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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

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Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transport from London

Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour with Superior Transport from London

Fully Guided Tour of Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter and Oxford Day Trip

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter with Transportation

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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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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✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

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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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

• See all photos

Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transport from London

Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour with Superior Transport from London

Fully Guided Tour of Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter and Oxford Day Trip

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter with Transportation

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON - THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER (Leavesden) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

Taking a Harry Potter Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know

Last updated: April 9, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 24 Comments

If you’re a Harry Potter fan visiting the UK, the chances are high that you want to take the Harry Potter Studio Tour near London. This tour, of the Warner Bros. Studio where the majority of the films were shot, is a fascinating experience, and well worth doing even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan.

You can visit places like the Great Hall, the railway station, various filming locations from inside Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest, and even Diagon Alley.

As well as visiting the film sets, you will also learn all about how the films were made, see many of the props from the movies, get to participate in some green screen magic, have the opportunity to try Butterbeer, and of course, buy all the Harry Potter merchandise you can imagine!

In this guide we’re going to go through everything you need to know to visit the Harry Potter Studios, including how to get there, how to get tickets, information for making the most of your day, and lots more! Let’s get started by answering some questions you may have.

Where Was Harry Potter Filmed?

Harry Potter was filmed all across the UK, at real world locations such as Glenfinnan Viaduct, Alnwick Castle, Glencoe in Scotland and Leadenhall Market in London . See our full guide to Harry Potter filming locations in the UK for more.

The interior sets and the majority of the rest of the films were shot at the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, just outside London.

Where is the Harry Potter Studio Tour?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour takes place in the Warner Bros. Studio, which is found in Leavesden, England. This is around 20 miles northwest of London.

The Warner Bros. Studio is a fully working film studio, one of the largest in the UK, and many films have been shot here, including the whole Harry Potter franchise as well as some of the Star Wars,   Batman , and Mission: Impossible films.

Harry Potter Studio Opening Times

You will definitely want to check the website for up-to-date opening times, but generally throughout the year the studio is open from 8.30am through to 10pm. More specifically:

• Doors open at 8.30am
• First tour starts at 9am
• Final tour starts at 6.30pm
• Studio closes at 10pm

These times do vary by day. In terms of dates, the Studio is open every day of the week. There are some exceptions, it is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25th and 26th of December).

How Much Does the Harry Potter Studio Tour Cost?

Prices for the standard tour are as follows (correct as of April 2024).

• Adult: £53.50
• Child aged 5-15: £43
• Childer Under 4: Free
• Family: £172
• Carer: Free

For a family, this can be either 2 adults and 2 children, or 1 adult and 3 children.

You can also purchase more expensive tour packages, but these are the basic prices. Note that these are just entry prices, and don’t include any transport.

Is the Harry Potter Studio Tour Accessible?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour is accessible, and visitors can bring one carer free of charge with proof of entitlement.

For the studio itself, the majority of it is level and accessible for wheelchair users. There are some exceptions, such as the Hogwarts Bridge and the Knights Bus. Diagon Alley also includes an incline and cobbled streets.

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are permitted but mobility scooters cannot be wider than 86cm.

Visitors with assistance dogs are welcome and water bowls can be provided. There’s also a dedicated toilet area for assistance dogs.

For visitors with a hearing impairment, induction loops can be provided. A portable iPad is also available (this must be booked in advance), which can provide a subtitled version of some of the films. It’s also possible to book a BSL tour in advance.

For more information on accessibility and any other needs you have, please visit the accessibility section of the official website.

How to Get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour

You have two major options for getting to the Harry Potter Studio Tour – you can take a tour which includes your transport, or you can make your own way there using either public transport or a car.

We’ll go through both of these options so you can make the right decision as to which is going to be best for you.

Certainly, the easiest option for getting to the Harry Potter Studios is to take a tour which includes your return transport.

These tours leave from various locations around London (and other parts of the UK), and included in the price of your tour will be pre-booked timed entry to the Studio Tour and return transport to and from a pick-up point.

Note that most tours do not include a guide inside the experience as it is largely self-guided. However, you can book a tour, such as this one , which does include a guide for the time inside the studio as well. When choosing tours, do check how long they give you at the studio. You will generally want a minimum of three hours, although you might find four hours will be more suitable if you want to experience everything.

Some options include:

• This tour  which departs from the Victoria Coach Station in London
• Another tour with departure from Victoria Coach Station in London
• A slightly longer tour giving you 4 hours at the studio, with departure from Kings Cross Station, London
• This is a fully guided tour which includes return transport and a guide throughout the experience.
• This tour of the Harry Potter studios , which includes return transport from central London hotels
• If you want to do more on your day, this tour includes a tour of Oxford as well as the Studios , with departures from Great Portland Street, London
• This tour , with one of our favorite walking tour companies Take Walks includes a short walking tour of central London (including some Harry Potter filming locations in London ), followed by round trip transport to the studio and entry to the Studio Tour for four hours. We’ve done this tour and it is a good option although does make for a full day.

As you can see, there are lots of options! We’ve got more on all of these in the section below on how to buy your tickets for the Studio Tour.

By Public Transport

From central London, it’s fairly easy to get to the Harry Potter Studios by public transport. You will take the train from Euston Station to Watford Junction.

Then you need to take a dedicated shuttle bus operated by the Studio Tour that runs from just outside Watford Junction Station (it is well sign posted), that takes you directly to the studios.

For the train, you can either buy your tickets in advance here , or you can pay on the day using a contactless or Oyster card. This will require you to tap in and tap out using the yellow card readers. Note that Oyster cards and contactless cards do not work beyond Watford Junction, so don’t go any further than this.

See our  guide to buying and using the Oyster card in London , and our  guide to paying for public transport in London  for more information on using these forms of payment for travel in and around London.

For the shuttle bus, this is included in the price of your entry ticket. To board the bus you will need to have a valid pre-purchased ticket to the Harry Potter Studios, or proof of a ticket booking confirmation (printed or on your phone).

Getting to the Harry Potter Studios by car is relatively easy. Depending on the time of day, exact departure location and traffic, the drive from central London takes around an hour to ninety minutes.

From Oxford it’s around an hour, and it’s around two hours from Birmingham. Visitors with valid pre-purchased Studio tickets can take advantage of free parking on site. Note you cannot enter the parking area without a valid ticket or booking confirmation for that day.

Where to Buy Harry Potter Studio Tour Tickets

If you are making your own way to the Harry Potter studios, you have to buy your ticket in advance from the official website . You cannot turn up without a ticket, and tickets are not for sale on site.

Tickets go on sale well in advance, but despite the site having capacity for up to 6,000 people a day, they tend to sell out far in advance, so you will want to plan as far ahead as possible.

