Initially when I went with my parents to Islands of Adventure a few years back this ride seemed like such a money grubbing scam, requiring a park to park pass which means you might as well stay two days. Now I wish we would have just spent two days as they would have loved this train ride and I believe would have liked Universal Studios better than Islands of Adventure. At their ages we shouldn't have done two consecutive days but we could have made it work. I returned to Islands of Adventure with my sister earlier this year and the lines were so slight we ended up upgrading to the park hopper pass to do both parks in one day meaning I could finally ride the Hogwarts Express. The architect and theming is outstanding. Very classy and immersive. The video from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios Florida was fun and I liked that it had video on windows on both sides of the cabin. The station at Universal Studios Florida was a bit more bustling and urban feeling than the one we came from making it feel like you really went somewhere. This is a very cool way to travel from one park to the other and with how Universal has to compete with Disney for those multi-day visits I can even somewhat forgive the hustle they employ here. Unfortunately after like 7 years since my last visit and the the research I had prior to that, I totally forgot that they show a different video on the ride from Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure and when the former closed early for a private event (big ballers there! Renting out that theme park) my sister and I huffed it across City Walk to get back to Islands of Adventure instead of taking the train again. In the immortal word of Homer Simpson "D'oh!" Cable cars are still my favorite amusement park transportation ride but I think I like this Potter train a good deal better than the standard trains you'll find at parks like Cedar Point. read more

A train (actually on a cable-propelled, funicular-style system (like a cable car) rather than a traditional locomotive, but beautiful locomotive design. Inside car spaces seat up to 8 adults, and no need for a seat belt - it only carries you between Universal Studios Florida and the Islands of Adventure (requires a park hopping ticket between the two, you can buy the upgrade to your single park ticket at either end). There are a lot of stairs, winding lines when busy (though mostly covered), an elevator that's backed up, and some items in the queue to fill the time (Platform 9-3/4, some cool mirror effects with walking into the wall, etc.). Lots of people in line and not super-smooth (they try to bunch people into groups of 8 really quick. *Spoilers* Inside while on the ride between the two is a transition between Hogsmeade Station and London and vice versa; the video in the window to the "outside" has little tidbits of coverage around Death Eaters flying around, what looks like the Malfoy Manor, British countryside, Hogwarts Castle, Hagrid, the Knight's Bus, etc. depending on which direction you're going. There's a little story in the background on the window into the hallway - projections of Harry, Hermione, and Ron talk about various things happening outside the train and some kids lose a spider candy or two... Overall interesting mini-ride that costs a bit more since it requires the upgraded ticket between the parks. This does have a line for the Express pass if you have it. read more

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A great way to see both parks and travel between. This was perfect for me since I wanted to spend the majority of time between the two Harry Potter lands. Remember that both sides are different, so it's worth going twice. We did notice going from London to Hogsmeade the wait was longer, but we just gave it some time near the end of the day so we didn't have to wait as long. Be sure to check the posted wait time before you get on so you can plan accordingly. Even when there is no wait, there is still a bit of a queue to walk through. You need a park hopper for this and it is definitely worth it. Now that I've done it with a park hopper, though, I think I'd be okay just going to each park individually, although the walk around will be longer. read more

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Hogwarts Express was fun. While there are four Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter around the world (Universal: Orlando, Hollywood, Osaka, Beijing), only Universal Orlando Resort has Hogwarts Express. It opened on July 8, 2014, coinciding with the opening of Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida. In Harry Potter, Hogwarts Express is the steam locomotive that transports passengers between King's Cross Station in London and Hogsmeade Station in the village of Hogsmeade. What's cool about Hogwarts Express at Universal is it's actually a real-life train that physically transports you between King's Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade Station in Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure. In order to take full advantage of Hogwarts Express at Universal, you have to buy passes to both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure. We purchased the "2-Park 1-Day Park-to-Park Dated Adult" for $194.00 per person plus the "2PK Express" for $149.99 per person. $343.99 per person total. Those gave us all-day access to Universal Studios Florida (King's Cross Station) and Universal Islands of Adventure (Hogsmeade Station) and the 2-Park Universal Express Pass for express ride access (fast pass). The Express Pass saved us a lot of time. It enabled us to see and do more things. Specifically, it saved us a significant amount of time at King's Cross Station. We boarded the Hogwarts Express much faster than those without the Express Pass. Therefore, I think it's worth the extra cost. During our visit, my wife and friends rode the Hogwarts Express in both directions: (1) from Hogsmeade Station to King's Cross Station and (2) from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade Station. I was only able to join them for the second segment, from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade Station. My wife told me that I rode the better of the two segments. Just like in the movies, at King's Cross Station, we walked through a brick wall to get to the train station's hidden platform, Platform 9¾. The vanishing effect was cool. Here's a video that our friend shot of four of us going through: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hogwarts-express-orlando?select_video=hMDf8tLwjluH6gc2MF7UKA The outside of the train looked just like the movies. Our group of five shared a roomette (compartment) inside the train with another group; I think it was three other people. We sat across from the other group. The window to the outside and the window to the inside of the train were both video screens, simulating the outside and inside worlds as we left London and made our way through the English countryside. Along the way, characters from the series appear and hijinks ensue. The ride lasted about five minutes. While the roomette felt a bit cramped, overall, I thought Universal did a good job capturing what it must be like to experience Hogwarts Express in real life. I recommend it. read more

