harry potter backlot tour london

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

Taking a Harry Potter Studio Tour in London: Everything You Need to Know

Last updated: December 23, 2023 . Written by Laurence Norah - 24 Comments

If you’re a Harry Potter fan visiting the UK, the chances are high that you want to take the Harry Potter Studio Tour near London. This tour, of the Warner Bros. Studio where the majority of the films were shot, is a fascinating experience, and well worth doing even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan.

You can visit places like the Great Hall, the railway station, various filming locations from inside Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest, and even Diagon Alley.

As well as visiting the film sets, you will also learn all about how the films were made, see many of the props from the movies, get to participate in some green screen magic, have the opportunity to try Butterbeer, and of course, buy all the Harry Potter merchandise you can imagine!

In this guide we’re going to go through everything you need to know to visit the Harry Potter Studios, including how to get there, how to get tickets, information for making the most of your day, and lots more! Let’s get started by answering some questions you may have.

Where Was Harry Potter Filmed?

Harry Potter was filmed all across the UK, at real world locations such as Glenfinnan Viaduct, Alnwick Castle, Glencoe in Scotland and Leadenhall Market in London . See our full guide to Harry Potter filming locations in the UK for more.

The interior sets and the majority of the rest of the films were shot at the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, just outside London.

Where is the Harry Potter Studio Tour?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour takes place in the Warner Bros. Studio, which is found in Leavesden, England. This is around 20 miles northwest of London.

The Warner Bros. Studio is a fully working film studio, one of the largest in the UK, and many films have been shot here, including the whole Harry Potter franchise as well as some of the Star Wars,   Batman , and Mission: Impossible films.

Harry Potter Studio Opening Times

You will definitely want to check the website for up-to-date opening times, but generally throughout the year the studio is open from 8.30am through to 10pm. More specifically:

• Doors open at 8.30am
• First tour starts at 9am
• Final tour starts at 6.30pm
• Studio closes at 10pm

These times do vary by day. In terms of dates, the Studio is open every day of the week. There are some exceptions, it is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25th and 26th of December).

How Much Does the Harry Potter Studio Tour Cost?

Prices for the standard tour are as follows (correct as of May 2023).

• Adult: £51.50
• Child aged 5-15: £40
• Childer Under 4: Free
• Family: £160
• Carer: Free

For a family, this can be either 2 adults and 2 children, or 1 adult and 3 children.

You can also purchase more expensive tour packages, but these are the basic prices. Note that these are just entry prices, and don’t include any transport.

Is the Harry Potter Studio Tour Accessible?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour is accessible, and visitors can bring one carer free of charge with proof of entitlement.

For the studio itself, the majority of it is level and accessible for wheelchair users. There are some exceptions, such as the Hogwarts Bridge and the Knights Bus. Diagon Alley also includes an incline and cobbled streets.

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are permitted but mobility scooters cannot be wider than 86cm.

Visitors with assistance dogs are welcome and water bowls can be provided. There’s also a dedicated toilet area for assistance dogs.

For visitors with a hearing impairment, induction loops can be provided. A portable iPad is also available (this must be booked in advance), which can provide a subtitled version of some of the films. It’s also possible to book a BSL tour in advance.

For more information on accessibility and any other needs you have, please visit the accessibility section of the official website.

How to Get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour

You have two major options for getting to the Harry Potter Studio Tour – you can take a tour which includes your transport, or you can make your own way there using either public transport or a car.

We’ll go through both of these options so you can make the right decision as to which is going to be best for you.

Certainly, the easiest option for getting to the Harry Potter Studios is to take a tour which includes your return transport.

These tours leave from various locations around London (and other parts of the UK), and included in the price of your tour will be pre-booked timed entry to the Studio Tour and return transport to and from a pick-up point.

Note that most tours do not include a guide inside the experience as it is largely self-guided. However, you can book a tour, such as this one , which does include a guide for the time inside the studio as well.

Some options include:

• This tour  which departs from the Victoria Coach Station in London
• Another tour with departure from Victoria Coach Station in London
• A slightly longer tour giving you 4 hours at the studio, with departure from Kings Cross Station, London
• This is a fully guided tour which includes return transport and a guide throughout the experience.
• This tour of the Harry Potter studios , which includes return transport from central London hotels
• If you want to do more on your day, this tour includes a tour of Oxford as well as the Studios , with departures from Great Portland Street, London
• This tour , with one of our favorite walking tour companies Take Walks includes a tour of Harry Potter filming locations in London , followed by round trip transport to the studio and entry to the Studio Tour

As you can see, there are lots of options! We’ve got more on all of these in the section below on how to buy your tickets for the Studio Tour.

By Public Transport

From central London, it’s fairly easy to get to the Harry Potter Studios by public transport. You will take the train from Euston Station to Watford Junction.

