Harry Potter and the Forbidden Forest Experience

The latest experience to pop up out of the Wizarding World is the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Forest Experience. Located in the woodlands of the Arley Hall estate in Cheshire which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, wizarding world fans get to experience a magical evening in the woodlands. When I heard this experience was opening, I knew we had to get tickets to see what it was all about. We visited the Forbidden Forest Experience on the second weekend after opening so we still didn’t really know what it was all about aside from seeing a newspaper review and a video on Tiktok. The mystery made it even more exciting!

When tickets were released, they were super limited but I believe they have released more tickets and times and even have extended how long it’ll be in operation. Prices do vary depending on when you are visiting and I believe they start at £19 but we paid around the £40 mark per person. However, it was a Saturday night. Entry slots run until about 10 pm but I would recommend getting earlier times if possible – More on that later.

If you are planning on visiting and want it to be a bit of a mystery, I am just pre-warning that there will be a lot of photos in this post. However, do skip to the bottom of the post for a summary of my thoughts on the experience.

We arrived around 45 minutes before our timeslot which was 9.50 pm (quite late for me ngl) and thankfully we were let in right away. It’s quite a long drive from the main road but it’s well-advertised and plenty of people on hand to help you park and guide you. Another thing, wear sensible shoes or even wellies if you can as it was pretty muddy! From the moment you arrive, you are greeted with twinkly lights and a few photo opportunities. There are a few huts at the beginning for snacks and drinks but the main village for Food & Drink is at the end (hence why I said earlier tickets you get to enjoy that more at the end). After a little introduction featuring a bit of magic, you’re journey into the forest begins! You’ll be within a group for the intro but after that, you are free to walk at your own pace.

One of my favourite bits was walking into the Forest and hearing well-loved quotes from the movies such as “you’re going into the forest after all. Got to have your wits about you”. I won’t go into too much detail about the ins and outs of the forest. However, you’ll see friendly faces such as Hagrid and Hedwig but you might see some creatures lurking in the trees. There’s also a chance to cast spells and conjure your own Patronus which was amazing! You’ll also see other magical creatures such as nifflers, unicorns, pygmy puffs and a hippogriff, you can also step inside Aragog’s lair if you dare! The whole walk was just over an hour and there were so many different photo opportunities. There is also a pretty spectacular finale at the end before you enter the village.

The Village itself was pretty cool. As I said it’s at the end so it can be quite late you are getting there. For us, it was around 10.45 pm and it does close around 11.30 pm, so if you have a 10 pm booking that is worth noting. There was a big shop selling merchandise along with a few different food and drink outlets. You could get some firm favourites such as pasties, fish and chips and even a roast dinner! Stefan did get a full Pork Roast Dinner at 11 pm! I just opted for a side of pigs in blankets but they were delicious! There was also a lot of sweet treats on offer such as insanely decorated muffins, chocolate strawberries and marshmallows which you could toast on the open fire. Butterbeer was of course available alongside Gin, Beer, Hot Chocolates, Mulled Wine and soft drinks. We were really spoilt for choice but it was a shame it was so late!

I absolutely loved our evening at the Forbidden Forest Experience. If you’re a big fan of Harry Potter like myself, it’s a must-do! The price is slightly expensive especially if you are going at peak times. However, the whole experience has been done to perfection with all the characters and special effects. We had a wonderful time and it was also a great way to kick off our Halloween week! The village has been at the end and us going so late is the only sort of issue we had in the evening. We did have plenty of time to enjoy it but just didn’t fancy eating so much so late!

At the moment there are tickets available for the Christmas season until the 3rd January. Weekends have limited availability so get in quick if you are thinking about booking!

XOXO