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The magical locomotive that transports passengers from London King's Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida to Hogsmeade Station at Universal Island of Adventure side to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Take a 5 minute ride to see the countryside of the Wizarding World and get from one side of the part to the other. read more

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I for real though this was going to be like the Disney train at Magic Kingdom that just took you to one place to another with not much to see. Boy, was I wrong!! This was a for real adventure. It was so cool. I literally felt like I was in my own private train car and we were passing all the Harry Potter stuff along the way. Now I've never read the books or saw the movies, so I certainly don't know much when it comes to Harry Potter, but I know this was one awesome experience and I can only imagine how off the charts awesome it is for Harry Potter fans. We went from Universal to Islands and I've heard the ride is different going from Islands to Universal. I intend on finding out about that very soon! It is wonderful they put this in place to go park-to-park. It use to be such a pain to have to go to the front of the Park and walk through CityWalk just to get to Islands or vice versa. This is so very convenient. We did wait about 25 minutes, but it would have probably taken longer than that to walk to Islands and then have to go through the front gates again with our tickets. So I'm all for this! Yay Universal! read more

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The Hogwarts Express was definitely our longest wait when I visited Universal Florida with my mom and stepdad last month (1-1.5 hours). But it's a must do, right? How fun (and a dream!!!) to wait for a train to take you to Hogwarts?! The line was slow and very long, so I'd watch the app and try to pick the best timing based on waits. We rode it from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade (I know some people ride it both ways since it's different), and it was fun. You sit in your cabin and there are screens on both sides of the cabin (the window and the door to the hall of the train). Just FYI you have to have a dual park pass (Universal + Islands of Adventure) to take the Hogwarts Express; to save money, we paid for one day with the dual park and one day for a single park. Worth it, but be prepared for a wait! read more

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You have to have a Park to Park ticket to ride this train. It connects Hogsmeade Village (in Island of Adventure) to Hogwarts Castle in Universal Studios. It's a fun way to travel between the two spots. Be sure to take the train both ways as the story is very different. IG: QueenofAdventureNYC read more

Loved the Hogwarts Express! I like that it's a little journey kind of ride in and of itself in addition to transporting you from one side of Harry Potter World to the other! It truly gives you the feel of riding the train and is a mini adventure in and of itself. I actually wish the journey was longer so you could just enjoy it all a bit more! My favorite thing about the Hogwarts Express is that it doesn't "turn around," it just goes forward (facing Hogsmeade) and then basically backs up its booty into King's Cross Station at Diagon Alley. Since we were getting on the train at Diagon Alley, this was probably the most hilarious sight to see as the train came back to our station to pick us up. Loved everything about the Hogwarts Express! read more

Hogwarts Express - Hogwarts Express at the station! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Quick ride to get from one side of Universal to the other - however, one must have their own park 2 park pass (part of the ticket if you plan to visit both parks in a day) to ride the Hogwarts Express train. Tickets are scanned upon entry. Lines can be long to wait for the train but the ride itself is only 5 minutes and passengers must remain seated in their car and watch the animation. Saves the 15-20 minute walk from side of Universal to the other side. This is for all the Harry Potter fans but anyone can enjoy... if the wait is too long, just save yourself the time and just walk. read more

