Very nice queue while waiting to take Hogwarts Express Train from Universal to Islands. Indoors, air conditioning, cool things to look at. What more could you want? So much better than making the walk from Park to Park. Take a break and cool off waiting for the train instead of more walking in the Orlando heat and humidity. Yes, please! Definitely take the train if going from Park to Park. Not to mention it's really fun and kids will love it! read more

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A long, large area where you have express lanes and regular lanes, a lot of stairs and one elevator up/down... You need a 2-park ticket to be able to ride the Hogwarts Express, this is the station in the London area (King's Cross Station) that's pseudo-faithfully represented - a cool one-way mirror effect allows you to see people "walk" into the wall. The owl there is in rough shape... doesn't really look real at all, but the train coming into the station is awesome, lots of good photos there. Air conditioned waiting area, at least, was good, though thew ait here was significantly longer than at the Hogsmeade side. Not sure if they were just better at filling folks and moving them from IoA to USF, or just fewer people headed to USF. read more

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Love the ability to ride the Hogwarts Express to and from each park. It immerses you into the Wizarding world of Harry Potter and is also practical to go from park to park. Loved the theming and would recommend for any park goer regardless of you are familiar with the franchise; though I'll admit Rowling has been problematic over the recent years. read more

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I wouldn't recommend buying pass to park passes just to ride this unless you're planning to do both parks in one day. It's a convenient way to get from one park to the other if the weight is not long. I would not recommend waiting over 20 minutes unless you just have one day in the park. It's basically a simulator ride on a train that shows you different scenes from the Harry Potter universe, as if you're traveling from London to Hogsmeade. read more

King's Cross Station - Spot in the line where it looks like people are walking through a wall - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Platform 9 and 3 Quarters, King's Cross is the station to take the Hogwarts Express. The magical train will guide you to Hogsmeade, the next station where the Magical School of Hogwarts is located. A short 5 minute ride will transport you to the Universal Island of Adventure side. read more

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I love that there's a proper King's Cross Station where you board the Hogwarts Express! I'm mostly speaking about my experience from the Diagon Alley side, since that's where we queued up for the train. By the time we were getting off at Hogsmeade, we were following the flow of traffic and just excited to get into Hogsmeade, so I didn't really pay attention to what the station looked like on this side. I'd like to assume they are similar if not identical, but I just don't know! King's Cross Station on the Diagon Alley side though is absolutely immaculate! I've been to the real King's Cross Station and while it isn't as "grand," it gives you the full effect of a train station, especially like in the movies! You don't get all that fun of an "entrance" to Platform 9 3/4, which is the primary downside. But other than that, the train showing up is incredible! The platform is incredible! Hedwig and the many pieces of Harry's luggage are on display as well! read more

King's Cross Station - Platform 9 and 3/4 - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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If you have a park to park ticket the most fun way to go from Universal to Islands of Adventure and back is by using the train, Hogwarts Express. King's Cross Station which opened in July 2014 is the more elaborately staged of the two train stations. It was built on the site of what was one the Jaws ride, In the Harry Potter books the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry took the Hogwarts Express train from the King's Cross station to Hogwarts from Platform 9¾ (between platform 9 and 10) every September 1st at 11 AM sharp. Muggles could only see a brick wall but the wizarding community was able to magically pass through. You access King's Cross Station from the London Waterfront in Universal Studios. One of the coolest features of Universals King's Cross Station is the recreation of Platform 9¾ using the Peppers Ghost effect which is also utilized in the Haunted Mansion's ballroom scene in Disney World. Peppers Ghost is when a real or recorded image is reflected in a transparent screen at a 45 degree angle. At King's Cross it looks like people are disappearing into the platform. Once you pass through onto the platform you will see luggage and Hedwig near his cage. As you travel through the four minute train ride, scenes are shown in your train compartment. The scenes change depending on which station you are departing from. As you leave King's Crossing you will see the English countryside and the Dementors through the train window. Through the frosted glass doors of your passenger compartment, you see the shadow of the trolley witch and hear Ron and Hermione. You will also hear Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The train disembarks at the Hogsmeade Station in Islands of Adventure. For the full experience you need to ride the train both ways. The only drawback to riding the train between the parks is sometimes the queue can be long. If it is over 30 minutes consider walking between the parks instead. When there is a minimal wait, King's Cross Station and the Hogwarts Express is a great way to stay immersed in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter while you are traveling park to park. read more

