chance to come face to face with some of their favourite creatures from the Harry Potter universe. From entering through an arch of floating lamps, wandering through an illuminated forest, and the final showpiece, this is an incredibly well-thought out experience that will delight visitors of all ages.

Unlike many ‘creature’ experiences where animatronics are set along the route, this requires a little more attention. Yes, there are animatronics and plenty to see directly off the course, but stop and look a little deeper and you’ll see the glint of eyes, the rustle of leaves, and even the odd unicorn if you’re really lucky. This adds a sense of adventure to the evening, and the capacity means it never feels overly full, you can take your time exploring without constantly feeling rushed or overcrowded. The atmosphere is enhanced with audio clips from the films, music, and sound effects that help to bring the forest to life. 


You can spend as much or as little time as you want enjoying the experience - we took around two hours to walk the route, although you could do it faster if you didn’t want to stop and take photos every few steps. There are a few interactive sections dotted throughout that give you the chance to find out what your patronus would be, and see how successful you’d be in a wizard duel. Naturally, there’s also plenty of food and drink options, with bottled butterbeer available and soft drinks in your house colours. 


At the end of the route you’ll find yourself in a magical village where you can refuel, roast giant marshmallows over an open fire, and warm up with a cup or two of mulled wine before heading into the Magical Emporium to snag some magical souvenirs of your night. 



4 comments:

  1. I would LOVE this! Harry Potter is one of my favs!

    Corinne x

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  2. This is really neat! I wish I were over there to check this out.

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    Replies
    1. It was really cool, fingers crossed it tours so more people can enjoy it.

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  3. This sounds like SO much fun! I definitely want to do this one day x

    Caroline | https://envirolineblog.com/

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