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This train is definitely a god send for tired feet when you need to go between the two parks. There is an express lane for this but we were told by the attendant that it literally makes no difference if the standby line is under 10 minutes and to save it for later, so we went in the normal line. There are a few things to see on the way down but otherwise it's just a train station. Depending on which side you're leaving from, the train might look a little funny pulling in since the engine is only on one side and has to reverse in. You get directed by the staff into the car you'll be occupying. You'll likely be seated with other people as they can fit 6 comfortably, maybe a few more if you're mostly with little ones. As for the experience, everything is on a screen which is very much the universal m.o. It's neat but nothing spectacular. Definitely look around as stuff happens in the hallway of the train too. read more

Universal Studios (Florida) THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER - Diagon Alley When we walked through the brick wall at King's Cross Station in London to Platform 9-3/4 to queue up for the train ride we didn't know that there was another part of the resort that it will drop us off to, which is another park!It dropped us off at Hogsmeade Station in Universal's Islands of Adventure. The resort is a 2-park resort and one must have a Park-to-Park admission ticket, it's the only way a guest can ride the Hogwarts Express between parks. Inside the train was cool. Each compartment held 8 people. This is an actual train that moves but we can't see the outside. Instead the windows had some type of a video monitor showing rolling scenes from the movie. The trip was about 4-mins long. Sorry, I cannot relate to the movie as I am ashamed to say that I do not follow the Potter World but my daughter is a big fan. There were some odd moments aboard the slowly moving train where the lights flickered, and somewhat scary events can be heard taking place. Did that happen in the movie? Didn't expect all that but it was a nice touch. The Hogwarts Express takes guests on two very different journeys, so this is one ride that Potter fans will definitely want to board twice. Unfortunately for us though we only went one way and our interests took us to a different path inside the park. Cool experience... Review #1584 read more

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Well done way to get from one park to the other - but I'd rather walk as it would be quicker. You need a park hopper to access this "ride" and you need to have your tickets/passes available each side and every time. I will give it to them, they did a great job with the ride - from the entrance to the train ride itself. There is a lot of detail that most Harry Potter fans will notice. During the ride itself, the "window" and the "door" is full of detailed activity. They do all they can to make you feel like you're actually in that world - even if you're sitting across from or next to complete strangers dressed like they're in a theme park. The ride is fine, but I do wish it was optional. An option that would be done if there wasn't long lines and waits. All you need to do is look at an overhead map and see it's not that difficult to go from one park to the other. I could walk way faster than the amount of time it took me coming and going - I only did it once due to the enormous waste of time it cost me at my day at Universal, so I wanted to make sure I was completely done before I wasted any more time waiting to just get back to the other park. If there is another option, I wouldn't know since it was my first time in the park. I'm not sure I could go out the front gate and walk to the other front gate - because I would do that and it would be faster than this. Really Universal, there should be another way and option, because it is a tremendous time waster on crowded days and when you're already spending time waiting on lines for pretty much everything else already. But I digress. This shouldn't be about the issues with Universal and the way they want park goers to go from one park to the other with a park hopper or two day ticket that isn't cheap. Even if you're not a Potter fan, you can appreciate the train ride. It was done very well (the screens and ambiance). Hopefully if Universal makes a simple walking option a way to get from one park to the other, this is still a nice "ride" when it's not overly crowded. The detail was well done and even the most casual of Harry Potter fans should like this. Recommended to all at least once - though if you have a park hopper, you're forced to ride it anyway. read more

A realistic red train that brings you from and to Islands of Adventures and Universal Studios. The steam bellows out of the train, the employees were dressed like train conductors. I really felt like I was going to Hogwarts. Once you're in the train station, you wait in a line that looks like you're in an actual train station. You get up to platform 9 3/4 and wait to get on the magical train. The cabin seats about 6 grown adults. I've never been in a train with cabins but I feel like this was realistic. The window is a screen of the train riding through the countryside. You'll see an owl and Hagrid fly by. The doors illuminates with the shadows of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. (And a dementor). It's truly a fun and peaceful ride and you should ride both directions. read more

