Ok, today was my second attempt at FJ. I went yesterday but didn't make it on before it got shut down. HOWEVER I GOT ON TODAY!! Got to the park at 6:45 am this morning,and got on the ride about 8:10 am. I will try to be as detailed as possible. It's all very overwhelming and i am not the best writer.
Once you enter Hogwarts to your right there are "free" lockers. They are free for three hours ( I think, don't quote me on that one) You aren't supposed to take loose items. However today, being much smarter than yesterday I brought my smaller digital camera and stuffed other things like tickets, and id's into my bra! A lot has been leaked already about the queue, so I dont think I need detail for that, however I will say it's beautiful and it's almost as impressive as the whole place itself.
The ride seat is like a rollercoaster seat, like on hulk it has a harness that pulls down. The tell you to keep your elbows in and feet down as much as you can. (I want to say even dumbledore at some point tells you that too, so it must have been a issue) Oh and while you are boarding your on a constantly moving conveyor belt like at Haunted Mansion, so it's continual, and its full of mirrors and candles like the great hall

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To start the TM's tell you to enjoy the quiddich match, and you see a screen with Hermione bowing green dust(smoke) on you and you take off. It's almost to fast to understand what Ron, Harry or Hermione were saying, plus I was trying to concentrate on the details of the ride. If you look over you can see other ride vehicles, but only if your looking. The arm takes you over and around through a fire breathing dragon. They blow hot steam that lights up red out of a large dragon head right in your face. I actually had to close my eyes, it was a little much. Then your whisked through both virtual, and "real" parts just like in Spiderman, some of it is screen work, and some are actual animatronics. The dragon and the dementors, and spiders are all animatronics for example, but obviously the "characters" are screen. You DO NOT wear three d classes. It's like simpsons in that sense. You go in to the forbidden forest and get sprayed in the face by several large and small spiders that come very close to you but don't touch you. You also almost get whipped by the tree that has moving branches outside the shreking shack (im having a brain cramp on the tree's name) You enter a Quiddich match with Malfoy and Harry, which is screen and three dish. Dementors are popping up everywhere and I think that they tell you to tuck in your elbows and feet because if I wanted to I could touch them, they get really close. It actually scared me a little. I wouldn't take younger children on it even if they met the height requirement. You see several large bones of snakes and such that have colored steam coming out of them, you enter a large mouth that looks like a skull and once your surrounded by dementors harry comes along and does "Expecto Protonum" (sp?) to save you. Once you make it through you are back at Hogwarts being greeted by screens of students and Dumbledore. I don't remember seeing Snape or anyone, which personally disapoints. You see Hagrid in the beginning of the ride telling you about the Dragon that is loose. I almost forgot sorry.
They take your picture on the ride, I bought mine just so I had proof of riding and you could only buy it in package form, 39.00 was the cheapest package after tax. I got 1 8X10 and 2 5X7's. The seats are not that bad, they do tell people to check themselves because they are tight, but im on the bigger side with a fairly large chest and fit just fine. You do go up and are at a few points completly on your back almost backwards, however you don't at any time go compeltly upsidedown. There is a lot of spining and moving in all sorts of directions. It's not for the easily motion sick. I don't like the tea cups but I've done every roller coaster and 3d ride in orlando at the major theme parks and they dont bother me, this did NOT bother me. I was impressed much more than I though I was going to be, and was pleasently suprised with the thrill. It might not be overly new technology but it was a spiderman X 10, and I consider spiderman to be one of the best rides that Universal has to offer. I dont think it will disapoint, I think it's going to make both thrill seekers and HP fans rejoice. I went in as a pessimist and came out a optomist. I hope this helps anyone that wants a little info about the ride. There are plently of other posts about the shops and things. My biggest complaint about the area is the size, it's very small, and after about 30 mins today the queue for FJ was all the way into the streets of Hogsmead! Upon speaking with a TM, they told me from the gates of Hogwarts to the ride vehicle, it's a six hour wait. I don't know, but even as much as I love Harry, Nothing is worth a six hour wait for me. The shops are wicked small, and are going to be very very cramped, and I would have liked to see a better range of merchandise, as a 28 yr old woman, I didnt find much to wear, or really for my husband for that matter. I did buy my 6 yr old a shirt, and the kid selections are cute. Enjoy and I hope I helped out, any other questions, just ask !