The summer months, weekends, and school holidays are the busiest days of the year for the Studio so we recommend that you book as far in advance as you can if you are visiting over those periods.

Weekdays often have better availability, so if you are flexible, look at different days of the week to maximise your chances of getting a ticket.

Tickets are for timed entry, which helps the studios manage visitor numbers throughout the day. Whilst there is no limit to how long you can stay after you enter, you do need to enter the attraction at the time you book. There is a little bit of flexibility in this, but it’s best not to show up hours later than your time to avoid disappointment.

The WB Studios Tour folks recommend you arrive at the site at least 20 minutes before your ticket time so you can go through the security checks.

If you can’t buy a ticket from the official site, don’t worry, you still have lots of options.

First, you can opt to take a tour with a tour company, as these have a different ticket allocation system. Whilst this will be slightly more expensive, at least you will still be able to go, and it will include transport as well. See here for some of the tour options available, and here for even more !

Another option is to book a Deluxe Tour, which includes a two-hour guided tour of the studios, a photo package, a hot meal, butterbeer, souvenir guidebook and special designated parking. Following the guided tour, you are free to explore yourself. As Deluxe Tours are more expensive, they tend to have better availability.

Deluxe Tours can be booked directly with the Studios, subject to availability, on the official site here .

How Long Does the Harry Potter Studio Tour take?

The regular tour itself is self-guided, other than an introduction at the beginning, so you can take as long as you like to wander the studios.

The average length of a visit is around three and a half hours, and that is what the studio estimates most people will take and forecast their capacity around.

This is also about the amount of time that most tour companies will give you, although some offer a bit more time on site, so if you think you will need more time, be sure to pick a tour company that offers more time.

Where to Stay Near the Harry Potter Studios

The majority of visitors to the Harry Potter Studios visit from London as a day trip, and choose a hotel in London. If you go down this route, you might want to consider a hotel that makes it easier to get to the studios, be that by public transport or on one of the tours.

We’ve suggested some options below, as well as some hotels near the Studios themselves if you want to be really close.

Note that hotels in London are relatively expensive, especially those located near major attractions, and rooms aren’t always huge. However, we’ve picked what we think are a good choice for you.

We also recommend reading our guide to where to stay in London for some suggested options across all budgets.

Hotels near London Victoria train station (where most bus tours depart)

• Comfort Inn Buckingham Palace Road – great value 3* property just 5 minutes walk from London Victoria train station
• The Resident Hotel – well reviewed 4* property, five minutes from London Victoria.
• Lime Tree Hotel – A well reviewed boutique hotel, around nine minutes walk from London Victoria
• Walrus Bar and Hostel – it’s not too close to London Victoria (15-20 minutes by public transport, or a 35 minute walk), but it’s very central and is a great budget option for London in general

Hotels near Euston train station (for the train)

• YHA London St. Pancras – a good value budget option a short walk from both Euston and Kings Cross stations. Offers both private and dormitory style rooms
• Comfort Inn and Suites King Cross – a great mid-range option, with all rooms coming with a kitchenette
• Point A Hotels – comfortable, cosy rooms, part of the well rated budget-friendly Point A hotel chain
• Radisson Blu Edwardian – luxury, boutique accommodation, a short walk from Euston station

Hotels near the Harry Potter Studios

• Mercure London – one of the closest hotels to the actual studios, this would be a good option if you are driving and want to be as close as possible
• Holiday Inn Express London – right next to Watford Junction, this mid-range and well reviewed property is convenient for both trains to London, and for the studio shuttle
• Jurys Inn London Watford – another great mid-range option, just a short walk from Watford Junction train station

Our Harry Potter Studio Tour Review and Experience

Now for the fun stuff! Although, if you want your visit to be a surprise, you might want to skip this section, as you now have everything you need to know in order to visit.

Still, if you want an idea of what to expect from your visit, read on, and we’ll share our own experiences of visiting the Harry Potter Studios! We have actually visited a few times over the years, both via a tour and using our own transport, and well talk about that a bit as well.

The first time we visited the studios we came from central London, taking the train to Watford Junction and the Shuttle Bus to the studio. When we visited there was a fee for the shuttle bus, but this is now included in the price of the ticket. The train was easy, and the shuttle bus departure point was well marked just outside the train station.

We pre-booked our tickets on the official website, so with our email booking confirmation we picked up our tickets from the kiosks. They have both staffed ticket windows and automatic kiosks – both work!

Once we had our ticket, which had our entry time on it, we went through security and joined the line for entry.

On another visit we took a tour to central London to compare the experience, specifically this tour . Whilst getting to the studio ourselves was easy enough, obviously having a bus take us directly to and from the studio from central London did make things even easier. However as it wasn’t a guided tour, once we were on site the experience was the same as visiting ourselves.

All entries for the Harry Potter Studio Tour are timed, so you have to wait in line, as they let each group in all together. Still, waiting in line is made fun, as the line has the cupboard under the stairs set right next to it, meaning you can start getting excited about your upcoming adventure straight away (and start taking pictures!).

At the time of our entry, we were all ushered into a large waiting room with a series of screens around the walls and given a brief introduction as to what we might expect. We then went into a cinema where some of the key cast members shared their thoughts. Then, the cinema screen rolled away, revealing a giant wooden door before us. Here, a guide welcomed us, and prepared us for our journey.

The Great Hall and Beyond

After our introduction, the massive wooden doors we were standing in front of opened, and the Great Hall was revealed. I have to say, this was pretty amazing, to be able to step into the world of Harry Potter. The Great Hall set was used as the Great Hall for six of the films, with many scenes shot here.

It certainly felt like the most complete of the sets we visited, as it was totally immersive and all around us, and was quite an experience.

From the Great Hall we were essentially allowed to continue on our own into the first half of the tour building. This had so much to see that I won’t go into it all here.

To give you an idea though, you can do everything from practice your wand waving through to seeing the Womping Willow in action through to visiting the potions laboratory, meeting Buckbeak, hanging out on Platform 9 3/4, and wandering around the Forbidden Forest!

Food and Butterbeer

Around half way through the tour, you come to the Backlot Cafe. This serves hot and cold food, as well as that famous drink – Butterbeer! This is a non-alcoholic beverage that tastes sort of like a mix of marshmallows and popcorn. It is definitely a must-try when visiting! We can also recommend the Butterbeer icecream which is very good.

You don’t have to eat here, as there are other dining options on site, including the Studio Cafe. However, if you want to try Butterbeer, the Backlot Cafe is the place to do it.