Hogwarts Express - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Even as a Harry Potter fan, I don't like this ride. The cars weren't very big so I assumed my family of four would get a car to ourselves, but we were crammed in with another family, so it was awkward. The screen on the window wasn't very high quality and the scenery it showed was unimpressive. I would rather be looking out the normal window at Universal. The voices of the characters weren't even the real actors. The waits get so long for this that it's faster and more effective to walk to the other park. That's literally why they put the two parks right next to each other. However, the queue was really cool with a lot of details. I liked how you got to walk through platform 9 3/4 and see the Hogwarts Express, but the actual ride was unimpressive, boring, and not done very well. read more

You can go through platform 9 3/4! The atmosphere is amazing! You feel like you're in the movie. While you ride the train, there is the Harry Potter music and you look out the window and you can watch yourselves go to Hogwarts! Hogwarts Express takes you between the 2 Universal Parks, you can only ride it if you have the 2 park pass. read more

The Hogwarts Express is really well done. You board in either Diagon Alley (Universal Studios) or Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) and ride it over to the other park. You'll need a both parks pass to ride it. The ride is a little different for each direction you go. You are closed in your room and get to look out the window and see various spots from the movie. You'll see Harry Potter and crew walking outside your room, trying to find somewhere to sit. The first couple of rides are fun, but after that it really just becomes your method of getting between parks. Unfortunately, it often takes a 30+ minute wait to get on train, which is really long when you're just trying to get over to the other park. Try and time it right so that you go when the line is low, because you really don't want to waste a bunch of time in line just for switching parks. If the line is too long, you might just be better off walking. read more

As a fan of all the Harry Potter movies, decided to take the time to review and experience the ride virtually during CoVid 19. After riding, I highly recommend to board the ride on the London side 9 3/4...as before your eyes you can magically see the person ahead of you disappear through the wall...just as portrayed in the movie. The virtual tour and walking through the train station to board the ride; all around seeing old suitcases, buildings that depict London Station , made me feel right in the movie, then the short ride with character animation leads you into Hogsmead Island inside Universal. Marvelous job Universal studio, thanks for the virtual adventure. read more

The last time I was at the park they only had the Islands of Adventure Hogsmeade side open. There was a replica of the train that you could take pictures with but it was not on a track. With the expansion of the Wizarding World into the Universal side of the park, this became one of the rides I was most interested in experiencing. You can ride Hogwarts Express as long as you have purchased a two park pass. On the night we visited our after hours ticket for the Orlando Informer Meetup provided access to the Wizarding World in both parks so we were able to ride the train. You enter the train station at Kings Cross Station which is a quarter scale replica of the real station in London. On the wall are colorful posters for tourist destinations in London. Luggage is artfully stacked waiting to be loaded on the train for the students trip to Hogwarts. At the platform for 9 3/4 it looks like the people ahead of you are walking through a wall as described in the books. It uses the same Pepper's Ghost illusion that makes the ghosts dance in the banquet hall in the haunted mansion in Disney world. On the night we visited we rode the train both ways. You sit in a railway car that looks like the one in movies. On one side you have a screen that shows scenes and characters as you travel. On the hallway side of the car shadows of characters and the dementors pass by your closed door. At one point chocolate frogs escaped from their trolley cart and adhered themselves to our door. You can hear characters speak as they go past. Most of them sounded great except for Hermione whose voice sounded nothing like Emma Watson. The scenes and shadows were very entertaining. There is always something to look at at during the duration of the short ride. What you see and hear depends on which direction you are traveling. It changes depending on whether you are leaving Kings Cross station for Hogsmeade or going from Hogsmeade back to Kings Cross Station. If you are a Harry Potter fan you will love this ride. Like so much in the Wizarding World, great attention was paid to the details. It was quite brilliant of Universal to place the Wizarding World between the two parks in order to push people into purchasing the more expensive multi park pass. This ride allows you to stay immersed in the Wizarding world while connecting between the two parks. read more

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The better of the two rides you can take on this train. You'll need a park hopper to take the train no matter which side you're coming from as it goes into the opposing park. This one is definitely better with graphics and overall immersiveness into the theming of the Harry Potter world. The wait is usually pretty long, but this one is more shaded and a better wait than coming from the opposite side. I like the photo ops on this side before you get on the train - think platform 9 3/4 with a push cart of luggage! Makes a great keepsake photo for future. Be ready with your camera and video option available as there are a couple of fun surprises on the ride you may want to capture! Overall: A You'll need a park hopper to ride this one, but it makes for a magical experience and great photo keepsakes! read more

