Is anyone riding Hogwarts Express?!?

[blackjackmark]

Amazing that there are no threads about it...or am I just blind? Is everyone waiting for Gringott's and skipping the train? Or are they not running it yet?

 

[Brady's Bunch]

We have ridden HWE 3x in each direction. It seems that the London to Hogsmeade wait is about 1/2 of the time as the trip in the opposite direction. The train itself is fantastic and the trip onto Platform 9 3/4 is magical. The only consistent complaint is the voice work on the train is lacking.

 

[Bluer101]

We have ridden it many times so far. It's a great overall experience. Waits are typical from 5-60 minutes.

 

[beaprn]

We have ridden it many times so far. It's a great overall experience. Waits are typical from 5-60 minutes.

Is there a single rider line?

 

[hermionesnape]

Is there a single rider line?

No single rider line.

 

[Bluer101]

Is there a single rider line?

Nope, no need for it as it has high capacity.

 

[WDW2012]

Is the experience the same no matter which station you leave from? If we were to only ride it once, which station would you suggest we board at?

 

[Bluer101]

Is the experience the same no matter which station you leave from? If we were to only ride it once, which station would you suggest we board at?

2 separate experiences. If you want the full effect I would do London first just like the movies. You pass through 9 3/4.

 

[Trena]

Can you ride the train with a base ticket?
Do you need a park 2 park ticket?

 

[lazer]

Can you ride the train with a base ticket? Do you need a park 2 park ticket?

Nope. You need park to park tickets to ride.

 

[PrincessV]

I've been on Hogwarts Express a bunch of times so far, but haven't made it to Gringott's at all, lol!

It's hard to say much about HE without giving a good deal away... and trust me, you want to be surprised Let's see, what can I say... I found taking it back and forth between Hogsmeade and London made both destinations all the more "real" feeling. And the attention to detail in the stations and on the train itself is just incredible; it felt exactly as if I were in the books/movies.

 

[Best Aunt]

Instead of seeing out the windows, they have something like mini movies playing there. Someone else will have to describe them. I get motion sick very easily, and at the first sight of that motion in the window out of the corner of my eye, I got queasy. I had to look at the floor.

Also, there are 4 people on your bench seat, and 4 people on the seat facing you. Then they close the door to your compartment. Not great if you're claustrophobic.

 

[LJRJR]

My husband and I took the train with our 3 kids. It was the five of us assigned to the car. There was a very strange man who was assigned to another car. However, he snuck over to sit with us. I was almost about to pop my head out and tell the conductor I was nervous. He had a crazy look in his eyes and he was talking to himself. My husband actually did grab my sons magic wand that we had just purchased and he just held it on his lap. For the whole ride I watched him from the corner of my eye. As did my husband. He acutally was holding his cell phone up from time to time, and I dont know if he was taking pictures. The man was talking to himself and laughing. So, beware who you sit with in the train car!

 

[damo]

My husband and I took the train with our 3 kids. It was the five of us assigned to the car. There was a very strange man who was assigned to another car. However, he snuck over to sit with us. I was almost about to pop my head out and tell the conductor I was nervous. He had a crazy look in his eyes and he was talking to himself. My husband actually did grab my sons magic wand that we had just purchased and he just held it on his lap. For the whole ride I watched him from the corner of my eye. As did my husband. He acutally was holding his cell phone up from time to time, and I dont know if he was taking pictures. The man was talking to himself and laughing. So, beware who you sit with in the train car!

Sounds like an experience we had once at Pirates of the Caribbean. We were in a boat all by ourselves except for this one older guy. He had a cane and was wearing fatigues, was very dishevelled with long hair and had a crazed look about him. He was sitting at the front of the boat and we were behind him. All through the ride he kept looking back at us. It was the most memorable Pirates ride we ever had!

 

[slickpoetry]

Can you bring a stroller on the train if it is folded up?

 

[damo]

Can you bring a stroller on the train if it is folded up?

Apparently you don't even have to fold it up. They take all the strollers and put them in one vehicle and you pick it up at when you get off.

 

[slickpoetry]

Apparently you don't even have to fold it up. They take all the strollers and put them in one vehicle and you pick it up at when you get off.

Nice! Thanks for the info. One more question, though: So the "show" that goes on outside the windows....would anyone say it is too scary/intense for a 5 year old and a two year old? Neither one know anything about Harry Potter, I'm really just interested in a quick way to get between the parks.

 

[ChrisFL]

Nice! Thanks for the info. One more question, though: So the "show" that goes on outside the windows....would anyone say it is too scary/intense for a 5 year old and a two year old? Neither one know anything about Harry Potter, I'm really just interested in a quick way to get between the parks.

I don't think it would be....Universal specifically did testing with small children to make sure it wasn't too scary

 

[taiko225]

Nice! Thanks for the info. One more question, though: So the "show" that goes on outside the windows....would anyone say it is too scary/intense for a 5 year old and a two year old? Neither one know anything about Harry Potter, I'm really just interested in a quick way to get between the parks.

On the window side is only HP and friends flying in the sky from time to time on their broomstick. And on the door side, it just looks like people walked pass the corridor. Nothing intense but interesting.

 

[glocon]

Aren't there dementors at some point? Seems like I heard that....