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Transportation from one side of Universal to the other...but one must have the Park 2 Park pass to ride the Hogwarts Express train. When it opened and is still quite popular, lines for the wait for the train can be long... as you walk through the station, you see luggage and all. Don't forget to get to the 9 3/4 secret passage...I keep missing that each time. Have to go back. The train 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 one park to the other... but not so sure about the long wait times. Must do at least once and always a quick ride from King's Cross Statation to Hogsmeade station... read more

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First of all, you need to get the Park to Park ticket to take a ride on this. It's basically a train that connects Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios (also Hogsmeade Village to the Hogwarts in Harry Potter World). This train station is very well done and extremely elaborate There are so many photo ops, so make sure you bring a fully charged camera with you! Also, be sure to ride the train both ways as the video and the story is different. IG: QueenOfAdventure read more

This was an awesome ride that we enjoyed taking his park to park. We waited in line for a long time, but it was a must seasons my daughters, a huge Harry Potter fan, so we got to go from universal over to Islands of adventure, and they told a nice little fun story and it wasn't just a train ride. I told the whole story about the bad guys coming to try to get Harry Potter and his friends and it was a lot of fun. read more

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This is definitely the more detailed station of the two Hogwarts Express' at Universal. It's so awesome- and there's even a mirrored illusion that makes it look as if passengers are actually passing through the wall- just like in the movie! Because this station generally has more to look at, the wait is usually quite a bit longer than the other one. But either way, I'd say you definitely need to take the train both ways- it's different back and forth, so you don't want to miss out! As I mentioned in my review of the Hogsmeade station, the only thing I don't like right now is how the workers act during covid times. They basically threaten you about keeping your mask on, and even show you a supposed picture proving you are on camera and being watch. It's all a little much and definitely succeeds in making you feel uncomfortable. I wouldn't let this stop you from riding, especially if you haven't, but for me personally now that I've been on it quite a bit I think I'll wait til covid chills. It's just odd. This is such a fun experience, nonetheless! It's so unique and such a fun way to get back and forth between the parks! But that's also something to keep in mind- it transports you from one park to another, so you need a 2 park pass to ride. They check before you go through so you can't even enter if you don't have one. Happy traveling, and make sure you ride both ways! read more

King's Cross Station - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

There are two ways to cross over between the parks- out the front entrance and using the Hogwarts Express, which is an experience as well as a way to pass between sides. The downside- the wait time can be excessive. The upside- it's cool. I mean, you enter onto the 9 3/4 platform! They have an optical illusion where you can watch those ahead of you in line walk through the brick wall, you enter onto the platform and see the train roll in. Most of those around you are wearing something Harry Potter-ish and snapping selfies and pictures. The excitement in these areas of the parks are tangible. Imagination becoming reality! Each train car seats 8- so you will most likely be sharing space with others. The ride provides views out the windows of London and going to Hogsmeade. The return ride offers same- but different views ;) Enjoy the ride! read more

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This is the reason that I bought the park hopper tickets. I knew my wife would really like riding the train from one to the other cuz she's a huge Harry Potter fan. And it also made it a lot easier getting around then having to walk from one all the way to the other. I wish that there was a portion of it that you could see out over the park and maybe get some pictures from up above but it was definitely a cool transportation option read more

King's Cross Station - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This was amazing and so fun. It also was very quick the wait time was not to long. You don't get wet or anything. And they took my wheel chair but returned it soon as the ride was over. They was nice enough to give me ice and water. Security is amazing and very professional. The elevators were big and very clean. read more

King's Cross Station is the better station in my opinion and is located inside Universal Studios Florida. It's not actually in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but just outside of it so don't get confused by it. As soon as you enter the station, you'll be prompted to present your park-to-park ticket so have that ready. Then you will walk through what looks like a London train station and it actually feels like you're in one. Then you'll walk the queue to the platform and be presented with a majestic train station that will transport you to Hogsmeade, or the other park (Islands of Adventure). I always like using the train to get across parks to save some walking by going to the front of the park -- you also get to sit in an actual room of the train (designed after the movie) and watch some cool animations of you transporting to Hogsmeade. They do a great job and though it's like a five minute train ride, I highly recommend you do it. Make sure to get the park-to-park pass or you won't be able to ride it! read more