The Hogwarts Express is pretty much the coolest way ever invented to get from one park to another. You can take this train from Diagon Alley (Kings Cross Station) in Universal Studios over to Hogsmeade (Hogsmeade Station) in Islands of Adventure & vice versa. While on the train, you get an amazing little show! Be sure to watch both sides while you're in your compartment. And also be sure to take it in both directions from park to park as the show is slightly different. You have to have park to park admission at Universal to get into the train stations. The ride itself is less than 5 minutes but sometimes the wait can get very long...2 hours while I was there! The earlier you ride this train, the better. I found riding right at 9am when the park opens is best, as with most rides at Universal. So...get to Diagon Alley during the first hour the park is open for early admission, then ride the train as soon as it opens one hour later with the rest of the parks. As with most rides, I don't want to ruin it for you but just know you must make this a "Must Do" while at Universal. read more

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I recently came back to both Universal parks in December 2019. Lines were insane. Most Harry Potter attractions had wait times of 2-5 hours each. Absolutely insane. It looks like the only way to avoid this is to get the VIP passes which were about $400 per person per day to get 4-5 fast-pass-type admissions to the rides THEY will give to you, and they aren't the most popular rides (such as Hagrid' motor bike). That's not worth the money to me. Employees here were rude and condescending when I asked questions about attractions. Disney has far better customer service, exceedingly better dining options, and a much more reasonably priced, better-valued vacation. Yes, Universal has Harry Potter going for it, but that doesn't account for much unless you have 4-5 hours of time to wait for most Harry Potter attractions. Even the wait to get between parks was 2 hours. Crazy! read more

Hogwart's is a new ride that is basically just a subway style train that allows visitors to travel between Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure without walking back to the front entrance area of the parks (City Walk). The ride connects from Harry Potter adventure worlds that are part of each of the theme parks (the newest being in Universal Studios). The train station is built to look like the Kings Crossing station in London, which is cool. It's very spacious and looks like you're really in an early 20th century London train station. The train itself is constructed of little cabins that seat 8 or so folks in their own private cabin... and as you travel between parks, you're treated to a visual landscape of London through the "window" of your train car. Note that the day I rode there was no air conditioning in the train car. Maybe they were still working out the kinks b/c I'm sure the train will eventually be blowing cold air like everywhere else in the park (which is a great thing for sunny Florida). [Interestingly, the London Tube is not air conditioned even today...] Finally, as you might suspect, you will wait in line! So, if you're in a hurry to get from one part to another, I'd advise that you walk :) read more

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The theming is amazing here! The London side has you entering from Kings Cross Station and magically walking through the wall at platform 9 and 3/4. The Hogsmeade side has you entering from right outside the town wall. We rode the Hogwarts Express multiple times to see the ride from both directions. My advice is to right it earlier in the day. Take advantage of early park admission if you are staying on property and go directly to Hogsmeade, ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey while the line is short(er), then go on the Hogwarts Express right when the other park (and Diagon Alley) opens at 9. We did this and had a super short wait, like less than 5 minutes. Oh and you'll need to shell out money for a park to park ticket to ride the train, but if you forgot to pre purchase the park to park you can upgrade your ticket at the station. Watch the main window as well as the frosted glass door for all kinds of surprises. Each cabin has seating for 8, and it moves pretty slow so no need for seat belts. The middle is the best seat, but honestly I sat next to the window on 2 trips and didn't have a problem seeing everything. The trip is a short 3 minutes or less so if you miss the train and have to wait you won't be stuck waiting too long. Fun for all ages! Not too childish for adults or too scary for little ones, just right for everyone. :) read more

Hogwarts Express - Platform 9 and 3/4! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Make sure to ride the train both ways because one trip you'll see the Weasley Brothers, and the other you'll see Mad Eye Moody, as well as some of your other favorite like Harry and the gang. Before boarding you'll walk through the 9 3/4 platform and watch people disappear. Yes, you read that right, you have to see it to believe it, great special effects! Both train rides have dementors, and the special effects are awesome. It's a train ride and a show combined into one. Also, if you ride this, you WILL need a park pass to both parks since you'll be going to Hogesmeade and Diagon Alley or visa versa. Also, they tell you no flash photography or video allowed :( read more

