Review: Epic Universe’s Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry Is Thoroughly Fun and Impressively Deep
While you can expect a good theme park to deliver thrills, entertainment, and perhaps even an emotional sense of immersion, you don’t necessarily expect it to engage with a story on a particularly profound level. The focus is on aesthetics and atmosphere rather than narrative, and that’s okay. That’s why I was so pleasantly surprised to discover the extent to which Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry at Universal Orlando Resort’s new Epic Universe engages with wizarding politics, especially the complex and sensitive issue of elf rights.
We spent so long soaking in the details of the queue compared to the amount of time on the ride that the former is actually clearer in my mind, which is not to discount my enjoyment of the ride itself. After a dazzling entrance by Métro-Floo into the atrium, where the golden Fountain of Magical Brethren has apparently been rebuilt (still with the wizard in a position of privilege), the story kicks off right away with banners announcing that today is the trial of Dolores Umbridge – a weighty issue of justice for a ride!
The first indication that elves will matter here is so subtle that most visitors will probably miss it – a plaque on a door just off the atrium labeled “House-elf Relocation Offices.” Hermione’s Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.) never got off the ground in the series, and although Dobby’s sacrifice was acknowledged and Kreacher underwent a major change, most elves still seemed uninterested in or actively hostile to freedom, and most wizards seemed unenthusiastic about forcing it upon them. This small detail shows that mere months after Voldemort’s defeat, there are efforts underway to improve conditions for elves – perhaps to find preferable placements for those in the most abusive situations and bring them to places like Hogwarts, where they can work as they please in favorable conditions and slowly be given education, benefits, and an introduction to freedom.
Where this teaser really comes to fruition is in Umbridge’s office, where her former house-elf, Higgledy, has a three-minute monologue that provides much more insight into the current status of elves. Higgledy, wearing a pink bow and shoe signifying her freedom, is excited to see her former mistress face justice, idolizes Hermione for her activism, and refers to Minister Shacklebolt as her friend. Elves still have a long way to go – Higgledly scolds herself much like Dobby for being distracted from work and says that most elves are still content without pay, though she likes the idea of it. But the discourse around elf rights has become mainstream, and it sounds like both wizards and elves are starting to think differently. Progress!
Other highlights include the Auror Office featuring portraits of Frank and Alice Longbottom, Hesphaestus Gore, and Mad-Eye Moody (Tonks would’ve been nice too!); a detailed, moving map of the Ministry; an employee locker room with lockers belonging to Harry, Ron, and Neville; and portraits of past Ministers of Magic, as well as a bust of the first Minister, Ulick Gamp, discussing the impending trial.
Finally, it’s time for the ride. This is probably one of the most comfortable rides in the park, with leather-upholstered seats and a simple seatbelt across the waist, as opposed to tight bars or overhead restraints. The seating feels stable and enclosed yet roomy, ideal for riders who don’t love the sensation of having their legs dangling or being crammed into a tight space. There are no lockers, as belongings can easily be stowed by riders’ feet and are at low risk of being lost. The ride offers a unique and stimulating experience with a blend of soaring, dropping, and bouncing.
The story of Umbridge trying to steal a Time-Turner feels a little tired – the Ministry’s Time-Turners were supposedly destroyed during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, and yet Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also relies on the idea of finding one that could travel back further than a few hours. But the Time Room is awesome, and the beasts escaping from the Department of Magical Creatures makes for an epic tie-in with Fantastic Beasts, complete with stunning visuals both animatronic and digital. It’s a thrill to see Imelda Staunton as a deliciously evil Umbridge again, witness Higgledly make her mark as a heroic elf, and hear Harry remind Umbridge about not telling lies.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is a highly enjoyable experience as a ride – but the depth of the queue keeps us thinking about the future of the wizarding world long after we disembark.
