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Harry Potter Studios Anreise – Ihr Weg zu den Warner Bros. Studios London

Die achtteilige Harry Potter -Filmreihe erweckte J. K. Rowlings Ideen auf der Leinwand zum Leben. Ein großer Teil ihrer Werke sind die aufwendigen, detaillierten Kulissen von Orten wie der Großen Halle und dem Verbotenen Wald . Die Magie blieb noch lange nach dem Erscheinen des letzten Buches und des letzten Films erhalten. Fans der Reihe können jetzt die berühmten Kulissen erkunden und bei einer Harry Potter Studio-Tour in den Warner Brothers Studios in London einen Blick hinter die Kulissen werfen. Wenn Sie eine Reise nach London planen, sind Sie hier genau richtig. Wir verraten Ihnen alles über die Harry Potter Studios Anreise!

Das Harry Potter Studio London befindet sich in den Leavesden Studios in Watford, etwa 32 km nordwestlich vom Zentrum Londons.

Adresse: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR

Kartenansicht

Nächstgelegenes Wahrzeichen: Watford Junction

Anfahrt mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln

Mit dem Bus

Fahrzeit: 15 Minuten

Nächstgelegene Haltestelle: Watford Junction

Mullany's Coaches bietet einen regelmäßigen Shuttleservice von Watford Junction zum Studio an. Eine normale Fahrt dauert etwa 15 Minuten, wobei die Busse ab 09:20 Uhr alle 20 Minuten fahren. Normalerweise fährt der letzte Bus zwischen 18:00 und 20:00 Uhr. Bitte beachten Sie, dass Sie Ihre Buchungsbestätigung vorlegen müssen, um den Shuttleservice zu nutzen.

Mit dem Zug

Fahrtzeit: 16 bis 20 Minuten

Nächstgelegener Bahnhof: Watford Junction

Der nächstgelegene Bahnhof ist Watford Junction. Die Studio-Tour ist eine 20-minütige Zugfahrt von London Euston entfernt. Nehmen Sie den Zug bis Watford Junction (4 Pfund) und dann den Shuttle-Service für 3 Pfund für Hin- und Rückfahrt zum Studio. Oyster-Karten können an jedem Bahnhof verwendet werden.

Anfahrt mit dem Auto

Fahrtzeit: 11 Minuten

Nächstgelegener Parkplatz: Watford Junction

Vom Bahnhof Watford Junction nehmen Sie die Clarendon Rd bis zur Shady Ln. Nehmen Sie dann die St Johns Rd zur A41 und fahren Sie auf der A411 über Courtlands Dr und Leavesden zu Ihrem Ziel.

Parken: Vor dem Studio gibt es kostenlose Parkplätze für Autos. Behindertenparkplätze sind in unmittelbarer Nähe des Haupteingangs vorhanden. Alle Gäste müssen ihre Buchungsbestätigung vorzeigen, um den Parkservice in Anspruch nehmen zu können. Sie können auch einen bevorzugten Parkplatz zusammen mit Ihren Tickets buchen. Dies kostet Sie zusätzlich 10 Pfund.

Anreise zu Fuß

Dauer: 50 Minuten

Obwohl man London am besten zu Fuß erkundet, dauert die Anreise zu Fuß zum Harry Potter -Studio vom Bahnhof Watford aus etwa 50 Minuten. Wir empfehlen, die öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel zu benutzen oder mit dem Auto zum Studio zu fahren. Wenn Sie jedoch nicht zu weit von Watford Junction entfernt sind, können Sie die Gegend erkunden und dann einen Shuttlebus zum Studio nehmen.

Die Anreiseoptionen zum Harry Potter™ - Studio im Vergleich

Budgetfreundlich: Die günstigste Möglichkeit, das Harry Potter-Studio zu erreichen, ist die Fahrt mit Bus und Bahn. Mullany's Coaches bietet einen regelmäßigen Shuttle-Service von Watford Junction zum Studio an. Nehmen Sie den Zug bis Watford Junction (4 Pfund) und dann den Shuttle-Service (3 Pfund) zum Studio. Oyster-Karten können an jedem Bahnhof verwendet werden.