Then you need to take a dedicated shuttle bus operated by the Studio Tour that runs from just outside Watford Junction Station (it is well sign posted), that takes you directly to the studios.

For the train, you can either buy your tickets in advance here , or you can pay on the day using a contactless or Oyster card. This will require you to tap in and tap out using the yellow card readers. Note that Oyster cards and contactless cards do not work beyond Watford Junction, so don’t go any further than this.

See our  guide to buying and using the Oyster card in London , and our  guide to paying for public transport in London  for more information on using these forms of payment for travel in and around London.

For the shuttle bus, this is included in the price of your entry ticket. To board the bus you will need to have a valid pre-purchased ticket to the Harry Potter Studios, or proof of a ticket booking confirmation (printed or on your phone).

Getting to the Harry Potter Studios by car is relatively easy. Depending on the time of day, exact departure location and traffic, the drive from central London takes around an hour to ninety minutes.

From Oxford it’s around an hour, and it’s around two hours from Birmingham. Visitors with valid pre-purchased Studio tickets can take advantage of free parking on site. Note you cannot enter the parking area without a valid ticket or booking confirmation for that day.

Where to Buy Harry Potter Studio Tour Tickets

If you are making your own way to the Harry Potter studios, you have to buy your ticket in advance from the official website . You cannot turn up without a ticket, and tickets are not for sale on site.

Tickets go on sale well in advance, but despite the site having capacity for up to 6,000 people a day, they tend to sell out far in advance, so you will want to plan as far ahead as possible.

The summer months, weekends, and school holidays are the busiest days of the year for the Studio so we recommend that you book as far in advance as you can if you are visiting over those periods.

Weekdays often have better availability, so if you are flexible, look at different days of the week to maximise your chances of getting a ticket.

Tickets are for timed entry, which helps the studios manage visitor numbers throughout the day. Whilst there is no limit to how long you can stay after you enter, you do need to enter the attraction at the time you book. There is a little bit of flexibility in this, but it’s best not to show up hours later than your time to avoid disappointment.

The WB Studios Tour folks recommend you arrive at the site at least 20 minutes before your ticket time so you can go through the security checks.

If you can’t buy a ticket from the official site, don’t worry, you still have lots of options.

First, you can opt to take a tour with a tour company, as these have a different ticket allocation system. Whilst this will be slightly more expensive, at least you will still be able to go, and it will include transport as well. See here for some of the tour options available, and here for even more !

Another option is to book a Deluxe Tour, which includes a two-hour guided tour of the studios, a photo package, a hot meal, butterbeer, souvenir guidebook and special designated parking. Following the guided tour, you are free to explore yourself. As Deluxe Tours are more expensive, they tend to have better availability.

Deluxe Tours can be booked directly with the Studios, subject to availability, on the official site here .

How Long Does the Harry Potter Studio Tour take?

The regular tour itself is self-guided, other than an introduction at the beginning, so you can take as long as you like to wander the studios.

The average length of a visit is around three and a half hours, and that is what the studio estimates most people will take and forecast their capacity around.

This is also about the amount of time that most tour companies will give you, although some offer a bit more time on site, so if you think you will need more time, be sure to pick a tour company that offers more time.

Where to Stay Near the Harry Potter Studios

The majority of visitors to the Harry Potter Studios visit from London as a day trip, and choose a hotel in London. If you go down this route, you might want to consider a hotel that makes it easier to get to the studios, be that by public transport or on one of the tours.

We’ve suggested some options below, as well as some hotels near the Studios themselves if you want to be really close.

Note that hotels in London are relatively expensive, especially those located near major attractions, and rooms aren’t always huge. However, we’ve picked what we think are a good choice for you.

We also recommend reading our guide to where to stay in London for some suggested options across all budgets.

Hotels near London Victoria train station (where most bus tours depart)

• Comfort Inn Buckingham Palace Road – great value 3* property just 5 minutes walk from London Victoria train station
• The Resident Hotel – well reviewed 4* property, five minutes from London Victoria.
• Lime Tree Hotel – A well reviewed boutique hotel, around nine minutes walk from London Victoria
• Walrus Bar and Hostel – it’s not too close to London Victoria (15-20 minutes by public transport, or a 35 minute walk), but it’s very central and is a great budget option for London in general

Hotels near Euston train station (for the train)

• YHA London St. Pancras – a good value budget option a short walk from both Euston and Kings Cross stations. Offers both private and dormitory style rooms
• Comfort Inn and Suites King Cross – a great mid-range option, with all rooms coming with a kitchenette
• Point A Hotels – comfortable, cosy rooms, part of the well rated budget-friendly Point A hotel chain
• Radisson Blu Edwardian – luxury, boutique accommodation, a short walk from Euston station

Hotels near the Harry Potter Studios

• Mercure London – one of the closest hotels to the actual studios, this would be a good option if you are driving and want to be as close as possible
• Holiday Inn Express London – right next to Watford Junction, this mid-range and well reviewed property is convenient for both trains to London, and for the studio shuttle
• Jurys Inn London Watford – another great mid-range option, just a short walk from Watford Junction train station

Our Harry Potter Studio Tour Review and Experience

Now for the fun stuff! Although, if you want your visit to be a surprise, you might want to skip this section, as you now have everything you need to know in order to visit.

