Hogwarts Express worth the extra $55 each?

[bchbetha]

Is there another way to get from park to park besides HE like a walkway between the 2 parks that is inside the parks? I rode HE it was beautiful and so immersive however the compartments are cramped, hot and it made me a little motion sick so looking for another way to park hop.

In the back of the park, the train is the only option. In the front, you can go through CityWalk.

 

[nighttowll]

If it’s only for train, no.

If you’ll do things at IOA as well, yes.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

As a ride, I was underwhelmed. Way too much hype around it.

 

[becker80]

We paid the extra and I wish I wouldn't have wasted my money. While it was nice to switch parks, we only did it once in 2 days and the train itself was nothing special. I wish I would have saved myself the $200.

 

[nkereina]

Is there another way to get from park to park besides HE like a walkway between the 2 parks that is inside the parks? I rode HE it was beautiful and so immersive however the compartments are cramped, hot and it made me a little motion sick so looking for another way to park hop.

The only other way to park hop would be to exit one park and walk over to the other through City Walk, in front of Hard Rock. Hogwarts Express is the only way to go between the two parks without having to exit through the front gates.

 

[Floydian]

Gringotts wasn't much of a ride IMO. Forbidden Journey is way better.

I enjoyed the queue for Gringott's, but to me, the ride felt too much like several other rides at Universal.

 

[shanew21]

If you've already seen the Harry Potter stuff in LA, I'd stick to Universal Studios and skip Islands of Adventure. Diagon Alley is the more immersive of the two Harry Potter lands anyways.

 

[Owl X]

I would get a 2 park ticket as there are rides in the Orlando parks that I don't think are in the CA park.

Islands of Adventure:

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Skull Island Reign of Kong
• Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Doctor Doom's Fearfall
• Poseidon's Fury
• The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad
• The Cat in the Hat
• The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train
• Pteranodon Flyers
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
• Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges
• One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
• Caro-Seuss-el

Universal Studios Florida:

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
• Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl

Rides shared with Universal Studios Califonia:

• E.T. Adventure
• Shrek 4-D
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Transformers: The Ride
• The Simpsons Ride
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• Jurassic Park River Adventure

Note that Hogwarts Express is different depending on the direction you travel.
US->IOA is different than IOA->US.

 

[mrspurple]

I'm glad you asked! We are thinking of getting 2 day tickets, and so we could easily do one park each day, but then were worried about missing out on the train. We are a large family, so it wouldn't be pocket change...

 

[shanew21]

I enjoyed the queue for Gringott's, but to me, the ride felt too much like several other rides at Universal.

The Gringotts ride is such a disappointment. Forbidden Journey is so much better. Diagon Alley, however, is not a disappointment.