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A Magical Guide to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know

Last Updated: February 16, 2022

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Fact: In my entire life, I’ve only cried once at a tourist attraction.

And judge me all you want, but this cryfest happened at a Harry Potter studio tour.

… Allow me to explain myself.

Like most children born in the 90s, much of my youth was spent daydreaming about the arrival of my Hogwart’s acceptance letter. As this dream dwindled with the hardships of adulting, I instead took comfort in carbs and magical movie marathons.

But, it didn’t take much for these childhood dreams to resurface. A trip to London was all it took to re-open the floodgates (literally).

Let me tell you: for a Harry Potter fan, there is no attraction on this Earth more overwhelming and amazing than the  Warner Bros Studio Tour London, (AKA London’s Harry Potter set tour), which brings you through the filming site for all 8 movies in the Harry Potter franchise.

In addition to sets, you’re also shown countless props, the best gift shop in the world, and even a chance to taste butter beer for yourself. Come on now, is it at all a surprise that I bawled when I got to the end?

Read onwards for important info to know about the tour, some tips to keep in mind and of course, a recap of the experience (with plenty of photos!) Be careful for this section, as spoilers are abound!

PS: Check out my full list of Harry Potter themed attractions and experiences in London for more nerdy goodness.

Basic information to know about the Harry Potter Set Tour

If you’re interested in booking the epic Warner Bros Studio Tour in London for yourself, then here are some basic must-knows.

Harry Potter Studio Tour Tickets Info:

I first visited this attraction in 2014 and it was a hot mess then, and has only grown in popularity in the past few years.

If this Harry Potter set tour is a must-do for you, then make sure you book your tickets WELL in advance or you risk not being able to go!

Luckily, even when tickets are sold out on the main site, there are tours you can book online that will have tickets available for sold out dates.

Sometimes, booking with a tour is worthwhile because you not only guarantee your tickets, you also get the convenience of private transport there, which is nice and much less stressful than using public transport yourself.

Here is a breakdown of different Harry Potter Studio tour options that include transport. For your convenience, I also lay out their costs and what they have to offer:

Tickets can also be purchased online from the studio itself  here.

How to Get to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London:

Despite its name, the Warner Bros Studio London is actually located in Leavesden, which is northwest of London.

While booking a tour/private transport is the easiest and most convenient way to get there, it is still quite painless to reach via public transit, as a shuttle bus runs from Watford Junction railway station.

To get to the Watford Junction station, you need to make use of London’s overground system.

Not sure about the best route to get there? Check out this handy trip planner .  The tour’s website recommends that you arrive at Watford Junction 45 minutes prior to your tour time.  

Remember to bring change, as the cost for the shuttle bus is 2 pounds each way.

NOTE : Leave a lot of leeway for you to get there. We definitely got lost a few times due to the transfers, and were stressed to the max! For a more stress-free experience, consider prebooking a tour that comes with transport. Here’s one for under $100USD.

Tips for Doing the Harry Potter Set Tour Like a Pro

Having addressed the basics, here are some tips you should keep in mind when planning your visit:

1. Check on the Warner Bros Studio Tour website for special events

The studio tour often has special weeks during which there are specialized displays or demonstrations.

If you have quite some time in London, I suggest looking up when special events are happening and to plan accordingly.

I was luckily around for the beginning of Wand Week, so I got to see wandmakers do their thing and I even got to pose with some Death Eaters. Super cool!

2. Allow extra time for travel

Especially if you are new to London, trying to navigate the transit there can take time, so give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the studio.

That being said, do not hyperventilate if your ticketed time is fast approaching. While the reservation system does assign you a time, they won’t turn you away if you are a bit late.

3. Don’t forget to print your Warner Bros Studio Tour ticket

This will make the whole process smoother.

One girl that came with us didn’t print hers and upon arrival, she realized that her order never actually went through.

Luckily, even though they claim there is no box office at the attraction, she was able to purchase a ticket there, but do book in advance to save yourself the trouble.

4. Set yourself a budget for magical souvenirs

Trust me, when you enter the Harry Potter Studio Tour Shop for the first time, you will lose all sense of self control.

You will suddenly want all these things that you would never need.

Legit wizard robe? Okay!

Replica wand? Yes please.

There are so many amazingly crafted souvenirs for sale that you will easily empty your wallet.

For budget-conscious backpackers (like me) or large families with crying children, setting a budget beforehand is a must.