Still, if you want an idea of what to expect from your visit, read on, and we’ll share our own experiences of visiting the Harry Potter Studios!

We visited from London, taking the train to Watford Junction and the Shuttle Bus to the studio. When we visited there was a fee for the shuttle bus, but this is now included in the price of the ticket. The train was easy, and the shuttle bus departure point was well marked just outside the train station.

We pre-booked our tickets on the official website, so with our email booking confirmation we picked up our tickets from the kiosks. They have both staffed ticket windows and automatic kiosks – both work!

Once we had our ticket, which had our entry time on it, we went through security and joined the line for entry.

As entries for the Harry Potter Studio Tour are timed, you have to wait in line, as they let each group in all together. Still, waiting in line is made fun, as the line has the cupboard under the stairs set right next to it, meaning you can start getting exciting about your upcoming adventure straight away (and start taking pictures!).

At the time of our entry, we were all ushered into a large waiting room with a massive giant wooden door before us. Here, a guide ran us through what to expect from our day, and gave us an overview of the studio.

The Great Hall and Beyond

After our introduction, the massive wooden doors we were standing in front of opened, and the Great Hall was revealed. I have to say, this was pretty amazing, to be able to step into the world of Harry Potter. The Great Hall set was used as the Great Hall for six of the films, with many scenes shot here.

It certainly felt like the most complete of the sets we visited, as it was totally immersive and all around us, and was quite an experience.

From the Great Hall we were essentially allowed to continue on our own into the first half of the tour building. This had so much to see that I won’t go into it all here.

To give you an idea though, you can do everything from practice your wand waving through to seeing the Womping Willow in action through to visiting the potions laboratory, meeting Buckbeak, hanging out on Platform 9 3/4, and wandering around the Forbidden Forest!

Food and Butterbeer

Around half way through the tour, you come to the Backlot Cafe. This serves hot and cold food, as well as that famous drink – Butterbeer! This is a non-alcoholic beverage that tastes sort of like a mix of marshmallows and popcorn. It is definitely a must-try when visiting!

You don’t have to eat here, as there are other dining options on site, including the Studio Cafe. However, if you want to try Butterbeer, the Backlot Cafe is the place to do it.

Privet Drive and the Night Bus

Once you’ve finished your butterbeer experience, it’s time to head outside to Privet Drive! Here you can see the house where Harry grew up, as well as a number of other fairly large props and sets, including the Knight Bus and the bridge that led across the ravine outside Hogwarts.

This is the only outside part of the tour, and it isn’t a huge area, although if the weather isn’t great you might want a waterproof jacket to enjoy this part of the tour.

Diagon Alley and the Last of the Tour

After seeing the exterior part of the tour, you enter the final part of the tour. Don’t worry though, you’re only really half way though – there’s loads to see still! From here you’re going to see a lot of the props and costumes, as well as detailed information on how these were created, and the work that went into them.

You’re also going to have the opportunity to walk right down Diagon Alley, and see such locations as Ollivanders Wand Shop!

Finally, and perhaps most impressively, you come to the 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts itself. This is a massive construction that fills a whole room, and is truly spectacular. You can also watch videos to see how the model was used and digitally merged into the final films, which is very impressive.

Once you’re done with all the above, you pop out into the shop, where you can buy pretty much any Harry Potter merchandise you can imagine!

Tips for Visiting the Harry Potter Studio

Based on our experiences visiting the Harry Potter Studio in London, we’ve put together the following tips to help you plan your visit and maximise your time.

Decide how you want to visit

As described earlier in detail, you have a number of options for visiting the Harry Potter Studios, although depending on ticket availability, you might not always have every option. However, the main options are:

• Book a standard tour and plan your own transport, either by train/shuttle or car
• Book a deluxe tour and plan your own transport, either by train/shuttle or car
• Book a tour that includes transport and entry like this

Whichever you choose to go for, you will definitely have a great time!

Book your tickets in advance

We can’t emphasise this enough – tickets are not available on site – you have to book in advance . If you’re travelling independently, you can do that through the official site .

If tickets are not available through the official site for the time you want to visit, or you’d rather let someone else handle your transport, here is a good selection of tours to choose from , and here are some more options .

