For Harry Potter followers, the Warner Bros Studio tour in Leavesden all the time tops the record of issues to do in London – however because it’s not an inexpensive expertise, it’s nicely value researching ideas for the Harry Potter studio tour beforehand to get probably the most out of your go to.
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Whether or not you’re questioning about tips on how to get tickets or tips on how to get there, how lengthy to spend, what to do about meals, tips on how to keep away from large spiders and whether or not you actually need that digital information in spite of everything, I’ve packed all of the solutions into my record of prime ideas for visiting the Harry Potter Studios, London.
Having visited a number of instances with my daughter (and a number of other extra instances with out her), there’s additionally recommendation if you happen to’re visiting Harry Potter world with children. Seize your cloak, pack your wand and skim on. Appropriate for Muggles and wannabe wizards!
Which attraction is the principle one? In case you’re questioning simply what number of Harry Potter sights there are in London, the official identify is the Warner Bros studio tour, however it’s additionally generally generally known as the Harry Potter tour, Harry Potter Studio tour London and Harry Potter World
Ebook early
Tickets for the Warner Bros studio tour get snapped up very early – plan to e-book in August if you happen to fancy Hogwarts within the Snow at Christmas, and normally months prematurely to go to throughout peak season as nicely.
In case you’re visiting on a moist Wednesday in January, you’re prone to have extra selection, however this actually isn’t one thing to depart to the final second.
An earlier time slot can also be a good suggestion if you may get one, to present loads of time to discover and to keep away from a late night time with youthful followers. Alternatively, visiting round 6pm shall be quieter and nonetheless provides you 3-4 hours if you happen to’re visiting with teenagers.
The place to search out tickets if the Warner Bros web site is bought out
The most cost effective solution to go to is all the time reserving direct with Warner Bros Studios but when your dates are exhibiting as booked, there are some different choices to strive.
Tour operators will usually have availability if you happen to’re completely happy to purchase tickets with a coach switch – you can too e-book direct through Golden Excursions which is the principle 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 approach and to satisfy on the ticket assortment desk if you happen to’re staying at a lodge close to the Harry Potter Studios.
In case you’re selecting the choice with out transportation, do contemplate the way you’ll get to the location although as each the shuttle bus and parking require you to point out a ticket.
You may as well be part of small group excursions to the Harry Potter Studios whereas some resorts supply packages together with tickets. Once more, it is a dearer choice however if you happen to’re planning to e-book a lodge anyway, it’s value exploring.
And you probably have a Mastercard, you possibly can signal as much as Mastercard Priceless for last-minute tickets. There are 20 tickets accessible every day, accessible from 2-7 days prematurely.
For resorts close to Harry Potter World with children, take a look at my prime picks for locations to remain
Tips on how to get to from central London
The Warner Bros Studio tour is round 20 miles from central London because the crow flies, in Leavesden, Hertfordshire – situated simply outdoors Watford, it’s simple to entry utilizing public transport.
By prepare
By far probably the most easy approach is to take the prepare direct from Euston station to Watford Junction – the direct quick trains take solely 20 minutes and you may pay utilizing contactless or Oyster card, similar to the tube and different Tfl companies.
Not like different nationwide rail companies, kids underneath 11 journey free on this route too – usually ages 5-15 pay a 50% fare on prepare tickets. The Lioness Line (one of many former Overground Strains) additionally takes you to Watford Junction however it’s a a lot slower journey.
When you arrive at Watford Junction, there’s a free shuttle bus which is included as a part of your entry ticket. The journey takes round Quarter-hour, and buses run not less than each half-hour throughout the day: the final bus heads again when the Studio Tour closes within the night.
You’ll want to point out your ticket or reserving affirmation to the driving force to have the ability to use the shuttle bus, so ensure you have it handy. Sadly the Knight Bus isn’t an choice.
By tube
There’s no direct tube path to the Harry Potter Studios or to Watford Junction itself. Nevertheless, you possibly can take the Metropolitan Line to Watford Underground station, simply over a mile from Watford Junction station.
