Universal's Hogwarts Express carries more than a million riders in first month
by Tom Anstey | 11 Aug 2014
The Hogwarts Express has cast a spell over visitors to both Universal Orlando and Universal Islands of Adventure / Flickr.com/Jeff Krause
It’s only been open for a month, but since the attraction launched on 8 July more than one million people have taken a trip on Universal Orlando’s Hogwarts Express – a train ride which travels between Universal Orlando and Universal Islands of Adventure.
The Hogwarts Express – modelled after the train that took Harry Potter and his friends to school in the series of books by JK Rowling – connects the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction at Universal Orlando to the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction, called Hogsmeade, at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Potter-related attractions have proved to be hugely successful for Universal. Wizarding World of Harry Potter – developed under licence for Universal parks in the US and Asia – has doubled attendances at Universal's Islands of Adventure, from 4.2m at opening in 2009 to 8.1m in 2013.
Numbers for Universal Studios, Florida – have also seen an increase – from 5.1 million to 7.1 million – via sales of the multi-site Universal/Seaworld pass, showing how the Potter-effect has knocked on to the wider business.
For Potter fans to use the train, a two-park ticket costing US$136 (€101, £81) is required.
It’s been a busy month for Harry Potter in the attractions sector, with another recent launch including a Wizarding World in Osaka, Japan, arriving to popular acclaim from fans of the brand.
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It’s only been open for a month, but since the attraction launched on 8 July more than one million people have taken a trip on Universal Orlando’s Hogwarts Express – a train ride which travels between Universal Orlando and Universal Islands of Adventure. The Hogwarts Express – modelled after the train that took Harry Potter and his friends to school in the series of books by JK Rowling – connects
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