King's Cross Station - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Universal studios, Kings Cross station headed to Hogwarts. awesome train ride, had a fabulous time. read more

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Not nearly enough fans to circulate the air, but then again, the real King's Cross in London doesn't have them. It would have spoiled the mood. They've done a good job of making this look and feel like an actual London train station, right down to the signage. Advertisements to "See London" are as authentic as any I've seen in the actual King's Cross https://www.yelp.com/biz/kings-cross-station-london-2?hrid=7r3F_o_zzA4Q13mI_uqWBA. They even have an updated departures and arrivals board that updates. Cute! Do keep an eye out for the "disappearing passengers" as you go through the line. Pretty cute. read more

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This was my first time riding the Hogwarts Train and I have to say, I was very impressed. Due note that no one is actually conducting the train, it's an attraction. Along with that each station has a different viewing experience so depending on each station you go to, the train experience will be different. We came on a non-busy day so we waited a max of 40 minutes. The other station (Hogsmeade) right before we left it had a wait time of 40 minutes. We didn't want to wait so we just spent 5 - 8 minutes walking to the other park. I'll come another day to experience that side. My guess on why wait times are so long is because they only have 2 trains and both of them are operating at very minimal capacity. Each room/compartment can hold (I think) 8 people. So they cut down a lot of passengers that could have gotten on the train but couldn't due to the 6 feet rule because of COVID. I can't give this a low score because of the wait times because they are doing the best they can operating this during COVID. I personally wouldn't take the train again from this station unless if we really want to go to Islands of Adventure. But waiting one hour or even 4 hours for this is a bit unnecessary for us. That's a lot of downtime that you could have had for other attractions. read more

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A train station isn't exactly the most interesting place in the world, so it's ironic that it's so exciting that Universal was able to make King's Cross feel like you're in a train station. As soon as you step into it you don't feel like you're in a theme park anymore. The theming for this section is just so well done, with so many small details to look for. The platform 9 ¾ illusion is very well done, but it's easy to miss if the line isn't crowded. We completely missed it the first time going through King's Cross. After you go upstairs if you stay behind you film the people ahead of you as they appear to walk through the brick wall in front of you. If there's no one in front of you watching this happen it's easy to just walk past this part without realizing it. You can pop in for a look at King's Cross with a single park ticket, but in order to actually ride the Hogwart's Express train you need to have a ticket/pass that allows entry to both theme parks. When you go around the corner and see the Hogwart's Express there (complete with steam coming out it) it's such a cool experience. Definitely don't miss out on seeing this part of the park. read more

Very cool Realistically the best HP Train ride Decorative Fun Everyone loved it read more

King's Cross Station is the station in the recreation of London section of Universal Studios. You need a park to park pass to ride the train, but it's well worth it! This station goes from King's Cross station to Hogsmeade Station.This is the slightly more fun of the two stations with Hedwig, Platform 9 3/4 and you can run through the wall! It really looks like people are disappearing! There is a shop for buying some snacks while in queue, as well. You can find my full review of the Hogwarts Express on the official Yelp listing: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hogwarts-express-orlando read more

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At the entrance the board flips and changes the train times. While in line you walk through a stand with drinks and snacks available for purchase. You walk through the brick column between platform 9 and 10. Photo op with luggage trolleys. The main one being on the platform with Hedwig. The train itself combines an easy way to get from park to park and an immersive Harry Potter themed experience including dementors. Gets you from the Diagon Alley to Hogwarts/Hogsmeade. 8 seats to a compartment. Wasn't too busy that day so they were only filling them up with up to 6 people. 8 people might've been a tight fit The downside is that to experience the Hogwarts Express you have to purchase a ticket to both parks. read more

