Our first stop during our time in London was the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. We'd had little samples of this experience at the Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, but with my wife being a huge fan of all things Potter and me being a fan of the films and the moviemaking process, there was no question about us visiting while in Europe.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is a giant collection of soundstages and outdoor spaces playing host to set pieces, props and practical effects big and small that were used in the creation of the Harry Potter films. The experience continues to evolve with new additions and seasonal overlays of portions of the tour. The experience is self guided, though you have the option to pay for a deeper-level guidebook and/or a VIP tour with a guide (this is definitely something we'll get the next time we visit).
Many tour companies recommend three hours in the experience, but it is my recommendation for you to allow more time than that... We were only half way done as of three hours in. Depending on your degree of fandom/interest, you could easily spend closer to six hours there like we did. There are some interactive elements and a few neat photo/video ops (some free and some up-charge). But what is truly amazing about this place is just how much detail is revealed, not only in the making of these films, but in the attention to detail that was put into the design. In theme parks, we recognize the outstanding achievements of parks that bury little details in the background to be discovered... But in film, it almost seems gratuitous to take the time, money and effort to layer detail into the background of scenes that a viewer will never get close to... And yet, it is without question a feat that those involved in the making of these films gone the extra mile to pour writing, labels, background effects and overflowing detail in every corner. That is what makes this experience so surprising--the level of discovery to be had within.
Quite the entrance statement... Some notable statues from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Once inside, you walk down this long hall covered with notable quotes from the films...
Most people know this one.
The Triward Cup from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is prominently displayed at the entrance of the exhibit space.
Harry's original room under the stairs is among the first things you see upon arrival inside...
It has been preserved from the films.
I won't give away the reveal that takes place before this moment (no photographs allowed) because it is honestly quite an amazing moment.
The Great Hall is one of the most impressive portions of the entire tour. The detail within is overwhelming. The space receives various holiday overlays throughout the year but during our visit, it was set up in the normal way.
It is doubtful you ever saw this fireplace up close in any of the films, but the detail on the Hogwarts crest and the fake fire effect is incredibly impressive!
The age spell surrounding the Goblet of Fire is recreated here for guests to attempt to cross.
All of Hogwarts' most well known professors are at the front of the Great Hall, positioned where their actors stood when filming.
It is always impressive to see how many different creative minds have been involved in these films.
It is easy to forget the Chris Columbus, the director of Home Alone 1 & 2 was also the director of the first two Harry Potter films.
It is amazing to see just how many props were created for single shots in these films. These props were used as a part of the decor for the Yule Ball scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Fans of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida will recognize the Leaky Cauldron, which has been recreated in Florida.
A full map of the total experience.
One fact that surprised me was that the costuming team for the final two Harry Potter films (Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2) created a progression of faded costumes for Harry and Voldemort that represented their respective journeys from the start to end of these two films. Voldemort's robes are dark and defined at the beginning and faded at the end where Harry's colors are subtle at the start and bold by the end... The two characters switch the scales in strength from start to finish, a detail that most would not likely pick up on as purposeful when watching the films.
The moving staircase and the talking portraits can be seen here.
This practical effect makes it look like the water is flowing freely, but in reality the prop features a series of transparent colored pipes that contain the flowing water.
The Gryffindor Boys Dormatory set is small and charming on the inside...
But getting to see how it was assembled from the outside, shows that is a much larger set piece that you'd expect.
There were no shortage of unique wands created for these films.
The Mirror of Erised.
One of my favorite pieces in the entire tour...
It may seem obvious but the invisibility cloak effect was achieved by chromakey.
Some of the details that were in the background in the films and minor points in the books have gone on to have a significant presence in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park lands around the world. Pumpkin Juice is an example of this, and the packaging is incredibly accurate in the parks compared to what was used on screen.
Gorgeous!
The entrance to Dumbledore's office...
If you've experienced Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey's queue, you're likely familiar with this view.
The set for Dumbledore's office is perfectly recreated in the parks.
The Dumbledore family has a connection to phoenixes... This is elaborated upon in the latest Fantastic Beasts film.
The memories Dumbledore extracts are kept in vials here in his office...
