Harry Potter MAD..
If you’ve ever met me or know me, you’ll know just how obsessed with Harry Potter I am. The wall above my bed features a Dumbledore quote I was gifted for my birthday, with different H.P necklaces hanging either side. Pretty much ALL of my socks are H.P socks (thanks Primark!!), and I own several sets of H.P pyjamas. I’m wearing my H.P jumper as we speak ( bought from a stall in Camden Market a few years back).
It’s safe to say that when my boyfriend’s mum invited us to the H.P studios in London, I literally screamed yes!
Tickets booked with: Warner Bros. Website
Tour: 1:30pm Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Gift Shop Budget: £100
Tour Highlights:
The Great Hall
What could be more grand than THE Great Hall? As we walk in to the tour, we walk past Harrys actual room under the stairs; complete with action figures and glasses on the shelf! Make sure you have your camera ready as the queue moves quickly and you won’t see it again once you’re inside!
We then all sit in a cinema type room and watch a little intro video, before all gathering at the great hall doors. The excitement in the room is palpable. The doors are opened are you are guided down the length of the hall, past the four houses tables and uniforms at the sides. At the end of the hall is the Goblet of Fire in all its glory, surrounded by the aging ring.
I was lucky enough to catch the name that flew out of it and of course who’s name is written on it? Harrys.
On the floor are Fred and George with their grey beards after trying to trick the aging spell, being watched by Dumbledore and the rest of the Hogwarts staff. The costumes and details of the props blow me away! It was quite interesting to see the actual size difference between characters like Professor Flitwick and Hagrid (who actually had a body double for the film).
Costumes & Props
The number of costumes, props and crazy details could take days to go through! From wizard hats, to goblin masks, to whole classroom set ups. Above are just an extremely small fraction of my favourite parts.
Dumbledores Office
Not only do you get to explore the inside of Professor Dumbledores office, there is also the statue that is the entrance to it. ‘Sherbert Lemon’ will always be my favourite password to use haha. I was absolutely mesmerised by the case that holds all of Dumbledore’s memories. Every inch of this office was covered with tiny details and trinkets, I could have stood there for an hour alone inspecting each one!
The Gryffindor Common Room
The common room was actually one of my favourite parts. The oil paintings on the walls all around Hogwarts were actually made especially for the film, and feature many famous witches and wizards in their younger years. A young Professor McGonagall is seen hanging above the armchairs in the Gryffindor common room.
The Knight Bus, Hagrids’ Bike and Privet Drive..
After trying some de-licious Butterbeer (& Butterbeer flavoured icecream), we found ourselves outside in the courtyard with THE Knight Bus, the chess pieces from The Philosopher’s Stone and Hagrid’s Bike and Side-Car <3 Nothing prepared me for the spectacle in the front room of 4 Privet Drive though.
Remember THAT scene where Vernon Dursley gloats about there being no post on Sundays… and then all of a sudden they come rushing through the fireplace?! Well… this was what we found! Acceptance letters floating everywhere you looked! Yes… yes I was very tempted to reach out and steal one, but I didn’t. Damnit.
Architectural Sketches & Models
The amount of planning and sketching and drafting that went in to designing the building itself is outstanding. Just looking at the minute selection on display made me dizzy! It was also super interesting to see the initial sketches of characters before they were cast and engraved into our minds in a certain way. If I could buy the print of Dobby and hang it in my house I would. What a little house-elf angel <3
The Gift Shop
I am an absolute mess when it comes to buying H.P merchandise. My eyes are bigger than my bank account and I just want to take home EVERYTHING. I was even on the gift shop online days before our visit so I could plan what I wanted, get in, grab it and go before I got distracted by other things! Insanity at its best!
In the end, I settled on getting the Deathly Hallows Choker, The Gryffindor Scarf and Winter Hat, A Chocolate Frog and some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. I picked up a few extra bits for presents for other people, but all in all I’m happy with my purchases! Didn’t even go over my allowance!
If you’re planning on visiting the studios I’d recommend checking the website to see which tour is on and when. The displays change depending on the time of year, so if you’re more interested in seeing the Dark Arts Tour, rather than the Goblet of Fire, then you would have to book for October time.
The 17th of November is when the Christmassy Tours start with options and tickets available to DINE IN THE GREAT HALL!?!?!!! (please someone gift me tickets for Christmas?!) Next up for me though is somehow getting to the studio is Orlando! America here we come!
Have you been to the Warner Bros. Studio in London? What were your favourite bits? Let me know in the comments!