Schnellste Option: Am schnellsten erreichen Sie das Harry Potter -Studio mit dem Auto. Vom Bahnhof Watford aus benötigen Sie etwa 10 Minuten. 

Sightseeing: Obwohl ein Spaziergang zum Studio eine gute Möglichkeit wäre, die Sehenswürdigkeiten der Stadt zu genießen, würde dies fast eine Stunde dauern. Sie können mit dem Bus fahren und die Stadt während der Fahrt bewundern.

Harry Potter™ Studio-Tickets und Touren

Häufig gestellte fragen: harry potter studios anreise.

Das Harry Potter -Studio befindet sich im Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, London.

Das Harry Potter -Studio befindet sich in London, Großbritannien.

ie können das Harry Potter -Studio mit dem Bus, dem Zug oder dem Auto erreichen. Von Watford Junction fahren Shuttlebusse zum und vom Studio.

Am schnellsten erreichen Sie das Harry Potter -Studio mit dem Auto oder einem Taxi/Uber.

Die dem Harry Potter -Studio am nächsten gelegene Bushaltestelle ist Watford Junction.

Der dem Harry Potter -Studio am nächsten gelegene Bahnhof ist Watford Junction.

Ja, Parkplätze sind an den Studios vorhanden.

Ja, es gibt mehrere Parkplätze für Menschen mit Behinderungen in der Nähe des Eingangs zu den Harry Potter Studios.

Ja, Sie können zum Harry Potter -Studio laufen und gleichzeitig die Stadt erkunden. Allerdings dauert der Fußweg von Watford Junction etwa 50 Minuten. Wir empfehlen, stattdessen den Shuttlebus zu nehmen.

Die Harry Potter -Studios sind von 08:30 bis 22:00 Uhr geöffnet . Das Studio ist am 30. März, vom 7. bis 11. November und am 25. und 26. Dezember geschlossen.

Weitere Infos

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Harry Potter Studios

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A Magical Guide to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know

Last Updated: February 16, 2022

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Fact: In my entire life, I’ve only cried once at a tourist attraction.

And judge me all you want, but this cryfest happened at a Harry Potter studio tour.

… Allow me to explain myself.

Like most children born in the 90s, much of my youth was spent daydreaming about the arrival of my Hogwart’s acceptance letter. As this dream dwindled with the hardships of adulting, I instead took comfort in carbs and magical movie marathons.

But, it didn’t take much for these childhood dreams to resurface. A trip to London was all it took to re-open the floodgates (literally).

Let me tell you: for a Harry Potter fan, there is no attraction on this Earth more overwhelming and amazing than the  Warner Bros Studio Tour London, (AKA London’s Harry Potter set tour), which brings you through the filming site for all 8 movies in the Harry Potter franchise.

In addition to sets, you’re also shown countless props, the best gift shop in the world, and even a chance to taste butter beer for yourself. Come on now, is it at all a surprise that I bawled when I got to the end?

Read onwards for important info to know about the tour, some tips to keep in mind and of course, a recap of the experience (with plenty of photos!) Be careful for this section, as spoilers are abound!

PS: Check out my full list of Harry Potter themed attractions and experiences in London for more nerdy goodness.

Basic information to know about the Harry Potter Set Tour

If you’re interested in booking the epic Warner Bros Studio Tour in London for yourself, then here are some basic must-knows.

Harry Potter Studio Tour Tickets Info:

I first visited this attraction in 2014 and it was a hot mess then, and has only grown in popularity in the past few years.

If this Harry Potter set tour is a must-do for you, then make sure you book your tickets WELL in advance or you risk not being able to go!

Luckily, even when tickets are sold out on the main site, there are tours you can book online that will have tickets available for sold out dates.

Sometimes, booking with a tour is worthwhile because you not only guarantee your tickets, you also get the convenience of private transport there, which is nice and much less stressful than using public transport yourself.

Here is a breakdown of different Harry Potter Studio tour options that include transport. For your convenience, I also lay out their costs and what they have to offer:

Tickets can also be purchased online from the studio itself  here.