Privet Drive and the Night Bus

Once you’ve finished your butterbeer experience, it’s time to head outside to Privet Drive! Here you can see the house where Harry grew up, as well as a number of other fairly large props and sets, including the Knight Bus and the bridge that led across the ravine outside Hogwarts.

This is the only outside part of the tour, and it isn’t a huge area, although if the weather isn’t great you might want a waterproof jacket to enjoy this part of the tour.

Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley and the Last of the Tour

After seeing the exterior part of the tour, you enter the final part of the tour. Don’t worry though, you’re only really half way though – there’s loads to see still! From here you’re going to see a lot of the props and costumes, as well as detailed information on how these were created, and the work that went into them.

You’re also going to have the opportunity to walk through Gringotts Bank, meet a dragon, walk right down Diagon Alley, and see such locations as Ollivanders Wand Shop!

Finally, and perhaps most impressively, you come to the 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts itself. This is a massive construction that fills a whole room, and is truly spectacular. You can also watch videos to see how the model was used and digitally merged into the final films, which is very impressive.

Once you’re done with all the above, you pop out into the shop, where you can buy pretty much any Harry Potter merchandise you can imagine!

Tips for Visiting the Harry Potter Studio

Based on our experiences visiting the Harry Potter Studio in London, we’ve put together the following tips to help you plan your visit and maximise your time.

Decide how you want to visit

As described earlier in detail, you have a number of options for visiting the Harry Potter Studios, although depending on ticket availability, you might not always have every option. However, the main options are:

• Book a standard tour and plan your own transport, either by train/shuttle or car
• Book a deluxe tour and plan your own transport, either by train/shuttle or car
• Book a tour that includes transport and entry like this

Whichever you choose to go for, you will definitely have a great time!

Book your tickets in advance

We can’t emphasise this enough – tickets are not available on site – you have to book in advance . If you’re travelling independently, you can do that through the official site .

If tickets are not available through the official site for the time you want to visit, or you’d rather let someone else handle your transport, here is a good selection of tours to choose from , and here are some more options .

Plan your time

The average visit time is three and a half hours, so make sure you give yourself at least this much time on site. Don’t forget there’s food on-site as well as a massive gift shop, so you’ll want to factor time in for these activities too. Some fans can easily spend 4 or 5 hours here.

Whilst the majority of tours that include transport give you at least three hours on site, some allow for longer visits, so make sure to book the right tour for you. There is a lot to do and see on site, so more time can definitely be put to good use and you don’t want to feel rushed!

One of the best parts of visiting the Harry Potter Studios is just how interactive the experience can be. Whilst it’s certainly not a theme park, there’s a lot to do, from practicing your wand skills through to pushing your own trolley through the wall at platform 9 3/4 through to riding and summoning your own broomstick!

Some of these experiences will have a short queue, but due to the timed system for entry, these will never be too long.

Many visitors also come in full Harry Potter outfits, so don’t be afraid to dress up and get into the swing of things. You won’t be alone, and it adds to the experience for many people!

Further Reading

And that’s it for our guide to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. We hope you found it useful – we certainly had a lot of fun taking the tour and putting this post together!

As well as this post, we’ve also got a lot more content that we think you’ll find useful, both Harry Potter related, and other content to help you plan your time in London and the UK.

• Whilst this is one of the best places for Harry Potter fans to visit in the UK, it’s by no means the only Harry Potter location or activity you can take part in. Check out our guides to finding Harry Potter in London, Harry Potter in Edinburgh and Harry Potter in Scotland for more inspiration.
• We also have a complete guide to Harry Potter filming locations in the UK
• A  Two Day London Itinerary  to help you see all the highlights of London. There’s also a  1 day version  if you’re short on time, and both a  3 day  and a  six day itinerary  if you’re here for longer
• Our detailed  packing list for London , to help you prepare for your trip
• Our  guide to buying and using the London Oyster Card , and our  guide to public transport in London  to help you get around without spending too much money
• My tips for finding the  best Photography Locations in London
• Our full  review of the London Pass  to help you decide if this attractions pass can save you money on your visit to London
• The best Things to Do in Kensington , London, in case you wanted to focus more on a specific region of the city
• A review of a  one day walking tour in London , should you want a guided tour of all of London’s highlights
• Our  detailed itinerary for  two weeks in the UK , should you want to have London as the start of a bigger adventure. We also have a  one week UK itinerary  for a slightly shorter visit.
• Thoughts on taking a  day trip from London, taking in Stonehenge, Bath and the Cotswolds , our  guide to visiting Oxford for a day, and our guide to things to do in Cambridge .
• The  Eyewitness Travel Guide to London , which has all sorts of information within, including more itineraries and ideas for your trip. We also recommend the  Rick Steve’s London 2019  guide, the #1 bestseller on Amazon for UK travel guides, and always an excellent source of relevant information

And that’s it! Are you a Harry Potter wanting to take the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour? Have any questions about a visit? Let us know your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

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There are 24 comments on this post

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

15th August 2023 at 8:43 am

what an amazing detailed blog. really helped me understand and plan the trip. I am booked for 1st October 5:30 as didn’t get any other day or time slot on the website,, do you think I should look at going through a tour agent to get more time in the day time or evening is fine? hoping there will be no issues in taking public transport while coming back. we will be staying in Westminster.

Laurence Norah says

15th August 2023 at 9:08 am

Thanks very much! So I think you will be fine. On the 1st October it looks like the studio tour doesn’t close until 10pm, and I would say that 4.5 hours should be more than enough. The last bus to the station leaves at 10pm, so just be sure to be on that. In terms of trains, looking at the West Midlands train timetables, the last train on a Sunday back to central London is at quarter to 1 in the morning, so I think you will be fine.

Enjoy your visit!

George says

3rd May 2023 at 7:47 am

I just finished reading your post about taking a Harry Potter studio tour and I have to say it was incredibly informative and enjoyable to read! You provided a lot of helpful information for anyone planning on taking a tour, from practical tips on transportation and timing to advice on how to make the most out of the experience.

One of the things I really appreciated about your post was how you made it clear that the tour is not just for die-hard Harry Potter fans. Even for those who have only seen the movies, the tour can be a fascinating and immersive experience. I also liked how you emphasized the importance of taking your time and really exploring each exhibit and set, rather than rushing through them.

Your post was also full of helpful details, from what to expect on the tour to how to save money on tickets. I particularly appreciated your recommendation to book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment, as well as your advice to avoid peak times if possible.

Overall, I thought your post was a fantastic resource for anyone planning on taking a Harry Potter studio tour. You provided a wealth of information and tips that will undoubtedly make the experience more enjoyable for anyone who reads your post. Thanks for sharing your insights and expertise with us!

4th May 2023 at 5:30 pm

Thanks very much George, I appreciate your feedback!

