When I started my adventure and booked my one way ticket, I knew I would be starting in London. This gave me some time to catch up with my friend, Brooke, and enjoy a few moments with someone I knew before completely stepping out on my own. However, since I was finally in London without a set work schedule, I knew I had some time to do something I’ve been wanting to do since my first trip to the UK Capital – Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
Finding tickets is not super easy, so if you are planning a trip, make sure to book this in advance! I found availability on Wednesday at 1:30 PM, and it was the only time available during my entire time in town. If you are a fan of the series, I would definitely recommend it!
You start by walking in, waiting in a queue where you can see the ‘Cabinet Under the Stairs’, prior to to entering a room for the safety briefing. Then, you are escorted into the Great Hall. You see the exposed enchanted ceiling which has cross bars and such where the digital effects team worked some serious magic for the movies. They have floating candles which used to be real lit candles, but the wax was dripping onto the tables and cast members and causing burns so they had to switch to fake candles. The Great Hall was a ‘hot set’ meaning it was ready for filming!
The tour continues and you can see cases of the original props used in the movies. From wands to Quidditch gear to original outfits and even a box of ‘Harry Potter’s scar’ on a makeup table. The tour of course wouldn’t be complete without a visit through the Gryffindor Common Room and Dumbledore’s office!
Continuing on you see the train used in the filming of the movies, and can see how they filmed the scenes on the train. You can take a stroll through the Forbidden Forest before passing a brief outdoor section where you can walk through Number 4 Privet Drive, pass over the Hogwarts bridge, view the Knight Bus, and see the chess pieces used in the 2nd film.
From here you spend some time walking through design rooms with renderings of buildings, characters, and more. The tour concludes with, of course, a walk around Hogwarts Castle. As a fan of the films, seeing it in person is a wild experience because it’s built to scale and fits inside a large room. You go all the way around it, and can take pictures of all angles, seeing the incredible detail in the design. Hard to believe what you are seeing is how they filmed many of the scenes from the films!
Shameless plugging continued, let me know when you want to book a trip to London, a trip to Europe, or a trip anywhere! I can arrange as much as or as little as you’d like. Additionally, I will not require any payment or deposit for the first trip I plan. In fact, I will likely even save you some money (or at minimum add some value). Win-win! Follow me on Instagram @mkontheroad and @mkluxlife for continued updates from my travels. Xoxo