Hogwarts express question

[surgefest]

Being that the Hogwarts express is different in both directions, are you made to get off after each one way trip??? If that is the case, can you just get right back in line at the other station to ride it back in the other direction? Also how does it work with needing the park hopper ticket??? Do you have to go through turnstiles before entering line to ride??? Does one station tend to be busier than the other? Thanks!

 

[ZellyB]

Being that the Hogwarts express is different in both directions, are you made to get off after each one way trip??? If that is the case, can you just get right back in line at the other station to ride it back in the other direction? Also how does it work with needing the park hopper ticket??? Do you have to go through turnstiles before entering line to ride??? Does one station tend to be busier than the other? Thanks!

Yes, they will make you get off the ride. You'll need to exit the ride and then you can turn around and get back in line for the return trip.

When you enter the line for the ride in either direction, there will be a TM there who will check that you have a park-to-park ticket before they let you get in the queue. I'm not sure about how busy each is all the time. When we were there it seemed like Kings Cross Station was a bit busier than the Hogsmeade station.

 

[rangebob]

Kings Cross Station is always busier than the Hogsmeade station.

 

[surgefest]

Thanks for the info. Where exactly is the Hogsmeade station located??? We had been to hogsmeade prior to the station being put in. just curious where it is.. is it directly to the right after you enter where the "fake" train was located? Also what seems to be the average wait to board the train??? first thing in the morning/ in the middle of the afternoon/ and then sometime closer to closing?

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for the info. Where exactly is the Hogsmeade station located??? We had been to hogsmeade prior to the station being put in. just curious where it is.. is it directly to the right after you enter where the "fake" train was located? Also what seems to be the average wait to board the train??? first thing in the morning/ in the middle of the afternoon/ and then sometime closer to closing?

It is to the right, but before you get to the fake train.

 

[surgefest]

How often do the trains arrive at each station? Also how long is the experience once you board?

 

[mesaboy2]

How often do the trains arrive at each station? Also how long is the experience once you board?

Spitballing here, but I'd guess about 15 minutes between arrivals, with the ride itself about 7-8 minutes.

 

[nkereina]

Kings Cross Station is always busier than the Hogsmeade station.

We found the opposite to be true back in November. Hogsmeade had about a 40 minute wait whenever we checked and DA was about 20 minutes. This was mid-day, so maybe other times of day are better?

 

[HM]

As soon as one train takes off they start moving people into corrals for the next train. By the time the train gets there and is unloaded, the next group is ready. So, yeah, about 15 minute intervals. We've had a 20 minute wait and an hour wait, so it really varies.

 

[Procrastinate]

Is the train just a mode of transportation between parks, or does something actually happen on the train or do you see things outside?

 

[schumigirl]

We found the opposite to be true back in November. Hogsmeade had about a 40 minute wait whenever we checked and DA was about 20 minutes. This was mid-day, so maybe other times of day are better?

Yes, we found no one station was always busier than the other. Over many visits at different times of day it was different every time.

Is the train just a mode of transportation between parks, or does something actually happen on the train or do you see things outside?

It's both really.

There are screens on the windows that give you a view of certain things. Both ways have different views, so you have do it both ways........don't want to spoil it for you, it is pretty cool.

 

[WendyLou]

excited about this one for my boys! They have no clue about about the special effects.