Hogwarts Express - All aboard - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Cool interactive train ride to take you between parks and stay within the Harry Potter universe created by universal. This was a brilliant addition as it makes park hopping so much more accessible and to do it as a ride is genius. read more

This was such a great ride, and a fun way to get back and forth between the two parks, it's definitely worth the Park Hopper pass you have to get in order to ride the train. You can board it either in Hogsmead or Kings Cross and the contrast between the two stations adds to your Harry Potter experience. The train itself is a great representation of the version in the movies. You are seated in a traveling compartment and once the door is closed you can watch as figures move and talk outside in the hall. You also can look at the window as you pass film versions of the countryside and see Hagrid, the Weasely twins and more! Even better?? The interactions in the hallway and what you see out the window differ depending on the direction you're going. So your experience to Hogsmead is different from the return to Kings Cross. I definitely recommend this part of your Harry Potter nerding experience! read more

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Last year I missed out on the opportunity to ride this since we did one day park passes. This year I did not make the same mistake, of course! This is such a great experience and on top of it, you can rest your feet and watch the "scenery." The lines for the station can get pretty long when it's busy. They are fully prepared for that because the potential for lines just wraps around forever. For the 9 3/4 experience, it'll be hard to get a picture especially if there's a lot of people. To take a video or photo of your friend disappearing through the wall you have to be further back to capture the moment. I probably went through the Express like 3 times during my one day visit there. The actual experience on the Express is pretty neat. On the side screen where the window would be, as you take off they play it as if you really would be taking off just as Harry did in the movies. On the opposite side are your doors so during the ride it'll have shadows upon the doors to showcase the dementors and the treats trolley! Lovely experience and I love how they incorporated everything into the ride as close to the movies as possible! read more

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This was pretty cool. I'm a big Harry Potter fan so I was excited to check out the Hogwarts Express. You need to have the "park to park" pass to ride it - we paid $175 for a one-day pass (ouch ...) for both of the parks, primarily so we could do this, ha. Once you are aboard the train, you share a carriage with up to 5 other people (they can fit 6) and the train goes towards either the Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) or London/Hogwarts (Universal Studios) station. Earlier in the day we had a 5 minutes wait (going to Hogsmeade) and then later on in the day it was about 30 minutes. read more

This is a ride in itself. I think it was worth getting the park hopper because this ticket was included. The line is not too long to board the train. I've never been to England or Hogwarts, but it's just like how I would imagine it to be (very similarly to the HP movies). They make it seem like Harry Potter and his gang are actually walking outside your car. You can "look out" the window to see different views. I don't think the train actually moves at a high speed, but the window screen makes it seem like it does. Note: I had a party of three, and we shared the car with another party of three. read more

I was surprised at this short train ride between Universal's Island of Adventure and Universal Studios. I was expecting a simple ride just with no special views or anything like that but I was seriously surprised and it actually made the 20 minute wait for the ride a lot more bearable. But I digress. The train station is located in the middle of the Hogsmeade village, which makes the train station a Hogsmeade station, which is a stylized station made to look like a small station in England. Once you get to the platform a door opens up and you're assign a compartment. I doubt that the car was actually a refurbished or just made to look like one but one will never know. The window as it turns out plays but it takes your brain a minute to recognize that views that would have appeared to Harry Potter characters on their way from Hogwarts to London and you can hear Ron, Hermione, and Harry walking in the hallway looking for a compartment. The ride is short arriving to the Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross station but everything stays in character, except may be the heat.... read more

First off, it is absolutely obnoxious for Universal to have only one method of crossing between the two parks, much less charging you for a park-hopper ticket in order to do so. This boils down to an extra surcharge for a single ride. That being said, like everything else in Harry Potter Land, the Hogwarts Express is perfect to the last detail. From the muggle railway station to platform 9 ¾ to the train itself, every Potterphile will be absolutely beside themselves on this wonderful trip. Universal did a fantastic job of managing the necessities of a ride while including all the necessary details for maximum enjoyment. On the train you will be directed to a passenger car which you will probably share with other wizards on their way to or from Hogwarts. You will be treated to watching the landscape go by while favorite characters zip past, as well as different actions happening in the hallway outside your cabin. Be sure to ride it both ways, as the show is different going from London to Hogwarts and Hogwarts to London. read more

Nice break in a long day. I read some reviews that the train had no A/C but when I was there it did and I was thankful! Do ride it both ways....I can't remember which way but I preferred one over the other read more

