Shop a vast selection of official Harry Potter movie collectibles and gifts, including The Final Challenge chess set, Hogwarts house crests and more! After exiting the tunnel, riders are greeted by Rubeus Hagrid flying on a motorbike with Hogwarts in the background. [8][9][10] By the end of August 2013, all six passenger cars and both tenders were ready to be assembled on the track. Visitors can purchase from one- up to five-day passes. $18.95 ... Hogwarts™ Castle Frame Ornament. The Express dutifully carried students to and from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the start and end of every term.. As a result, the Hogwarts Express departs from Hogsmeade and enters King's Cross in reverse. As a spider crawls up the compartment door, Ron eats it and the trio continue to walk on down the corridor. Once you commit to purchasing park-to-park tickets, you’d likely want to spend at least two full days at the resort—and maybe stay overnight at one of its (wonderful) on-property hotels. Not Just any Pass Will Do if You Want to Ride Universal's Harry Potter Train. [1], It is only possible to ride the Hogwarts Express after having already entered either theme park and presenting a ticket that allows admission to both of them on the same day. [13] On December 2, 2013, Orlando Attractions Magazine, an amusement park website, spotted one of the trains being tested. The car crashes soon after and the train leaves the forest, passing by Hogwarts once again before arriving at Hogsmeade Station with Hagrid greeting passengers. [27] The locomotive on the 70-meter-long (230 ft) trains weigh 13 metric tons (29,000 lb), the tenders weigh 15 metric tons (33,000 lb), and each passenger carriage weighs 27 metric tons (60,000 lb). Guests cannot leave one park and go to the other using a single park ticket. He has been covering theme parks, amusement parks, water parks, and attractions for TripSavvy since 2002. [29][31][41], At the entrance of the queue, ticket inspectors check passengers' tickets for Universal Studios. Adding a train that connects the two lands and requiring park-to-park passes to board it was even bolder and a brilliant strategy. The company also installed other technical equipment that allows the trains to be controlled by a computer system. Hogwarts Express. [5] At first, the creative team considered putting Diagon Alley within Islands of Adventure. Shadows of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger can also been seen walking down the train corridor, looking for an empty compartment. He also found it awkward that the Hogwarts Express reverses into Platform 9¾ at King's Cross—although in Hogsmeade the train arrives facing forwards. Universal Orlando operates three separate parks: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the Volcano Bay water park. Hedwig flies away and Dementors arrive from over the nearby buildings. Sands also mentioned attendance at Islands of Adventure remained the same since "visitors go to the new thing", though the Hogwarts Express likely prevented attendance from decreasing at the park. [25] Each train is an articulated cable car formed of five sections: a replica of a steam locomotive and its tender plus a set of three passenger coaches each with seven passenger compartments. The Hogwarts Express is an 1,800 mm (5 ft 10 7 ⁄ 8 in) broad gauge cable railway, people mover, and attraction within the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida, United States.The route runs 676 meters (2,218 ft) between Hogsmeade station in the Islands of Adventure theme park and King's Cross station in the London area of the Universal Studios Florida theme park. After ascending a flight of stairs, passengers find themselves between signs for King's Cross Platform 9 and Platform 10. Explore the mysteries of Hogwarts™ castle, visit the shops of Hogsmeade™, and sample fare from some of the wizarding world’s best-known establishments. Eventually they decided that the London and Hogsmeade environments should not be visible from each other. Upon climbing a flight of steps, travelers reach the Hogsmeade station platform. The Hogwarts Express includes a very detailed queue to walk through, there often is a wait time (even if it's a relatively short one), and you receive two different experiences on the train depending on whether or not you're traveling from Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. Universal Orlando for Wimps: Your Survival Guide, November at Universal Orlando: Weather and Event Guide, All Aboard, Muggles. X Sign In / Register. It provides a connection between the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade areas which, together, form the Harry Potter-themed Wizarding World area, based on the Harry Potter film series. The two directions of travel show two different videos. [1][3], In early 2011, construction surveying was spotted in the Lost Continent section of Islands of Adventure, and the resort had begun surveying visitors about a possible expansion. The Hogwarts Express is the name of the train that ran between London King's Cross Station Platform 9¾ and Hogsmeade station.It made this run about six times a year, maybe more, as needed. According to vice president of AECOM's economics, Brian Sands, the attendance increase at the Studios was likely due to the Diagon Alley expansion. Upon exiting the forest, Hogwarts can be seen once again in the background. [33][34][35], Frey AG was responsible for wiring the trains for the video and sound components. ... Universal built the Hogwarts castle and brought the hallways to life. This led to rumors that Universal Orlando was planning to expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Some passengers were