If you've so much as met me, you're bound to know that I'm an extreme Harry Potter fan. One of my favorite sets of memories is listening to the audiobooks with my family while growing up and waiting eagerly for the next book or movie to come out. I really can't remember life before Harry Potter and it was an integral part of my childhood.
So of course, I not only jumped but leaped at the chance to go to the Warner Brother's Studio Tour with my school when the trip was offered. So the day after our Bath and Stonehenge tour, I leaped out of bed early again to get on the bus to see the Harry Potter sets in person. I was even more excited when I found that my friends Sara and Morgan had a seat saved for me. We were also next to Ashley who I think is in one of Sara's classes.
The ride to the Warner Brother's Studios was about 45 minutes but on a bus full of people excited about the same thing, that's no time at all. Pulling into the parking lot and seeing the sign was absolutely breathtaking even though it really was just a basic looking studio.
Inside, the lobby was lined with photos of the main cast throughout the movies and, of course, the flying Ford Anglia. We had a bit of time before our ticket times, so we wandered through the gift shop and picked up our audio guides. It turns out that Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy in the movies, narrates the audio guide which was very exciting. It was really cool to hear his stories and just to have him talking to me in general!
At about quarter of 1, which was our ticket time, we decided to get in line. The entrance to the tour was situated next to our first set piece, the cupboard under the stairs where Harry sleeps in the first movie. After only a short wait, they let us through into the first room. Immediately, Disney world came to mind and we decided to stand close to the next door to be first out of the room. Once everyone piled in, a short presentation began. It was primarily various movie premiere posters and a few comments from the producers. This presentation led us into the next room which was a very Disney style theater where we got to see a short film involving an introduction from Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who played Harry, Hermionie, and Ron in the movies. They shared some of their experiences from living on the sets for ten years. The film ended with them turning away and leaving through the Great Hall doors, leaving us pretty hyped up for the next thing. Then, the screen lifted in front of us revealing the actual Great Hall doors!
So we got to enter Hogwarts through the actual Great Hall doors that were featured in the movie. We found ourselves in the Great Hall itself, set up for a feast!
We were able to wander and explore for a few minutes before our guide spoke to us again, pointing out the details and sculptures around the walls as well as the costumes that were placed around the walls. There were student costumes from all four houses as well as many of the teacher costumes at the front of the hall. Interesting fact: the fans were generally displeased that the students stopped wearing hats after the first film. However, it wasn't the decision of the studio. In one of the last scenes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, the students in the Great Hall all throw their hats into the air. When they shot this scene, many of the hats actually hit the candles and caught on fire! So health and safety shut that down and the hats were gone in subsequent films.
After our time in the Great Hall, the self guided part of the tour began. Even beginning at the beginning, I don't know where to start here. There were so many little pieces and props and sets from the films. I was absolutely surrounded by the world I dreamed of throughout my childhood and I admit that I cried a bit from excitement.
Though we initially stayed close, everyone had a slightly different pace with the tour and audio guides, so Sara, Ashley, Morgan and I eventually went our own ways so we each could get the individual experience we wanted.
Ron's Bed
The entrance to Dumbledore's Office.
Dumbledore's Office
Umbridge's rather distinctive costumes
I was really struck by the amount of detail in everything. Absolutely everything was thought out and created to give the most believable world possible for the films. Even the tiny details that would never be seen on screen are there and quite often hand created. Just walking through it was insanely clear that everyone involved in the process loved every minute of it.
One of my favorite displays was a board the showed pictures of the animal actors used for some of the main animal characters in the films. As an animal lover, it was wonderful to see the animals involved and to hear about how much everyone involved loved the actors and some of the challenges faced by the trainers. Each animal had their own personality. For instance, one of the cats who played Crookshanks was particularly good at being carried around and being lazy, while one of the others loved to chase Scabbers the rat. Many of these animals were rescues and found wonderful homes after the filming was complete.
According to Tom Felton, one of the most popular days on the set was the day that they created the plates for Umbridge's office. In case you don't remember, Professor Umbridge's office was decorated with plates that had kittens on them. So they had 40 kittens on set being filmed in front of the green screen, all wearing tiny hats and bows and all sorts of adorableness.
Halfway through the tour, we moved from one soundstage to the other, by way of the backlot. The backlot is where the outdoor sets were constructed and filmed and many of the sets were still there. This was the one place on the tour we can eat and drink and they were selling Butterbeer!! I was far to excited about this and did spend the extra money to get a reusable tankard cup to take home.
YUM!
We also had the chance to take pictures with a few of the set pieces (well, replicas). Hagrids Bike, the Knight Bus, and the Ford Anglia were all out there in addition to Tom Riddle Sr's grave and Number 4 Privet Drive.
Sara and I in the Ford Anglia!
I didn't take pictures with the Knight Bus because at that point I couldn't feel my fingers, so I moved on to the rest of the tour. The first stop in the next soundstage took us through their prosthetic displays. I never fail to be amazed by special effects make up and really would love to give it a shot sometime.
One of the coolest things in there was the animatronic Hagrid head. Since Robbie Coltraine wasn't actual half giant, they actually wound up using a taller stunt double for some of the longer shots. They put an animatronic model of Hagrid's head on their shoulders so that they could keep the illusion that it was actually Robbie Coltraine.
There was also some fantastic concept art on display that I really loved having the chance to examine. The creative minds behind so much of the magic astound me and I really loved having the chance to see how it began.
The very final stop on the tour was probably my favorite - the scale model of Hogwarts itself that was used for all the exterior shots. Cue the tears again because it was Hogwarts and it was right in front of me. I can't even begin to describe how happy I was. Every detail was perfect and I felt like I could just dive right in and settle into Transfiguration class.
Sadly, the tour was over too soon, but I'd made sure to leave myself enough time in the gift shop before the bus left. I wanted absolutely everything but I managed to boil it down to a few things. Sadly, they didn't have ANY shot glasses, so I was really glad I'd picked up the Butterbeer cup. I also couldn't resist the Death Eater Picture that my friends and I had taken at the beginning.
After a quick bite of late lunch/early dinner, we all piled back on the bus for the trip home. I feel so blessed to have a chance to tour the studio that was such a part of my childhood. If I did nothing else in London, I think I'd go home satisfied (don't worry Mom, I'm still doing ALL THE THINGS!). If you have the chance, please, go do this tour if you love Harry Potter!
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