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Now, I'm not sure what Universal was thinking, but it seemed like just getting to the Hogwarts Express was a journey zipping back and forth through the empty lines. Or maybe I just came at the right time. But no really, just getting to the train was long. Don't get me wrong, this place was astounding with every detail. From the realistic and helpful station employees, down to the realism of the train itself. Even cooler was the little snack bar, where you can buy a paper, typical drinks, snacks, fruits, and even beer. Highlights before you enjoy riding the Hogwarts Express: ~ A bunch of muggle suitcases. ~ The Divine Magic advertisement. ~ Walking through the wall to get to Platform 9 3/4. ~ Hedwig! I think this is the only places you'll see him. read more

King's Cross Station - Feelin' a bit like Dumbledore! - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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

My first time going through the Kings Cross Station, and it was a fun way to change parks. There is a LOT of detail inside the the Kings Cross location, from Hedgwig in his cage to getting to go through Platform 9 3/4, which is a great Pepper's Ghost trick. The baggage that lays around and the train that actually move off is quite neat. I loved the show that goes with you, it's quite fun to ride along with Hagrid and actually pull into Hogsmeade station. read more

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When we first started coming to Universal we never purchased the park-to-park passes because they are way more expensive, but when you get a promo deal, it is very much worth it! We were able to get the buy three days get two so being able to take these trains is essential. The kids also really looked forward to being able to finally board the trains because the journey is an experience all on its own. We love feeling like we are part of things and this puts you directly in the movies with visuals both inside your cabin as well as outside. It is best to get the park app though because each station has a separate wait time and one is usually way longer than the other, that way you can gage if you should walk to the other park or wait. In my experience though, the line seemed to move quicker than the listed wait time and we were able to get to the other park seamlessly. It is really fun to look at all of the details, they are so spot on. We really enjoy this feature of the parks. read more

Loved the whole experience first of all, graphics are different both ways ( not entirely but it is different) so reviews saying its same are wrong..The experience is completely different going from London to Hogsmeade as it is from Hogsmeade to London. This is a great way to hop between parks, plus you get to experience the magic of Harry Potter. As the train goes between the two parks, you will have to have a park-to-park ticket to enter. Your ticket will be checked along with your fingerprint just like when you first entered the park. The queue winds around before heading upstairs to the train platform. At Platform 9 3/4 there is a spot where if you take a video of someone up ahead, they actually look like they are disappearing through a solid wall. Using a mirror and light trick, it is made to look like you are walking straight through the wall. The train is pulled to both stations without changing the orientation of the train. Therefore, at Hogsmeade you can see the train coming towards you through the tunnel; at London, the train is always backed into the station. Love the connection to the story and all of the fun moments at the window and at the door. The day we were at Universal there was only a 10-minute wait - so then it was worth it to go both directions. Hogwarts express from kings cross to hogsmeade is a journey to return back to school for the new year. One part of the journey shows harry and ron trying to reach hogwarts when they miss Hogwarts express,via Mr.Weasleys blue car and eventually ends up in the forbidden forest. The shadows of dementors can be seen along the door who are driven away by a patronus. When approaching hogsmeade station, hagrid can be seen on his flying bike waving at thr students. i liked this part of journey than hogsmeade to kings cross. but it doesnt matter, ita fabolous. Rating - 7.5/10 read more

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This ride gets you from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts/Hogsmeade within the two parks of Universal Studios Orlando. It requires you to have the park hopper tickets or they won't let you ride. When it's in the afternoon, the line can build up, so try to ride this during off times. If you are a Harry Potter fan, this iconic ride is something you should take advantage of. It's something I feel everyone should experience as a Harry Potter fan and definitely worth the extra you pay. As you ride the train, you see graphics that show the journey to and from Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley, so make sure you ride it twice. There's luggage trolleys that you can take a picture with, and Hedwig is also found at the end. Each train compartment seats 8. Very well detailed and does give you the feeling that you are going to Hogwarts! read more

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This was an amazing experience. I would highly recommend the park-to-park and several days tickets. read more

King's Cross Station - Platform 9 3/4 - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We used it a few times to commute between the two parks. It's a beautiful place of interest. The Harry Potter theme song is played in the background., helping you to relax and enjoy the tedious waiting. The trip is a lot of fun read more