5. Grab yourself a free Warner Bros Studio Tour London passport

At some point during the tour, you might notice children getting awesome embossed stamps on a Harry Potter passport.

Uh, yeah, those are actually not just for kids!

I shamelessly (and sweetly) asked a staff member for one, and they kindly obliged.

Getting the stamps is fun and having a Harry Potter passport is pretty much the best souvenir ever.

6. Be sure to check out other Harry Potter filming locations around the UK too

If you’ve made it all the way to Leavesden, you’re actually pretty close to a variety of other Harry Potter filming locations!

While this set tour is of course incredible, there are dozens of other real-life filming locations scattered around the UK that you can visit for yourself. Click here for a full list.

Harry Potter Set Tour Recap with Photos

With those tips out of the way, I’d love to show you some photos and a brief overview of the experience from my visit in 2014. Note that they have added a lot since then, but still…

WARNING: spoilers, spoilers, spoilers. 

Some would say that the best way to experience this tour is by seeing everything first hand, but if you are curious to see photos and more, feel free to scroll further.

Your magical experience begins as soon as you walk into the building. All around the lobby are canvases with various Harry Potter characters, as well as props and other cool artifacts hanging off the walls.

Even the task of waiting in line (typically the most mundane thing ever) is a joy for this tour.

The queue moves very quickly and there is plenty for you to nerd out about as you wait.

Most notably, Harry’s  cupboard under the stairs , is right next to the queuing area, ensuring that you get a perfect view of this iconic set.

You’ll notice that groups are taken in based on their spot in line, rather than their timed reservation.

This is why there is some flexibility when it comes to your arrival time.

If you’re a few minutes late, no worries, just hop in the queue and you will make it in all-the-same.  

The tour begins with a brief video introduction to the franchise, followed by a preshow featuring Rupert, Daniel and Emma themselves.

As this preshow concludes, the screen reveals the doors to the  Great Hall!  During my tour, they invited any birthday kids to come up and help open the doors.

After  seriously  wishing it was my birthday, I bitterly watched two ecstatic kids live out their childhood dreams, revealing the first stop of the tour, the amazing…

1. Great Hall!

This is the the only part of the tour where your time will be limited, as they let tour groups in every few minutes.

As such, if you want photos, be sure to snap them  quickly !

Being in this room is an unreal feeling. In addition to the long tables, cutlery and elaborate set pieces, you also get to view costumes from students in each house, and important Hogwarts faculty as well!

2. The Big Room

After your time in the Great Hall, you are brought into the  Big Room , which houses a variety of sets, props and costumes.

Here, you are given free reign to explore for yourself and gawk at all the amazing pieces the room contains!

Highlights for me were definitely the  Potions classroom  (complete with a Snape costume on display),  the Gryffindor Common Room  and  the Weasley House .

Many of the sets also have interactive buttons where you can make objects move by pressing them.

This was especially cool in the Weasley kitchen, where the touch of a button could make an iron move on its own, make vegetables chop themselves, etc. Super neat!

For those seeking a sweet photo opp, there are several green screen opportunities to ride a broom as a Quidditch player and more! I didn’t wait in line for this bit, but it definitely looked like a lot of fun! Here are some photos from the Big Room:

3. The Backlot

After perusing the Big Room, you are brought outside to the  Backlot , home to a variety of sets including Harry’s  Privet Drive home , the  Hogwarts Bridge , the  Knight Bus  and of course,  the concession stands!  

It’s at this point in the tour that you can live out your childhood fantasy of sipping a nice, cold  butterbeer.  

Be sure to explore the bridge before you purchase a butterbeer, as no food or drink is allowed on that set. 

Now, while public opinion seems to be split on the taste of butterbeer, I have to say that  I. loved. every. single. sip.  

It’s very possible that I was blinded by the magic of my surroundings, but I would argue that it’s worth a try regardless!

NOTE: If you want to purchase a souvenir cup, remember to bring a bag or something to wrap it in, as that stuff can get mighty sticky. Here’s a sample of the cool things you’ll see in the backlot!

4. Art Department, Creature Effects and Diagon Alley

When you’re ready to go back inside, countless wonders from the  creature effects & art department  await you. Here, you really get to appreciate the depth of work put into creating a whole magical world.

I was really wowed by everything.

In this area, you will see masks, wigs, models and more of your favourite magical creatures.

In this second half of the tour as well, you get to walk through Diagon Alley. The details and work in the set will absolutely blow you away. The shops look so real, you’ll be tempted to go knocking on their doors.