stranded inside the vehicles for over an hour without ventilation. [24], Each compartment has a curved screen where the window would be. The Hogwarts Express is an 1,800 mm (5 ft 10 7⁄8 in) broad gauge cable railway, people mover, and attraction within the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida, United States. As the train enters a forest, the flying Ford Anglia appears and starts driving through the terrain. Aside from an audible "whoosh" sound, there is, regrettably, no attempt to reproduce the magical, molecule-shifting phenomenon." Some visitors are not aware of the need for park-to-park tickets to ride the Hogwarts Express. The music for the northbound journey is called "Connector Train – Hogsmeade to London". [1], The trains were built in Goldau, Switzerland. At the same time Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger pass along the corridor side of the coach looking for food. ... Harry Potter Hogwarts Express In Harry Potter Collectibles. [30], Robert Niles from Theme Park Insider mentioned how the attraction "broke walls". Universal Studios Florida; Universal's Islands of Adventure; [30][31][38], The London Symphony Orchestra recorded the music played throughout the journey at Abbey Road Studios on March 25, 2014. The line then leads into a forested area which leads into the Hogsmeade station building. The cable winding motor is at King's Cross station and has a rated load of 215 kilowatts (300 hp) and a peak power rating of 636 kilowatts (900 hp). Several Universal Orlando Resort attractions will be closing for limited times in early 2021 for refurbishment. Harry Potter Horcrux. [12] The second train was placed on the track in early December 2013. Here is where a gets a bit tricky: The multi-day passes also come in one-park-per-day and park-to-park versions. Make Sure You Get a Park-to-Park Ticket to Ride the Train. The Hogwarts Express provides one-way service from The Wizarding World- Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure to The Wizarding World- Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida and vice-versa. The massive and wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando is filled with all kinds of incredible attractions, shows, shops, food, and more. CWA Constructions designed both the exterior and interior of the trains to make them look as similar as possible to the Hogwarts Express seen in the Harry Potter film franchise. In addition to the train ride, guests who upgrade to park-to-park passes would be able to enjoy all of The Wizarding World experiences at the other park as well as all of the other rides and things to do at the park. Could I Handle Universal's Escape From Gringotts Ride? [24], The King's Cross station is built on a site that previously held the Jaws attraction. You can read our review of the Hogwarts Express to learn what makes it such a wonderful ride. Tips for Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Best Ways to Get Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets. Afterwards, an artificial weathering process was applied to give the appearance of a historic train. As the bus drives away, the train enters King's Cross station, where Alastor Moody greets passengers. [7] Almost two and a half years later, WESH-TV, the local NBC affiliate for the Orlando/Central Florida area, reported that an elevated track system had been installed at Universal Orlando and that the track ran between Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and a construction area in Universal Studios Florida. [24], The Hogwarts Express uses two trains that can transport 168 passengers each, giving a total of 336 passengers per cycle. The passengers are, after all, going from one park to the other. Could You Handle Universal Orland's Most Thrilling Rides? [6] At the end of the year, the resort announced the Jaws: The Ride would close on January 2, 2012, to make way for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. When you arrive in London, pop around the corner to find the secret entryway into Diagon Alley. The Hogwarts Express soft-opened to the public on July 1, 2014, before officially opening seven days later along with the rest of the Diagon Alley expansion. The route runs 676 meters (2,218 ft) between Hogsmeade station in the Islands of Adventure theme park and King's Cross station in the London area of the Universal Studios Florida theme park. $34.95 ... Universal Orlando Resort. The Hogwarts Express then enters a tunnel, after which riders find themselves in the middle of a storm and pass Malfoy Manor. Learn why the Hogwarts Express has changed everything at Florida’s theme parks. Overall Levine said that the attraction does more than just making it a ride: "By making it an integral and compelling part of The Wizarding World, most guests would want to ride it to get the complete Potter experience. After continuing around several corners, guests arrive on Platform 9¾ to wait for the next train. [43][44], Attraction within Universal Orlando Resort, A Hogwarts Express train arriving at Hogsmeade station in Islands of Adventure, Lost Continent section of Islands of Adventure, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Warner Bros. Universal employees are on hand to check passes before guests enter either of the stations. Arthur is a travel writer with more than 25 years of experience. [2] The train carries 30,000 passengers per day, and operates 365 days per year. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, "How Universal came up with Hogwarts Express and said goodbye to Jaws", "What is Universal planning for Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion? 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