Harry Potter - Warner Brothers Studio Tour
This week for something different we have two
reviewers for the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio tour in London. Both
reviewers are avid fans of the Harry Potter franchise, having both read the
books and seen the movies but are in vastly different age brackets. I thought
it would be interesting in asking them the same questions and see what they
both would write.
M.G is a solo traveller in her 50's who travelled
to the studios in October 2017.
L.C is our regular theme park reviewer in his early
20's who last travelled to the studios in 2013.
What
sort of food is available there and can you recommend? Was it expensive? Or
should you bring your own?
M.G: I
was a solo traveller and had gone to the main café prior to the tour as I had
not had any breakfast. The tea and toast were about the price I would
expect to pay at this type of café. If I was travelling with young
children I would not bother with the main café as there was nothing really
special in the way of food there. Though having said this it was not
overpriced and maybe would be more convenient for some. About two thirds
through the tour there was another eating spot. Mostly it seemed to be
selling Butterbeer drinks and ice creams. I did try the smallest size
Butterbeer soft serve they had. It was delicious. The drinks looked very
sweet but I was surprised at how much I liked the icecream so perhaps I should have
given these a try. As far as I could work out you could take your own food into
this area and there was also a picnic area for eating anything purchased or
brought in.
L.C:
There is a cafe outside the entrance and opposite the shop but I didn't get
anything there when I went a few years ago. About 2/3 of the way through the
tour there is a cart where I tried Butterbeer in the outside sets and props
section.
Was
the Warner Brothers easy to get to transport wise? Tube??
M.G:
I was staying very close to central London and so travelled a few stops by the
Underground to Euston Stations and then used my Oyster Card to travel to
Watford Junction. The trains were frequent and for many were express to
Watford Junction. It was a very quick painless journey. From Watford
Junction Railway Station there was a special Harry Potter Tour Bus. This
cost a few pounds return for the trip but was a nice comfortable trip (about 10
mins from memory). There was a short video playing in the bus and the bus
looked a little like the Night Bus. Generally I found it easy to travel there
and back extremely easy and the instructions on the Warner Brothers Tour
website was very informative.
What
was your favourite part and why?
L.C: Personally
I enjoyed every moment on that tour but I would say my favourite part is just
before the gift shop. There is an entire room designed like Olivanders Wand
shop which you pass through. When I went the majority of people passed through
it not really looking but every single wand box enscribes the name of every
person that took part in the production on the films which I feel is a nice way
to thank every person involved. I spent some time there myself trying to find
actors names from Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson to more obscure
actors like Lenny Henry who voiced the shrunken head on the Knight Bus in
Prisoner of Azkaban.
M.G:
I think my absolute favourite thing was the Hogwarts Model Castle. The
attention to detail was amazing. It was possible to walk around it and
see Hogwarts from a variety of different angles. You could turn on and
off lights and get a feel for it in the evening as well as the day time. The
Model included some landscaping to the grounds.
Anything
you found surprising?
M.G: I
think I was surprised at the detail of some of the sets etc. Where I had
assumed special effects or things added into the movies digitally had been used
in the filming I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were a lot more
props /makeup used to create the final result.
L.C: Personally
the most surprising thing for me was the level of detail that is placed in the
construction of even the most minute props in the movies. There was an enormous
cabinet that I spent a while looking through which contained props in the
movies. From items such as the currency to the range of different items for
Fred and George's Weasely's Wizards Wheezes. I found most of the time
there I couldn't stop but admire the detailing on the items in the prop section
of the tour.
Sets,
Props, Costumes (was there a favourite area?) and why?
M.G: Although
I personally enjoyed the Hogwarts Model Castle I thought the Forbidden Forest
was extremely well done and very atmospheric. Re-watching some of the Harry
Potter movies recently was a lot of fun as you could recognize some of the
parts of the studio where the shooting had occurred and also you can see the
use of the model castle.
L.C: I
enjoyed every area that was there when I went. But one of the best moments in
the tour was walking through the set of diagon alley. The set is still left up
for people to walk through with items still inside the shop. Although you can
see a lot of the props and sets from the movie this was the largest part aside
from the Great Hall where you could walk through the entire set.
Finish
this sentence “Do not miss….
M.G: Talking
to some of the specialist tour guides located at various spots. Some of
the most interesting parts of the tour for me was how the makeup and
prosthetics were applied. The experts talked at some length about
this and how the techniques etc. developed over the course of the movies.
L.C:
If I were to finish that sentence I would say 'Do not miss the opportunity to
capture yourself in the movies'. In the first building of the tour there was an
area fitted with props and green screens where you could dress up and be filmed
as if you are in the franchise. From what I recall it was on the broom in a
quiddich game, riding in the enchanted ford anglia or riding Hagrid's bike. I
myself did the broom and got a picture from the experience. Obviously with a
group of friends it is great fun to muck around with and get a personal souvenir
after.
What
are some of the fun shops to visit?
M.G: There
were three shops. The main shop was located at the entrance/exit of the
tour. There were also two smaller shops located at Railway Carriages and
also near the Forbidden Forrest. The main shop carried all the same items
as the smaller shops. It was possible to purchase items for a wide range
of prices and lots of items I had not seen before. I made all my purchases at the Main Shop but did
stop to look at the Railway Shop.