Though you never get this close to them onscreen, it is amazing to see in person the written detail of the labels on each of the vials.
Looking into my own memories...
The egg prop from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is neat to see in person.
Some key, smaller props from the films.
The prop that started it all...
Another major prop from the first film.
Troll armor, something you see more of in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.
Skelegrow is another recognizable prop from the films.
Voldemorts many horcruxes.
Snape's potions class...
Each vial has its own unique label and ingredients inside.
Another look at how the talking portraits inside of Hogwarts are made.
Hagrid's Hut is surprisingly a pretty small set.
Though it looks bigger on the inside.
A focus on the moving, practical props from the films.
You have the ability to fly on a broom in front of a green screen to take pictures and to make a video...
I had to get one.
Change the scheme, Alter the mood! Electrify the boys and girls if you would be so kind!
A few more major props that were used in front of a green screen.
The doorway to the Chamber of Secrets is an entirely practical prop, despite it looking so fluid. Seeing it move in person is unreal!
The Womping Willow beating the car is another practical effect that is amazing to watch.
The Weasley residence...
The many set pieces were accompanied by costumed mannequins with matching the placement of their respective characters from the film scenes.
Tom Riddle's grave.
The Black Family tree.
Dolores Umbridge's office...
The iconic statue from the Ministry of Magic.
I've seen these gates before!
Time to go into the Forbidden Forest!
Buckbeak is here in the form of a gorgeous animatronic.
Aragog is here too.
For guests looking for an extra souvenir, this passport and stamp experience can be enjoyed throughout the tour.
It is a neat little takeaway for sure.
Another huge space...
Most people will recognize the image of the Hogwarts Express... This is the one used for all of the stationary filming for the Harry Potter films.
Amazing how similar the end result was for the version at Universal Studios Florida.
Neat little photo op.
Time to go in!
You can actually see the various passenger cabins onboard the train. The experience is perfectly recreated in Florida--I didn't realize it until I saw this in person.
The costumes of Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron from the epilogue scene at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
Harry and Ron on the Hogwarts Express during their first trip to Hogwarts.
So many of these treats from the trolley are now available for sale in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
A recognizable piece of imagery from the chase through London scene.
Halfway through the tour, you'll find a place to indulge in your inevitable craving for Butterbeer.
Classic Butterbeer and Butterbeer Ice Cream are both available for purchase... I did find them each to taste a little different than their stateside counterparts but both were still great.
There is an outdoor section of the tour that features full size sets from the films including the Knight Bus and the Privet Drive house...
You can walk through the Privet Drive house where Harry grew up...
Despite being a full size home on the exterior, only portions of the first floor are built out.
Harry's cupboard under the stairs is here...
Details...
Such a cool scene to see in person.
A behind the scenes look at how sets are built and weathered to look like brick homes...
The long covered bridge from Hogwarts is outside and available to be walked for photo ops.
Godrick's Hollow where Harry's parents were killed is also here.
More chess pieces from the finale of the first film.
John Cleese's prop head from his role as Nearly-Headless Nick in the first two films.
There are informative digital presentations throughout the second half of the tour featuring Warwick Davis who played several roles in the Harry Potter film franchise (and in the production of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Florida).
A look at how some of the creatures of the Wizarding World were created using animatronics...
Shades of the Monster Horror Makeup Show in Florida...
The Hogs Head should be familiar to many fans of the parks.
More animatronic creatures from the films.
Animatronic innards.
Having fun being Dobby.
Park fans might recognize this dragon.
Another prop carefully recreated in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Some Mad Eye Mooney props.
I've officially found my spirit animal.
The decapitated head of the basilisk is mounted on the wall...
Change the scheme, Alter the mood! Electrify the boys and girls if you would be so kind!
In the home stretch... Or rather, the hat stretch.
Diagon Alley is one of the largest set pieces in the tour.
Years ago when Diagon Alley opened in Florida, we had the chance to talk to the stars of the film franchise and they all expressed their amazement with seeing these very sets turned into a fully immersive environment. I didn't realize how much of a different there was between the two until I saw this set for myself.
Interestingly enough, the facades and the placement of the shops isn't exactly the same throughout the land.
