We take our children on a family trip to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
What is it:
The Harry Potter Studio Tour is a magical long look behind the scenes of the famous wizarding films.
It is at the actual Warner Bros. studios near London where a lot of the filming for the eight Harry Potter movies took place.
This is nothing at all like a theme park – there are no rides.
Instead, fans can explore the sets, see the thousands of props and costumes and have their pictures taken with iconic memorabilia and backdrops.
It has won lots of travel awards hailing it the best UK attraction and best family day out.
What did we think?
Harry Potter fans will adore this attraction. There’s absolutely LOADS to see. It’s a four-hour (or so) look at how the films were made.
It makes you appreciate how much work, talent and creativity goes into making films like these.
It’s a really memorable day out – our oldest child is a fan but our youngest – who is too young for the books or film yet – also enjoyed it.
Our highlights
*When you first enter the main lobby before the tour, a huge dragon hanging from the ceiling gives the wow factor. (Apparently it’s Ironbelly from Deathly Hallows Part One, but we haven’t watched that far yet)!
*The tour starts in a room where people in ‘pictures’ on the the walls are talking to you – fans, actors such as James and Oliver Phelps (who play Fred and George Weasley) and Harry Potter writer JK Rowling. Then you go into a small cinema and watch a short film with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson talking about making the movies. At the end, the screen lifts up revealing the door to the Great Hall.
*The Great Hall – the iconic heart of Hogwarts Castle is the perfect area in which to start the experience. The space in the middle is clear for visitors but tables are laid for dinner along the sides. Sadly we didn’t get to enjoy a great feast!
The Great Hall
Models of the characters wear some of the costumes. It’s great to see the size of Hagrid at the front, next to the other teachers. The ceiling is arched but not enchanted (this was created afterwards with special effects). A guide comes in to the hall with you, pointing out areas of interest, you are free to explore on your own from then on.
Gringotts
*Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Although this part is a reproduction of the actual set, this room takes your breath away as you walk in – it’s vast. And sparkly! With marble columns, huge chandeliers and goblin bankers sitting at their desks.
*Diagon Alley – you don’t get to go in the shops, but can peep in at the famous store fronts like Flourish and Blotts, Mr Mulpepper’s Apothecary and Ollivanders wand shop. One shop even has a broomstick floating in the window.
Diagon Alley
*The Hogwarts Express. You see the train at platform 9¾ and can climb on board, walking along the narrow corridor but not going in any of the small carriages. This train was the one used on location for exterior shots only.
But you do get the chance to sit with your family in a carriage nearby with a green screen for a window. You have your picture taken (to buy if you want afterwards) and are given emotions to act, which is great fun. A video then plays on the screen/window to simulate the train moving through different landscapes, but be warned – Dementors appear at the ‘window’ at one point which can be scary so sit younger children nearer the camera.
*Wand training – our children loved being taught how to use a wand. Participants stand in front of mirrors and follow a demonstration video, learning wand moves, with help from a guide.
*The guides – they are fabulous. They are spaced around the attraction, are friendly, approachable and very knowledgable. They know loads of fascinating facts so make sure to talk to them.
*Green screen photo areas. You are put in Hogwarts robes, in the house of your choice, unless you have your own. You can pose for a ‘Have you seen this Wizard’ poster picture, ride a broomstick over London and buy the resulting pictures and video.
*Dobby the house elf interactive motion capture experience – stand in front of three different stages of the CGI process and watch Dobby reflect your movements – my daughter loved this bit and didn’t want to leave.
*Seeing the animatronic versions of creatures like Buckbeak the Hippogridd and how they were made.
*The props – there are so, so many amazing with such attention to details. For example in Snape’s Potions Classroom there are more than 950 potion jars with weird and wonderful props inside.
*The tour ends with a stunning model of Hogwarts Castle. There are interactive screens here showing how it was built (in 40 days) and how it was used in the films.
*The shop at the end is huge with lots of quality (expensive) merchandise.
Top tips:
*DO NOT turn up to the Harry Potter Studio Tour without pre-booking a ticket. Buy one in advance from the website.
*Book tickets as far ahead as you can as, even though 6,000 people a day take the tour, they sell out quickly.