I'm not going to spoil this surprise, but if you've got a park hopper ticket (2 Day pass, with a 3rd day free) then you've simply scored! When I rode this, I totally imagined an open window Disney-type of train ride. Only this was different. What you get from this the first time is an amazing little video, and that's just about all I'll say. The ride itself was shorter than I had expected from park to park (only about 4 minutes total), but it definitely made "the Harry Potter experience" all worth it! I recommend starting your adventure much like Harry himself! Start off at London and exploring Diagon Alley. Eat at the Leaky Cauldron, then make your way to King's Cross Station and walk through Platform 9 3/4. Say HI to Hedwig and make your way to Hogmeade! You'll love it! Once you get off, make sure to take pics of the carriage and the street signs pointing to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Have fun! read more

It's obvious that you're looking at screens, but the ride is awesome. The experience is different both ways. I'm not gonna spoil it.

This ride changes with the seasons AND it's different depending if you're going towards Hogsmeade or towards Diagon Alley, which makes it even more fun. There is little to no wait sometimes for this and the ride itself is quite quick. You DO need a park-to-park pass so remember to shell out the cash. And it was definitely worth it. Such a fun experience. Remember to look at the screen and to the doors because you will see some of the other students walking around in the hallway! I'm such a nerd but it made me so happy to be on it! You really get that feeling of "Yay going to Hogwarts!" and "Ohh ... going back home to reality (sadface)." But then you enter Diagon Alley and it doesn't suck so much. Hah. read more

I'm on a train! Choo Choo! Be sure to have a park hopper pass to use this ride. It's a fun way to travel between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. There is definitely a long wait for this ride near end of day, and especially on days Universal closes earlier as everyone wants to jump on to hit Islands as they close later. Otherwise, it's not too bad of a wait most times and the ride is quick. The attention to detail to make you feel as if you're on an old fashioned train ride. It's amazing how they nail this. While you ride the train there are a few scenes to view as you're heading to the other park. Scenery of the land and towns as you ride moves by the window. Be sure to look close as there are some cool images and elements in it. Well known characters in a shadow image walk by the frosted glass doors and converse. It's very cool and the scenes change from park to park. You really feel like you're on a train to Hogwarts. read more

The Hogwarts Express train ride is a must-see for Harry Potter fans. I wouldn't call it a ride per se, more like an experience that takes you right into the world of Harry and his friends. I loved watching the views of the English countryside and Hogwarts and seeing the characters waving at us. Definitely a treat for me since I love them all so much. I guess I really lucked out - we had no wait and almost empty cars shared by my boyfriend, myself and one other family each time. Not crowded or uncomfortable at all. Best of all, the train is a seamless way to travel park-to-park between Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (Universal). The stations on both sides are beautiful and so realistic looking. The conductors are friendly and act very authentic, except for the American accents of course! They welcomed me every time and thanked me for being a season passholder. Awesome! read more

Hogwarts Express - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We waited sooo long, many years, to finally get a park to park ticket, so we could take this ride on the Hogwarts Express, and it was well worth it! I was so excited! We finally got here. I love all of the theming with the platform, so many photo opps for fans. Due to covid, there were a lot of safely measures put into place, but it worked out quite well as a family. Since we had not had the chance to take the train in the past, I do not know if they used to put more than one family in each compartment, but now it is only one party per room. That was very nice! Half of the experience is walking to the train. The actual ride is fairly short, but very detailed. Pay attention not only to the window outside, but the door leading to the corridor. They work their movie magic from both angles. This ride tends to get very busy, I recommend going early in the morning, especially if you stay on property. Getting into the park early, the wait is usually only 5-10 minutes long. If you wait until later, it could be an hour or more. This is also a nice way to get out of the elements. I look forward to riding again. read more

AMAZING AND SMART! Those were the first two words that popped in my head when I boarded the train. If you have the 2 park ticket (which I highly recommend as hogsmeade is in islands of adventure with three ride attractions and diagon alley is in universal with the best set design and feel of the Harry Potter world) I would most definitely take the train to get between parks. It was quick and just super clever what they did to further emphasize the magical feel of Harry Potter. I don't want to say much but you definitely will not be bored riding on the hogwarts express. Loved this attraction and it's different going to and from universal so make it a round trip! read more