For Harry Potter followers, the Warner Bros Studio tour in Leavesden all the time tops the checklist of issues to do in London โ however because itโs not an affordable expertise, itโs effectively price researching suggestions for the Harry Potter studio tour beforehand to get essentially the most out of your go to.
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Whether or not youโre questioning about how you can get tickets or how you can get there, how lengthy to spend, what to do about meals, how you can keep away from big spiders and whether or not you really want that digital information in any case, Iโve packed all of the solutions into my checklist of high suggestions for visiting the Harry Potter Studios, London.
Having visited a number of instances with my daughter (and several other extra instances with out her), thereโs additionally recommendation when youโre visiting Harry Potter world with children. Seize your cloak, pack your wand and browse on. Appropriate for Muggles and wannabe wizards!
Which attraction is the primary one? When youโre questioning simply what number of Harry Potter sights there are in London, the official identify is the Warner Bros studio tour, but it surelyโs additionally generally referred to as the Harry Potter tour, Harry Potter Studio tour London and Harry Potter World
E-book early
Tickets for the Warner Bros studio tour get snapped up very early โ plan to e book in August when you fancy Hogwarts within the Snow at Christmas, and normally months upfront to go to throughout peak season as effectively.
When youโre visiting on a moist Wednesday in January, youโre more likely to have extra alternative, however this actually isnโt one thing to depart to the final second.
An earlier time slot can also be a good suggestion if you will get one, to offer loads of time to discover and to keep away from a late evening with youthful followers. Alternatively, visiting round 6pm might be quieter and nonetheless offers you 3-4 hours when youโre visiting with teenagers.
The place to seek out tickets if the Warner Bros website is bought out
The most cost effective approach to go to is all the time reserving direct with Warner Bros Studios but when your dates are displaying as booked, there are some various choices to strive.
Tour operators will usually have availability when youโre joyful toย purchase tickets with a coach switchย โ you may as well e book direct by way ofย Golden Excursionsย which is the primary supplier. These normally additionally present one of many movies on the journey to Watford which is enjoyable.
Whilst you can select to take the bus from Victoria Station or close to Baker Avenue Station, in addition to from Kings Cross, there may be additionally an choice to make your personal means and to satisfy on the ticket assortment desk when youโre staying at a resort close to the Harry Potter Studios.
When youโre selecting the choice with out transportation, do think about the way youโll get to the positioning although as each the shuttle bus and parking require you to indicate a ticket.
You can too be part ofย small group excursions to the Harry Potter Studiosย whereas some inns provide packages together with tickets. Once more, it is a dearer choice however when youโre planning to e book a resort anyway, itโs price exploring.
And you probably have a Mastercard, you’ll be able to signal as much as Mastercard Priceless for last-minute tickets. There are 20 tickets obtainable every day, obtainable from 2-7 days upfront.
For inns close to Harry Potter World with children, take a look at my high picks for locations to remain
How you can get to from central London
The Warner Bros Studio tour is round 20 miles from central London because the crow flies, in Leavesden, Hertfordshire โ simply outdoors Watford, but it surelyโs simple to entry utilizing public transport.
By prepare
By far essentially the most easy means is to take the prepare direct from Euston station to Watford Junction โ the direct quick trains take solely 20 minutes and you may pay utilizing contactless or Oyster card, similar to the tube and different Tfl providers.
Not like different nationwide rail providers, youngsters below 11 journey free on this route too โ usually ages 5-15 pay a 50% fare on prepare tickets. When you do catch one of many different prepare routes between Euston and Watford Junction, it’ll take longer and also youโll have to have the proper baby tickets.
When you arrive at Watford Junction, thereโs a free shuttle bus which is included as a part of your entry ticket. The journey takes round Quarter-hour, and buses run at the very least each half-hour throughout the day: the final bus heads again when the Studio Tour closes within the night.
Youโll want to indicate your ticket or reserving affirmation to the motive force to have the ability to use the shuttle bus, so be sure to have it at hand. Sadly the Knight Bus isnโt an choice.
By tube
Thereโs no direct tube path to the Harry Potter Studios or to Watford Junction itself. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to take the Metropolitan Line to Watford Underground station, simply over a mile from Watford Junction station.
Youโd then both have to get a taxi to the Warner Bros Studios โ round 10-Quarter-hour by automotive โ or make your approach to Watford Junction station to catch the shuttle bus.
There are bus routes which run between the 2 stations, though it’ll additionally contain at the very least a brief stroll and a few solely run each half-hour. Alternatively, itโs 5-10 minutes by taxi, which prices round ยฃ7-ยฃ10.
Take a look at my four-page mini information to Harry Potterโs London, together with tips about a number of the greatest locations to go to, filming places, wizarding trivia and even a number of the inspirations behind the tales.
Permit loads of time
Whilst you can go at your personal tempo, it pays to depart loads of time to discover right here. Harry Potter World in London is big โ and new areas are continually being added and unveiled.