5. Hogwarts Castle Model

And lastly, the grand finale of the Harry Potter set tour… The model of Hogwarts!

This one here is a real showstopper.

A walkway surrounding the model allows you to view it from all angles, taking in the fine details of this wonderful school.

For many Harry Potter fans, seeing the castle like this is a dream come true. Now, if only it were real!

At the end of the tour, just before the entrance of the Harry Potter Studio Tour Shop, you will see this wonderfully beautiful quote appear on the screen:

It was at this point that  I began to bawl.  I couldn’t help it!

Everything that I loved about the series had been shown to me in the past few hours, and for that short period of time, I got to live out my dream of seeing the magical world that made my childhood.

Messy and gross, I walked into the gift shop, which was a massive treasure trove of things you never knew you wanted or needed. Wands for every character? I’ll take 100.

And there you have it,  the most magical experience ever . One day, I  will   visit the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but until then, I think this tour has given me enough happy & geeky memories to last. …. At least for the next little while.

Any more questions about visiting the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London?

 Over to you – have you ever been to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London? IF NOT, THEN WTF ARE YOU WAITING FOR? No jk, uh I meant to ask, which part would you most look forward to?!

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7 thoughts on “A Magical Guide to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know”

Enjoyed every bit of your blog article.Much thanks again. Really Cool.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

bookmarked!!, I like your blog!

thanks Jane!! 😀

Hi Christina! I’m going to be traveling alone to London this week, would the Harry Potter tour be fun for a solo traveler? Also, I was considering buying a groupon for a night tour, but the picture of you holding the butter beer appears to be outside? I guess we would be missing this part of the tour if I went at night then eh?

hi Lisa, I hope this comment isn’t too late! but YES YES YES the tour would 100% still be fun as a solo traveler (provided that you like Harry Potter haha). I didn’t realize they had a special night tour, but the butterbeer was outside in a special lot where they had lots of big props and set pieces (it’s part of the tour) so I can’t imagine they would leave it out for any reason. I have my fingers crossed for you!

Thank you for this article and the pics. I always need to take a peek of the atmosphere beforehand since I’m going solo. I hope they will let me use my selfie stick inside.

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Harry Potter Studio Tour to launch new Hogwarts event for 2023

The Warner Bros Studio Tour has announced its features for 2023 and there are several new events for fans of JK Rowling's boy wizard

• 13:23, 29 NOV 2022

Brand new exhibitions are coming to Warner Bros Studio Tour London for 2023 as the tourist destination celebrates its eleventh anniversary with a brand-new summer event - as well as the return of several fan favourites.

Warner Bros Studio Tour London has announced its calendar for next year and with it turning the age pupils first get invited to Hogwarts the iconic wizarding school is going to get a starring role in activities.

The Discovering Hogwarts exhibition will look back at the secrets from Harry’s early years at the school, from his first acceptance letter to being sorted into Gryffindor house, learning the rules of Quidditch and trying his hand at his first spells.

Alongside the new Hogwarts showcase is the return of several other popular featured exhibitions, including the much-loved Christmas feature, Hogwarts in the Snow which is currently wowing visitors to the tour.

Before Hogwarts gets its snowy makeover for 2023 though there are several other special features making their return. The Magical Mischief exhibition is set to return for a second year from January 21 to mid-April, giving visitors a look behind the scenes at film-making trickery.

Guests get the chance to see the magic behind some of the films' most memorable moments, including seeing how the special effects of Harry's disappearing invisibility cloak and his flying acceptance letters work. There's even a chance for visitors to make their own origami howler, just like the one Mrs Weasley delivered to Ron in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The new Discovering Hogwarts exhibition will run from early May to September, before the return of the Dark Arts in time for Halloween season.

The event showcases everything sinister about Harry Potter - of which, let's face it, there's quite a lot - with dark makeovers of Diagon Alley and Platform 9 and 3/4 and the main event being a spooky makeover of the Great Hall which sees the ceiling decorated with over 100 floating pumpkins as well as a Halloween feast.

Visitors can also follow the Dark Mark trail, practice wand combat moves in live duels against Death Eaters.

The year will finish with the popular Hogwarts in the Snow makeover - where everything gets a decidedly festive tinge.

The event sees the Great Hall kitted out for Christmas, while sets of everything from the Gryffindor dormitories to the potions room will also be given some festive finery.

Visitors also get the chance to learn the secrets behind ice that never melts and fire that doesn’t burn and see a blanket of filmmaking snow covering the Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley and the jaw-dropping Hogwarts castle model.

