High-Tech Production Values Create Real Magic At Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience At FDR State Park

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY — There is good reason that the Dark Forest is forbidden to all Hogwarts students after dark, but like Harry Potter and his classmates, that is a lesson we are just going to have to learn for ourselves.

And (if we are very clever and survive), we will leave that strange and magical realm better for the experience.

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Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience has returned to Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights, but get your wands at the ready, because the Warner Bros. Discovery Global Entertainment and Fever event will soon disappear without a trace.

The nighttime woodland attraction previously had a run in 2022 and will again bring guests through forest scenes inspired by the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. This year's version will put visitors' magic to the test with interactive moments and spell-casting experiences that owe more to high-tech engineering than anything that is taught at the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The experience this fall includes new magical moments and a new chronological journey. The Harry Potter films are renowned for their cutting-edge production values, and it seems the interactive events that have joined the franchise are held to the same standard.

The experience is designed for "witches, wizards and Muggles of all ages," and invites visitors into an illuminated forest on the wooded grounds of Westchester's Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park. Guests will encounter magical creatures from the wizarding world, including unicorns, Nifflers and Hippogriffs.

The event also includes interactive elements that let guests cast spells to light the forest and try conjuring a Patronus. In addition to the trail itself, visitors can stop at a themed village with food and beverage options for purchase and an onsite retail store — both of which elicit the same excitement as a third year student's first visit to Hogsmeade.

While Ollivander always insisted that the wand chooses the wizard,"students" visiting the Forbidden Forest Experience have a chance to design and create magic wands to match their personalities.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Entertainment and Fever said the attraction has drawn more than three million visitors in markets including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Australia and Singapore.

Unlike the mythical village of Brigadoon, the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience will leave something more than just cherished memories when is disappears into the mist after November 30. The traveling event has helped nearly 2 million visitors tap the magic of imagination, and is responsible for the planting of nearly 100,000 new trees, according to organizers.

Timed-entry tickets start at $35.90 for adults and $28.90 for children. Tickets are on sale now.

If You Dare To Enter The Forbidden Forest:

• The journey into magic and mayhem will take about 60–90 minutes, with lots to see and do at your own pace.
• You don't need a broom — you can drive to the experience. Set your Muggle GPS for FDR State Park, Yorktown Heights, NY (Taconic State Parkway exit 16).
• Parking is available for $15 if you book ahead of time online, $20 when purchased onsite. Accessible parking spaces are available. (Floo Network travel is not available for this event).
• All ages are welcome. It is recommend that all children under the age of 12 be accompanied by an adult. Children under 3 enter free.
• Accessibility: The Forbidden Forest is accessed by a woodland trail. The pathway is not a hard surface in the majority of areas, which can make pushing a wheelchair difficult. Motorized scooters are available for hire at the trail entrance.