Harry Potter WB Studio Tour, Watford, England, UK
This post marks the final one I’ll be sharing from my trip to England last year, and I saved the best for last (if only quite a bit late!). My friend and I are both huge Harry Potter fans, and as I shared over here, we made sure to make the most of our time in Oxford by staying at the college where we could eat breakfast in the Hogwarts Great Hall.
Today we go deep into the Harry Potter fandom as I bring you on our visit to the Making of Harry Potter WB Studio Tour. Just an easy train ride north of London, the HP studios in Watford are where all of the sets were originally built and then used during the 10 years of filming.
getting there
Grab a train north from London Euston station to Watford Junction, check available times on the National Rail website. Prices & times vary, but the average time is 20 minutes, and round trip can be as cheap as ₤20.
At Watford Junction, exit the train station and wait for the Harry Potter themed bus to pull up (see below, you can't miss them). Pay on board for the ₤2.50 round trip ticket (cash only!) and they will bring you right to the front door!
If you have a car simply drive directly to the studio and on-site parking is free. You will need to show your ticket confirmation info to get into the lot, so make sure to have it either printed or on your phone.
The website says the average visitor spends about 3 hours here… but we may have stayed for 5-6… and every minute was magical. From iconic sets and costumes to the tiniest details, this is a perfect experience for any Harry Potter fan. Get ready for a trip down memory lane as I bring you with me through the whole tour.
the beginning
first year
the adventures of harry, ron, & hermione
final rememberances
The production team made this 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts for the first few movies, but kept adding to it as new features and elements were revealed. You can fully walk around the final model and zoom into every little detail with helpful displays.
Before you head into the gift shop, there is a room full of wand boxes. Every person from the films gets a box, see if you can pick out who I found!
I hope this look inside the HP tour leaves you wanting more, because the only true way to do this spot justice is to visit yourself. Please leave any comments or questions in the section below, and let me know if you have been or are planning to go!
Keep exploring,
~V
Date & Locations: September 2016 - Harry Potter Studios, Watford, England, UK
Photos taken with: Nikon D5300, Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f3.5-4.5 Lens (Rented from BorrowLenses.com), Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8 Lens, & Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f3.5-5.6 Lens