Last summer was the first time that I had ever visited Universal Orlando. I had seen pictures online, watched countless YouTube videos and even planned our visit through their site. But nothing could prepare me for how incredible it was to walk through those gates and see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, live and in person. It was incredible. Universal Orlando Resort continues to update their parks and this year have made a massive addition to the Wizarding World and one that will those memorable and exciting experiences from the Harry Potter series to life this summer.
Imagine this for a moment:
• Being transported from the Muggle world to the wizarding world as you pass through the brick wall at King’s Cross Station to arrive at Platform 9 ¾
• Watching in amazement as the Hogwarts Express pulls into the station – its billowing steam and authentic whistle beckoning you to hop aboard
• Sitting in one of the train’s cabins with your family and friends and actually riding the Hogwarts Express – just as your favorite characters did in the Harry Potter films
• Looking outside your cabin window and enjoying a scenic, breathtaking journey through the British countryside as you encounter magical creatures, some of your favorite Harry Potter characters…and even Dementors…
Since the very first Harry Potter film, every fan (INCLUDING MEE!) has dreamed of taking the same classic journey Harry Potter did aboard the Hogwarts Express. And finally this summer we will all get to have our chance. This week Universal Orlando revealed never-before-released details about the Hogwarts Express experience that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley – the all-new, magnificently 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.
This experience is a first of it’s kind. Never before has this been done where an actual train ride experience will connect two spectacularly themed environments.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.
Once seated in the cabin, 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 surprisees.
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….all the way down to the whistle.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Incredible so I can only imagine what these new additions will bring to the experience. I am really hoping to make it to Universal Orlando Resort this summer to experience this first hand.
Have you ever been to Universal Orlando? What do you think of the newest additions?