Plan your time

The average visit time is three and a half hours, so make sure you give yourself at least this much time on site. Don’t forget there’s food on-site as well as a massive gift shop, so you’ll want to factor time in for these activities too. Some fans can easily spend 4 or 5 hours here.

Whilst the majority of tours that include transport give you at least three hours on site, some allow for longer visits, so make sure to book the right tour for you. There is a lot to do and see on site, so more time can definitely be put to good use and you don’t want to feel rushed!

One of the best parts of visiting the Harry Potter Studios is just how interactive the experience can be. Whilst it’s certainly not a theme park, there’s a lot to do, from practicing your wand skills through to pushing your own trolley through the wall at platform 9 3/4 through to summoning your own broomstick!

Some of these experiences will have a short queue, but due to the timed system for entry, these will never be too long.

Many visitors also come in full Harry Potter outfits, so don’t be afraid to dress up and get into the swing of things. You won’t be alone, and it adds to the experience for many people!

Further Reading

And that’s it for our guide to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. We hope you found it useful – we certainly had a lot of fun taking the tour and putting this post together!

As well as this post, we’ve also got a lot more content that we think you’ll find useful, both Harry Potter related, and other content to help you plan your time in London and the UK.

• Whilst this is one of the best places for Harry Potter fans to visit in the UK, it’s by no means the only Harry Potter location or activity you can take part in. Check out our guides to finding Harry Potter in London, Harry Potter in Edinburgh and Harry Potter in Scotland for more inspiration.
• We also have a complete guide to Harry Potter filming locations in the UK
• A  Two Day London Itinerary  to help you see all the highlights of London. There’s also a  1 day version  if you’re short on time, and both a  3 day  and a  six day itinerary  if you’re here for longer
• Our detailed  packing list for London , to help you prepare for your trip
• Our  guide to buying and using the London Oyster Card , and our  guide to public transport in London  to help you get around without spending too much money
• My tips for finding the  best Photography Locations in London
• Our full  review of the London Pass  to help you decide if this attractions pass can save you money on your visit to London
• The best Things to Do in Kensington , London, in case you wanted to focus more on a specific region of the city
• A review of a  one day walking tour in London , should you want a guided tour of all of London’s highlights
• Our  detailed itinerary for  two weeks in the UK , should you want to have London as the start of a bigger adventure. We also have a  one week UK itinerary  for a slightly shorter visit.
• Thoughts on taking a  day trip from London, taking in Stonehenge, Bath and the Cotswolds , our  guide to visiting Oxford for a day, and our guide to things to do in Cambridge .
• The  Eyewitness Travel Guide to London , which has all sorts of information within, including more itineraries and ideas for your trip. We also recommend the  Rick Steve’s London 2019  guide, the #1 bestseller on Amazon for UK travel guides, and always an excellent source of relevant information

And that’s it! Are you a Harry Potter wanting to take the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour? Have any questions about a visit? Let us know your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Enjoyed this post? Why not share it!

There are 24 comments on this post

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

15th August 2023 at 8:43 am

what an amazing detailed blog. really helped me understand and plan the trip. I am booked for 1st October 5:30 as didn’t get any other day or time slot on the website,, do you think I should look at going through a tour agent to get more time in the day time or evening is fine? hoping there will be no issues in taking public transport while coming back. we will be staying in Westminster.

Laurence Norah says

15th August 2023 at 9:08 am

Thanks very much! So I think you will be fine. On the 1st October it looks like the studio tour doesn’t close until 10pm, and I would say that 4.5 hours should be more than enough. The last bus to the station leaves at 10pm, so just be sure to be on that. In terms of trains, looking at the West Midlands train timetables, the last train on a Sunday back to central London is at quarter to 1 in the morning, so I think you will be fine.

Enjoy your visit!

George says

3rd May 2023 at 7:47 am

I just finished reading your post about taking a Harry Potter studio tour and I have to say it was incredibly informative and enjoyable to read! You provided a lot of helpful information for anyone planning on taking a tour, from practical tips on transportation and timing to advice on how to make the most out of the experience.

One of the things I really appreciated about your post was how you made it clear that the tour is not just for die-hard Harry Potter fans. Even for those who have only seen the movies, the tour can be a fascinating and immersive experience. I also liked how you emphasized the importance of taking your time and really exploring each exhibit and set, rather than rushing through them.

Your post was also full of helpful details, from what to expect on the tour to how to save money on tickets. I particularly appreciated your recommendation to book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment, as well as your advice to avoid peak times if possible.

Overall, I thought your post was a fantastic resource for anyone planning on taking a Harry Potter studio tour. You provided a wealth of information and tips that will undoubtedly make the experience more enjoyable for anyone who reads your post. Thanks for sharing your insights and expertise with us!

4th May 2023 at 5:30 pm

Thanks very much George, I appreciate your feedback!