3rd April 2023 at 10:58 am

Hi there! I just read your blog post about taking a Harry Potter Studio Tour and I have to say, it’s an incredibly informative and detailed guide. I’ve been to the Studio Tour myself and I can attest to the accuracy of your tips and advice.

I particularly appreciate the way you organized your post into different sections, making it easy for readers to find the information they need. Your advice about booking tickets in advance and arriving early is spot on – it’s definitely worth taking those extra steps to avoid long lines and ensure the best possible experience.

Your photos are also amazing and really bring the tour to life. It’s wonderful to see all the different sets and props up close and your photos do a great job of capturing the intricate details that went into creating them.

Overall, I think this post is a fantastic resource for anyone planning a visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. You’ve covered everything from transportation to food to the best photo opportunities, making it a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to make the most of their visit. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us!

Highly Recommended to all.

3rd April 2023 at 11:27 am

Thanks very much, I’m glad to hear you found the post useful and you enjoyed your Harry Potter Studio Tour 🙂

Jean searle says

25th October 2021 at 11:18 pm

My family live on the wirral it would take us about 3 1/ 2 hrs to get there with the price of fuel costly then the stay overnight in the hotel with bed and breakfast. Your outstanding entry price for an adult £48 Kids price extortionate my granddaughter is 8yrs old obsessed with Harry Potter reads the books loves the films she is desperate to come on the studio tour but can’t justify you outrageous prices. And then we have to pay for fuel to travel back. I am registered disabled but not in a wheelchair. My husband is my carer we are also pensioners do you honestly expect a disabled person to pay £48 to get in while OK my carer is free surely you should have compensation for the disabled person. As it stands we have to keep letting the 8yr old down as we can’t afford your prices. Then the added extras for the bus etc. I would ask you to see if you could establish a different rate for children under 10 and the disabled pensioner please as we would bring her but out of our pension we cannot afford your cost. Hope you take into account what I have said. Underprivileged children should be catered for I know.you have to make your money but at the cost of a child. Shame on you. My granddaughter may never get to see it now.xc

26th October 2021 at 10:13 am

Thanks for your message! So to be clear, this website is not associated with the Warner Bros Studio or Harry Potter tour. It’s just a guide to visiting. If you want to reach out to them directly, you’ll need to do so via their website. Their contact information can be found here: https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/contact-us/

All the best,

Dave Gaudie says

23rd July 2021 at 6:54 pm

Can I take photos throughout the tour ?

23rd July 2021 at 7:02 pm

Yep photography is permitted pretty much everywhere in the Harry Potter studio tour. There are a few exceptions – you can’t do photography in the pre-show cinema, or in the green screen areas. You also can’t use a tripod.

Have a great visit, and let me know if you have any more questions!

13th October 2019 at 4:38 am

Hello! I am so excited to have found your blog. I plan to read the entire london portion. I booked tickets to the studio for 1/1. I thought it would be a fun way to start the new year. Now I am wondering if it will be a problem to get to the studio. TfL site states train will be running on a sunday schedule. How much extra travel time should we think about? Our tix are for 1230p. We are staying by the waterloo station. Thank you for your amazing insights!

13th October 2019 at 3:25 pm

Thanks very much, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time.

For the trains, all you’d have to do is check the timetables for a Sunday and this should give you an idea of how much time you will need 🙂 You shouldn’t have to worry too much I don’t think, 1230 should give you plenty of time to get there! Have a wonderful time!

Nurika Abdullah says

27th September 2019 at 12:33 am

Hi thank you for this it is so useful especially for first timers like me. My concern is on the age, in the studios website it says below 16 must be accompanied by adults. I am thinking of sending my 15 and 13 yr old kids on their own. Would this be possible if I take a guided tour instead? Many thanks Nurika

27th September 2019 at 7:02 pm

Unfortunately the policy is that all children must be accompanied by an adult, even on the guided tours

26th September 2019 at 7:33 am

Thank you for you site and sharing some great information!! It is just awesome!!

Would you happen to know the difference between the Studio’s VIP tour and the Fully-Guided Making of Harry Potter Tour. Looks like the Fully-Guided might have a couple more stops?

26th September 2019 at 10:49 pm

So the VIP tour (I guess you mean the Deluxe tour?) includes a few extras like butterbeer, souvenir photo, meal and guidebook. So quite a few extras. The fully guided tour includes the tour, but I believe it’s the same actual tour as the Deluxe tour, just without the extras. Of course, it also include round trip transport from London as well.

So it’s more about if you want the extras or not, or if you prefer the transport.

Have an amazing time, whichever you go for!

Dr. Abraham K. George says

2nd May 2019 at 10:15 pm

Wow! What lovely immersive writing, and lots of fine fine details. A pleasure to read. I’m so glad I stumbled on to this blog. My search is over. Have bookmarked it. Going to follow it faithfully for our first-time holiday to London + Scotland this month. The fully guided tour seems to be the best of the lot as it probably gives you the maximum time possible to spend at the studio (I hope). By the way, tickets are sold out on the official site. Thank you so much, Abraham

3rd May 2019 at 4:39 pm

Hi Abraham – my pleasure, and I hope you have a wonderful tour. For sure, the tours are very popular so they sell out far in advance on the official website, but there are a number of other ways to get a trip, so I hope you are able to visit still 🙂

27th March 2019 at 7:48 pm

Hi can i ask the extra activities you mentioned are they free or do I need to account for extra spending money Regard emma

27th March 2019 at 7:59 pm

So the activities like the wand workshop, broomstick summoning and other interactive things like that are included. The only thing you would need money for is the giftshop, or if you want to eat or try butter beer. For the green screen broomstick flying experience, where you are filmed on a broomstick against a green screen, that is an extra price as you get the experience as photos or a DVD. There are also some other opportunities to buy photos through the tour, but these are of course optional 🙂

Have a wonderful time!

Robert says

13th March 2019 at 4:51 pm

Excellent information! I’ve been to the WB Harry Potter Studios twice (2015, 2017), and you really covered everything in accurate detail.

One tiny error though it probably won’t confuse anyone: You wrote “Then you need to take a dedicated shuttle bus operated by the Studio Tour that runs from just outside Euston Station (it is well sign posted), that takes you directly to the studios.” I believe you meant “Watford Junction Station” instead of “Euston Station” in that sentence.

Thanks for your terrific work on the entire site. A colleague of mine sent me a link to it knowing I have led student/parent groups to London. I’ve enjoyed digging into it!

13th March 2019 at 5:00 pm

Thanks so much for your comment! We loved visiting and writing this post was a real pleasure 🙂 Thanks also for spotting that error – I’ve fixed it now 🙂

Thanks again!