*Tickets are timed entry, to control the amount of visitors entering. You can take as long as you want going round so it can get busier throughout the day. We booked our tickets for the first time slot of the day (9-9.30am the day we went) and didn’t have any crowds or queues to face – even half an hour behind us, people were queuing for things we hadn’t.
*Opt to have your tickets posted then you can go straight in on arrival, otherwise you have to collect them from a ticket window and there might be a queue.
*Arrive at least 20 minutes early to park and get through the security checks – bags are checked and people are scanned with metal detector wands.
*After the security checks you enter a room where you can collect a handheld digital guide for £4.95. These enhance the tour for adults and some children, they give extra details and facts for visitors as they walk around.
*Also in this first room you can collect a free children’s ‘passport’. They can be stamped around the tour and make for a nice memento. They also give clues for spotting the golden snitch.
*When leaving the door with the talking pictures to enter the cinema, go through the door on the left and then you can sit on the front row of the theatre and be first into the Great Hall. If it’s your birthday you may even get to open the doors.
*A couple of parts can be frightening –
The Forbidden Forest – it’s only a short walk through, but it is dark, there is fake mist rising and eerie sounds and movements.
Buckbeak in the Forbidden Forest
If your children would be scared by big spiders – take the first turning on the right inside the forest to miss a part complete with a big Aragog and family.
If you have children who don’t want to enter the forest at all, ask a member of staff and they will take you another way round. Once through the forest, you come out at Platform 9¾ and see the Hogwarts Express – if you tell them this it might get them through!
The other frightening part for some children is at the end of the fabulous Gringotts section where a dragon appears to run at you breathing fire.
You can hear the roar from the room before, which causes the walls to ‘shake’. When you look in, it’s a set of a destroyed Gringotts made to look deeper than it is with a clever screen. A digital but very realistic Ukrainian Ironbelly moves towards you, setting the bank on fire. It’s a short sequence on repeat and anyone who doesn’t want to see it has about 10 seconds to run through this room before it starts again. Our children were worried so a heroic member of staff brandishing a sword to ‘defend them’, led them through.
Wands for sale at the shop
*Be prepared to spend money once inside – we are normally careful but here we ended up paying for two green screen pictures and two green screen videos (£50), food in the café as we were away so couldn’t make a packed lunch, plus a little gift in the shop at the end, totaling £90 on top of already expensive tickets.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter information
Food
There are a couple of cafes at the entrance/exit (Chocolate Frog Cafe and Hub Cafe) along with a food hall.
Half way around the tour is the Backlot Café with seating inside and out. Staff will supply hot water for heating up bottles here. This is also where to buy butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream. You can queue separately for this.
You can take a picnic, but you must eat it at the Backlot Café half way round.
Opening hours: vary throughout the year, check here.
Cost:
2019: Adult £45, child aged 5-15 £37, family (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children) £148,
2020: Adult £47, child aged 5-15 £38, family (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children) £150.
Children aged 0 to 4 are free but still need a ticket. Carers are also free.
You can also buy a complete studio tour package which includes a studio tour ticket, digital guide and souvenir guidebook. An adult package costs £54.95 for 2019 and £56.95 for 2020. A child package costs £46.95 for 2019 and £47.95 for 2020. These give a saving of £4.95.
There are also deluxe tickets including studio tour entry with a two-hour guided tour, reserve parking, a souvenir guidebook, a butterbeer, four free photographs and a video at one of the photo opportunities and a hot meal and drink.
The Deluxe ticket includes entry to the Studio Tour with a complimentary two hour guided tour, reserved parking, a souvenir guidebook, a Butterbeer, four free photographs and a video at one of our photo opportunities and a choice of hot meal and drink. They cost £225.
Best for: Harry Potter fans aged eight and above and equally interesting for adults!
Time needed: Around four hours but you can stay as long as you like.
Access and restrictions: Most of the studio tour is suitable for wheelchairs but some areas are difficult including the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. It is also suitable for buggies/pushchairs/prams or these can be left in the cloakroom.
Address: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR
We answer ALL your questions about Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
The Warner Bros. studios in Leavesden near London were home to the hugely popular Harry Potter films for over 10 years.
And now fans can go ‘backstage’ at the Harry Potter studios where the magic was made.
Here we answer all your questions about Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
Also, don’t miss our full review and all our top tips here and watch our exclusive video of our day out at the studio tour below:
Is there a Harry Potter World or theme park in England?