How to Get to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London:

Despite its name, the Warner Bros Studio London is actually located in Leavesden, which is northwest of London.

While booking a tour/private transport is the easiest and most convenient way to get there, it is still quite painless to reach via public transit, as a shuttle bus runs from Watford Junction railway station.

To get to the Watford Junction station, you need to make use of London’s overground system.

Not sure about the best route to get there? Check out this handy trip planner .  The tour’s website recommends that you arrive at Watford Junction 45 minutes prior to your tour time.  

Remember to bring change, as the cost for the shuttle bus is 2 pounds each way.

NOTE : Leave a lot of leeway for you to get there. We definitely got lost a few times due to the transfers, and were stressed to the max! For a more stress-free experience, consider prebooking a tour that comes with transport. Here’s one for under $100USD.

Tips for Doing the Harry Potter Set Tour Like a Pro

Having addressed the basics, here are some tips you should keep in mind when planning your visit:

1. Check on the Warner Bros Studio Tour website for special events

The studio tour often has special weeks during which there are specialized displays or demonstrations.

If you have quite some time in London, I suggest looking up when special events are happening and to plan accordingly.

I was luckily around for the beginning of Wand Week, so I got to see wandmakers do their thing and I even got to pose with some Death Eaters. Super cool!

2. Allow extra time for travel

Especially if you are new to London, trying to navigate the transit there can take time, so give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the studio.

That being said, do not hyperventilate if your ticketed time is fast approaching. While the reservation system does assign you a time, they won’t turn you away if you are a bit late.

3. Don’t forget to print your Warner Bros Studio Tour ticket

This will make the whole process smoother.

One girl that came with us didn’t print hers and upon arrival, she realized that her order never actually went through.

Luckily, even though they claim there is no box office at the attraction, she was able to purchase a ticket there, but do book in advance to save yourself the trouble.

4. Set yourself a budget for magical souvenirs

Trust me, when you enter the Harry Potter Studio Tour Shop for the first time, you will lose all sense of self control.

You will suddenly want all these things that you would never need.

Legit wizard robe? Okay!

Replica wand? Yes please.

There are so many amazingly crafted souvenirs for sale that you will easily empty your wallet.

For budget-conscious backpackers (like me) or large families with crying children, setting a budget beforehand is a must.

5. Grab yourself a free Warner Bros Studio Tour London passport

At some point during the tour, you might notice children getting awesome embossed stamps on a Harry Potter passport.

Uh, yeah, those are actually not just for kids!

I shamelessly (and sweetly) asked a staff member for one, and they kindly obliged.

Getting the stamps is fun and having a Harry Potter passport is pretty much the best souvenir ever.

6. Be sure to check out other Harry Potter filming locations around the UK too

If you’ve made it all the way to Leavesden, you’re actually pretty close to a variety of other Harry Potter filming locations!

While this set tour is of course incredible, there are dozens of other real-life filming locations scattered around the UK that you can visit for yourself. Click here for a full list.

Harry Potter Set Tour Recap with Photos

With those tips out of the way, I’d love to show you some photos and a brief overview of the experience from my visit in 2014. Note that they have added a lot since then, but still…

WARNING: spoilers, spoilers, spoilers. 

Some would say that the best way to experience this tour is by seeing everything first hand, but if you are curious to see photos and more, feel free to scroll further.

Your magical experience begins as soon as you walk into the building. All around the lobby are canvases with various Harry Potter characters, as well as props and other cool artifacts hanging off the walls.

Even the task of waiting in line (typically the most mundane thing ever) is a joy for this tour.

The queue moves very quickly and there is plenty for you to nerd out about as you wait.

Most notably, Harry’s  cupboard under the stairs , is right next to the queuing area, ensuring that you get a perfect view of this iconic set.

You’ll notice that groups are taken in based on their spot in line, rather than their timed reservation.

This is why there is some flexibility when it comes to your arrival time.

If you’re a few minutes late, no worries, just hop in the queue and you will make it in all-the-same.  