L.C: When
I went there was only one shop aside from the food cart halfway through the
tour and the cafe opposite the shop entrance. Obviously the end of the tour
leads you directly into the shop but it is filled with everything you can
imagine. It ranges from foods from the films, clothing, accessories, kids toys
and apparel as well as wands and (my personal interest) prop replicas. I myself
spent quite some time deciding what I wanted and debated with myself constantly
over what to get. I settled for a marauders map and some pins which I collect
from places I visit. But without that restraint (and the fact that I had
several wands at home already) I probably would have destroyed my budget.
Are
there magical interactive wands like at Oleanders, Universal Studios Orlando?
(If there are similar, does it do anything, how much does it cost etc)
M.G: I
did not notice anything to do with wands other than a display.
L.C:
When I last went there was no interactive wands similar to that at Universal Studios Orlando.
But I feel thats because there isn't options where you can use them during the
tour like in the park and if so you would need to be aware and purchase before
starting
What
are the lines like? (is it frightfully busy?)
M.G: I
think there would always be queues but generally these were pretty short with a
wait time of about 15 minutes. There are no lines once you get past the
entry unless you wanted to try out some of the interactive things eg.
Broomstick riding. As most of these things were not on my to do list I
did not queue up and only noticed in passing a few small queues.
Individuals and groups are required to book tour
tickets online for particular times so I think this ensures that the queues are
not too long. The following week was half term for London schools
and might have been a lot busier. I timed my visit to try and avoid this.
L.C: When
I went it wasn't too busy. Though this was in May/April 2013 and wasn't around
school holidays or on a weekend. The safe option is to order your tickets
online in advance as it can sell out quickly prior to the day you intend to go
so it is better to plan a day and get in quick.
Hogsmeade
or Diagon Alley? Which do you prefer and why? (are there other locations to see
in Warner Brothers?)
M.G: I
don’t really remember seeing anything about Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley was
definitely interesting with a lot of shop windows to look into. The
window displays were very detailed and the atmosphere created was excellent.
The feel of twists and turns to get to the next window. For me the other
highlights of the tour were the Forbidden Forest. And The Burrow.
In both these displays there was a lot of detail and a number of special
effects thrown in. For the Forbidden Forest the result was very atmospheric.
The Burrow was just a bit of fun pressing buttons to allow the dishes to wash
themselves etc.
L.C: There is no option
for Hogsmede at the studio tour in London. However I am slightly frustrated
that they added platform 9 3/4 as I would really have liked to see that set
also with the Hogwarts Express train waiting at the station. Although Diagon Alley is one of the only sets you can walk through aside from
the Great Hall (and im assuming Platform 9 3/4) the others are roped off but
you are able to admire them and notice the detailing.
Are
there other movies Warner Brothers displays at this Studio?
M.G: There
is some mention of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Also a
couple of pictures advertising Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
L.C: The
studios in Leavesden have been used for a variety of other movies but due to
the success of the franchise they have kept everything from the Harry Potter
franchise to demostrate its production to the fans.
Are
there any rides?
M.G: There
are not rides but there are a number of interactive displays which add to the
fun of participants.
L.C:
To my knowledge there are no rides at the studios. Although there are the green
screen experiences, this overall attraction is more like a museum/walking tour
of the studio demonstrating the production of the films rather than an
interactive experience.
Anything
you wished you knew before you went?
M.G: The
Warner Brothers Studio webpage was pretty informative so I managed to get all
the information I needed for my visit beforehand.
L.C: To
be completely honest I would rather not know what is there before I arrive in
order to enjoy the full experience. I find knowing too much could be
disheartening in case things aren't as you anticipate or gets removed before
your arrival. And its for this reason that I'm trying to limit my responses so
that the reader can fully enjoy the experience when they get the chance to go.
Do
you have to be a Harry Potter fan to go?
L.C:
Obviously as a fan myself that (unlike my family) has seen all the movies and
read all the books I spent a substantial amount of time pointing out and
photographing minute details that had a more significant impact in the books
story that got overlooked or briefly mentioned in the movies. However, I don't
feel you need to be an avid fan in order to enjoy the experience. My dad hasn't
seen all the movies but he personally enjoyed seeing how everything was made
and the technical aspects when it comes to the animatronics. I feel that if you
are interested in movie production and techniques you can enjoy this Studio
Tour as well regardless of the overwhelming Harry Potter material.
M.G:
You do not need to be a Harry Potter fan but it definitely helps. Most of
the displays etc. assume that you know the story of Harry Potter and who the
various characters are.
Individuals who are keen on film and theatre
production would also benefit from this tour as it does give an insight into
special effects, prosthetics, props, make-up etc. As a solo middle aged
traveler I would not fit in the normal demographics of visitors but can say
that I really enjoyed the tour and I think there was something there for
everyone.
I hope you have enjoyed hearing about the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios. A big thank you to both L.C and M.G for their time in answering all of these questions.
Have a good week.
K.J
To read more about Harry Potter in Universal Orlando (also reviewed by L.C), please visit:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - All your Questions answered
To read more of reviews by L.C (Former WDW Cast member reviews on WDW and Universal Studios
Part 1 (WDW Parks, Disney Springs)
Part 2 (Universal Studios, World Pavillions at Epcot, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, D23 and news on Star Wars land
Pandora and Animal Kingdom
Part 2 (Universal Studios, World Pavillions at Epcot, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, D23 and news on Star Wars land
Pandora and Animal Kingdom
Other Theme Parks:
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