Ever since the Universal Orlando Resort & Warner Bros. Entertainment first revealed their plans to expand the Wizarding World, Harry Potter fans have been desperate for additional information about Diagon Alley. With a particular emphasis on how the Hogwarts Express was supposed to fit into all this. Based on the few tantalizing bits of information that Universal Orlando's marketing team released back in May of last year, they knew that the Hogwarts Express was supposed to be an actual working train that would then ferry guests from Hogsmeade Village over to London & back again. But what would people see as they traveled between the original Wizarding World in Universal's Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley over in Universal Studios Florida? Was this faithful recreation of a beloved piece of Potter mythology really going to be a ride or just some sort of transportation system? Well, earlier this week, I got to chat with Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative. And what Mark revealed to me was that USF's Hogwarts Express experience is actually going to be the sort of attraction that Harry Potter fans have been dreaming about. A spectacular two-way journey through the world that J.K. Rowling created, which -- thanks to lifelike animation & live special effects -- will then create one seamless storytelling experience that stretches across these two theme parks. "The ride films for the Hogwarts Express experience are pretty spectacular," Woodbury admitted during a recent phone call. "We've actually created two of them. One that the guests will view as they journey from Platform 9 3/4 to Hogsmeade Village, and the other which can be viewed as Islands of Adventure visitors travel from the original Wizarding World to King's Cross Station." And what exactly Central Florida visitors see as they sit in groups of 8, intently peering out the window of this super-authentic recreation of a cabin onboard the Hogwarts Express? Well, if these people are traveling from Diagon Alley over to Hogsmeade, they'll not only see the London cityscape gradually give way to the British countryside before the train they're riding on then climbs into the Scottish highlands, these Universal Orlando visitors will also see artfully composed vignettes that then recreate iconic moments from this much-beloved series of books & films. "As we began developing our two Hogwarts Express experiences, we repeatedly asked ourselves what Harry Potter fans would really want to see as they looked this train's windows. What memorable moments from the movies would they like to see recreated? Or -- for that matter -- which Harry Potter characters would they most likely like to see again," Mark explained. "So during this project's research phase, we repeatedly rewatched [sic] the Harry Potter films as well as read back through the books. And over time, we created these two six minute-long continuous series of vignettes that -- in the end -- felt very authentic." 
Mind you, because some of the parts of the Hogwarts Express' journey from London to Hogwarts Castle had never been depicted in any of the Harry Potter books & films, the team at Universal Creative then had to be a little ... Well, creative. Luckily J.K. Rowling herself and the folks at Warner Bros. Entertainment were there to help guide Woodbury & Co.'s efforts. "Jo really helped us evolve & refine the whole Hogwarts Express experience. Helping us zero in on those iconic elements that people have remembered from the books & stories and that you just know that they're going to love to see again," Mark continued. And speaking of things that Harry Potter fans are just going to love: If you're beginning your Hogwarts Express experience from the Diagon Alley side of the Wizarding World, you’re in for a bit of an adrenaline rush. Given that the only way to gain access to Platform 9 3/4 is to do as Harry & his friends did, which is to run straight at this seemingly solid brick column on the King's Cross Station side of the operation. Universal Orlando officials aren't talking about it; they actually plan to pull this particular illusion off. All that they would reveal was that you'll actually get to see the group directly ahead of you completely disappear from sight after they rush at that brick column before it's then your group's turn to magically cross over to Platform 9 3/4. And once you actually enter this space, Woodbury promises that Harry Potter fans are in for a genuinely cinematic treat. As they standing there, surrounded by luggage carts piled high with school trunks & cages full of magical creatures that are headed for Hogwarts Castle, the train will then roll into Platform 9 3/4, billowing steam. Then, after the Hogwarts Express toots its very familiar-sounding whistle, the train's cabin doors will open and Universal Orlando visitors will then begin to board. "And what will these folks see out the window once they've settled into their cabins and the Hogwarts Express rolls out of the station?." you ask. Well, the Diagon-Alley-to-Hogsmeade version of this ride film will show Hagrid, the official gamekeeper for the Hogwarts School of Wizardry & Witchcraft, zooming through the sky aboard his flying motorbike. Guests will also feel the temperature of their cabin noticeably cool as a swarm of Dementors suddenly appear to menace the train. And on the Hogsmeade-back-to-Platform-9-3/4 version of this ride film, Universal Orlando visitors will be able to look out the window and see -- just as he did at the end of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" -- Hagrid has come down to the station to see everyone off. 
And then -- as the train rolls around Black Lake and Hogwarts Castle & Hogsmeade Village fade in the distance -- who swoops into view but Buckbeak the hippogriff. This magical creature briefly skims across the surface of that lake before it flaps its majestic wings and then takes off for the skies. And speaking of flying ... As the train chugs through a forest in the Scottish highlands, who comes whizzing up to our train window but those two infamous pranksters, Fred & George Weasley. The brothers bump brooms for a bit before they set off an elaborate fireworks display and then take off. And then -- just before the Hogwarts Express is getting ready to pull into King's Cross Station -- what do we see magically making its way through London traffic but the Knight Bus, which -- after it squeezes out of an impossibly tight alleyway -- then zooms around all of these cars that are blocking the byway. Don't both versions of the Hogwarts Express experience's ride film sound like fun? Just be aware that -- even though this Wizarding World attraction doesn't have a height requirement (which means that any & all members of the family can ride this train), you will need to present a park-to-park ticket before you'll then be allowed to board. Look for Universal Orlando to reveal even more details about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley in the weeks & months ahead as we get closer to the official opening date of this new USF "land." And speaking of that official opening date: UO officials haven't actually settled on one yet. All they're saying for now is that Diagon Alley, King's Cross Station, the Hogwarts Express experience and the London facade area will open sometime this summer. Orlando, FL 03/14/14 By: Jim Hill Photos: Universal Orlando Resort | 
