Can you take Hogwarts Express without park-to-park?
You'll need a Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts™ Express and visit both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. The train travels between Hogsmeade™ in Universal's Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley™ in Universal Studios Florida.
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You'll need a Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts™ Express and visit both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™.
First, you can only ride the Hogwarts Express with a park hopper because it travels between Universal of Florida and Islands of Adventure (to/from Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley). This train is an experience in and of itself that changes each direction so you want to be able to ride it both ways.
Guests can board the Hogwarts Express either at Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station in Universal Studios, OR, at the station in Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure. Guests will be required to scan their Park to Park ticket upon entering either station. Food and drinks must be finished before boarding the train.
We learned from a Universal employee that it takes 35 minutes to leave Diagon Alley, exit the park, enter Islands of Adventure and walk to Hogwarts. So if the wait is 40 minutes for the Hogwarts Express (and your kids can handle the hike) don't take the train. You'll save time just walking around.
Definitely beats walking if there is little to no wait for the train, but the lines can get long, so it's actually faster to walk from park to park than to wait in this line if it's long. I'm not a die hard Harry Potter fan.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood is great for a concise getaway, but ultimately, nothing beats Universal Orlando when it comes to the full magical experience. Those looking to enjoy the best of all the flavor, fun, and attractions will want to head to Orlando to find it.
Yes, it is possible to see both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day. You will need a one-day two-park ticket to experience all that the Wizarding World has to offer, since Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is located in Islands of Adventure.
Do I Need A Separate Admission Ticket For The Wizarding World? No, a standard Universal theme park ticket will admit you into the Wizarding World. To experience both lands on one day or ride the Hogwarts Express you will need a two-park ticket.
The Hogwarts Express train from King's Cross Station will not begin running to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–Hogsmeade in IOA until both parks have opened their gates to guests. The first trainload of guests riding from USF will enter Hogsmeade shortly after the first guests entering through IOA's front gates.
Hogwarts Express RefurbishmentThe Hogwarts Express will be closed from December 10 through 16, 2023, just before the holiday rush. The ride is both a popular attraction and a convenient transport between Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure.
And as you can imagine there are so many amazing things to do in each section, you should give yourself at least two days to experience everything the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has to offer.
Can you ride the Hogwarts Express multiple times? Yes! As long as you carry a park-to-park ticket, you can go back and forth as many times as you wish between the parks.
Two five-car trains occupy a single track that runs through the backstage area of the Universal Orlando Resort – but guests will never know because there are no windows in the cars. Both trains face the same direction and will not turn around.
There are of course some differences of opinion as to whether you should go to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley first. If you are just focussing on the Harry Potter elements of both Universal parks I would say visit Diagon Alley first.
Travel Park-to-ParkYou'll need a Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts™ Express and visit both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. The train travels between Hogsmeade™ in Universal's Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley™ in Universal Studios Florida.
For that reason, we recommend devoting a minimum of a full day to each Universal Orlando theme park, especially if this is your first visit. Three days is ideal, particularly with a park-to-park pass, as it will allow you to fully explore each park and revisit your favorite attractions.
Hogwarts Express is the only ride in the Universal Orlando Resort parks that lets Guests go back and forth between the two theme parks. Food and beverages are welcome on the Hogwarts Express.
Q: How much does it cost to ride the Hogwarts Express? A: While it will cost you a park-to-park ticket, it does not cost any extra. You will never have to purchase a ticket to ride only the Hogwarts Express.