The tour begins with a brief video introduction to the franchise, followed by a preshow featuring Rupert, Daniel and Emma themselves.

As this preshow concludes, the screen reveals the doors to the  Great Hall!  During my tour, they invited any birthday kids to come up and help open the doors.

After  seriously  wishing it was my birthday, I bitterly watched two ecstatic kids live out their childhood dreams, revealing the first stop of the tour, the amazing…

1. Great Hall!

This is the the only part of the tour where your time will be limited, as they let tour groups in every few minutes.

As such, if you want photos, be sure to snap them  quickly !

Being in this room is an unreal feeling. In addition to the long tables, cutlery and elaborate set pieces, you also get to view costumes from students in each house, and important Hogwarts faculty as well!

2. The Big Room

After your time in the Great Hall, you are brought into the  Big Room , which houses a variety of sets, props and costumes.

Here, you are given free reign to explore for yourself and gawk at all the amazing pieces the room contains!

Highlights for me were definitely the  Potions classroom  (complete with a Snape costume on display),  the Gryffindor Common Room  and  the Weasley House .

Many of the sets also have interactive buttons where you can make objects move by pressing them.

This was especially cool in the Weasley kitchen, where the touch of a button could make an iron move on its own, make vegetables chop themselves, etc. Super neat!

For those seeking a sweet photo opp, there are several green screen opportunities to ride a broom as a Quidditch player and more! I didn’t wait in line for this bit, but it definitely looked like a lot of fun! Here are some photos from the Big Room:

3. The Backlot

After perusing the Big Room, you are brought outside to the  Backlot , home to a variety of sets including Harry’s  Privet Drive home , the  Hogwarts Bridge , the  Knight Bus  and of course,  the concession stands!  

It’s at this point in the tour that you can live out your childhood fantasy of sipping a nice, cold  butterbeer.  

Be sure to explore the bridge before you purchase a butterbeer, as no food or drink is allowed on that set. 

Now, while public opinion seems to be split on the taste of butterbeer, I have to say that  I. loved. every. single. sip.  

It’s very possible that I was blinded by the magic of my surroundings, but I would argue that it’s worth a try regardless!

NOTE: If you want to purchase a souvenir cup, remember to bring a bag or something to wrap it in, as that stuff can get mighty sticky. Here’s a sample of the cool things you’ll see in the backlot!

4. Art Department, Creature Effects and Diagon Alley

When you’re ready to go back inside, countless wonders from the  creature effects & art department  await you. Here, you really get to appreciate the depth of work put into creating a whole magical world.

I was really wowed by everything.

In this area, you will see masks, wigs, models and more of your favourite magical creatures.

In this second half of the tour as well, you get to walk through Diagon Alley. The details and work in the set will absolutely blow you away. The shops look so real, you’ll be tempted to go knocking on their doors.

5. Hogwarts Castle Model

And lastly, the grand finale of the Harry Potter set tour… The model of Hogwarts!

This one here is a real showstopper.

A walkway surrounding the model allows you to view it from all angles, taking in the fine details of this wonderful school.

For many Harry Potter fans, seeing the castle like this is a dream come true. Now, if only it were real!

At the end of the tour, just before the entrance of the Harry Potter Studio Tour Shop, you will see this wonderfully beautiful quote appear on the screen:

It was at this point that  I began to bawl.  I couldn’t help it!

Everything that I loved about the series had been shown to me in the past few hours, and for that short period of time, I got to live out my dream of seeing the magical world that made my childhood.

Messy and gross, I walked into the gift shop, which was a massive treasure trove of things you never knew you wanted or needed. Wands for every character? I’ll take 100.

And there you have it,  the most magical experience ever . One day, I  will   visit the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but until then, I think this tour has given me enough happy & geeky memories to last. …. At least for the next little while.

Any more questions about visiting the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London?

 Over to you – have you ever been to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London? IF NOT, THEN WTF ARE YOU WAITING FOR? No jk, uh I meant to ask, which part would you most look forward to?!

