All this week the Universal Orlando Resort has been revealing new details about the upcoming new roller coaster for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. The ride will include a number of creatures and obstacles that we have seen in the Harry Potter movies before, but the final creature revealed today will be one that nobody has ever laid eyes on. The blast-ended skrewt is a creature fans will be familiar with, but they'll be able to actually see it for the first time on board the attraction. Check it out.
While Blast-ended skrewts are mentioned several times in the Harry Potter novels, and even appear in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament maze, they weren't used as part of the film version, which means nobody has actually seen what a blast-ended skrewt looks like in the cinematic version of Harry Potter.
That changes in June when Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure roller coaster debuts. The attraction is designed around guests taking a Care of Magical Creatures class from Hagrid, one where the blast-ended skrewt is actually the main topic for the session. However, as it usual for Hagrid, things go slightly awry.
Blast-ended skrewts are a sort of magical scorpion. They are surrounded by armor so strong that magical spells can't penetrate it. They have tails that shoot fire and males are capable of stinging, while female have suckers. They also apparently smell like rotting fish. I can't say I'm excited to get the scent of that as I fly past one on the roller coaster.
Other creatures that riders will see include Fluffy, Hagrid's three-headed dog, Cornish pixies, who will be damaging a familiar flying car, centaurs, one of which takes aim at riders with a bow and arrow, and devil's snare. All these things live in the Forbidden Forest where the attraction is set.
It's great to see this new attraction not only bringing to life the things we've seen on film, so that fans can experience them in person, but also expand the mythology of Harry Potter in new ways that we've never seen before. Since J.K. Rowling has played a key role in working with Universal to create the Wizarding World, we can assume this design is as canon as anything else in the films or books.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was celebrated when it first opened for being the most immersive theme park experience ever created. It was designed to not just create attractions themed to the franchise, but make you feel like you were truly standing inside it. The newest part of the world opens at Universal Orlando Resort June 13.
