Universal Orlando reveals more details about Hogwarts Express train experience
By amusementtoday | March 14, 2014
ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials at Universal Orlando Resort recently revealed never-before-seen details of the Hogwarts Express train ride, one of the most memorable and exciting experiences from the Harry Potter series that will come to life in Florida this summer.
Guests will be able to experience what the film’s characters did as they were transported from the Muggle world in London to the wizarding world by passing through the brick wall at King’s Cross Station to arrive at Platform 9 ¾. The Hogwarts Express train will pull into the station with billowing steam and authentic. Then, sitting in one of the train’s cabins, they will commence their journey to Hogsmeade station located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Guests will be able to look out their windows as an incredibly authentic and magical adventure unfolds before them. They’ll see Hagrid come alongside the train on his flying motorbike, Buckbeak the Hippogriff swoop gracefully over the black lake, the Weasley twins on brooms and up to their usual antics, the Knight Bus swerving through London traffic – and other special moments and surprises.
The Hogwarts Express experience will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley – the all-new themed land opening this summer. The train will connect the new land in Universal Studios Florida with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure – allowing guests with park-to-park admission to enjoy a real journey aboard the iconic locomotive.
The Hogwarts Express experience combines powerful storytelling, live special effects, lifelike animation and state-of-the-art technology to take riders on the journey of a lifetime. Guests will enjoy two completely different experiences depending on whether they’re traveling to Hogsmeade or London.
Universal’s Creative team has been working closely with Warner Bros., Stuart Craig and the production team from the Harry Potter films to create a sensational Hogwarts Express experience that the entire family can enjoy. The Creative team has gone to great lengths to ensure the experience is true to the books and films. Everything about the train is authentic – from the paint and the materials used to build it.
For more information about the Hogwarts Express – including a new video that features a first-look at the ride experience – and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.
— Scott Rutherford