We had talked about going to see the Warner Brothers Studios where the Harry Potter movies were made, but hadn’t booked a visit. We looked into it after our day in Stonehenge and Bath and realized that the tickets sell out well in advance. We found out that the only way we would be able to go at all would be to do a super exclusive VIP tour. So, we went for it. And it was fantastic!
We were chaperoned on the train from London to the station at Watford Junction. Then, our Warner Brothers guides met us and a double decker bus drove us to the studios. There, we passed by the film lot where they were just wrapping reshoots for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. We could just see the sets of 1920s New York! Once inside, we bypassed the huge lines and went right in. There were a couple of introductory films, and then the screen lifted and we were standing in front of the doors to the Great Hall.
All of the sets, props, and costumes are the authentic ones used in the films and they are spectacular!
We saw Dumbledore’s Office,
the sword of Gryffindor and the sorting hat.
Here is Snape’s Potions classroom…
and Hagrid’s Hut interior…
These vault doors were super cool….
and here is Malfoy Manor…
and the Black Family tapestry…
Almost everything is life size and beautifully made.
Our guides took us outside for a quick Butterbeer away from the crowds and then we were on to the second half. We saw the Knight Bus, 4 Privet Drive, and Godric’s Hollow.
Next, we saw the wing dedicated to the creation of Magical Creatures.
and then on to Diagon Alley.
We saw many, many more things, but it would take all night to write about them all. At the end of the tour, we saw the model of Hogwarts Castle. This was used in all of the overview and fly by scenes.
It was so unbelievable. Even though we love Harry Potter world at Universal, this was just so much cooler because everything was real. It’s something all of us will remember forever.
Tonight, we are packing up and getting ready to fly home in the morning. I wish we could stay longer! I’m usually ready to go home by the end of our spring vacations, but this time, I wish I had another month or two. It could be that this trip was shorter than our usual overseas stays, but I think it has more to do with England itself. We truly, truly love London, and England in general. I would be very happy to live here….maybe someday!!