You’d then both have to get a taxi to the Warner Bros Studios – round 10-Quarter-hour by automotive – or make your solution to Watford Junction station to catch the shuttle bus.
There are bus routes which run between the 2 stations, though it should additionally contain not less than a brief stroll and a few solely run each half-hour. Alternatively, it’s 5-10 minutes by taxi, which prices round £7-£10.
Take a look at my four-page mini information to Harry Potter’s London, together with tips about a few of the finest locations to go to, filming places, wizarding trivia and even a few 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 – and new areas are always being added and unveiled.
There’s additionally an unimaginable quantity of knowledge to find, with behind-the-scenes movies to observe, an opportunity to learn extra of the small print of the creation and inspiration of the assorted props, plus interactive actions together with casting spells and driving broomsticks.
It’s beneficial to permit round not less than three and a half hours. Whilst you might rush spherical in much less time if you happen to’re visiting with youthful children (or much less dedicated followers), it’s not an inexpensive day trip so it’s value benefiting from it.
You may 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 on my earliest visits earlier than a number of new areas had been added, I’ve 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 you’ll find them, as you possibly can then spend so long as you need inside. Keep in mind there’s just one (busy) place for lunch when you’re inside, in addition to a restaurant initially, though you possibly can 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 might be versatile at much less busy instances), however after that time, you possibly can 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, it’s not all the time simple (or attainable) to return in a while, so it’s all the time higher to take your time then transfer on.
After you go the Hogwarts Categorical at Platform 9 3/4 and the final a part of Studio J, there’s no turning again. From right here, you head previous the Backlot Cafe to the outside areas together with Professor Sprout’s 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?
There’s no minimal age for admission, so if you wish to flip up with a child or toddler, you’ll nonetheless be welcome as the entire attraction is household pleasant.
Nevertheless, except you assume your child goes to nap the entire approach spherical, I wouldn’t advocate it with youthful children. Followers will wish to have the prospect to take in each final element, whereas toddlers merely don’t have that focus span – they’ll get bored, you’ll get grumpy and it’s an costly choice to hurry stroll by.
There’s additionally quite a lot of strolling for little legs – it’s not a small web site – and sometimes plenty of queueing, particularly initially. In case your youngest has older siblings who’re determined to go, it’s nicely value taking a buggy or service and discovering one thing which is able to preserve the littler ones entertained.
I’d advocate it for youths aged round 6+ although, so long as they’ve already been launched to the early tales – as soon as they’re just a few years older and so they’ve learn extra of the books or watched extra of the flicks, they’ll get much more out of it.
Watch not less than one movie beforehand
In case you’re planning to go to the Warner Bros Studio tour, the probabilities are you’re already a fan, have learn all of the books, watched the flicks and possibly even have your personal wand.
However if you’re planning to go to with children and introduce them to the wizarding world, it’s nicely value watching not less than 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 had been starting to learn the books, however it actually helped her to really feel accustomed to Hogwarts (and sparked a love of the tales which has seen us return right here and luxuriate in a string of different Harry Potter days out across the UK).
Keep in mind that you simply may spot some issues which is able to act as gentle spoilers for later motion pictures alongside the way in which.
Contemplate bringing your personal meals
Aside from a restaurant earlier than you go into the Harry Potter Studio tour, there’s one predominant restaurant (the Backlot Cafe) round half-way by the attraction and it’s – unsurprisingly – very busy.
It’s additionally not the most cost effective place to eat, so it’s nicely value bringing your personal meals to save lots of time within the queues and cash. You should use the cafe tables, or the picnic tables outdoors if the climate is nice.
There’s additionally a separate part to purchase butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream if you happen to simply desire a candy deal with relatively than ordering meals. In case you haven’t had butterbeer earlier than, I’d advocate ordering one to share – it’s positively an acquired style, so that you may discover you don’t need an entire one every!
You may preserve the plastic mugs as a memento although (and there’s an space to clean them up so that you don’t have a sticky mug in your bag for the remainder of the day).
Or if you happen to’re planning to make a particular occasion of it, you possibly can e-book a Harry Potter afternoon tea, with timed slots and a separate space to eat, at present priced from £42.50 per particular person (together with kids).