Tickets for the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour are available to book now either as standalone tickets or as part of packages with travel and accommodation through companies like GoldenTours , Virgin Experience Days , BuyaGift .

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Harry Potter Studio Visitor's Guide

The Short Guide to the Harry Potter Studio 

The complete guide to the harry potter studio.

Your Harry Potter Tour adventure kicks off as soon as you present your ticket, starting with a queue that features Harry’s iconic cupboard under the stairs, complete with toy soldiers. As you wait in line, you can brush up on your Harry Potter lore with inspiring quotes from various characters from the franchise.

Next up, you will proceed to a dimly-lit room with multiple screens, where you take a deep dive into the history of Harry Potter and the magic that awaits. In the next room which is set up like a cinema, you can watch a short film that succinctly covers key moments and behind-the-scenes footage from eight Harry Potter movies, along with interviews with cast members, crew, directors, and even J.K. Rowling herself.

This preliminary experience concludes after the film, with majestic doors opening to reveal the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Stepping into the Great Hall marks the true beginning of the tour, as you enter the magical world of Harry Potter!

Your journey at the Harry Potter Studio Tour starts with the opening of the Great Hall doors, inspired by Oxford's Christ Church college dining hall. Discover the hall’s authentic paving stone floor, as your guides share fascinating details.

The tour progresses, showcasing famous sets like the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore’s office, Hagrid’s hut, and the Potions classroom. After this, the tour shifts to a self-guided format, offering you the freedom to explore these magical environments at your leisure.

This will allow you to experience the Forbidden Forest, complete with mist and spiders, and seize the chance to fly a broom (at an additional cost). You can also check out the famous Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 and ¾ for a serene photo opportunity, in contrast to the lively Kings Cross station in London.

As for outdoor experiences, these include the Knight Bus, Privet Drive, the unscathed Hogwarts Bridge, and Mr. Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia. Make sure you visit the meticulously designed Diagon Alley, especially Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – arguably one of the studio’s many highlights.

You will also have the chance to interact with various sets, like sitting on Hagrid’s motorbike, stepping into the Ford Anglia, and climbing aboard the Knight Bus. The outdoor area also presents prime photo opportunities, so it is important to take into account the weather when planning your visit. The tour also features an exciting Hogwarts Express simulation, where guests can board a replica carriage and embark on a journey filled with dementors and voice-over narration, offering a thrilling experience.

In the second part of the studio tour, the focus shifts to the filmmaking process, revealing the creation and effort behind the props and costumes. This section showcases an extensive collection of creatures, detailing the intricate and complex methods used to bring them to life.

Among the many things you will learn is that only the head of the basilisk was actually built. You can also explore a wide range of goblin and house elf masks, which offer insight into their design and how they were tailored to fit the actors.

Following the Creature Shop, the tour continues to the meticulously crafted Diagon Alley. This area is designed as a realistic alley, with each shop intricately decorated and featuring detailed displays, creating a genuine streetscape. Diagon Alley’s compact layout mirrors the film’s setting, offering a profound sense of realism and magical feeling of shopping for enchanted items.

During the studio tour, you also have the chance to go on a broomstick ride with the help of CGI and green screen technology. After donning your Hogwarts robes, you can mimic flying on a broom , while a screen projects scenes over London and Hogwarts. Staff members are on hand to help you out and make sure you get a striking pose.

Post-flight, you can choose from a selection of backgrounds, such as hovering over Hogwarts or flying along the Thames. You can even take a photo inside the Ford Anglia, simulating flight, or add a fun twist to your visit by posing as an Azkaban prisoner on a ‘Wanted’ poster.

The Harry Potter Studio Tour concludes with a spectacular large-scale model of Hogwarts Castle, which was previously used for film shots. This exhibit offers an impressive view of the castle from the Astronomy Tower to the lake shores, illustrating the iconic castle's scale and architecture.

The final room of the tour is home to a stunning 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts, a testament to extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. The model, meticulously handcrafted with real gravel and plants for landscaping, radiates authenticity.

Equipped with over 300 fiber optic lights, the model simulates torches and lanterns that create the illusion of student life within the castle’s hallways. This masterpiece stands as a tribute to the talent and skill of the Harry Potter art department, crafted by a team of 86 people.

Footage of this model was skillfully combined with special effects to produce the realistic exterior views of Hogwarts in the films, often mistaken for real castles. This model serves as a phenomenal conclusion to the tour, leaving a lasting impression on visitors.

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