Thereโs additionally an unbelievable quantity of data to find, with behind-the-scenes movies to observe, an opportunity to learn extra of the main points of the creation and inspiration of the assorted props, plus interactive actions together with casting spells and driving broomsticks.
Itโs really useful to permit round at the very least three and a half hours. Whilst you may rush spherical in much less time when youโre visiting with youthful children (or much less dedicated followers), itโs not an affordable day trip so itโs price taking advantage of it.
You’ll be able to very simply spend longer too. On one go to with my then seven-year-old daughter, we spent round 6 1/2 hours exploring, and even onย my earliest visitsย earlier than a number of new areas have been added, Iโve by no means spent lower than about three hours there.
Personally, I feel the morning slots are all the time the most suitable choice if yow will discover them, as you’ll be able to then spend so long as you need inside. Keep in mind thereโs just one (busy) place for lunch when youโre inside, in addition to a restaurant in the beginning, though you’ll be able to deliver your personal meals to eat within the Backlot cafe.
There are restricted numbers for the very begin of the expertise, so count on to have to stay to the time in your ticket (though they could be versatile at much less busy instances), however after that time, you’ll be able to discover at your personal tempo.
Whilst you can return to some areas, particularly within the first part of the expertise earlier than you attain the Forbidden Forest, itโs not all the time simple (or doable) to return afterward, so itโs all the time higher to take your time then transfer on.
After you cross the Hogwarts Categorical at Platform 9 3/4 and the final a part of Studio J, thereโs no turning again. From right here, you head previous the Backlot Cafe to the out of doors areas together with Professor Sproutโs Greenhouse and Privet Drive, earlier than attending to Studio Ok, with Creature Results, Gringotts and Diagon Alley.
Take a look at the downloadable map right here.
What age ought to children go to?
Thereโs no minimal age for admission, so if you wish to flip up with a child or toddler, youโll nonetheless be welcome as the entire attraction is household pleasant.
Nonetheless, except you assume your child goes to nap the entire means spherical, I wouldnโt suggest it with youthful children. Followers will need to have the possibility to absorb each final element, whereas toddlers merely donโt have that spotlight span โ theyโll get bored, youโll get grumpy and itโs an costly choice to hurry stroll by means of.
Thereโs additionally numerous strolling for little legs โ itโs not a small website โ and sometimes a number of queueing, particularly in the beginning. In case your youngest has older siblings who’re determined to go, itโs effectively price taking a buggy or provider and discovering one thing which can maintain the littler ones entertained.
Iโd suggest it for youths aged round 6+ although, so long as theyโve already been launched to the early tales โ as soon as theyโre just a few years older and so theyโve learn extra of the books or watched extra of the films, theyโll get much more out of it.
Watch at the very least one movie beforehand
When youโre planning to go to the Warner Bros Studio tour, the possibilities are youโre already a fan, have learn all of the books, watched the films and perhaps even have your personal wand.
However in case you are planning to go to with children and introduce them to the wizarding world, itโs effectively price watching at the very least one movie earlier than you go.
Visiting with my daughter for the primary time simply earlier than her sixth birthday, she had solely watched the primary film and we have been starting to learn the books, but it surely actually helped her to really feel acquainted with Hogwarts (and sparked a love of the tales which has seen us return right here and revel in a string of different Harry Potter days out across the UK).
Keep in mind that you simply may spot some issues which can act as delicate spoilers for later films alongside the way in which.
Take into account bringing your personal meals
Aside from a restaurant earlier than you go into the Harry Potter Studio tour, thereโs one important restaurant (the Backlot Cafe) round half-way by means of the attraction and itโs โ unsurprisingly โ very busy.
Itโs additionally not the most affordable place to eat, so itโs effectively price bringing your personal meals to avoid wasting time within the queues and cash. You should utilize the cafe tables, or the picnic tables outdoors if the climate is sweet.
Thereโs additionally a separate part to purchase butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream when you simply need a candy deal with slightly than ordering meals. When you havenโt had butterbeer earlier than, Iโd suggest ordering one to share โ itโs positively an acquired style, so that you may discover you donโt need a complete one every!
You’ll be able to maintain the plastic mugs as a memento although (and thereโs an space to clean them up so that you donโt have a sticky mug in your bag for the remainder of the day).
Or when youโre planning to make a particular occasion of it, you’ll be able to e book a Harry Potter afternoon tea, with timed slots and a separate space to eat, at the moment ยฃ39.95 per individual (together with youngsters).
Set a funds for the reward store
For Harry Potter followers, the reward store on the finish is sort of as magical because the studio tour itself, and you possibly can very simple spend some huge cash in a short time โ particularly when youโre contemplating clothes, wands and different greater gadgets.
Fortunately you may as well get some souvenirs with out breaking the financial institution, together with chocolate frogs and different sweets, stationery and loads of themed ins and outs, together with choices for every of the 4 homes.