Roslia santamaria says

28th November 2018 at 7:02 am

Thank you so much..This is very useful!!

28th November 2018 at 11:21 am

My pleasure Roslia 🙂

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A Guide to Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour London

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 11th August 2020  - Last updated: 12th January 2024

Categories London , Film , Filming Locations , Travel , UK

Ready to learn all about Harry Potter World in London? Get ready for a mammoth of a post. Warner Bros Studio Tour in Leavesden aka Harry Potter World London has quickly become a must-visit destination for Harry Potter fans.

First things first, let’s get some misconceptions out of the way. There is no London Harry Potter Universal Studios, there is only the Warner Bros Studio Tour. If you’re looking for Universal Studios, London, then I’m afraid you will be disappointed!

When people think of a Harry Potter London theme park, they are also thinking of the Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Ok so now I’ve told you what Harry Potter world is not. What does it involve then?

The London Harry Potter Studio Tour invites you into the real studios where they made all the Harry Potter films and they’ve refashioned all our favourite props, costumes and sets into a glorious exhibition. It’s a Harry Potter experience like no other!

Keep on reading to find out why the Harry Potter Studio Tour London is a must for Potterheads…

Booking Harry Potter Tour Tickets

It appears that the initial rush to buy tickets is now over; however, I still recommend that you buy your Harry Potter Studio tickets about a month in advance if you want to get the perfect time for you. If you’re only available at the weekends then you definitely need to think about booking in advance because they weekend slots book up fast .

The booking itself is very simple. All you have to do is select the date and time you want to go on the tour, enter the number of each type of ticket you want and then checkout. There is also the option to add on some extras to your package.

You can pre-book a ‘Souvenir Guidebook’ and a ‘Digital Guide’, both of which supposedly enhance your experience. I opted for the ‘Souvenir Guidebook’, but not the ‘Digital Guide’, but in hindsight, I should have selected both.

The Souvenir Guidebook is a really nice booklet with glossy pages and big pictures. It is very well presented and serves as a lovely reminder of the things you’ve seen on your trip.

You don’t need to pre-order this book as it is also on sale at the gift shop at the Studios for exactly the same price. It is a bit pricey at £9.95, but for Potterheads it is well worth it.

As far as I could tell (from jealously peering over people’s shoulders), the Digital Guide was basically a device that looked a lot like an iPod touch that had extra snippets of information and videos on it. This costs around £4.95, though you do not get to keep it so it’s not entirely necessary.

Ticket Prices

Standard Adult: £43 Child: £35 (Under 4 years old: Free)

Opening Hours

8:30am – 10pm every day

However, there are often private events at the Studios so please do double-check for your selected day. 

Purchase your Harry Potter Studio Tickets directly here.

How to Get to the Harry Potter Studios London

The Harry Potter Studio Tour, aka Harry Potter World in London, is located at Leavesden Studios in Watford. Fortunately, I actually live quite close to this so it didn’t take me long at all to reach there and with the help of a SatNav, it’s fairly easy to locate.

One problem I did encounter once I was a couple of minutes away from the Studios, was that the signs on the motorway were incredibly confusing. There was one pointing to ‘Warner Bros. Tour’ and one to ‘Leavesden Studios’.

As far as I knew, Warner Bros. Studio Tour was located at Leavesden Studios so I got very confused as to why the signs were pointing in different directions.

I decided to follow the sign that pointed towards ‘Warner Bros Tour’, though this actually led me in a pretty big circle which was unnecessary, so I’d suggest following the sign to ‘Leavesden Studios’, which I assume will take you on a shorter route.

I highly recommend that when you see these signs coming up, you simply look out your window to spot the Studio and follow the road that leads to it (you won’t miss it, there are absolutely huge Harry Potter posters all over the buildings).

You will need to show your ticket in order to gain entrance and then you will be directed to a parking space (parking is free!). The car park is huge so I wouldn’t worry about not finding a space, though my tour was the last tour of the day so the Studios were probably slightly less packed.

By Public Transport

The closest train station to the Harry Potter Studios is Watford Junction. You can very easily get a train here from London Euston. Once you get to Watford, there’s a shuttle bus service right outside the station that takes you to and from the studios.

This costs £2.50 for a return and £2 for single. You won’t miss the buses – they’re designed to look like the Knight Bus! 

NB You should arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled ticket time so do factor this in when making travel arrangements. 

Find out more about getting to the studios here.

The Harry Potter Experience

What to see at the harry potter studios.

The tour starts from the very second you hand your ticket over and join the queue. Whilst you’re awaiting entry you will pass Harry’s cupboard under the stairs – toy soldiers included – and many quotes from various people lining the walls to get you excited.

First, you are led into a dark room with lots of screens and you are shown a quick film about Potter’s history. My emotional rollercoaster started here as I was filled with fond, childhood memories.

You can imagine my shock then, when I revisited the tour in 2019 to find that they had updated this video. And I was in one of the clips. I am in one of the clips!

It’s a video of me waving enthusiastically on the side of the red carpet in Trafalgar Square for the eighth and final Harry Potter film. I skipped school that day and slept on the pavement the evening before to get that top spot and it was totally worth it.

After this brief introduction, you are led into another room with a bigger screen, much like a cinema, and played another video. (This is usually the bit where I cry. Yes,  already .) It’s a super short film that goes through the crucial bits of all eight Harry Potter films.  

There are interviews with the cast, the crew, the directors, the author herself and lots of behind the scenes footage. When the film is over, a grand set of doors is magically revealed and the Great Hall lies in wait.

Everybody gasps at this point.

The Great Hall is incredibly detailed and there are lots of costumes on display here, including Harry’s very first uniform. There is a speaker for this part of the tour who gives an introduction to the tour and tells you all the interesting facts about the Great Hall – like the fact that the floor is made out of real paving stones.

The Great Hall is modelled on the dining hall at Christ Church college in Oxford (where I studied!). Check out my Harry Potter tour of Oxford for more information on visiting the real  life Great Hall! 

After this, the tour is self-guided and you are left to explore the rest of the tour in your own time. Some parts of the tour display props and costumes and others are the real sets.

There is a spectacular show of the vehicles and bigger props used in the films and they are shown (moving) hanging from the ceiling next to a large screen. On here they show you exactly how this prop was used in the film and how special effects were used to make it realistic.

This video shows you the extraordinary number of special effects that went into making these films. They even showed you how in one scene, Daniel Radcliffe was filmed walking on a treadmill in front of a green screen, but on film, this was magically transformed into Harry walking through the snow at Godric’s Hollow. It is absolutely incredible to see the transition from what was actually filmed and what we see on screen.

