I visited the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, here's whether I think it's worth paying up to $85 for a ticket

Those who know me would know how much of a Potterhead I am. 

I've loved the franchise for more than two decades, have read all seven books and watched all eight of the films multiple times.

I went to Harry Potter: The Exhibition at ArtScience Museum in 2012, splurged more than $700 on merchandise at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Japan and am currently in the midst of saving up to visit the Warner Bros Studio Tour London. 

Evidently, when it comes to anything Harry Potter-related, money isn't an issue. 

So, when it was announced that the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience was coming to Singapore, it wasn't surprising that I already had my credit card on standby — I even set an alarm to camp for tickets on the release date. 

Previously, it was announced that basic ticket prices for adults would start from $51 and would go all the way up to $85. 

But now, on some off-peak days, tickets can cost as low as $44. 

Even so, it's a rather steep price to pay and I wanted to see if the immersive experience was worth it. 

Cast spells and bow to a Hippogriff 

The event is held at Sentosa Island Coastal Trail and with all the tall trees and flora, it certainly was an appropriate place to make the magical Forbidden Forest come to life.

Before entering the attraction, guests are encouraged to download the HP Forbidden Forest Experience app to enhance their adventure. 

It was relatively easy to use, too: Just use the camera function to scan the prompts and you can activate various interactions. 

Thanks to technology, the experience was truly very interactive.

Towards the start of the forest, you'll be greeted by a massive Hippogriff, which for the uninitiated, is a legendary creature with the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse.

In the movies, characters had to bow politely to the creature and if it bowed back, it meant that you had permission to approach it. 

And if it didn't, you better move away because it may scratch you with its sharp talons. 

This Hippogriff isn't as violent but it did reject bows by shaking its feathery head, which was quite amusing. 

One of my favourite parts of the experience was the recreation of Harry casting a Patronus spell at a Dementor, which is a wraithlike dark creature. 

After he does so, his Patronus form, which is a stag, appears and chases the evil Dementor away. 

Guests get to cast spells themselves and around the middle of the attraction, you'll find interactive stations where you can do so. 

At one of these, two guests even get to pick their own wands and have a friendly duel. 

We also got to cast our very own Patronus. Mine was an otter and I got to see it zip around the forest. 

Apart from interactive exhibits, guests should keep their eyes peeled for magical creatures from both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series such as owls, Nifflers and Cornish Pixies. 

These are hidden away in the darkness of the forest amidst all the plants. 

Additionally, there are also scenes from the movies that have been replicated. 

For instance, the enchanted Flying Ford Anglia, which Harry and Ron Weasley crashed in The Sorcerer's Stone, can be seen surrounded by giant Acromantula spiders. 

Walk a little further and you'll bump into Aragog, who speaks to you just like he does in the movies. 

Overall, we took about 45 minutes to finish the entire walk through the Forbidden Forest. 

Frog cakes and Butterbeer 

Guests can purchase drinks and cookies within the Forbidden Forest itself but if you want more variation, head to the main food booths that are located right across the road from the experience. 

If you're a fan like I am, you'd probably also be curious about how Butterbeer tastes like. 

They sell that right here for $14 a cup. 

I'll admit that I was initially a little disappointed by the size of the drink — it was a pretty tiny serving for the price. 

But after my first sip, I realised that it was more than enough. 

Like its name suggests, the drink was creamery, buttery and extremely indulgent. 

While it was absolutely delicious, it also was very sweet, so a small serving is enough to give you a sugar rush. 

Also, fret not — there is no alcohol in it. 

If you're not keen on Butterbeer, there are other drinks available like the Signature Mocktail - Colovaria Cooler. 

There are also the House Iced Chocolates which are crafted according to the four Hogwarts houses — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

For instance, the house colour for Slytherin is green so the drink is made with mint chocolate milk that is topped with whipped cream, green glitter dusting and a chocolate wafer. 

The booth also sells savoury snacks like chargrilled chicken wings ($15) in several flavours. 

We got the Hogwarts Delight, which has chicken wings topped with pumpkin crumble. 

This was actually pretty good and the wings were sizeable and marinated well. 

For something sweet, we got Chocolate Frog Mud Cake ($12) from the dessert section. Other treats guests can purchase are the Golden Snitch Cake Pop ($10), Forbidden Forest Caramel Fudge Cake ($14) and Hogwarts Letter Cookie ($8). 

The mud cake was unfortunately way too sweet for our liking and we were unable to finish it. 

But that may also because we have adult tastebuds, so the dessert may be more appealing to kids. 

Overall, the food was admittedly rather expensive, but considering the event and location, it wasn't surprising. 

So, is it worth it?

While I did enjoy the attraction, I personally feel that the ticket prices are too steep, especially for those who paid $85 to go during peak periods. 

For context, adult tickets to The Making of Harry Potter studio tour in Japan, which is the largest indoor Harry Potter attraction in the world, costs 6,300 yen ($58).

Diehard Potterheads would probably consider this worth a visit.

But if you aren't one, this could be a hit-or-miss experience.

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melissateo@asiaone.com