Hogwarts in the Snow
A post twice in one week?! Le gasp. Who is this new Chynna who has decided to grace you with her presence? New year, new me, init. I don’t usually succumb to the tune of “new year, new me” but if the shoe fits.
I had a bunch of half-written posts sitting around, so I thought let me make them whole and post them up because they deserve to see the light of day instead of festering around like unwanted leg hair.
For any Harry Potter fan, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is an absolute must. Despite having visited 4 times already, the studio tour always fills me with happiness. Harry Potter will never get old in my eyes and will always hold a special place in my heart. ❤️ Whilst best experienced in person, I will try and sum up my favourite bits of the tour.
Split into two soundstages and a backlot, you get the chance to explore original sets, check out special effects and ogle at the animatronic creatures (Buckbeak can be found in the Forbidden Forest!).
I did the tour back in December where the tour’s theme was Hogwarts in the Snow, so as soon as you entered the Great Hall you could see the hall decked out just as it was in the film for Christmas. There are also 12 golden snitches hidden throughout the tour for you to find!
Great Hall
My favourite part of the tour is right at the beginning when they open the doors to the Great Hall. If it’s your birthday you get the chance to go up to the doors and open them with the guides (or you could just lie and go up anyway, *cough*).
‘Welcome to Hogwarts,’ said Professor McGonagall. I then proceed to squee with glee and also faintly wonder where the heck is my Hogwarts letter…?
Forbidden Forest
If you’re an arachnophobe, then don’t worry you can avoid the main part of Aragog’s lair. If you don’t care (which I did, but I only went through for my cousin’s sake) then buckle in for wind and lightning effects and Aragog’s children dropping from the sky.
Be sure to bow politely to Buckbeak when you pass by. Seriously, though, the animatronics are amazing in the tour!
Platform 9 ¾
*breathes on glass* “R+L xx”
Someone slap me if I ever become a doozy like Lavender Brown, please. This is another fun part of the tour because you actually get to peer into each carriage and see reenactments from scenes of the film. It’s a lot smaller than I thought it would be, yet still, a lot of fun going down the corridor and just imagining Harry, Ron and Hermione in the carriages.
Diagon Alley
I absolutely loved all the effects they set up in Diagon Alley including Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes!
It feels absolutely magical just walking through and taking in all the shops and Gringotts, and imagining myself choosing my wand in Ollivander’s or eating ice cream in Florean Fortescue’s parlour.
As with the theme, they had fake snow when you visit the backlot which contains the Knight Bus, 4 Privet Drive, and the Hogwarts bridge. You can find a recreation of the letter scene from the first film in 4 Privet Drive (nO PoSt On sUnDaYs! Yeah, whatever, Uncle Vernon) and peek inside the bus, as well.
Midway through the tour you can stop to try their Butterbeer and Butterbeer ice cream. The studios are one of four places that sell Butterbeer, officially anyway, and it tastes soooo good! Reminiscent of salted caramel but not quite. You can get your Butterbeer in a souvenir tankard to take home, as well.
The end of the tour, whilst saddening because it is the end, contains a model of the Hogwarts castle and it is one of the best models I’ve ever seen. Standing at nearly 50 feet in diameter, I get this indescribable feeling when I see it – from the moment you enter that section of the tour right to when you make your way down the ramp so you can get a better view, it’s all so very magical.
As J.K. Rowling said, ‘Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.’
Chynna
Chynna has been creating blog posts since 2009. I hope you enjoyed this post! Please feel free to leave a comment below, I love hearing from you all ?
14 Comments
Chloe Chats
I’ve been to the tour twice and I would go again and again! I’ve never gone around Winter time, so would love to go and see the snowy affect! My fave thing about it is that they are constantly changing parts or adding different parts, so even if you go 10 times you probably find that they’ll be something slightly different each time! Great post, it has made me want to go again! 🙂
Chloe xx
http://www.chloechats.com
Chynna
It’s on until the 27th, but if you then get to go before then, then I hope you do get to visit it this Winter 🙂 Yes, that’s one of my favourite parts. Every time I’ve gone there’s been something new.
Thanks for dropping by! x
awayfromtheblue
Oh wow that looks like an amazing tour! it’s so good you get to see the snow too, how magical! 🙂
Hope that you are having a wonderful weekend 🙂 Our summer heatwave is continuing, today we are just resting at home in the aircon!
Away From The Blue Blog
Chynna
I’m glad it wasn’t real snow, though, because I’m not a fan of it 😛
Thank you for stopping by! Hope you’re keeping cool 🙂 x
Sydney
This looks amazing! I’m so jealous you live close to such a magical place. It’s always been my dream to go to the Warner Bros Studio in London. I grew up on Harry Potter (like most people these days), and it would be such a dream to be able to attend this! I went to Universal Studios Japan a few times and every time I went to the Harry Potter World part of it just so I could walk through the forest, the shops, and up to the castle. Even though HPW is a part of a whole park, it felt like its own special place.
Sadly, I’m not a fan of the Butterbeer. Maybe too sweet for me? I might have to try it from the London studio someday and see how I manage… Everyone tells me it’s delicious but I’m not much for sweets.
I’m glad you had a good time and eventually got around to sharing this! I love seeing HP stuff haha.
Chynna
I hope you do get to visit the studios, one day, and London just in general. It’s a fantastic city and there is so much to do! Definitely need to visit the Harry Potter World in Florida – I was there when they first started building and I was fuming because I didn’t know that it was happening, otherwise I would have put off the trip!
Yeah, I’m not really a sweet person either but the Butterbeer there is lovely 🙂
recephilmi
It is looking like a great tour. Thanks for sharing…
Chynna
Thanks for dropping by!
Radi
Such a fun tour to take especially if you’re a big Harry Potter fan!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Chynna
Thanks for dropping by!
lizbreygel
Thank you so much for the post, I would love to visit this studio! Looks like you had a lot of fun 🙂
Lots of love ♥ January Girl
Chynna
Thank you, I did! Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Amy Gibson
I love the WB Studio Tour. It’s so cool to get to visit all the places I used to dream about when I was a kid and loved Harry Potter more than anything. I’m so glad they kept the sets and made the tour. My fave bit is the Dursley’s house – the letter scene is so iconic. And the Quidditch bit is amazing too!
I’d love to go at Christmastime. I’ve seen so many pictures online and it looks amazing. I’d love to see the Great Hall ready for Christmas!
Chynna
I love the Quidditch bit, as well. Especially saying “Up” and the broomstick rises! Gives me goosebumps.
Hopefully you get to visit it this Christmastime!