Harry Potter: Stars unite for Universal's newest rollercoaster ride

Image source, Universal Orlando

Harry Potter stars reunited to launch a new rollercoaster at the Harry Potter theme park in Florida in the US.

Universal, which owns the theme park, is calling Hagrid's Magical Creature Motorbike Adventures a story-coaster and promise lots of encounters with creatures from the books and films.

Riding on a motorbike, just like Hagrid, or in the sidecar like Harry Potter, visitors can travel over a forest, which was planted especially for the ride, and through ruins.

The rollercoaster is nearly a mile in length and speeds backwards and forwards and reportedly has the most launches - which catapults cars forward - of any rollercoaster in the world - seven to be exact.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Evanna Lynch, Rupert Grint and Oliver Phelps try a levitation spell - not that the roller coaster needs one

Tom Felton, Evanna Lynch, Rupert Grint and brothers James and Oliver Phelps - who played Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Ron Weasley, and Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films - surprised fans at the opening of the ride.

The cast members, who included Professor Filius Flitwick actor Warwick Davis, posed for photos and attempted Wingardium Leviosa levitation spells with wands for fans.

It has been 18 years since the first Harry Potter film - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - opened in cinemas, and eight years since the last - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - came out.