<P> On January 23, 2014, officials announced the name of the flagship attraction would be Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts . They also indicated that a two - park pass would be necessary to ride the Hogwarts Express, which was set to connect Universal Studios Florida with the existing Harry Potter attraction at Universal's Islands of Adventure . </P> <P> The official opening date of the Diagon Alley phase was announced at an exclusive and private press conference on June 17, 2014, for July 8, 2014 . On June 18, 2014, the Diagon Alley red carpet premiere took place with Domhnall Gleeson, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis and Helena Bonham Carter attending . New photos of Diagon Alley were later released the same night and the official opening date was announced publicly by Universal Orlando's president, Bill Davis . King's Cross station opened on July 1, 2014, as well as the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade Station at Islands of Adventure and soft openings of Diagon Alley began on July 3, 2014 . Diagon Alley officially opened on July 8, 2014 . </P> <P> The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has four rides . Three rides opened in 2010 as part of phase one . An additional two rides opened with phase two in 2014 . </P> <P> Dragon Challenge was a roller coaster featuring two distinct tracks built to overlap and intertwine with each other . The ride was formerly in operation since the park's 1999 opening under the name Dueling Dragons . The physical coaster is exactly the same, with some new decor . The attraction was renamed in homage to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament where Harry and the other contestants are each to duel with a dragon, depicted in chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . The two sides of the coaster have been renamed "Hungarian Horntail" and "Chinese Fireball", after two of the dragon breeds which appear in the book . It was the only chasing inverted roller coaster in the world . The queue for this ride features many Harry Potter relics, including the Goblet of Fire and the Triwizard Cup . In addition, the hike to the ride features the flying car featured in the second film, as well as Hagrid's hut . On July 24, 2017, Universal Orlando officials announced that Dragon Challenge would close after September 4, 2017 to make way for a new attraction based on the Harry Potter franchise that is scheduled to open in 2019 . </P>

How many harry potter rides are at universal