As we explore the shops of Place Cachée, we’ll quickly find that we’re visiting the Wizarding World at the right time, but the wrong place. Upon entering Place Cachée, we’ll quickly pick up that today marks the beginning of the trial against the sickly-sweet-and-sneering, love-to-hate-her Potter baddie Dolores Umbridge (interestingly, setting this ride just after the conclusion of the final film, extending Potter lore a little further than the books' main plot.)

Naturally, the entire Wizarding World will be descending upon London to witness the historic trial for themselves. So once we’ve stocked up on wands, robes, and French Wizarding food, the looming trial will see us depart Paris by way of the recognizable green flames of the Floo Network, emerging among hordes of crowds across the English Channel in the iconic black-brick fireplace forecourt of the British Ministry of Magic itself.

Sure, technically, this ride probably should’ve been placed at Universal Studios Florida (where Diagon Alley and a London area already exist)… and indeed, it allegedly was a long-time, logical next step to add a Ministry ride to the Studio park. But let’s face it: Universal seems to have (correctly, in our opinion) decided that while Fantastic Beasts created a new corner of the Wizarding World to shop and eat in, it’s still the story of Harry Potter that people want to be a part of.

And the unlimited land of Epic Universe gives the Ministry attraction the kind of real estate it deserves…

Which, in this case, will allegedly see us join crowds of wizards and witches racing to get a front-row seat at the trial of the millennium, collected in the absolutely massive central atrium of the Ministry – sure to leave the lobby of Gringotts looking tiny in comparison. From there, guests will be hurried deeper into the Ministry down black brick hallways, passing various departments en route to the Wizengamot courtrooms seen through the film series.

At least according to the reporting of Alicia Stella at Orlando Park Stop, Universal initially planned for a mega-E-Ticket experience to occur within. In short, an early draft of the Ministry of Magic attraction would’ve seen guests pile into the iconic, concentric rings of seats making up the courtroom, facing down Dolores Umbridge herself.

However, the pink-suited Voldemort loyalist would somehow manage to release the group of Dementors that menacingly hover ever-present over the court, leading a revolt. The court stands would seem to physically break apart, revealing themselves as trackless ride vehicles that would race through the Ministry as Harry and friends seek to battle the Death Eaters and Dementors, capture Umbridge, and restore order.

Reportedly, Universal eventually decided against the trackless ride concept (perhaps part of a company-wide reluctance to use the technology after Skull Island: Reign of Kong since Hollywood’s Secret Life of Pets dark ride also axed its planned trackless tech).

It’s likely that Umbridge’s trial will remain the basis for the ride. But now, according to Park Stop, the ride system itself will be something familiar… but disguised. According to their analysis, guests will likely board one of the Ministry of Magic’s enchanted elevators, likely seated and strapped for a descent down into the further bowels of the Ministry. (In the films, these multi-directional magical elevators, after all, can move forward, backward, sideways, up, down, and everything in between.)

Once loaded, the elevator may sink down from the rotunda and enter the lower levels of the Ministry, where the elevator will unexpectedly begin to move horizontally, carrying us through hallways and rooms of the Ministry as the chaos of Umbridge's escape spreads.

That’s because, it’s expected that the vehicle guests are sitting on will be the next generation of Universal’s iconic “SCOOP” ride system – developed for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. This advanced version of the system may be able to telescope up and down, so that guests will not only travel through physical scenes, but will occasionally stop to raise up through various “shafts,” where projected media and quick-switch physical sets will make guests feel that they’re traveling upwards, downwards, forward, and backward through the Ministry.

Allegedly, this ride will not use 3-D glasses, but instead be filled with practical sets and Audio-Animatronics…

For example, Park Stop reports that Universal may re-use a gag it invented for the similarly-SCOOP-based Jurassic World Adventure at Universal Studios Beijing. There, a vicious Indominus rex appears to literally chase riders as their vehicle accelerated backwards (via an ultra-impressive “walking” Audio-Animatronic). If rumors are to be believed, a runaway erumpent (having escaped from the Department of Magical Creatures in the chaos) may do the same to riders here.

One thing is certain: the combination of Spider-Man’s iconic SCOOP ride system (plus a few clever innovations), the larger-than-life scale, and the post-Potter plot are all lined up to make this Ministry of Magic attraction more than just the anchor of Place Cachée. Indeed, Universal is allegedly pulling out all the stops to make this ride the ultimate Potter adventure, literally capping off the story and serving as the crescendo that began with Forbidden Journey and continued in Escape from Gringotts.

And when you think about it, allowing guests to explore a corner of the Wizarding World they’ve never seen before in Place Cachée, then to finally see the dastardly Umbridge get her just desserts… it really will be a grand finale of sorts. In this third entry, Universal will let guests live their own Wizarding World adventure by discovering a place they probably don’t recognize, but is still filled with all the treats and treasures they expect. Then, they’ll get to witness the comeuppance of the last unresolved villain from the franchise in a mega E-Ticket.

That’s a pretty great way to turn Fantastic Beast’s lemons into lemonade, and a smart way to offer a third Wizarding land for us to explore… Plus, alongside celestial coasters, flying dragons, movie monsters, and Nintendo games, it'll be a pretty fantastic anchor attraction for Universal Epic Universe…