Last Updated on 11/13/24 by Rose Palmer
Some days I wish I had a magic wand. Or that I also had received a letter on my eleventh birthday saying I was accepted into the Hogwarts School of Wizarding and Witchcraft. Of course the Sorting Hat would put me in the Gryffindor house and I also would have a beautiful white owl as my companion. For one day, I was able to be part of this magical world during my Wizarding World of Harry Potter London experience.
On my recent December visit to London, I finally had the time to take a trip to the Warner Brothers Studios where the Harry Potter movie franchise was produced and filmed. Unfortunately, I didn’t start planning my London itinerary till November and at that point in time, all the individual direct sales tickets were completely sold out.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter London Experience
Eventually I was able to find tour tickets through Viator.com with Premium Tours which also included round trip coach transportation from Victoria Station in London. Getting to the Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden can be easily done using public transportation, but it was nice to be chauffeured for a change.
Our bus left the Victoria Coach Station on time and after a comfortable 45 minute drive we reached the Warner Bros. Studios just in time for the 9:30 AM opening. We picked up audio guides and then started exploring the lobby as we waited to get in.
My Harry Potter Studio Tour review
(This post with its many photos is especially for my son and grandson who are both huge Harry Potter fans).
Warner Brothers built two new sound stages at these film studios with the specific intent of developing and displaying exhibits from the making of the Harry Potter movies.
Exploring the lobby in the first building, there was no doubt that we were now in a different magical world as we were greeted by a huge dragon flying overhead.
A display in the lobby showed some of the “muggle” clothing worn by the magical folks.
The coffee shop in the lobby had displays of ingredients that looked like they came out of Snape’s classroom for making potions.
As we waited to enter the great hall, we could peruse a display of the posters from each of the movies.
We also got to peek into the set for Harry’s room in the cupboard under the stairs at Number 4 Privet Drive.
In the Great Hall
We waited our turn to be allowed into the Great Hall at Hogwarts.
The Great Hall was decked out for a huge Christmas Feast. This was the only space where we were limited on the amount of time we could spend here. Throughout the rest of the exhibits, we could take our time and stay as long as we wanted.
One end of the Great Hall was decorated for the Yule Ball as it would have been in the movie. For the Yule Ball in the movie, every inch of the Great Hall was covered in silver fabric and additionally decorated with Christmas trees and mistletoe. The long tables were replaced by small round tables, each of which was decorated with an ice sculpture inspired by the architecture of the Brighton Pavilion.
Some of the Yule Ball costumes.
The movie sets at the Harry Potter Studio, London
From the Great Hall, we entered a huge space that displayed many of the other sets from the movies.
The moving staircases and portraits
The moving stairs and portraits were fun to look at. Many of the film ‘s crew were immortalized in these portraits.
The Gryffindor set
Looking into the Gryffindor common room, each of the portraits on the wall depict the Gryffindor heads of house.
Harry and Ron’s room in the Gryffindor boy’s dormitory.
Dumbledore’s study
Dumbledore’s Study in the tower was really cool. The attention to detail was incredible. It turns out this same tower set was also used as Professor Lupine’s classroom in The Prisoner of Azkaban.
The space around Dumbledore’s study had a lot of his magical items on display, including his pensive. A curio cabinet stored all of Dumbledore’s many magical tools.
There was also a display with the collection of horcruxes.
Snape’s potions dungeon
Professor Snape’s Potions classroom in the dungeons was equally impressive to look at. The level of detail here was also astounding. Hundreds of dusty bottles with their own handcrafted labels lined the shelves.
Hagrid’s Hut
I was also able to get a peek inside Hagrid’s hut.
Hagrid’s motorcycle was also on display.
The Whomping Willow
We also got to see the mechanics of how the Whomping Willow attacked the Weasley’s car.
Inside the Weasley’s house
The comfy, cozy Weasley family home, The Burrow, was designed to look like every off-kilter wall was built by Mr. Weasley himself. The set also included the special Weasley clock.
The Malfoy house
There was also a view of the Malfoy’s home, complete with Nagini the snake. The contrast between the Malfoy house and the Weasley house was very obvious.
The Ministry of Magic
The set for the Ministry of Magic was especially impressive. It was fascinating to read about the labor intensive process used to make wood look like ceramic tiles.
A visit to the Ministry of Magic would not be complete without a look into the cloyingly pink office of the most despised Headmistress, Dolores Umbridge.
The Forbidden Forest
Next up was a stroll through the dark and scary Forbidden Forest where we discovered giant spiders, centaurs, and a nodding hippogryph. The size and realistic look of the trees was impressive, with some of the trees as big as 14 feet around.
Platform 9 3/4
The final stop in this building was Platform 9 3/4 and the Hogwarts Express. The train carriage on display was the actual one used in the movies. The various compartments were dressed to represent scenes from the each of the seven films.
There was also a shop in the train platform area selling all sorts of Harry Potter movie merchandise. (The much bigger shop was at the end of the tour).
