Universal Orlando finally, though inadvertently, revealed they’re going to link their two Central Florida theme parks with a new transit attraction. Their filings with the water management district show locations within both Islands of Adventure and Universal Orlando which are part of a larger overall project to construct what is rumored to be a simulation of the famed Hogwarts Express.
The filings are for the dewatering of retention ponds amid the track of the Dragon Challenge coasters at Islands of Adventure and the service road just south of the old Jaws attraction in Universal Studios Orlando. The Dragon Challenge site plans were originally thought to be explicit enough to include a blatant outline for a train station, but those lines in the drawing are actually for the pump heads to remove the water from the pond and the surrounding silt fence.
Here’s the Dragon Challenge area portion of the project and aerial photos:
And below the old Jaws Area portion of the project with its aerial photos as well for comparison. The Jaws attraction is in the process of being converted into a Diagon Alley themed area with a Gringotts Wizarding Bank thrill ride that has not been formally announced yet. The phased project to connect the two areas is to begin construction on/around July 15, 2012. We’ll keep you updated if more information becomes available.
