If you are a Harry Potter fan, then you can’t miss the Warner Bros. Studio Tour when visiting London. You will experience the magic of Harry Potter brought to life by exploring behind the scenes of this iconic film series. It is the perfect day out for fans of all ages. My family and I have visited twice we loved it so much(you’ll spot the different ages in the photos!). Read on for my tips and tricks so you can make the most of your visit.
Why visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour?
The Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour is the best movie themed attraction in the UK. It is a behind-the-scenes experience that immerses you in the original sets, props and special effects used throughout the film series. The enormous studio buildings house many of the sets which you can walk through and have lots of interactive elements.
You will see original costumes, animatronics and special effects demonstrations.
Top Tip: Watch the first movie again before you arrive to refresh your memory.
There is a large café half way through where you can try butterbeer (which tastes like butterscotch cream soda).
It truly is a magical experience for a movie fan. Seeing the sets and props does not spoil the movie in any way. It actually makes you feel part of it, especially when you can have a go riding a broom with a green screen behind you.
What you will see at the Harry Potter Studio Tour
You begin your tour by entering the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
Top Tip: If you visit on your birthday, then you will get the privilege of knocking on the doors to open them.
From here, you enter one of the enormous studio spaces which have many different sets that you can walk around. You can walk into Dumbledore’s office and see the special effects in the Weasley’s kitchen.
In one corner, you can queue up for your turn to fly a broomstick and buy the souvenir photo.
There is an option to either walk through the Forbidden Forest or take a short cut to avoid it if anyone in your party is scared of that particular set.
Walk through to meet the Hogwarts Express; you can walk inside to take a look. Sit in a carriage booth with a green screen window to experience the train ride.
Top Tip: There is a scary Dementor moment so judge if your children can handle the scare.
Outside, you will find 4 Privet Drive where you can walk through the ground floor room sets, including the infamous under stairs cupboard. I love the way they show the flying letters in the living room.
You can’t go inside the Knight bus but it is still impressive, as is the Hogwarts Bridge you can walk along too.
Here, you will find a canteen type café where you can try Butterbeer. Yum!
Next, there are rooms of special effects where you can find out how they made the goblin costumes with the prototypes of the masks.
Diagon Alley is fun to walk along. Unfortunately, you can’t enter the actual shops but it is great to see all the window displays. You can now enter Gringotts bank however, with sound and light effects, you will love the dragon breaking through.
The final room houses the full-scale model of Hogwarts. It is absolutely amazing. The intricate details and grandeur will certainly impress.
Getting to the Warner Bros. Studios
The Harry Potter Studio Tour is on the outskirts of North West London so you will need to factor in transport when you buy your tickets. If you live within a couple hours then I would recommend driving. The car park is free and it is very easy to find a space and walk to the entrance. You can however pay for priority parking when buying your tickets if you want to park right next to the entrance.
If you are staying in London, then there are a couple of options:
Train: There are direct trains to Watford Junction station from Euston which takes around 20 minutes. From here, complimentary buses (with a tour ticket) will take you directly to the studios. These run at least every 30 minutes from when the studios open until the last tour finishes and takes around 15 minutes.
Top Tip: Don’t wait until the very last bus as you are not guaranteed a seat or even space on the bus.
Read more: How to use Public Transport to get around London
Coach: If you want it organised for you, then the studios have partnered with Golden Tours which have both a tickets package or transfers from central London only.
Top Tip: Golden Tours do give you a generous time allowance to explore the studios but if you think you’ll want to spend longer, then I would recommend the train and free bus transfer.
Opening Hours
The studio tour is open almost every day. During the week, the first tour tends to start at 9.30am but at the weekend, it opens earlier at 8.30am. The studio tour closes at 10pm every day with the last timeslot being 6.30pm
Harry Potter Studio Tour Tickets
You must book tickets ahead of your visit and I would recommend you book them several months in advance. They tend to be on sale for up to a year ahead as they sell out so quickly.
There are lots of ticket packages available so check out the website before you book a standard ticket. You can choose packages with a meal or afternoon tea, even with a hotel stay included. There are also lots of themed visits available at different times of the year. You can book dinner in the Great Hall or see Hogwarts in the Snow over the winter months. The Dark Arts feature heavily around Halloween.
Your timeslot is for you entering the studios. There is no time limit whilst you are in there as it is a self-led tour. You are likely to spend around 3-4 hours exploring but there is no rush unless you are nearing closing time (10pm). There is a vague, one-way system in place but there is nothing stopping you from going back to see something if it was too busy earlier.
Eating and Drinking
There are several cafes at various points of the tour. Two cafes are situated near the entrance lobby with the Backlot Café around half way through the tour. This is where the Butterbeer bar is too.
There are also two areas where you can bring your own picnic: at the Backlot area or outside picnic area. When I visited, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant (as we drove), spent the whole afternoon doing the tour and brought snacks and a picnic dinner. It reduced the cost of our visit but still felt very special.
Accessibility
The studio tour is fully accessible with step-free routes, toilets and plenty of seating. Assistance dogs are allowed inside with lots of staff available if any help is needed.
Top Tips for visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour
- Book early. Tickets sell out very quickly, especially during peak times of the year.
- Allow plenty of time for your visit. The tour is self-guided but you will want to linger.
- It is perfect for an evening activity if you are visiting London as it is open until 10pm.
- Arrive 20 minutes before your slot for security checks.
- Check the calendar for seasonal events like Dark Arts or Hogwarts in the Snow.