No, there is the Harry Potter Studio Tour – a multi-award winning UK attraction near London.
What is the Harry Potter Studio Tour?
It’s a huge self-led back stage tour at the studio where a lot of the filming for the Harry Potter movies took place. You can see real sets from the films, costumes, props and creatures, plus take part in some interactive green screen fun.
Is this one of the best Harry Potter experiences?
Yes, the Harry Potter Studio Tour is great for adults and children because it is authentic. Many of the sets, costumes, props and creatures you see here were used in the Harry Potter films. They show the work and craftsmanship that went into the films.
Where is it?
It’s at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, where much of the film series was shot, home to the movies for over 10 years. Leavesden is 20 miles from London, near Watford, England. The full address is: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR.
How to get there
You can drive by car and park in the car park directly outside or take a return bus tour from London or other parts of the country. You can also get a train to Watford Junction and then a shuttle bus, run by the attraction.
When did Harry Potter Studios open?
The studio tour opened on March 31, 2012. Unusually, the crew had saved a lot of the sets, props, animatronic creatures and costumes in case they were needed again for future films. They are now on show for the attraction, next to the working film studios where all eight films were made in Leavesden.
What can you see on the tour?
There’s far too much to mention but it includes The Great Hall, The Forbidden Forest, Gringotts banking hall, the Griffindor common room and boys’ dormitory, Snape’s Potions Classroom, Dumbledore’s Tower, the Weasleys’ Burrow, Hagrid’s Hut, the portrait of the Fat Lady, the Mirror of Erised, and the giant clock pendulum.
Dumbledore’s office
There is also Malfoy’s Manor, Dolores Umbridge’s pink office, the Hogwarts Express, The Knight Bus, Privet Drive, the Hogwarts Bridge, Godric’s Hollow House, the Ford Anglia, Diagon Alley, Buckbeak, Aragog, the scaled model of Hogwarts Castle used in the films. Plus thousands more animatronics, props and costumes.
Trying out the Knight Bus
Are there any rides at Harry Potter studios?
No but there are interactive features including wand lessons, green screen picture and video areas where you get to ride a broom over London and a Dobby motion capture experience where the house elf reflects your actions and more.
How long is the tour/ how long do you need to spend at Harry Potter Studios?
*There is no time limit – you can stay as long as you want – unless you have a ticket for later in the day and it is closing time! You’ll need at least three hours. If you take your time and look carefully at everything, you could easily spend four or five hours here.
Can I just turn up on the day?
No, you will not get in. You must pre-book a ticket. You will be given a time slot to arrive. We chose the earliest slot and were pleased with the lack of queues at that time as crowds had not built up.
When should you arrive?
They recommend arriving at least 20 minutes before your time slot to go through security checks.
Can you arrive earlier than your time slot?
Yes you can, you can look around the lobby or eat or drink at one of the cafes, before your tour starts. You may also be able to get on to an earlier tour.
What happens when you arrive?
You collect your tickets (if they were not posted to you), show your tickets, go through security (bags are checked and people are scanned with a hand held metal detector wand), then you go into the first area where you can collect a digital audio guide if wanted. Here you can pick up free ‘passports’ for children too, which are easy to miss. Youngsters can then stamp them as they go round the attraction and search for the golden snitch.
Is the tour guided?
Only the start is guided (unless you pay for a deluxe tour). The guide takes the group into a room with talking pictures on the wall – fans, actors and Harry Potter author JK Rowling, then through to the cinema room where you see a short film with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson telling of their life making the films. The guide then takes you into the Great Hall and explains more to you before leaving you to take the rest of the experience at your own pace.
The Great Hall
What is a deluxe tour?
Deluxe tours are more expensive. They include a guided tour, photo package, meal, butterbeer, guidebook and special parking.
Are there staff around during the tour?
*Yes there are guides dotted around. They are really lovely, don’t hesitate to talk to them, they know a lot and it will enhance your experience.
Who would enjoy the tour?
Mainly Harry Potter fans old and young but also people interested in the process of film making, sets, costumes and props. Children aged eight and over would get the most out of it. Teenagers seemed to be really enjoying it when we went.
Can you take pictures and videos?