3rd April 2023 at 10:58 am

Hi there! I just read your blog post about taking a Harry Potter Studio Tour and I have to say, it’s an incredibly informative and detailed guide. I’ve been to the Studio Tour myself and I can attest to the accuracy of your tips and advice.

I particularly appreciate the way you organized your post into different sections, making it easy for readers to find the information they need. Your advice about booking tickets in advance and arriving early is spot on – it’s definitely worth taking those extra steps to avoid long lines and ensure the best possible experience.

Your photos are also amazing and really bring the tour to life. It’s wonderful to see all the different sets and props up close and your photos do a great job of capturing the intricate details that went into creating them.

Overall, I think this post is a fantastic resource for anyone planning a visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. You’ve covered everything from transportation to food to the best photo opportunities, making it a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to make the most of their visit. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us!

Highly Recommended to all.

3rd April 2023 at 11:27 am

Thanks very much, I’m glad to hear you found the post useful and you enjoyed your Harry Potter Studio Tour 🙂

Jean searle says

25th October 2021 at 11:18 pm

My family live on the wirral it would take us about 3 1/ 2 hrs to get there with the price of fuel costly then the stay overnight in the hotel with bed and breakfast. Your outstanding entry price for an adult £48 Kids price extortionate my granddaughter is 8yrs old obsessed with Harry Potter reads the books loves the films she is desperate to come on the studio tour but can’t justify you outrageous prices. And then we have to pay for fuel to travel back. I am registered disabled but not in a wheelchair. My husband is my carer we are also pensioners do you honestly expect a disabled person to pay £48 to get in while OK my carer is free surely you should have compensation for the disabled person. As it stands we have to keep letting the 8yr old down as we can’t afford your prices. Then the added extras for the bus etc. I would ask you to see if you could establish a different rate for children under 10 and the disabled pensioner please as we would bring her but out of our pension we cannot afford your cost. Hope you take into account what I have said. Underprivileged children should be catered for I know.you have to make your money but at the cost of a child. Shame on you. My granddaughter may never get to see it now.xc

26th October 2021 at 10:13 am

Thanks for your message! So to be clear, this website is not associated with the Warner Bros Studio or Harry Potter tour. It’s just a guide to visiting. If you want to reach out to them directly, you’ll need to do so via their website. Their contact information can be found here: https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/contact-us/

All the best,

Dave Gaudie says

23rd July 2021 at 6:54 pm

Can I take photos throughout the tour ?

23rd July 2021 at 7:02 pm

Yep photography is permitted pretty much everywhere in the Harry Potter studio tour. There are a few exceptions – you can’t do photography in the pre-show cinema, or in the green screen areas. You also can’t use a tripod.

Have a great visit, and let me know if you have any more questions!

13th October 2019 at 4:38 am

Hello! I am so excited to have found your blog. I plan to read the entire london portion. I booked tickets to the studio for 1/1. I thought it would be a fun way to start the new year. Now I am wondering if it will be a problem to get to the studio. TfL site states train will be running on a sunday schedule. How much extra travel time should we think about? Our tix are for 1230p. We are staying by the waterloo station. Thank you for your amazing insights!

13th October 2019 at 3:25 pm

Thanks very much, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time.

For the trains, all you’d have to do is check the timetables for a Sunday and this should give you an idea of how much time you will need 🙂 You shouldn’t have to worry too much I don’t think, 1230 should give you plenty of time to get there! Have a wonderful time!

Nurika Abdullah says

27th September 2019 at 12:33 am

Hi thank you for this it is so useful especially for first timers like me. My concern is on the age, in the studios website it says below 16 must be accompanied by adults. I am thinking of sending my 15 and 13 yr old kids on their own. Would this be possible if I take a guided tour instead? Many thanks Nurika

27th September 2019 at 7:02 pm

Unfortunately the policy is that all children must be accompanied by an adult, even on the guided tours

26th September 2019 at 7:33 am

Thank you for you site and sharing some great information!! It is just awesome!!

Would you happen to know the difference between the Studio’s VIP tour and the Fully-Guided Making of Harry Potter Tour. Looks like the Fully-Guided might have a couple more stops?

26th September 2019 at 10:49 pm

So the VIP tour (I guess you mean the Deluxe tour?) includes a few extras like butterbeer, souvenir photo, meal and guidebook. So quite a few extras. The fully guided tour includes the tour, but I believe it’s the same actual tour as the Deluxe tour, just without the extras. Of course, it also include round trip transport from London as well.

So it’s more about if you want the extras or not, or if you prefer the transport.

Have an amazing time, whichever you go for!

