Anyone who knows me knows I love Harry Potter. So much so that I spent two whole days mourning the loss of Dumbledore while on holiday several years ago after reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Yep, I’m that person.
Even though I may just be a humble muggle, I know a thing or two about Harry and the gang, having read all the books twice and seen most of the movies more than once. So as soon as I knew that The Harry Potter Experience had opened in London on the site of one of the films’ studios, I knew I had to visit.
Truth be told, that was one of the main reasons that we found ourselves in London right before Christmas. I mean, who visits London right before Christmas unless you’re certifiably insane?? This Potter-loving geek, that’s who.
Now, when I saw the cost of entry, I have to admit that I thought it was going to be a rip-off. The ticket price seemed expensive, especially considering that the studio is based in Watford and so was going to cost us extra than the price of a tube journey to get out there. I also assumed that, much like many “experiences”, you would be guided around on a tour for around an hour and a half and then that would be it.
How wrong I was.
When we arrived at the Harry Potter Experience and were told that it usually takes people around three hours to complete the whole tour, and that the majority of it was self-guided so that you can take your time, I was shocked. It was at that point that I thought that maybe the ticket price hadn’t been so bad after all.
The best part about the time of year that we visited was that several of the sets had been decked out for Christmas, including Christmas trees, wreaths and snow, which made it even more magical.
I have to say that walking in to the Great Hall right at the beginning was a special moment that only true fans can appreciate.
Another aspect of the tour that I loved was that at certain points you could see the actual costumes the actors wore, set up against the backdrop they would have worn them in.
Of course I had to get a shot of myself entering through the doors of the Great Hall…
And maybe another outside the main gates (can you tell I’ve been waiting for my letter to Hogwarts for a long time?)
Seeing the intricate detail that went in to so many of the sets and props left me filled with awe – it was the work of hundreds, if not thousands of people, over many years, and including small details that you often overlooked while watching the movies.
I felt as though I missed a lot because there was so much to see, so many videos to watch and so many props and fantastic things to photograph, but I didn’t realise that we weren’t even half way through and some of the best was still yet to come…
Read the second post about my visit to the Harry Potter Experience
Oh, this looks so awesome! The last time I was in England, the final book hadn’t even come out, but I managed to time my visit so I was there for the release of book 6. My friend and I made up our own Harry Potter tour throughout the country (and Scotland), visiting places where filming had taken place and even riding on the “Hogwarts Express” up in Fort William. You had better believe that whenever I return to England this is at the very top of my list of things to do!
OMG SO JEALOUS
This looks amazing! Although I was under the impression that the Great Hall was actually filmed in Christ Church College, Oxford? By the way, Oxford has a whole heap of Harry Potter related stuff, if you haven’t already been there!
I haven’t been to Oxford in a long time, but I’d love to see it again, partly for this reason! Apparently they used both – much like with Hogwarts, they did some filming with the models and sets and then some on location and kind of merged the two during editing. The Great Hall studio was full-size but doesn’t have a roof (just lights and rigging up there) so I think the church had to be used to fill in the roof details, amongst other stuff.
I’m going back to London to finish my degree in September and I MUST visit this! Just like you, I thought it would be a waste of money but it really doesn’t sound like it. Plus (just like you again) I’m an absolute HP geek. Have you ever thought of going to the Harry Potter World entertainment park in Orlando, Florida? It must be an incredible experience!
I have thought about Florida but have no plans to go there any time soon, so this seemed like a better option. Also, I’m not as bothered about the rides, etc – I actually wanted to see the props and sets, so this seems like the best place to do this. Hope you enjoy it!