Yes, everywhere except the cinema and green screen areas, which is great as there are lots of great photo opportunities. Pretend to push your trolley through the wall at platform 9 3/4, ride in the flying Ford Anglia, hold the Sword of Griffindor, pose in Diagon Alley, the Great Hall and much more.
Do people dress up in Harry Potter outfits?
If your children want to dress up, definitely let them. We saw some people dressed up, most were in normal clothes, or Harry Potter tops etc. Staff provide cloaks for the green screen pictures but we took our children’s own outfits to save time and they ended up wearing them for the rest of the tour which was great for our pictures.
Are there restaurants or cafes?
*There are a couple of cafes at the entrance/exit – Chocolate Frog Cafe and Hub Cafe – along with a big food hall.
Half way around the tour is the Backlot Café with seating inside and out. Staff will supply hot water for heating up bottles here.
Where can you buy Butterbeer?
This sweet non-alcoholic drink can only be bought at the Backlot Cafe, midway through the tour. It is not suitable for vegans or people with a dairy allergy as it contains some dairy but is suitable for those with gluten, wheat and nut allergies. It can be bought in a souvenir tankard which you can rinse and take home.
You can also buy Butterbeer ice cream here, available in a souvenir sundae dish to take home or a cone.
Can you take a picnic/packed lunch to Harry Potter studios?
Yes, you can take your own food but it must be eaten at the Backlot Cafe halfway round the tour.
Do you pay for parking?
No, parking is free. We were on the first tour of the day and were able to park right outside the doors. Have your tickets or booking confirmation ready to show them before you park.
Can you be dropped off?
Yes, you can be dropped off right outside.
Are there any frightening parts?
The two main scary bits are The Forbidden Forest and a fire-breathing dragon at the end of the Gringotts section. The forest is dark and eerie, inform staff if your children want to miss this part, and they will take you another way. When you enter the forest take the right turning to miss the bit with Aragog and big spiders.
Some of Aragog’s family
Staff can also help get through the room with the Ukrainian Ironbelly Gringotts dragon – there are 10 seconds between the sequence, which is on repeat, to run through.
Can I see Hogwarts Castle?
The tour ends with a stunning model of the castle. There are interactive screens there showing how it was built and used in the films.
Hogwarts model
What if it is raining or snowing?
This is a great attraction if the weather is rubbish as most of the tour is inside. Apart from one area – the backlot – where the exterior sets are – the Knight Bus, Privet Drive and Hogwarts Bridge.
4 Privet Drive
What is included in the ticket price?
The tour and experiences such as a wand skills mini-workshop, making a wand jump up to your hand by saying ‘up’ and picture opportunities with the sets and props including the Hogwarts Express and pushing a trolley through the wall at Platfrom 9 ¾.
What is not included in the ticket price?
Pictures and videos made from the green screen attractions.
Obviously also allow for food, drinks and purchases from the shop, it can get very expensive.
What age is this for?
Older fans will get the most out of it – with the patience to stop and look properly at everything. Children from aged eight are likely to enjoy it the most.
Where is the shop?
You will be lucky to escape without having to buy something here and the items in the shops are great quality, but pricey. There are a couple of smaller shops on your way around and one huge store at the end (you can also look in here at the start).
The studio has an online shop too, if you want to have a look before you go or order something afterwards that you wished you had bought.
Is there any provision for visitors with autism?
There is a sensory room within the studio tour to give a calming environment for people with autism and other additional needs.
Are there any disabled toilets?
There are accessible toilets throughout the tour. There’s also a Changing Place facility in the lobby, accessed using a RADAR key, with a hoist (take your own slings), height adjustable changing bench, toilet and washbasin. It is big enough for a wheelchair user and two carers.
Is there a cloakroom?
Yes, there is a cloakroom where you can leave coats and bags free of charge as well as buggies, pushchairs and prams.
Where are the baby changing facilities?
There are baby changing facilities in every toilet block.
Is there a parent and baby room?
Yes, there is an area for parents to feed with a nursing chair and changing tables next to the Backlot Café.
Any interesting facts to end on?
Yes – over the ten years, an incredible 588 sets were created at Leavesden Studios.
Also, Daniel Radcliffe went through 160 pairs of glasses and 70 wands during filming for the Harry Potter film series!
