Interactive, immersive, well-illuminated and installed in Canada for the first time, the new “Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience” opens Friday (Nov. 7) in Vancouver.
Thursday night at Stanley Park, media were given a preview of the slightly constroversial attraction, which has replaced the popular Bright Nights light display (now in Surrey) for a fall/winter run.
Builders either ripped out the train tracks or covered them in gravel to create a walking trail through the forest, for what’s advertised as a “spellbinding experience” presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, Fever and Rifflandia Entertainment Company.
Motion-activated spellcasting will thrill Harry Potter fans as they walk through the “Forbidden Forest,” filled with magical creatures and scenes from the movies, thundering audio and miles of cable for the thousands of lights.
^^ More scenes from the new "Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience," which opens Friday at Stanley Park in #Vancouver.
MY REVIEW: https://t.co/ijo5a5IM7F pic.twitter.com/AudY1tcAgj
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) November 7, 2025
It takes around an hour, maybe 90 minutes, to walk through the nighttime attraction, at 690 Pipeline Road in Vancouver.
This area of Stanley Park is barely recognizable with all the added structures including food, beverage and merch huts (bring a card; cash isn’t accepted).
Get out your card for tickets, too, on hpforbiddenforestexperience.com/vancouver. Single passes start at $43 (for the worst time slots), and most are in the $70 to $85 range — much more for “deluxe bundle” packages. Kids under the age of three are free.
^^ More scenes from the new "Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience," which opens Friday at Stanley Park in #Vancouver.
MY REVIEW: https://t.co/ijo5a5IM7F pic.twitter.com/1rtOD2jVNN
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) November 7, 2025
Jan. 11 is the last date on the calendar for bookings (so far), with time slots from 4:45 to 10:15 p.m.
Be warned, some elements might be a little scary for some Forest-goers. “If you have arachnophobia,” the website cautions, “please let us know when you arrive, and we can make sure that we accommodate any needs to avoid spider-themed elements.”
The bushland hiking trail and steep sections might limit wheelchair access inside the temporary attraction, hyped as “the most magical of walks” — for those who can afford it.