In this section, some of the things you can see include The Burrow, the Gryffindor Common Room, Snape’s classrooms, the Boy’s Dormitory, Dumbledore’s Office, Umbridge’s Office, the Ministry of Magic, the fireplaces at the Ministry, Hagrid’s Hut, the Griffin Stairwell, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, Gringott’s Vault Door, the Forbidden Forest and some others.

They’ve even recreated Platform 9 3/4 so you can see The Hogwarts Express in all its glory on the train track and even have a little walk through it! There are also lots of different photos points of the trolley going through the wall to access Platform 9 3/4 so you can pretend like you’re off to Hogwarts yourself. 

You then get the chance to experience the magic of riding the Hogwarts Express as they’ve created a Hogwarts Express simulation where you can have your photo taken inside a replica carriage. After your photo is taken, you’ll go a little adventure with lots of effects so it feels like you’re actually on a moving train.

You sit in one of the carriages and see the world float by outside the window and it’s lovely until the dementors show up! This is all filmed and there is a voice-over telling you what to do to make this part all the more fun.

Throughout this space, there are displays of props including the Philosopher’s Stone, the Triwizard Cup, the golden snitch, the Goblet of Fire, the time turner and more.

There is also a fantastic costume display to accompany each set and you can see clothes from all of the movies and see how the characters have grown!

Lastly, there is a stunning display of all the graphic designs and posters used for things like The Daily Prophet, the Quibbler, sweet packages etc.

When you’ve finished looking around the first building, about half way through the tour, the tour continues outside. Here you’ll find the Knightbus, Godric’s Hollow, the Ford Anglia, Hagrid’s Bike, chess pieces from the Philosopher’s Stone, Hogwart’s Bridge and of course, Number 4 Privet Drive.

This part of the tour is great because you can actually get up close and touch all of these things. You can sit on Hagrid’s bike, get inside the Ford Anglia, stand in the Knight Bus and knock on the door of number 4 Privet Drive. This outside area presents another great photo opportunity so don’t think that the weather doesn’t matter when picking which day to book your tour!

Possibly the most exciting thing about this section of the tour is the opportunity to buy Butterbeer . A lot of people don’t like this concoction but personally, I love it. It’s really sweet and fizzy with a thick layer of sweet cream on top – exactly as I’d imagined.

Each cup costs around £2.95, and although it isn’t large, it’s definitely worth it! It even leaves you with that white moustache on your upper lip that is so often talked about. Now, they ever have butterbeer ice cream and you can buy a plastic Butterbeer tankard to keep.

The second part of the studio tour is a lot more about what went into making the films rather than the sets and props. Here you will find an amazing array of every single creature featured in the films and how they were made.

You will be disappointed to hear that in fact only the head of the basilisk was made. You can see each and every one goblin/house elf mask – they do look pretty grim – and how each of these were made and fitted the actors.

After the ‘Creature Shop’, you are lead to another breathtaking part of the tour – Diagon Alley. I did not expect Diagon Alley to be, well, a real Alley! Each and every shop is properly decorated with detail with shop displays and it looks like a real street!

All the shops from the film are here, though it is a lot more compact, and you feel as if you could actually just go shopping for a new owl or a new set of robes!

The very last room of the tour is the most spectacular of them all. It had been a highly emotional visit for me so when I rounded the corner to see the 1:24 model of Hogwarts Castle, I was completely overwhelmed.

It was the most beautiful and amazing creation I had ever seen and I was blown away by the detail that went into it. Everything was perfectly handcrafted to scale and real gravel and plants were used to for the landscaping.

There are more than 300 fibre optic lights installed and these stimulate torches and lanterns to give the illusion of students walking down the hallways. It is the crown jewel of the Harry Potter art department – which isn’t surprising given that it took a team of 86 people to construct the first version.

Footage of this model was combined with special effects to create the incredibly realistic views of Hogwarts exterior which I had always believed to be comprised of real castles. This was a phenomenal end to the tour and was definitely the most memorable moment for me.

What to do at the Harry Potter Studios

There is an absolutely fantastic photo opportunity to be had during the Studio Tour where you are given the chance to ride a broomstick. Using CGI and green screen effects, they make it look like you are actually flying and it is absolutely incredible.

Firstly, you are given a set of Hogwarts robes from your chosen house, and then you wait in line for your turn. There are a total of three broomsticks there so the waiting time isn’t too long.

When I joined the queue, it said that the waiting time ‘from this point onwards’ was 45 minutes, and I wasn’t too fussed about this because I was determined to get on that broom, but thankfully, it didn’t take nearly as long as that.

When it is your turn, a staff member talks you through everything. You make yourself comfortable on the broom, and then the magic begins.

Now, this isn’t just any photo opportunity, because before your photo is taken, you get the chance to see yourself fly over London and Hogwarts. There is a small screen in front of you so it looks like you’re actually moving and the broom itself isn’t fixed so you can swerve from side to side and bob up and down.

The member of staff attending to you will make sure you get the most out of your experience by giving you a few things to do whilst on your broom. When your ‘flying’ experience is over, there are a few quick snaps and then it’s off to the counter to collect your photos.

There are four different photos to choose from: hovering over Hogwarts, flying in front of some buses in London, flying along the Thames and flying along the water surrounding Hogwarts – the favourite of most people seems to be the one hovering above Hogwarts. 

There is also the opportunity to have your photo taken inside the Ford Anglia and you can watch yourself ‘driving’ it through the air. This photo is great for families as you take the photo with as many people as you can fit into the frame.

If you’re feeling particularly evil on the day of your visit, you could also choose to have your photo taken as a prisoner in Azkaban and it’ll be printed onto a WANTED poster. 

These photos aren’t exactly cheap, but they are definitely worth it. It’s £14 for one photo, which comes in a lovely, glossy, paper frame (just like the sort you’d get at a theme park – but better, obviously). Alternatively, there are lots of digital options so you can get two photos and a DVD/USB for £40. 

The Harry Potter Tour Gift Shop

Words cannot even begin to describe my excitement upon entering the Harry Potter Studio Tour gift shop. So I was always one of those children that spent the entire day out pushing and pulling my parents through the exhibitions just to get to the gift shop, but I guarantee that you will be blown away by it.

There is a huge range of Potter products on offer, but I won’t deceive you, they don’t come cheap. If I had it my way I would’ve bought EVERYTHING in the shop, though of course, my mother did not allow this and so I opted for a Potter t-shirt (£32.95) and Hogwarts scarf (£24.95).

It is a very large shop and products range from sweets to keyrings to clothing to stuffed toys to wall paintings to jewellery to uniform to notepads to magnets to books to wands to replica costumes – and more!