Lots of detail to take in though.
Florean Fortescue's is very different here... And sadly I couldn't get any Salted Caramel Blondie/Apple Crumble mix ice cream.
This I recognize!
One last look...
Moving on to the paper craft and models section of the tour.
Really neat to see the design part of the process here.
I didn't realize this actually existed outside of the parks.
Pretty impressive!
Lots of cool things to see.
These models helped the filmmakers to prepare for their cinematography in these scenes before the sets had been built.
Sight lines are important.
Having seen the full sized, practical set piece, this was neat to see the earliest stage three dimensional model.
Detail.
The scene conceptualized here looked pretty spot on in the final product.
And now the grand finale... The Hogwarts Castle model used for all aerial imagery in the films...
It is huge, the lighting is dramatic and the detail is unreal. You get to circle around the castle as you descend towards the exit.
Another Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey locale.
Just incredible.
The exit is like the end credits to a film...
Each of the wand boxes represents the name of someone involved in the films...
See if you can spot the notable ones.
Lots to be found here.
Pretty cool.
The smaller version of the Triward Cup from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is displayed at the exit.
The gift shop features many of the candies from the parks plus a few that we don't have stateside.
PYGMY PUFFS!!!
BOWTRUCKLE!
There was a small section dedicated to the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film as well.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour does see several seasonal events and overlays to change things up throughout the year.
It may surprise you to hear that the exhibit is growing significantly still. According to one guide we met, the tour will nearly double in size in the next five years!
On the way back to London proper, I saw a credit... And I happily passed it by without stopping... Because credits aren't important.
Stopping off at Camden Market...
This is apparently a really well known place, but I really don't like cereal or milk, so I passed.
POFFERTJES!
After years of seeing Robb & Elissa hype these, I was glad to get to try this deliciousness myself!
Back in Picadilly, we decided to catch a cheap show through TKTS... But before then, dinner! And no, I didn't go to dinner at Bubba Gumps... But I did buy a shot glass while I was there.
If you're ever in Picadilly, I would strongly recommend going to Baby Bao.
Time to see Matilda for the first time!
Our cast for the night...
And our Matilda!
The show was really fun! The cast (primarily the kids) were all really awesome and the sets were fun and inventive. Definitely worth the visit if you have the chance!
A great end to a fantastic day!
Change the scheme, Alter the mood! Electrify the boys and girls if you would be so kind!
Great report as always Adam, I'm not the biggest Potter fan but I'd love to check that out if I'm ever in London. I wonder if the expansion is going to be just more of the same type of exhibits or if they're going to add anything else.
After our time at the Harry Potter Studio Tour London and Matilda, it was time to begin the portion of our trip dedicated to exploring London... While throwing in a few touristy attractions and lots of good food! We started with The London Dungeon and were off!
Take note of the Buckingham Palace advertisement...
Our next morning started out with a visit to the London Eye complex...
While we wouldn't be riding the Eye until later the next night, it was neat to see this iconic attraction up close during the day.
Stopped off for a quick bit at The Breakfast Club for a fine cup of coffee...
And a very atypical breakfast.
This was why we were here...
I'd always been intrigued by the concept of The London Dungeon. The first attraction of its kind to open in stateside opened in San Francisco which we haven't been to yet, so this was the closest I was going to get to experiencing a Merlin Dungeon.
There's no photos or videos allowed inside but I was pleasantly surprised to see this experience presented as a linear flow of shows and attractions rather than an indoor park that you could choose to skip and revisit offerings as you saw fit. Unfortunately The Tyrant Boat Ride was closed for refurbishment, but getting to experience all of the mini-shows was fun... Keep in mind, there's lots of plague and toilet humor involved, so this is definitely not a family attraction for those under the age of 13 (Shrek's Adventure next door appears to follow the same model as the London Dungeon with a lighter content) and probably better for guests in their late teens and above. Overall, I expected roughly an hour and a half and we were in the Dungeon for close to 2.5 hours. The closest comparison I can make is to a house at Halloween Horror Nights with little shows in each room with scares and effects in each show.
