I solemnly swear that I am up to no good, and that I had an amazing time while visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour! I was lucky enough to get to go as part of my summer job, and you’ll hear absolutely no complaints from me about it! If you’re a Harry Potter fan in any capacity, and you have the extra time, I can’t suggest this enough. You have to buy tickets in advance, (if only it were as easy as saying a simple accio, but alas, ’tis not possible) but with enough forethought, you can definitely get in on all the action.

How to get there?

Unfortunately, you can’t apparate to the studio tour, much as I wish you could, and the floo network doesn’t connect, so you’ll have to use those good old muggle forms of transportation. There are a couple of ways to get to the studio, but the way that I went is fairly quick, and easy. It’s a little complicated on paper, but if you download CityMapper, it’s easy peasy to follow! I first took the tube to Euston (Northern line), and from there, I took the train to Watford Junction. If you don’t want to deal with the train, you can take the overground from Euston to Watford Junction as well, however, the overground itself can take around 50 minutes, whereas the train takes about half that time. You can use your Oyster/contactless payment on the train, but you can also buy train tickets specifically for the journey. From the station, you take a bus designated for the studios from bus stop four. The bus costs £3 for each person return, and must be paid in cash. You might need to show your email confirmation in order to get on the bus, so make sure that’s easily accessible! The bus drops you off right at the studio, so from there, entrance is Weasley done.

What can I see there?

*When you pick up your tickets, be sure to have some form of ID, as they’ll check it to confirm you aren’t a wanted wizard (no, delivery by owl is unfortunately not an option)!*

When you purchase your tickets, you will purchase them for a certain entrance time. It’s possible that you won’t be let in until that time, but it never hurts to try and slytherin a little early (I managed to get in 45 minutes before the time slot on my ticket). Try and book earlier slots if you can, as you’re allowed to stay in the tour for as long as you want once you enter, so there’s no time limit for when you have to exit (excepting closing time of course). I spent about three hours there, but I easily could have spent more than that if I had had the time, but either way, it’s better to allow yourself more time than less, because truly, it is ridikulus how many things there are to see! What I wouldn’t give for a time turner! (Are you getting tired of my puns and jokes yet?)

The best thing about the studio is that Leavesden is where a lot of the filming actually took place, so you can see the sets in the place where they would have stood during filming (or at least, in the general vicinity)! Unfortunately, the Great Hall does not come equipped with a magical ceiling, but the stone floors, and fireplaces, are entirely real. The tour starts with a short introductory film, which leads you to the Great Hall doors, which open onto the Great Hall, complete with costumes from each house – *Hufflepuff represent* – and from the professors (if it’s your birthday, you can push open the doors yourself!) top tip: sit in the front of the movie theatre if you want to get to the doors first and ensure yourself an easy way into the Great Hall. I absolutely love the attention to detail, and the stations dedicated to costuming, wigs, and makeup, as well as the information provided on how the sets were built, and how they created effects. All the original props are there, along with the sets for many of those iconic locations within the Harry Potter world (small tip: if you want a little extra free souvenir from your time at the studios, make sure to ask for a passport where you can emboss six stamps throughout the tour, and it makes for a fun thing to take home regardless of your age).

Fun fact: the tour is located on stages J and K, (conveniently) the initials for Harry Potter’s creator: JK Rowling.

At times it feels like there’s almost too much to see, but since you can take your time, there’s ample opportunities to see all that you want to see. I absolutely (Dumble)adore all the little nooks you can explore, along with Mrs. Weasley’s kitchen where you can cast your own spells to knit, or clean the dishes. If you fancy spending some extra galleons, you can do a green screen photo on a Quidditch broom, and take home a copy of it as a magical souvenir from your time at the tour! If you fancy an extra challenge, you can locate golden snitches hidden around the tour (give yourself some house points every time you find one), or even set yourself the challenge of identifying as many props or costumes as possible without reading the information cards.

There’s a cafe where you can buy butterbeer (and butterbeer flavored ice cream), both of which are siriously worth a try. The cafe leads out into a backlot complete with number 4 Privet Drive, the Knight Bus, and Hagrid’s motorbike, where you can of course take numerous photos (you can bet I did, part of the evidence is within this very blog post). Other highlights include the Hogwarts Express on platform 9 3/4, Gringotts, the Forbidden Forest where you can meet Buckbeak and Aragog, and finally, the complete model of the Hogwarts Castle. If you’re a Harry Potter nerd like me, then this is the perfect place to learn all about the way the films were made, and to see actual costumes and props from the set.

After you’re done, make sure to check out the store to stock up on all the Harry Potter gear you could possibly want. From (Ravencl)awesome wands, to (Gryffin)dorable attire, you can kit yourself out from head to toe, to become the best witch or wizard you can possibly be. You can visit the store both before and after your visit, so don’t stress if you’re in a rush to get into the tour.

Throughout the whole tour, your journey is accompanied by the soundtrack from the film, which if you’re like me, is something I love hearing (it 100% was my studying soundtrack in university so you know I get hype to certain tracks). It makes discovering the Gryffindor common room, or the Quidditch pitch, or even the potions classroom that much more magical. There is truly something for every Harry Potter fan on the tour, and you’ll definitely learn something new while you’re there. You have to book your tickets in advance for the studio tour, so make sure you don’t drag(on) your feet, and that you’ve got them booked online to avoid any potential disappointment! All I can say is that this is truly a magical experience, and if you are a Harry Potter fan, this is the place to go if you’re in London. (To end with one final pun) if I had to rate this experience, I’d give it a 9 3/4 out of 10 😉 Mischief managed, and nox on my very fun day at the studio tour!

Additionally, if you’re looking to continue your Harry Potter adventure outside of the studio tour, be sure to go to the following locations (of which there are many more than I’ve listed), which are featured in the films!

• Picadilly Circus: Deathly Hallows Part I, the golden trio apparate here when escaping the attack on Bill’s wedding.
• Millenium Bridge: The bridge destroyed by the death eaters at the start of Half Blood Prince
• King’s Cross Station: Although you can’t actually stand between platforms 9 and 10 without a ticket, you can still take a photo at the designated photo spot, complete with luggage and scarves to make the best pose possible.
• Westminster tube station: where Arthur Weasley and Harry make their way through muggle public transportation, and the former gets caught in the doors in Order of the Phoenix!
• Lambeth Bridge: The route the Knight Bus takes in Prisoner of Azkaban
• Scotland Yard: Find yourself in the same place where the golden trio polyjuice in order to sneak into the Ministry