Part of my holiday in the UK from 19th December 2016 to 2nd Jan 2017, we visited the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios. The tickets were GBP35 per adult, and an additional GBP12.95 for the audio guide (quite expensive!)
The tickets were bought 1 month before our trip with a prebooked tour for Saturday, 31 December at 3:30PM. The plan is to take a train from Euston Station to Watford Junction, and from there, take the Warner Bros shuttle to the studio.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
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We arrived at Euston Station slightly early, around 1PM. We found a nice spot at the first floor and had lunch at Leon’s. The train from Euston to Watford Junction took about 30 minutes.
At Watford Junction, we took the Warner Bros shuttle to the studio. The bus ride ticket was GBP2.50 per person. The shuttle is fully covered in Harry Potter photos, you can’t miss it. The bus ride took about 15 minutes.
We were very excited when the bus arrived at the studio. There was a moderate crowd (considering it was new year’s eve). There was a security check, and once we’re in, we collected our audio guides.
The tour started with a short movie clip recapping all the Harry Potter movies. It was a good refresh to those that haven’t watched the movies in a while. From there, we entered the Great Hall, where Hogwarts students have their meals and assemblies.
From the Great Hall, we passed by various movie scenes. We went on to see Dumbledore’s Office, the Quidditch pitch and broomsticks, potions class, Voldermort and his minions. At the Quidditch section, you can ride the broomstick and take a photo as part of the movie scene. Cool!
The most exciting part (for me at least) was when we saw the Hogwarts Express and Platform 9 3/4. We get to explore the train and buy souvenirs.
Halfway through the tour, we had a break at the Backlot. We ordered the famous Butter Beer and ice cream. The Butter Beer was a bit too sweet for me. But I guess it meets the “buttery” description.
After that, we continued the tour and went through Diagon Alley. This is the place wizards go for shopping. There were various scenes showing Harry Potter and friends buying school equipment at the alley.
At the end of the tour, we saw the full replica of Hogwarts. I was really impressed by how detailed the castle is. I could almost imagine the movie showing the aerial view of the school. It’s just amazing. On our way out, we explored the gift shop and bought a few souvenirs. We took the shuttle bus back to Euston Station for our train back to London.
Imran Jaafar 