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7 thoughts on “A Magical Guide to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know”

Enjoyed every bit of your blog article.Much thanks again. Really Cool.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

bookmarked!!, I like your blog!

thanks Jane!! 😀

Hi Christina! I’m going to be traveling alone to London this week, would the Harry Potter tour be fun for a solo traveler? Also, I was considering buying a groupon for a night tour, but the picture of you holding the butter beer appears to be outside? I guess we would be missing this part of the tour if I went at night then eh?

hi Lisa, I hope this comment isn’t too late! but YES YES YES the tour would 100% still be fun as a solo traveler (provided that you like Harry Potter haha). I didn’t realize they had a special night tour, but the butterbeer was outside in a special lot where they had lots of big props and set pieces (it’s part of the tour) so I can’t imagine they would leave it out for any reason. I have my fingers crossed for you!

Thank you for this article and the pics. I always need to take a peek of the atmosphere beforehand since I’m going solo. I hope they will let me use my selfie stick inside.

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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

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Harry Potter Tour of Warner Bros. Studio with Luxury Transport from London

Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour with Superior Transport from London

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter and Oxford Day Trip

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter with Transportation

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter with return transfers

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON - THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER (Leavesden) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Great experience overall, best to get in early to avoid the big crowds but overall great fun, prices were reasonable but worth it

Staff could NOT have been more helpful and welcoming. When we got there I was overwhelmed after having issues with late buses. Rhys outside spotted my sunflower lanyard straight away, asked if they could help and escorted us past the first huge line. Inside security were patient and kind. Explaining where they'd wave the wand so it wasn't too overwhelming. I forgot my ear defenders so soon hit sensory overwhelm in the cinema rooms. David a staff member positioned near the fat lady portrait spotted my lanyard and overwhelm. Called us over and asked us questions about what we thought of the colours chosen for costumes, this helped ground me and gave me a moment to take everything in. I noticed his sunflower pin. I would say though, that after that point despite signs of my distress my lanyard wasn't really noticed. I feel as though that may be due to the audio guides being kept on a green lanyard. So there's a sea of green lanyards, some with yellow sunflowers on it. Harder to spot and determine who may need assistance. Might be better if they were switched to white or blue? I know they'd need to be visual to staff to get them back but it also makes things harder too. ALSO! love my birthday badge! Thank you!!!

My friends and I were lucky enough to get tickets for the Not Even on Halloween. I have been to the studio tour many, many times, but never for the Dark Arts. It was simply fantastic and exceeded my expectations. The staff were all amazing and the Death Eater performers were phenomenal.

Definitely did not live up to the hype. Not very interactive, basically a walk around a set, the staff are very uninterested barr a few of the ones at the entrance. The staff liked more like security personnel making sure pple don’t touch anything rather than adding anything to the experience. The magic was not there, felt cold and money grabbing. Honestly not worth wasting your whole day or even half a day. If you’ve got a spare few days in London sure, go for it. I’ve visited Harry Potter land in universal studios in Japan, now that was magical. The staff were magical, the enthusiasm, the vibe. The food in the food hall felt and looked like the real deal, things the characters would have eaten. Here you get overpriced burgers in a naked food hall which looks like your shopping centres food court. I’ve given it a 2 star to adjust the crazy hype this place has. It’s more like a 3 star experience.

The park is ok. Only for real harry potter fans. The food was terible espesialy the butter beer. Everything is very expensive- lots of shops, and photos, real money pump. The audio gide is usless. They have gides inside that explane everything. They dont tell you this in the entrance so you spend more money on it. Hope I helped someone.

Excellent attraction, from the first steps inside it is fantastic and a must go for Harry Potter fans. Lots of interaction for kids, but even in the Easter holidays there were lots more adults. We spend over 5 hrs there and no one got bored. Word of caution, the food and (unavoidable) gift shop is as expected on the pricey side even for allowing for captive audiences.

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent Studio Tour experience. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit and that you felt it was worth the wait. Your additional feedback has been shared with the relevant teams. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back to the Studio Tour again.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London With Return Transportation

Warner bros. studio tour london provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the harry potter™ films – the most.