It is literally my favourite shop in the whole entire world and if I could I would go there every day I would. Unfortunately, you can only get to gift shop after you’ve shown your ticket proving that you’re actually there for the Tour (sad face). The queue in the gift shop is enormously long at times so I recommend you keep wandering around until it’s less busy.

I could say more, but I think that I’ve waffled on for long enough! The Warner Bros Harry Potter Tour is essential for all Harry Potter fans, and even those who aren’t massive Potterheads will definitely enjoy a day out at Leavesden.

Not only does it provide an incredible insight into a worldwide Phenomenon but you get to witness first hand the immense amount of detail that went into making these films.

You can see the sets the cast walked on, the costumes they wore and the props they used. There is a lot of behind the scenes footage and information so don’t think that this is just a display of what you’ve already seen or read online – because it’s so much more.

All along the tour, there is the Harry Potter soundtrack playing in the background enhancing the atmosphere and making everything feel that much better. Do bear in mind that whilst the Tour is absolutely incredible, there will inevitably be a sense of disappointment as you finally realise that the magic isn’t real and Hogwarts doesn’t exist.

On a side note, as I was casually scrolling down my Facebook news feed after I’d returned home, I discovered a photo of Matt Lewis (Neville Longbottom) from the very same day. WHY DID I NOT SEE HIM?! WHY. Ok, outburst over.

But seriously, why.

If you’ve visited the Harry Potter Studios yourself, leave a comment telling me your favourite part!  

Like this post? Check out my other Harry Potter blog posts!  Guide to Harry Potter in London Guide to Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood The Cauldron: Harry Potter Cocktail Experience in London Hogwarts in the Snow at Harry Potter Studio Tour Guide to Harry Potter in Lacock Harry Potter Filming Locations in Oxford Godric’s Hollow Filming Location Why the Prisoner of Azkaban is the Best in the Series What’s in my Backpack: Hogwarts Edition

Pin now, read again later!

Editor of What’s Hot?

[This post was originally published when the Harry Potter Studio Tour first opened in 2012 but has been updated in 2020.]

Wednesday 2nd of August 2023

Thanks for writing this awesome article!!! I've thought the entire tour is held indoors, so hope it doesn't rain during the outdoor portion of our tour in early Oct.

For the bloom and Ford Anglia photos, do we pay upfront before joining the queue or can we take the photos first, see how they turn out before deciding to pay for them??

ToursTravel

Wednesday 3rd of May 2023

I just read your blog post about the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour in London and I have to say that it was a fantastic read! As a big Harry Potter fan myself, I could really relate to your excitement and enthusiasm for the tour.

I loved the way you described your experience, from the moment you arrived at the studios to the different sets and exhibits you saw along the way. Your attention to detail and vivid descriptions really helped to transport me to the world of Harry Potter.

I also appreciated the practical advice you provided for visitors, such as the importance of booking tickets in advance and wearing comfortable shoes. It's clear that you are not only a fan of the series, but also an experienced traveler who knows how to make the most of a visit to a new place.

Overall, I thought your blog post was a great resource for anyone planning a trip to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour, as well as for those who simply want to learn more about the magic behind the movies. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Ultimate Guide for fun things to do in London with kids - Home Travel Guide

Thursday 27th of January 2022

[…] The Harry Potter Studio Tour is based in Watford, just outside of London. If your children are Harry Potter fans, this place is an absolute dream. The vast majority of scenes from the 8 Harry Potter films were shot in these studios and you can now wander around these sets and learn all about how they made the magic come to life. What’s particularly great for children is that there are lots of elements to really immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter – you can ride a broomstick, sit in an old Ford Anglia, drink butterbeer (non-alcoholic, of course!), meet Buckbeak in the Forbidden Forest, walk down Diagon Alley, and more! […]

Friday 23rd of April 2021

How much time, from early arrival to departure, do you recommend I plan to spend there? Flying broom, prisoner of Azkaban photos, butter beer and gift shop time included?

Wednesday 9th of January 2019

I have to visit that it looks really cool and fun!!

Thursday 10th of January 2019

Honestly one of my all time favourite places!

• Find Tickets, Tours, and Experiences

A Complete Guide to London’s Harry Potter Studio Tour

We wanted to know whether the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter was really worth the hype and the expensive ticket, so we sent Anneliese, a member of our content team, to find out for herself! Read her review before you visit to get all the insider tips.

Here’s a disclaimer: I first picked up a Harry Potter book when I was 8 years old and I’ve been a superfan of both the books and the films ever since – I even managed to see the play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, all the way back in 2016 when it was the hottest ticket in London’s West End. So when you read this review, remember that I LOVE all things Potter!

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is probably the biggest pilgrimage site for Harry Potter fans in the UK. It opened to the public in 2012 and this April I was finally lucky enough to visit. Side-note: we’ve recently discovered that the attraction is one of the most expensive basic tickets in the world, so there were a few questions I wanted to answer on my trip:

• Is the exhibition really as awesome as the reviews make it sound?
• Is the trip good value for money?
• Are there any ways that a savvy traveler can make the most of their time at the site?

First of all, try not to judge a book by its cover. The Studio Tour is a tour of soundstages on the Warner Bros. lot in Leavesden. The building looks like a large anonymous box because that’s what it is – the magic happens on the inside. It’s also not a theme park, unlike the Wizarding World of Harry Potter World at Universal Orlando, so don’t expect rides or shows.

The first step for most visitors is taking the train from London to Watford Junction. For us, this took slightly longer than usual because engineering works disrupted the regular rail service (which is something that often happens in London, especially on public holidays – so watch out!). From Watford Junction it’s easy to find the shuttle bus to the Studio Tour site – they’re Harry Potter-branded and have their own bus stop and signage. The bus costs £2.50 per person , but the ticket is also valid for your return trip, so keep it safe during the day. The journey takes about 15 minutes, and you’ll get to watch a short introductory video while zipping through the suburbs. If you decide to book tickets that include a transfer from Central London then you won’t have to worry about the train or shuttle bus!

When you arrive at the Studios there’s a short bag search, and you’ll also be scanned with a metal detector. If you arrive more than 5 minutes before the time on your ticket, you’ll have some time to explore the main store, hang out underneath the huge model of a dragon, or get a cup of coffee at a cunningly disguised Starbucks. Then, when it’s time to go in, just follow the signs for the Studio Tour. Even the queue to the start of the tour is pretty interesting, taking you past Harry’s cupboard under the stairs and through a hall which discusses the changes in movie poster design over the years – it doesn’t feel like you’re waiting in line!

The queue to the start of the tour is pretty interesting, taking you past Harry’s cupboard under the stairs … it doesn’t feel like you’re waiting in line!

