Muggles and wannabe witches and wizards who’ve always dreamed of taking the Hogwarts Express to the school of witchcraft and wizardry can hop aboard a moving train for an real-world adventure inspired by the Harry Potter books and films.
Tickets for Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Express Adventure go on sale Tuesday, April 28 at 11 a.m. for the immersive train experience that runs July 24 through Sept. 27 at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris.
Pre-boarding activities will include photo ops with a Platform 9 3/4 backdrop, themed treats and spell-casting challenges.
Hogwarts hosts will hold house competitions and lead school chants onboard the train that will feature video screens above the windows displaying scenes on the rail ride to Hogwarts. Riders should expect a visit from the dark and mysterious Dementors during the journey.
A Hogsmeade-inspired village at the end of the ride will sell Butterbeer and Potter-themed food and merchandise.
The new train experience sounds like an extended version of the four-minute Hogwarts Express ride at Universal Orlando that takes riders between the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade themed lands with show scenes in the railcar windows.
The Hogwarts Express Adventure is presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences (the creative team responsible for the Wizarding World lands at Universal theme parks) and Rail Events (the heritage railroad operator behind the Polar Express-themed train rides).
Tickets for the Hogwarts Express Adventure in Southern California cost $82 to $93 for adults and $72 to $83 for children ages 2 to 11 years old.