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Warner bros. reveals $115 million investment in harry potter attraction.

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Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter is the latest attraction themed to the ... [+] boy wizard (Photo by Zhong Ya/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed that it spent more than $114.9 million (£92.9 million) on its latest attraction themed to the boy wizard Harry Potter.

Called the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter, the 30,000 square meter venue opened in June last year and follows a similar format to its counterpart at Leavesden Studios in the United Kingdom where all eight Potter movies were made along with the three Fantastic Beasts spinoffs.

Although the main series of Potter movies came to a climax in 2011, they are still casting a powerful spell on Warner's bottom line. More than 18 million people have streamed through the turnstiles of the UK tour since the doors to its two cream-coloured soundstages swung open in 2012. Its success led to the development of the tour in Japan where Potter is wildly-popular.

Before the Tokyo tour had even welcomed its first guest, adult tickets, which cost $45 each, had sold out for the following two months. According to its general manager Torben Jensen, by the end of last year the tour had become the leading inbound tourist destination in Tokyo.

Built on the former site of the Toshimaen amusement park, the tour features some of the most memorable sets from the Potter films as well as interactive displays which lift the lid on the techniques used to bring them to the silver screen.

Theme park design wizards Thinkwell Group handled everything from concept development and master planning right down to in-field art direction, installation supervision and training. Thanks to its involvement with projects such as Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, comfortably the most immersive theme park outside Disney and Universal, Thinkwell has built a reputation for its astounding attention to detail. The Potter tour in Tokyo is no exception.

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All of the exhibits are either original or built from the original blueprints to give guests the same breathtaking experience that the actors had on the sets.

The tour sets off inside a soaring stone replica of the Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle where Harry and his chums tuck into feasts in the films. It is identical to it right down to the design of the crockery sitting on the gnarled banqueting tables. All that's missing is the candles floating above which were digitally added to the films in post-production.

Instead, spotlights hang from the rafters on the tour as they do on the actual set making the experience seem even more authentic.

Guests get to tour Hogwarts' Great Hall (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)

Guests then get to peer inside Harry’s dormitory in Hogwarts Castle and walk the corridors of the Hogwarts Express steam train. There's even a full-size recreation of the Dickensian Diagon Alley with models of towering colorful characters embedded in the wonky buildings. Just like on an actual movie set, instructions are scrawled on the reverse of the façades showing how they fit together.

All of these sets can also be found in the tour's UK counterpart but the most spellbinding ones are unique to Tokyo. They kick off straight after the Great Hall and there's a great sense of reveal. As guests round a corner they are suddenly met with a full-size recreation of the famous Hogwarts' staircase which magically moves on screen when students climb its steps to get to the right doorway.

The version on the tour in Tokyo also moves although it isn't the full staircase so it looks more like a scene from an M.C. Escher drawing. The area is also home to an equally magical feature which fans have been crying out for since it first appeared on the silver screen in 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . In an iconic scene, characters in oil paintings beside the stairway begin talking to each other and a photo opp on the Tokyo tour allows guests to appear in one of them. It isn't the only interactive attraction on the tour.

The Marble Staircase and talking portraits at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of ... [+] Harry Potter (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)

There are no rides on the tour but some of the exhibits are almost as exhilarating. One digitally inserts guests onto the back of a broomstick and another makes it seem like they are in the crowd at a Quidditch match. First they decide whether to root for the heroic Gryffindor team or support their evil rivals Slytherin. Then a director tells them to duck, gossip, cheer or boo as they would if they were actually sitting in the bleachers. After that the cameras start rolling and the footage is edited into a sequence from the Potter films.

Visitors get to watch it on a big screen and even get to take the footage away as a digital souvenir thanks to the tour's partnership with Nasdaq-listed specialist theme park photography provider Pomvom. That's not all.

As anyone who has seen the Potter movies will know, wizards are governed by the Ministry of Magic and are teleported there in what is known as the floo network. They arrive in fireplaces engulfed in harmless green flames and in Tokyo, visitors can mimic this magical effect by posing for photos surrounded by smoke and strobe lighting. Although the journey to the Ministry of Magic is artificial, the spectacle is anything but.

