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For those who have been waiting for their Hogwarts letters since they were 11 years old just like me, visiting the actual Harry Potter Studio tour in London was a dream come true. I was on a trip to London with my family and asked to break away for a few hours to completely immerse myself in the world I was fondest of. The experience was fantastic! I got to walk down the Great Hall, check out the Gryffindor Common Room and even meet Severus Snape at the Potions classroom. I even got to have broomsticks lessons and hang off a Knight Bus, and got to drink Butterbeer and keep the mug!
Oh, enough reading, here are 40 magical photos that will inspire you to visit the Harry Potter Studio tour in London!
Getting to Harry Potter Studios London:
The Warner Bros. Studios is 20 miles northwest of London, and will take approximately an hour by bus to get from Central London. You can either drive or take the shuttle buses available from King’s Cross Station or the Victoria Coach Station, or you can also take a 20-minute train from London Euston to Watford Junction, and hop on the shuttle bus to take you to the studios.
Tickets must be purchased in advance to avoid disappointment. You can either purchase the tickets on the official website, or get the transfer and entrance ticket bundle from various sites online. As I was headed to the studios alone, I wanted the most fuss-free way to get there. Hence I have purchased both the transfer and entrance tickets together for convenience. The bus arrived at the coach station to pick up fellow studio goers. For the next hour, we were treated to a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – a nostalgic reminder of where it all began.
The magic begins as soon as you step off the bus where you’ll see the life-size snippets of the Daily Prophet lining the walls as you make your way into the studios.
There’re so many things to see and do in the Harry Potter Studio Tour. You can easily spend 3-4 hours there just marvelling at the different sets and props they used in the movies. With a ticket purchase, you also get a beautiful Harry Potter passport filled with trivia and quizzes. You can also go around the exhibits and get the passport embossed with a stamp. There’s nothing like it anywhere, so be sure to fill your passport up with them!
Free activities include broomstick lessons, getting onboard the life-sized Hogwarts Express and walking through the cabin. The Potions classroom and Weasley’s Burrow were the most entertaining – so many inanimate objects “magically” move!
You can’t say you’ve visited Harry Potter Studios in London without trying the Butterbeer. You can either get them in a disposable cup, or a collectable mug filled with the sweet, slightly sparkling beverage topped with buttery foam. They were quite yummy with a hint of butterscotch and shortbread and are non-alcoholic.
They always say – save the best for last. At the end of the exhibit before you exit into the gift shop is a massive Hogwarts model. It occupies the entire room and you’ll get to inspect the model of your would-be school to your heart’s content.
Harry Potter Studio Tips:
For every aspiring witch and wizard out there, visiting the Harry Potter Studios is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Here are some tips I’d like to share in order to make your experience as seamless and memorable as possible!
- As we’re currently living in pandemic times, pre-booking your tickets is essential. Also, try to go on weekdays to avoid the crowds.
- The tickets are timed-specific entry. There are several slots per day, and you can only enter during the time you book.
- That being said, try selecting a time slot for earlier during the day. It is so that you can make the most out of your experience.
- The whole experience will take about 3-4 hours. Don’t rush through it, savour every moment of it.
- There’re so many photo opportunities during the tour, so ensure that your phone/camera is fully charged. Bring a powerbank if you must.
- You can go the Harry Potter Studios alone, cos I did! Need someone to take pictures for you? Ask a stranger to help you take some!
- There’s Backlot Cafe to purchase some food and refreshments halfway into the tour. This is where you can purchase some Butterbeer or Hot Chocolate too. If you’re on a budget and have packed your lunch, you can eat it at the cafe as well.
- Check out some special events that could coincide with the trip. Dark Arts event is happening right now with Halloween round the corner. Dinner in the Great Hall and Hogwarts in Snow are events that happen around wintertime.
- Watch the Harry Potter movies, or read the books to prepare yourself for an exciting visit.
Hope you enjoyed my little review of the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio tour in London. If you’re ever in this beautiful city for a holiday and an avid Harry Potter fan, a visit to the studios is a must! To end off, here’s a wonderful quote from HeadphoneThoughts.
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