I loved Kings Cross station and thought it was a great replica from the movies. You wind through kings cross passing by piles of lost muggle luggage until you approach platform 10. If you stand back behind platform 9 it appears that people are 'disappearing.. As if.. By magic' you could say, right before platform 10. Once through, you find the Hogwarts Express I actually didn't notice the disappearance bit at first and I just loved the station to start with. Especially the Make a little magic advertisement. But after I saw people disappear between the platforms I was completely sold! You've got to have a Park Hopper pass to enter though, so if you plan on riding the Hogwarts Express be sure and get the right ticket read more

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The Mrs. is the Potter fanatic and she had a smile from ear to ear that you couldn't pry off the entire 3-4 minutes of the ride (both times we took it!). Very cool to have a story/video/"ride" on both sides of the cabin - I think NJ/NY Transit could vastly improve their own system if they upgraded their buses and trains with these high-tech doo-dads. read more

An awesome concept that offers a functional purpose with a themed ride! You'll need a park hopper pass to do this one, so have that ready when entering. Lines to the Islands side are shorter than the reverse way. The train ride itself changes up the show based on which direction you're headed. This is a gear way to get from one park to the other, but stay in the Harry Potter realms. One side is Hogwarts, the other, Diagon Alley. Overall: A Functional, fun ride! read more

Ahhhhh if you ever miss London, go here. It's just like the underground and I love they have a little snack station, it totally makes you appreciate all the details and thought and love that went into this. Hedwig sitting by luggage right before you get on the Hogwarts Express just makes it even more a little magical, I couldn't stop smiling the whole time we waited in line. read more

If the devil's in the details then this place is Sin Central. Fortunately for us, Universal is benevolent and only wants to free us from our cash thus they've gone above and beyond to give us an immersive experience. Bravo King's Cross Station and here is all my cash. I love this bitty slice of London. Long live the Queen! read more

King's Cross Station - All aboard! - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This is the scarier of the two rides. In the books, the trip to Hogwarts is often when crazy stuff goes down. Mirroring that, the atmosphere on this ride is tense and freaky. On this ride, you see plenty of spooky stuff happening, such as the Death Eaters outside and the Dementors inside. It's my favorite of the two train rides but they're both fun. read more

For the full Harry Potter experience, be sure to get the park hopper, check out Diagon Alley first and then take the train from King's Cross to Hogsmeade. There's something magical about approaching the Hogwarts Castle the way Harry did - and they even created an illusion so that you get to walk through Platforms 9 and 10 to get to Platform 9 and 3/4! The wait can be long (it took about an hour longer going from King's Cross to Hogsmeade than vice versa), but it's worth it! They also have a conveniently placed snack shop that everyone walks through while you wind on through the line if you get hungry. As other Yelpers have mentioned, take the train both ways - they're different experiences. The ride is pretty smooth, and know that it's not just a train ride to get you from park to park (aka you're not looking out the window looking at the amusement park crowd and rides), instead you're sitting in a cabin and watching a video as the train transports you to the magnificent Hogsmeade. read more

The wait for this ride/train was the longest wait I had at Universal Studios. With that said, I still think this ride is a "can't miss" kind of ride if you're a big Harry Potter fan. The design of the Kings Cross station was quite authentic and it felt like I was actually in a London train station. Compared to the Hogsmeade train station, the experience from Kings Cross wins. Even though the line, in my experience, was significantly longer, the station and even the train ride itself (Yes, the two train rides are different) were more memorable. You should definitely experience both rides, but if you want to see a dementor and Platform 9 3/4, don't miss the ride from King's Cross. read more

Amazing. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone here, so here we go. Look around. The attention to detail is amazing, and you never know whose luggage you'll see. There is a small store on your way through the line, to buy your fave things from the UK! Be ready to take a picture as you pass through to platform 9 3/4! The train ride itself is pretty darn cool- technology is amazing! Going this way is much faster than walking between the two parks, and it's a nice break. The line goes fast, so don't be discouraged if there's a longish line. Worth it. read more

King's Cross Station - !!!! - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This is a great replica - down to the "make some magic" advertisement and of course, the entry wall into platform 9 3/4. We were there Thursday, Friday, and Saturday early October and the only day it was super packed was Saturday - good thing we didn't have to wait in that line! My BF tried to take a video of me walking through the wall, but we were ordered to keep moving...even though we were only 2 of maybe 6 people! That kinda sucked, but oh well. read more

King's Cross Station - Train Stations Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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