Covering more than 900 square meters, the Ministry of Magic set was one of the biggest and most intricate ever created for the Potter film franchise and it has been rebuilt in Tokyo. The soaring set looks like one of London's historic underground metro stations as the walls are covered with thousands of green and red tiles made from lacquered wood. It has a Victorian air as oil lamps sit on desks in circular offices set inside tiled turrets on the upper floors. At ground level, the walls are lined with golden fleurs-de-lis flanking the fireplaces where visitors arrive in the films.

Another interactive exhibit enables visitors to design their own digital mask like those worn by the villainous Death Eaters. Anyone who fancies their chances against them can train in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Just like in the movies, it is set in a stone-walled room with stained glass windows and a sweeping stone staircase. An iron chandelier hangs above and ancient artefacts, like a skull in a glass dome sit on a wooden desk. As a teacher tells visitors to call out spells the lights flicker, the skull sways, lightning flashes from behind the window and smoke sees off a Death Eater who appears on the staircase.

Throughout the tour, the original movie props are within touching distance including costumes, wigs and, of course, wands. Rows and rows of them. Every item is meticulously tagged with details of the film it was used in, the character it was used by and even the fictional materials it is meant to be made of.

Perhaps the only aspect of the UK tour which isn't as enchanting as the rest of it is the dining on the way. There's no problem with the food or drink, which of course includes Potter's favorite tipple of Butterbeer, a non-alcoholic beverage flavored like cream soda and butterscotch. However, the setting seems jarring as the dining area is designed like a studio backlot cafe which, ironically, fits the theme too well.

Butterbeer is served in the tour's cafe (Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage)

After being immersed in immensely detailed sets for hours, the backlot cafe seems spartan in comparison. Tokyo has taken this to heart as its dining area is themed to the frilly and flowery home of Hogwarts teacher Professor Umbridge. It serves afternoon tea in a pink and leathery central circular seating area surrounded by saucers on the walls which seem to show moving cats just as they do on the silver screen. Sparing no expense, Warner hired specialist restaurant developers Lumsden which worked with MinaLima, the graphic design firm behind the iconic art in the Potter movies.

It all comes at quite a cost. The Tokyo tour is run by Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden which also operates its UK counterpart. The company's latest filings are for the year to December 31, 2022 and show that Warner spent $66.3 million (£53.6 million) on the construction of the Tokyo tour during that time bringing the total to $114.9 million. It opened just over five months later so the spending didn't stop there and there may be more to come.

Many of the sets on the UK tour were bolted on after it opened to cater for its surging popularity. In Japan they were planned in from the beginning so accessibility and guest flow have been optimised. What's more, expansion spaces have already been allocated which will minimise disruption when they are developed.

Getting the attraction to opening day took much more than money and the wave of a magic wand. As Jensen points out, construction and training for the tour took place during the pandemic.

The Japanese-speaking Dane was educated at INSEAD and has a Diploma in Business administration from Copenhagen Business School. He has been working with Japanese corporations for more than 20 years and in late 1990s was Denmark's Trade Commissioner for Sapporo which involved him consulting with Danish companies to improve their results in the Japanese market. It worked as he increased the revenue of the Trade Commission by a staggering 250%.

Jensen went on to become project director of Merlin Entertainments' $300 million LEGOLAND Japan which opened in 2017. He didn't just run the operation but also managed the negotiations with the City of Nagoya to complete of the Master Development Agreement and the Land Lease Agreement. He even co-ordinated negotiations to complete the loan facility agreement between the main investor and a major Japanese bank.

It paid off as LEGOLAND Japan made an operating profit from its first year leading to a $100 million investment plan featuring a 252 room LEGOLAND Hotel and a SEALIFE attraction. Jensen also oversaw a sponsor program delivering $37.5 million of revenue over five years and helped to boost annual pass membership base to more than 100,000. It gave the resort firm financial foundations and put Jensen on Warner's radar. That really is a magic touch.

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