One ride that was open was Drop Dead, a hanging-themed drop ride that rather than lifting you up to drop you roughly 15 feet, actually loads from the top and drops in darkness briefly before returning to the loading platform (the floor retracts). It was a fun little pop of air that my wife had no intention of joining me for.
There are a few fun photo opportunities to enjoy here.
We considered checking out Shrek's Adventure since we enjoyed the unique style of the London Dungeon, but since the attraction took longer than we expected, we opted to save more time for city sightseeing.
Parliament and Big Ben are really sights to be seen. Big Ben was being refurbished during our visit, but having seen it before, I am enamored with the entire architectural complex surrounding it.
Sea Life is also a part of the London Eye complex... It was easy to see how the original conceit of the Orlando Eye complex came together with the Eye, Sea Life and Tussaud's (also nearby in London) being so closely located. I'm just bummed a Dungeon style attraction hasn't made its way to Central Florida yet.
It was odd not seeing the aftermath of the Silver Surfer's visit here... It must've taken a lot of effort to fill the gaping hole in the Thames after that moment in history.
And we're... moving on.
It wouldn't be a London trip report without a photo of this sign from somewhere.
Westminster Abbey is gorgeous...
But unfortunately no photos allowed inside.
London has no shortage of gorgeous, storied structures in a very short distance from each other.
My wife had great interest in visiting royal establishments during our trip... So to the Mews we went!
Royal carriages aplenty here...
Almost gold leaf as I've consumed at Amorette's Patisserie at Disney Springs.
About as close as you can get to the Royal Steeds but still neat.
This is stunning.
I feel like this is a water fountain at the Italy Pavilion in Epcot.
Next up was Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason. We originally figured Harrod's would be the place to go but we were recommended to go here instead... Pictured here is one of the best tea's I've ever tasted... So I bought some to bring home!
The best part of the experience? Everything was all you care to enjoy!
(With the exception of this beauty...) This lobster omelette (topped with fresh truffle) was easily one of the best things I've ever consumed. Legit tears during consumption.
Not as much gold leaf as I've consumed at Amorette's Patisserie at Disney Springs, but delicious all the same.
I was in fine food HEAVEN!
Like Harrod's, Fortnum & Mason is like a retail playground with fresh foods, sweets, ice cream, tea, clothing, accessories... This place was simply insane.
And here's lots of Turkish Delight.
We had a lot of macaroons this trip.
Iberico Ham just waiting to be carved on demand. I nearly cried.
A Scotch Egg bar. London has Orlando beat.
Can't escape American football even in England.
Famous places with famous signage.
After such success with TKTS the night before with Matilda, after that show we decided to run back to see what else we could get... And we landed on Kinky Boots.
We simply weren't prepared for how AMAZING this show was. The music and energy of the show is infectious and the message is a wonderful one. If you haven't had the chance to see Kinky Boots, I would HIGHLY recommend it!
Such a phenomenal cast!
After the show we ran over to Chinatown to experience Opium, a speakeasy themed to the Orient with each rooming hosting a different menu and style inspired by a varying region of China.
The atmosphere here was wonderful.
All of the drinks were regionally inspired with unique ingredients and clever presentations. It was all wonderfully overwhelming.
My smoky mezcal drink was easily the best of its kind that I've had and the presentation was fantastically aromatic.
My wife's drink included safe and vodka and it came with a sugar paint and a sugar wafer that could be painted, dipped in the drink and then consumed! It was amazing!
Being conveniently located in London's Chinatown, we were able to order dumplings and shu mai... Later that night we saw runners carrying these steam trays from their restaurants up to Opium, which was pretty neat!
My third drink was bourbon based but came with a multi-grain cracker and a sugar-printed butterfly, all of which was safe for consumption... I was in a great place by the end of our time at Opium and it was a great note to end a fantastic day on.
Change the scheme, Alter the mood! Electrify the boys and girls if you would be so kind!
Great report as always, I remember visiting the London Dungeon as a kid (maybe not the best attraction for a 10 year old but I think I turned out okay) and just being blow away by it. Would love to experience it again as an adult and see if it's as much fun as I remember.
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ckin loved the Harry Potter tour when I visited England in June! Glad to see you did too! Great photos
