All I have to say is WOW. This is a MUST go for any Harry Potter fan. I was blown away by how amazing the entire experience was! This was absolutely the highlight of my entire trip to London. First off, for anyone going in the future, I would highly recommend buying your tickets at least a few months in advance. (http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/) I had decided I wanted to go to the tour last minute when I was already in London, and there were NO TICKETS.. at all! I called them, and they had mentioned on rare occasions people cancel and you MIGHT be able to get in. So I checked every day… every hour… every minute I was in London to see if any tickets would free up, and to no avail!! I was so close to giving up hope 🙁 it wasn’t until the morning before my last day in London there was an opening! WOOHOO! I instantly snatched the ticket and off I went to the WB studios. Yes.. by lonesome myself. haha 😀
So the WB brothers studio isn’t quite in the heart of London, you actually have to take a train out to Watford Junction, and then take another official “Harry Potter Tour Bus” to the actual studios! upon arriving, you are greeted by this rather impressive building.
Enter the building, and you are there is an area with all the actors head shots that gives off an atmosphere simliar to a really nice AMC theater
I felt like the thought of every moment you would walk through the tour, and showered us with goodies on the go! While you are waiting in line to get into the “official” tour area, here is the official “Harry Potter Closet” if you look closely you can even see Harry’s spectacles! 😀
They show you a short behind the scene’s film, and then a giant curtain is raised and you are greeted with the doors to the great hall. Seriously WOW moment.
Details were stunning
They had all the different house robes on display
Moaning murtle’s robes as well
The Mirror of Erised. 😀 Its supposed to show you exactly what your heart longs the most. Guess I’m living my dream huh? 😀
Yule Ball display! 😀 Stunningly beautiful
Yule Ball Dress Robes
Fleur Delacour
The invisibility cloak and the Fat Lady Painting 😀 haha
Gryffindor Common Room
Gryffindor fireplace
Gryffindor Stairwell
Gryffindor Boys Dormitory
Gate to Hogwarts
Potion’s class, again the attention to detail is amazing!
you totally can’t see it, but the pot and the stirrers were actually moving! 😀
The Triwizard trophy, and golden egg!
Clocktower upclose 😀
Chamber of Secrets door
Dumbledore’s Study
So many little hidden goodies you had to look for! Like Godric Gryffindor’s sword hidden up top!
Vials of memories
Hagrids Hut
The Weasley’s Burrow
The dishes were washing themselves and food chopping themselves as well!
Scarf was knitting itself!
This was another very impressive display! All the different stationary, newspapers, invitation, candy, (anything you could possibly think of)–was all available on display!
Marauder’s Map
Diagon Alley 😀
Ollivanders
Ever wonder how the filmed the broom scenes? 😀
This area lead into a line where you could ride a broom yourself and watch yourself fly through the realm of Harry Potter via green screen! (they also take photos of you during your ride) Couldn’t resist I bought mine! haha 😀
Gringotts Wizarding Bank
Death eater costumes
Aragog
Another super cool collection of Harry Potter Gadgets! Including Neville’s remembrall, snitch, deluminator, philospher’s stone and a few items i didn’t recognize
Mad Eye Moody’s chest
Professor Umbridge’s very very pink office haha
After the first building, you are led in to an outdoors area
The knight bus! they actually combined three vintage busses to make it!
And of course Privet Drive!
The giant chest pieces from the 1st movie
And then perhaps the most stunning part of the entire tour was this impressive model of the Hogwarts castle, was HUMUGOUS!! I had seen photos of it previous to coming on the tour, but I simply had no idea the how massive it was! Along with playing the gorgeous Harry potter soundtrack in the background, I was nearly moved to tears.
Just to give you an idea of how huge it is, If i were to actually stand on the model, I would probably make up only 1/4 the height of one of the towers.
The lighting would change the castle from day to dusk to night to sunrise. Simply stunning!
Over-all it was such an amazing experience, I would highly recommend this tour if you are ever in London. 🙂 The amount of detail and thought they put into the film was mind blowing. I would definitely go again if I were ever in London again! I felt like there was so much to see I couldn’t have caught it all the first time around! 🙂 Make sure to buy your tickets in advance and plan extra time for travel 🙂