Dr. Abraham K. George says

2nd May 2019 at 10:15 pm

Wow! What lovely immersive writing, and lots of fine fine details. A pleasure to read. I’m so glad I stumbled on to this blog. My search is over. Have bookmarked it. Going to follow it faithfully for our first-time holiday to London + Scotland this month. The fully guided tour seems to be the best of the lot as it probably gives you the maximum time possible to spend at the studio (I hope). By the way, tickets are sold out on the official site. Thank you so much, Abraham

3rd May 2019 at 4:39 pm

Hi Abraham – my pleasure, and I hope you have a wonderful tour. For sure, the tours are very popular so they sell out far in advance on the official website, but there are a number of other ways to get a trip, so I hope you are able to visit still 🙂

27th March 2019 at 7:48 pm

Hi can i ask the extra activities you mentioned are they free or do I need to account for extra spending money Regard emma

27th March 2019 at 7:59 pm

So the activities like the wand workshop, broomstick summoning and other interactive things like that are included. The only thing you would need money for is the giftshop, or if you want to eat or try butter beer. For the green screen broomstick flying experience, where you are filmed on a broomstick against a green screen, that is an extra price as you get the experience as photos or a DVD. There are also some other opportunities to buy photos through the tour, but these are of course optional 🙂

Have a wonderful time!

Robert says

13th March 2019 at 4:51 pm

Excellent information! I’ve been to the WB Harry Potter Studios twice (2015, 2017), and you really covered everything in accurate detail.

One tiny error though it probably won’t confuse anyone: You wrote “Then you need to take a dedicated shuttle bus operated by the Studio Tour that runs from just outside Euston Station (it is well sign posted), that takes you directly to the studios.” I believe you meant “Watford Junction Station” instead of “Euston Station” in that sentence.

Thanks for your terrific work on the entire site. A colleague of mine sent me a link to it knowing I have led student/parent groups to London. I’ve enjoyed digging into it!

13th March 2019 at 5:00 pm

Thanks so much for your comment! We loved visiting and writing this post was a real pleasure 🙂 Thanks also for spotting that error – I’ve fixed it now 🙂

Thanks again!

Roslia santamaria says

28th November 2018 at 7:02 am

Thank you so much..This is very useful!!

28th November 2018 at 11:21 am

My pleasure Roslia 🙂

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let me know when there's a reply to my comment (just replies to your comment, no other e-mails, we promise!)

Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter where we share our latest travel news and tips. This also makes you eligible to enter our monthly giveaways!

We only ask for your e-mail so we can verify you are human and if requested notify you of a reply. To do this, we store your data as outlined in our privacy policy . Your e-mail will not be published or used for any other reason other than those outlined above.

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

Last Updated: February 16, 2022

*FYI - this post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase from them. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our Privacy Policy and Disclosure. for more info.

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?!

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

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.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

RELATED LINKS

On this page, harry potter london, warner bros. studio tours, w.b. studio tour transfers, most popular tours, special interest tours, tours from london, hop-on hop-off bus tours, central london tours.

• Guide to hotel areas
• Bed & breakfast
• Backpacker hostels
• Airbnb London
• Central London tours
• Tours from London
• Hop-on hop-off bus tours
• Harry Potter tours
• Stonehenge tours
• Downton Abbey tours
• Windsor tours
• Cotswolds tours
• Private tours
• Ticket & pass offers
• Central London attractions
• Attractions outside London
• Harry Potter attractions
• Tower of London
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT
• London City
• London Southend
• Southampton

Harry Potter London - Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The making of harry potter - a first hand review - is it worth it and what is there.

Want to know what to expect on arriving at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter? This page gives you the low-down on what you will see when you arrive at the Warner Bros. Studio, tips on visiting and what facilities there are, such as places to eat, gift shops, etc.

Allow plenty of time to travel to the Studio and enough time to enjoy the huge array of sets and props to make sure you make your day a truly magical one to remember!

As a Studio Tour, you will see the real sets used in the Harry Potter films, as well as countless props and special effects.

You will spend several hours discovering how the films were made, going ‘behind the scenes’, seeing props, costumes and the amazing sets themselves.

All Things Harry Potter London & UK

New for 2024 Divination, Destiny and Dark Magic - 20 years of Prisoner of Azkaban

1 may - 4 september 2024.

Exciting new exhibits are on this year at Warner Bros Studio to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication of  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .

What's on at Harry Potter Studio in 2024?

» Book Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio tickets

» Watch You Tube video

» What's on at Harry Potter Studio in 2024

» What will I see?

» Tours to Studio

» Where is the Studio?

» How long will I need?

» Arrival at the Studios

» Facilities & eating

» Interactive opportunities

» Accessibility & children

» Entering the Studio

» The sets

» Hogwarts Express

» Outside sets

» Creature Shop

» Diagon Alley

» Set designs & artwork

» Hogwarts Castle

» Wand tribute room

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

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON - THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER TOURS DEPART FROM CENTRAL LONDON

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

Multiple choices of departure location including Victoria, Russell Square, Baker Street and Kings Cross.