Set a funds for the present store
For Harry Potter followers, the present store on the finish is nearly as magical because the studio tour itself, and you could possibly very simple spend some huge cash in a short time – particularly if you happen to’re contemplating clothes, wands and different larger gadgets.
Fortunately you can too 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 you’re making an attempt to forestall your self spending your complete journey funds or wish to scale back pestering out of your children, it’s nicely value setting a funds earlier than you go in, to keep away from each temptation and tears.
In case you do arrive earlier than your ticket time and may’t go in, or you’ll be restricted on time inside with a night slot, you possibly can head to the present store first to go searching right here
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 present store), there are some additional prices if you would like a photograph posed on a broomstick, for instance.
These are optionally available if you happen to fancy making an attempt the inexperienced display screen expertise with out an official photograph, 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.
Hold your telephone charged
It goes with out saying that you simply’ll wish to take pictures as you discover, of the whole lot 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 telephone battery is nearly flat as you arrive is one thing of a catastrophe.
You should buy branded moveable telephone chargers from the knowledge desk, however it’s higher to maintain your telephone charged or to deliver your personal energy financial institution – I’m a fan of this Anker moveable charger which is compact however highly effective.
There’s additionally WiFi inside in case you possibly can’t wait to start out sharing your expertise.
Don’t carry your luggage all day
There’s a free cloakroom the place you possibly can depart coats, luggage and suitcases whilst you go to, so that you needn’t drag the whole lot round with you all day.
You may as well depart buggies and pushchairs there if you happen to desire to not take them in, though a restricted quantity are allowed inside for every timeslot.
Skip the scary bits
In case you’re visiting with youthful children, or arachnaphobes, it’s attainable to skip the scary bits – though there aren’t too many of those anyway.
Strolling by the Forbidden Forest, there are two paths to decide on between, so if you wish to keep away from Aragog completely, you possibly can. Be certain to ask employees if you happen to additionally wish to keep away from him within the Creature Results part in the direction of the tip as nicely.
The realm on the Darkish Arts can also be off to 1 facet, so you possibly can skip previous if you happen to’re visiting with youthful children.
And employees are nice too if you happen to’ve received nervous youthful followers with you – on our first go to, my then 5-year-old daughter was unexpectedly terrified of Buckbeak. Workers provided to take us round to keep away from strolling previous, then performed a recreation to assist her construct up her braveness to scurry previous so we wouldn’t miss the rest.
Choose up an exercise passport
There’s 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.
There’s a lot data to soak up, and a lot to see and do this having this isn’t important, however it does make a enjoyable mini memento if you happen to don’t wish 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.
The Harry Potter Fan Membership app, which gave you Enchanted Keys to unlock some extras, has now shut down
However you don’t want a digital information
Digital Guides are additionally accessible with added behind-the-scenes footage, extra information, interviews and so forth.
Realistically, there may be such an enormous quantity of knowledge accessible as a part of the principle shows, that you simply actually don’t should have these to get probably the most out of your go to.
If somebody in your group has restricted English, it’s one thing to contemplate as they’re accessible in a string of languages in addition to English, together with French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese language (Mandarin), Brazilian and Portuguese.
Allow them to know if it’s your birthday
If anybody in your group is celebrating their birthday, allow them to know on the entrance – not solely will the birthday boy/lady get a badge, they will additionally play a particular function initially of the tour.
That’s all I’ll say in order to not spoil the shock, however it’s one thing even the youngest Harry Potter followers can do and can love (so long as they’re not too shy).
Is it value visiting?
In case you’ve visited every other Harry Potter expertise around the globe, you may surprise is a go to to Harry Potter World value it?
Personally, I don’t assume there’s the rest fairly prefer it. Whilst you’ll 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 possibly can see the unique props, go to the unique units and stand the place the movies themselves had been made.
Don’t 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 prime picks
Disclosure: This publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee. All ideas for the Harry Potter studio tour in London are my very own suggestions
Photos copyright MummyTravels
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