Whether or not youโre attempting to stop your self spending your whole journey funds or need to scale back pestering out of your children, itโs effectively price setting a funds earlier than you go in, to keep away from each temptation and tears.
Be careful for the added prices
Whereas entry to the Warner Bros studio tour covers the price of most issues inside (barring meals, drink and the reward store), there are some additional expenses in order for you a photograph posed on a broomstick, for instance.
These are elective when you fancy attempting the inexperienced display expertise with out an official picture, and there may be extra free interactive enjoyable and particular results, together with making a broomstick leap up into your hand or having a go along with a wand.
Preserve your cellphone charged
It goes with out saying that you simplyโll need to take images as you discover, of all the things from an opportunity to grow to be an enormous or wave a wand, to the superb props and units alongside the way in which.
So discovering your cellphone battery is sort of flat as you arrive is one thing of a catastrophe.
You should purchase branded transportable cellphone chargers from the data desk for ยฃ15, but it surelyโs higher to maintain your cellphone charged or to deliver your personal energy financial institution โ Iโm a fan of this Anker transportable charger which is compact however highly effective sufficient to cost two units directly.
Thereโs additionally WiFi inside in case you’ll be able toโt wait to start out sharing.
Donโt carry your luggage all day
Thereโs a free cloakroom the place you’ll be able to depart coats, luggage and suitcases when you go to, so that you neednโt drag all the things round with you all day.
You can too depart buggies and pushchairs there when you want to not take them in, though a restricted quantity are allowed inside for every timeslot.
Skip the scary bits
When youโre visiting with youthful children, or arachnaphobes, it’s doable to skip the scary bits โ though there arenโt too many of those anyway.
Strolling by means of the Forbidden Forest, there are two paths to decide on between, so if you wish to keep away from Aragog solely, you’ll be able to. Make certain to ask employees as effectively when you additionally need to keep away from him within the Creature Results part in the direction of the top.
The world on the Darkish Arts can also be off to 1 facet, so you’ll be able to skip previous when youโre visiting with youthful children.
And employees are nice too when youโve obtained nervous youthful followers with you โ on our first go to, my then 5-year-old daughter was unexpectedly afraid of Buckbeak. Employees provided to take us round to keep away from strolling previous, then performed a sport to assist her construct up her braveness to scurry previous so we wouldnโt miss anything.
Choose up an exercise passport
Thereโs a free Exercise Passport which incorporates puzzles, extra trivia, a Golden Snitch hunt and house for memento stamps to gather alongside the way in which.
Thereโs a lot info to soak up, and a lot to see and do this having this isnโt important, but it surely does make a enjoyable mini memento when you donโt need to purchase the official information, and is one other enjoyable choice with children if they’re feeling overwhelmed or beginning to lose curiosity on the sheer quantity of element.
And obtain the app
Obtain the Harry Potter Fan Membership app earlier than you go to, and you need to use your Enchanted Keys to unlock extra enjoyable as you discover.
The app is free to obtain (from the appstore or Google Play), and all you must do is log in, faucet the important thing image within the Uncover tab and scan the Enchanted Keys everytime you spot them on the Studio Tour. That features additional quizzes, extra movies and different secrets and techniques of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.
However you donโt want a digital information
Digital Guides are additionally obtainable with added behind-the-scenes footage, extra details, interviews and so forth.
Realistically, there may be such an enormous quantity of data obtainable as a part of the primary shows, that you simply actually donโt want these to get essentially the most out of your go to.
They’re obtainable in a string of languages in addition to English, together with French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese language (Mandarin), Brazilian and Portuguese, so itโs one to think about if somebody in your group has restricted English although.
Allow them to know if itโs your birthday
If anybody in your group is celebrating their birthday, allow them to know on the entrance โ not solely will the birthday boy/lady get a badge, they will additionally play a particular position in the beginning of the tour.
Thatโs all Iโll say in order to not spoil the shock, but it surelyโs one thing even the youngest Harry Potter followers can do and can love (so long as theyโre not too shy).
Is it price visiting?
When youโve visited every other Harry Potter expertise all over the world, you may surprise is a go to to Harry Potter World price it?
Personally, I donโt assume thereโs anything fairly prefer it. Whilst youโll get a style of the wizarding world at Common Studios in Orlando or recreated in pop-up occasions just like the Forbidden Forest in Cheshire, for instance, that is the one place the place you’ll be able to see the unique props, go to the unique units and stand the place the movies themselves have been made.
Donโt arrive anticipating a theme park with rides however for followers, this actually is unmissable.
For extra Harry Potter places in London and extra Harry Potter days out within the UK, in addition to locations to remain close to Harry Potter World, take a look at my high picks
Disclosure: This submit incorporates affiliate hyperlinks โ any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. All suggestions for the Harry Potter studio tour in London are my very own suggestions
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
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