Just select preferred option on booking page for full details.

Transport and Entrance Tickets:

Adult from £118, child 5-15 from £108

• Frequent bus departures daily • Entrance to the Warner Bros Studio Tour • Return luxury air-condioned bus with free Wi-Fi from Central London • Cheaper tickets available off-peak

What will I see at The Making of Harry Potter Video

What's on at The Making of Harry Potter in 2024

Magical Mischief: 20 January - 16 April 2024

Magical Mischief is back! Discover your favourite mischievous moments from the films were brought to the screen. You will even be able to get hands on to make your own origami howler, just like the one Mrs Weasley delivered to Ron in  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .

NEW: Divination, Destiny and Dark Magic: 1 May - 4 September 2024

To celebrate th 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban  Warner Bros. Studio are putting on a new feature for 2024.

The Divination Tower

Check out Professor Trelawney's Divination classroom, with its 'tea-shop' feel, the jewel-toned velvet pouffes, numerous patterned rugs and Arabian-style lanterns.

Boggarts in the classroom...

You'll also get to see for the first time, a new section of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, complete with the Boggart wardrobe and sinister Boggart jack-in-the-box.

Ride the Knight Bus...

Plus - explore the inside of the legendary Knight Bus. Experience the bus as Harry would have: as the bus rattles, chandelier sways, beds move and London’s city streets zoom past.

Search for Scabbers...

Step foot in the Great Hall, decorated with over 100 floating candles and the Hogwarts Frog Choir, and begin your search for Scabbers. Use your Studio Tour passport to receive your ‘Mischief Managed’ stamp!

Dark Arts: 13 September - 10 November 2024

Like every Halloween, The Warner Bros. Studio knows how to deliver a thrilling exploration of all things Dark Arts.

Those famous floating pumpkins will of course make their annual appearance, over the great tables laden with the spooky feast.

As always you can follow the Dark Mark - the symbol of Lord Voldemort projected throughout the Studio Tour - mark them on your passport as you go around.

Enjoy learning wand combat with the interactive display of the wand choreographer Paul Harris (he of Order of the Phoenix through to Deathly Hallows fame).

Hogwarts in the Snow: 16 November 2024 – 19 January 2025

Planning your Christmas fun for next year? Hogwarts in the Snow will be back in 2024; hold the dates from 16 Nov 2024 - 19 Jan 2025.

The festive makeover will see the Great Hall transformed with the icy silvers of the iconic Yule Ball scenes. The Gryffindor common room will be dressed for the season and a blanket of film-making snow will cover the Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley and the magnificent Hogwarts castle model.

What will I see at the Harry Potter Studio, London?

Featuring the original Studio sets of the critically acclaimed film franchise, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is a fan and family friendly day out not to be missed! As a self-guided walking tour, you will get the chance to wander down  Diagon Alley,  peeping into sets such as the Weasley's Joke shop, and Ollivanders. You'll get the chance to step into the actual  Great Hall,  complete with banqueting table and fireplace.

Further down on this page we describe in more detail the  sets you will see on this breathtaking Harry Potter walking tour.

While the Studio Tour is aimed primarily at fans of the Harry Potter film series, if you have an interest in special effects and film sets more generally, there would be plenty to get out of this tour.

The detail you can see in the sets and props on show is awe inspiring and the information on offer as to the process of film making is very instructive. The guides are friendly and helpful and happy to chat if you want a bit of extra information. Some of them were extras from the films themselves so have a bit of insider knowledge.

Only the beginning part of the Studio Tour is guided (although guided Harry Potter tours are available)  You will see two short films and then the guide gathers everyone at the doors of the great hall. If you're lucky (like it's your birthday!) you might even be picked to open the doors. After you step into the hall, they will explain a little about this magnificent room; following this you are free to take the rest of the tour at your own pace

Booking tickets for Warner Bros Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

This Harry Potter attraction is always very popular. Unfortunately it is not an attraction that you can just arrive at on the day and gain entry. You will need to book your tickets in advance.

The further in advance you book your tickets the more choice of dates and times you will have. However, you may find late availability on some dates, so it is always worth checking.

You have two choices when it comes to tickets: you can book independently direct from the Warner Bros. Studio Tour website , or alternatively, you can book a combined transport and Studio entrance ticket (see banner below), which will take you from central London to the Studios in Watford. For the latter option you pay extra for the convenience per ticket.

See our page Warner Bros Studio independently by public transport for more details on how to do it on your own.

There are currently three London tour operators who will take you to the Harry Potter Studio in a luxury coach, from Victoria (or Kings Cross) in Central London, with around 4-4.5 hours Studio time.

