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The New Harry Potter Ride At Universal Studios Might Make You Barf
An artist's rendering of Hogwarts at Universal Studios Hollywood (via Facebook)
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set to open at Universal Studios Hollywood next month, and its marquee ride, "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" is apparently making people puke.
According to TMZ, "the guinea pigs, aka Universal employees, who have jumped on the broom haven't been able to handle the adventure."
The "Forbidden Journey" ride at Universal's Orlando park has been open since 2010. It zooms people through Hogwarts castle and over the grounds on "enchanted benches," and uses a combination of projected images and props. The main difference between the two rides is that at Universal Studios Hollywood, riders wear 3D goggles.
Here's a virtual look into what the ride entails in this video taken on the ride in the Orlando
park:
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One woman told the Orlando Sentinel she took Dramamine before riding, but it still wasn't enough, and vomited twice at the end of the ride. "It was really, really bad," said Beth Whiteside. "I ended up having to shut my eyes. I was still like, 'Oh, Lord, I'm not going to make it.'"
Universal spokesman Tom Schroder denied that the 3D effects were to blame, and told Fox News, "Tens of millions of people across the globe have ridden Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at our parks in Orlando and Japan and they've had an incredible experience, with no issues."
Are you saying these people are lying?
I just went on the Harry Potter ride and I'm 99.9% sure I'm going to be sick
— lo (@awildlo) February 28, 2016
Schroder said that any reports of puking can likely be blamed on your standard motion sickness people get from riding in cars or boat, and that Universal posts signs warning of the potential consequences, depending on preexisting medical conditions.
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In this case, boozing up before hopping on the ride is your own damn fault:
@TMZ there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter ride, the people that vomit had alcoholic drinks before getting on it. The ride is great.
— ale_cis_424 (@ciskandr) March 1, 2016
@jhelfman @ahelfman I drank a butterbeer than rode the Harry Potter ride at universal. Nearly cast a vomit spell on a dementor.
— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) June 17, 2015
Either way, you might want to play it safe and hold off on the butterbeers until after disembarking.
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