The tour gets going with a video intro, where you’ll be told all about what you’re going to see, plus any house rules you need to follow, and you’ll hear a special message from JK Rowling (author of the Harry Potter books). Next, you’ll move into a cinema area where you’ll watch some short clips that will get you in the mood for the exhibits ahead. The cinema screen zooms away to reveal the door to the Great Hall, and any birthday children will be given the chance to push them open. That’s when the experience really kicks off.

We found ourselves pretty much raced through the Great Hall, which is the first set you’ll visit. Because more tour groups are coming up behind you, you only get about 5 minutes to explore , and a guide will stay with you to make sure you don’t linger too long. I’d been warned about this before I arrived, so I was ready with my camera to snap pictures of all the incredible details – the house symbols on the fireplace, the original uniform worn by Daniel Radcliffe on the first day of filming, Hagrid’s bodysuit and costume, and the colorful hourglasses tracking house points on the wall by the high table.

Once you’re through the Great Hall, the pace slows down considerably and you’re left to your own devices. Other people we’d entered with had rented multimedia guides, and a few even had a personal tour guide, but we decided we knew enough about the books and the films to explore by ourselves. We didn’t regret that decision at any point – most of the things you’ll see are self-explanatory or have signage that explains what you’re looking at. Each set also has a display board which points out a couple of tiny details which you might not notice by yourself.

I’m not going to tell you about everything I saw, because it’s a lot more fun if you don’t know what’s coming , but my favorite moments were in the Forbidden Forest (which includes a spooky soundtrack, eerie mist, and plenty of spiders) and the newly opened Gringotts Banks. Gringotts is a truly special addition – you’ll get to see it looking its best (and you won’t believe it’s not made of real marble), plus you’ll see it destroyed by a dragon (a work of movie magic which proved to be a bit much for some of the younger visitors!).

We stopped for a bite to eat at the Backlot Café , which is slightly more than halfway through the tour, but other groups had brought snacks with them, so that’s always an option if you’re on a tight budget. Our meals were £9 for a burger with chips, so it’s not the cheapest lunch, but the quality was good enough that you didn’t mind the price. We also tried the Butterbeer, which was… unusual. If you’re desperate to taste it then I’d recommend splitting one cup between friends, as it’s not to everyone’s taste and it costs about £3.50 per cup.

Outside the Backlot Café is a small area with some larger props. There’s the Hogwarts bridge (a great photo opportunity), the Knight Bus, a walkthrough of 4 Privet Drive, and copies of Hagrid’s motorbike and the Weasleys’ blue Ford Anglia. You can sit on the bike and inside the Ford Anglia – two more great spots for photos!

The final area of the tour takes you through the animatronics lab, then into the magical Diagon Alley and around the huge model of Hogwarts, leading you out through the gift shop.

The good: There are so many tiny details which will thrill any fans of the films. From the hand-labeled vials of memories in Dumbledore’s office to the animatronic hippogriffs which bow to visitors, you’ll bounce from one delightful surprise to the next. You’ll also get to see videos of your favorite actors from the series discussing what it was like to grow up on set, in clips which will really take you behind the scenes. It does take at least 3 and a half hours to see everything on the tour, but it will feel like it was over in a flash.

The bad: The Backlot Café was very busy, with not-quite-enough seating and a poor queuing system. That might have been because the timing of our visit brought us to the café at lunchtime, so more people were stopping than during the rest of the day, it might have been less busy in the late afternoon.

There’s also something which everyone, but maybe especially parents visiting with younger children should be aware of – there are a handful of times where photo opportunities are going to cost you money if you want to take the pictures home with you. The green screen broomstick ride, the wanted poster (in robes), and the photos that are taken in a carriage of the Hogwarts Express all have a cost attached. After each encounter with a staff photographer, you’ll be given a ticket with a code on it, and my tip is to collect the tickets together and wait until the Hogwarts Express stop before going to the counter and looking through the images. If you decide to buy more than one picture then there’s a discount, and if you’re in a larger group then it might make sense to buy a USB with all your files. It’s easier to make that decision once you’ve done everything and can look through all the pictures at one time. For every hard copy of a picture you buy, you’ll be given a code to get a digital download, so it might make sense to split the cost of one photo between a group and then share the digital version later.

Overall I think the tour does a good job of not trying to sell you too many things – sure, there are two small gift shops which you’ll see as you go around (at the Forbidden Forest and the Hogwarts Express), but you’re not made to walk through them, and they’re designed to blend in with the sets. That being said, you can easily lose yourself in the gift shop at the end, and most things inside aren’t cheap.

So, back to the questions which I wanted to answer.

Is the tour as great as the reviews say, and does it provide good value for money?

For Harry Potter fans, it’s going to be an absolutely brilliant experience, and it also has a lot that will be of interest for fans of film-making more generally. I was blown away by the scale of the 10-year, 8-movie project that was the Harry Potter series, and by the skill and creativity of the people who designed the props, sets, costumes, and hair and make-up. It was informative without ever being dull, and knowing how the on-screen magic works has only given me a new appreciation for the movies. Having said that, now that I’ve been once I don’t feel like I need to go back any time soon. If the tour adds another couple of major sets then I might be tempted, but I’ve satisfied my curiosity for now and the ticket price is too high for me to make it a regular trip when I’m in London.

For people who aren’t Potterheads or particularly interested in movie-making, it might not be so fascinating to visit, and the ticket price and hassle of getting out of Central London might also be off-putting. In that case, I’d suggest skipping it or splitting your party up for half a day. Part of the fun of visiting was knowing that most people were as interested and excited as I was, and I don’t think that this attraction is ever going to be a must-see London attraction in the way that Tower Bridge or Big Ben are.

Now, for the money-saving tips

As I mentioned above, hang onto your professional photo tickets until you get to the Hogwarts Express tills, so that you can get all your shots included in a deal if you decide you want more than one picture. Book your trains to Watford Junction in advance if you can, and make sure to use your railcard if you’re a UK resident and aged 16-25 or over 60. Bring lunch with you to eat in the Backlot Café, and share a Butterbeer if you decide you want to try it. Do your best not to wander into the merchandise stores along the way, and save your shopping for the very end when you’ll know what’s available and how much money you have left!

Above all, go with the flow and remember how you felt the first time you encountered the magical world of Harry Potter – I’m sure you’ll have as great a time as I did!

If you’ve been inspired by our review, why not check out the available deals for Warner Bros. Studios – The Making of Harry Potter at TicketLens.com?

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Anneliese o'malley, ticketlens:, something fresh, the most expensive views in the world 2019, the most expensive attractions in the world, popular attractions.

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