In the Back Lot of the Harry Potter Studios, London
From the first studio building the tour continued to the backlot outdoor area which had some other iconic movie sets.
Privet Drive
We could tour inside Number 4 Privet Drive where Harry and the Dursley’s lived.
The living room inside number 4 Privet Drive was overrun by letters trying to be delivered to Harry.
The Knight Bus
Another display was the very, very tall Knight Bus to be taken only at night.
Other set pieces
This covered wooden walkway was featured in many of the later Harry Potter movies.
Another building was Lilly and James’ Potter house in Godric’s Hollow where Voldemort killed Harry’s Parents and where Harry got his scar as a baby.
This area also had a large food counter here where I could take a break for a snack, a meal, or just a glass of butterbeer (yum).
In the Second Warner Brothers Studio building
The tour continued into the second studio building with displays showing how the “creature effects” were accomplished. The amount of work, the intricacy of the detail, and the level of technology that went into producing each “live” creature and making it move, was fascinating.
Entertaining videos provided information for each step of the process used to make the many creatures for the movies.
It was interesting to learn how many characters actor Warwick Davis played in the Harry Potter movies.
Gringotts Bank
Next, a room presented a scale models of the Gringotts bank before we moved into the full sized set of the bank lobby complete with tellers. Again, the level of detail here and the size was amazing.
To understand the scale, the chandeliers are 12 feet wide and 16 feet tall.
And where there is a bank, there is also a vault with a lot of treasure. It took six months to make the 38,000 pieces of plastic “treasure”, including the 7000 Hufflepuff cups, that were used in the Lestrange vault scene.
From the bank atrium, we moved into another big set that again reproduced the bank, but this time, it showed the devastating effects that an angry dragon had on the bank, complete with fire, smoke and lots of dust.
Diagon Alley
Our next stop was a stroll through Diagon Alley where wizards do their shopping (muggles have a chance to shop at the end of the tour).
We also had the opportunity to peek into Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes – the magic joke shop run by the Weasley twins.
Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse
Since my visit, the studio has added yet another set, Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse. The set has Venomous Tentacula hanging from the ceiling, and visitors can pull out a potted Mandrake. (Guess I have to go back so I can see this).
Hogwarts Castle
Up next was a display of white cardboard models showing the various sets and structures of Hogwarts castle, also made with incredible detail.
The final exhibit saved the best for last. As I rounded the corner into the huge space my initial reaction was
WOW!
Hogwarts Castle filled the whole, huge room!
The impressive 1:24 scale model had a diameter of about 50 feet! I could walk around it and see it from all angles and also under different lighting as the scene changed from day to night.
Hogwarts in the Snow
And because I was there in December, we were also seeing Hogwarts under the snow.
Where muggles shop
But we weren’t completely done yet. There was still the large Harry Potter shop to walk through where I could get my very own wand at Ollivanders extensive display, or a box of Every Flavor Beans at the Honeydukes display.
I had a little over four hours to tour the studio which allowed me to see it all at a pretty leisurely pace.
Touring these Warner Brothers Studios is fun any time of year, but I think visiting them at Christmas was especially magical.
Tips for visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Studio Tour
- If you want to visit the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden on your own, purchase the individual tickets as far in advance as possible on the official Warner Bros Studio Tour London website. Booking a tour from London made it easy, but it was also more expensive.
- Plan to get there first thing in the morning. Our tour got us there just as the studios opened and it was not very busy yet. This allowed us to see the various exhibits without huge crowds. When we left around 1:30 the lobby was significantly more crowded.
- Our tour gave us a little over four hours to tour the two studio buildings at our own pace. This was enough time to see everything at a leisurely pace and to take lots of photos. I don’t feel like I missed anything, however, had I been there on my own, I know I would have stayed much longer, especially in the food court.
- The sights are not like the ones at the Universal Studios theme parks. There are no rides or attractions here. This is a working studio with exhibits that show how the movies were made and it was very well presented.
- Definitely make use of the audio guides as they add so much more to the background of what you are seeing.
- If I have a chance, next time I am in London I would consider going again. There was so much to see, it was hard to take it all in on the first go around. The studio has different themes and exhibits throughout the year, including occasional behind the scenes tours and special events. When we were there, the theme was Hogwarts in the Snow which was on from mid Nov. to mid Jan. Besides touring the studio, there are also dinner and afternoon tea events.
- You can find instructions on how to use public transportation to get to the Warner Brothers Studios on their website at https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/getting-here/ .
And, once you do get your wand, remember, it’s Umgardium Leviooooosa, not Umgardium Leviosaaaaa.
Other stories to enjoy:
A great day trip from London: A Day With Royals, Romans, and Ruins – Visiting Historic Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor
My visit to Hampton court Palace: A Day Trip to Hampton court Palace – A Taste of Henry VIII’s tudor Court
My perfect day in London: Have Only One Day in London? Make It a Perfectly English Day
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
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