Other tickets options are available for example:

Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Oxford in one day

Warner Bros. Studio Tour with hotel pick-up from Central London

Harry Potter walking tour + Studio

Where is Warner Bros Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter?

The Warner Bros Studio Tour is not in the centre of London, it is located just outside London. The nearest railway station from London is Watford Junction from where a dedicated shuttle (not free) runs to the studio.

For detailed information on how to find the Warner Bros. Studio please see our dedicated page  Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - visiting independently

For those visitors  staying in Central London , several tour operators offer a dedicated shuttle bus to the studios which include tickets. The tours often have better availability of studio tickets that can be sold out many weeks ahead.

How long is the Harry Potter tour?

Now the Studio has expanded even more, you should allow at least four hours for your visit. Realistically, allowing time for lunch and doing any extras such as Ride a Broomstick (which involve queuing time) many people find they can stay six hours or more.

If you have small children you will need to allow for making stops (see below facilities for children ).

Arriving at Warner Bros Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

If coming by bus, it will take you to just a hundred metres or so from the entrance, and then you are left to walk inside independently.

There are now more queues for security; if you didn't get your tickets delivered to your home address, you will need to pick them up from the ticket machines and a box office outside, you will need to queue for this.  

You will then need to queue to go through security which includes a bag check and personal scan. If you are going on an organised tour, your arrival time will allow you about twenty minutes to queue, ready for your pre-booked entry time into the Studio itself.

Facilities and eating opportunities at Harry Potter Studios

Cafes and eating places at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

If you have any extra spare time before your tour begins, you can grab a drink in the Cafe, which also sells a range of snacks.

There are a number of cafes at the Warner Bros. Studio including The Chocolate Frog Cafe at the beginning of your tour, serving indulgent treats such as the specialty hot chocolate and ice cream.

There is also the Hub Cafe serving Starbucks drinks and snacks, and the Food Hall which includes breakfast, sandwiches and hot and cold meals, and lots from the bakery.

You can bring your own food with you but it must only be eaten in the Backlot area or outside picnic area. The Backlot Cafe is located halfway round the tour and it is here you can sample the ever-popular drink, Butterbeer!

Butterbeer is non -alcoholic and has quite a sweet froth to it, with a slight taste of butterscotch. In addition the Backlot also serves hot food – both children’s and adult’s - from a daily specials board, sandwiches and salads, snacks and hot and cold drinks.

You can choose to eat and drink inside or out, where there are nice views of the next section of the tour - the  Knight Bus, Hogwarts Bridge, Godric's Hollow and Privet Drive .

Gift shops at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

There are now three gift shops at the Studio Tour. There is the  Railway Shop , a train-themed souvenir shop, the  Forbidden Forest Shop  (selling Forbidden Forest related items), and the main  Studio Shop  located at the exit.

At these three you can purchase such Harry Potter merchandise as the books by J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts T-shirts and robes, house jumpers, pens, key rings, postcards, sweets, wands and cuddly toys. Prices range from around £2 for a postcard to around £20 for a cuddly toy.

In one section there is even a personalisation service - making that gift just that extra bit special.

There’s a toilet block in the car park (by the bus stop), and a bigger rest room in the lobby, plus a couple of small toilets in the first half of the tour and more toilets by the Backlot Cafe, halfway round the tour.

If you need somewhere to store any small suitcases (or coats and bags) you may have, you can do this free of charge in the lobby cloakroom. Pushchairs are also encouraged to be left here if possible due to the restricted amount of space in the Studio Tour.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the Studio Tour - so you can share your photos as you go (see below for restrictions).

Digital guide hire and souvenir guidebook

If you wish you can hire a Digital Guide, with extra information on the Studio Tour, for around £5 from the desk in the lobby before you go in. You can also purchase a Souvenir Guidebook of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London for around £10, with behind-the-scenes secrets and beautiful photography.

Photography and video footage

The cinema areas and the green-screen areas are the only parts where you are not allowed to take photographs or video footage. Otherwise, you are free to do so in all other areas of the Studio Tour.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London encourages you to share your photos with them on social media and there are signs up around the Studio telling you how to do this.

Interactive opportunities at Harry Potter Studio including free and paid for

As well as the sets and props there are also a few interactive things you can do at the Studio. For example, at  Weasley's Burrow  there is plenty to do.

There is a  wand choreography demonstration  (free), featuring a video demonstrating correct wand moves; very popular with the kids as they see themselves perform in front of two mirrors, much like the mirror of ‘Erised.’

If you wish to  ‘ride a broomstick ’ you can pay extra (check the prices on the board beforehand), to perform in front of a green screen’, on to which a marvelous Hogwarts background is super imposed, and as a memento take home with you your choice of photograph, DVD or HD USB. This attraction is a highlight so it is best to check out the queues and make your timings accordingly. Note,  photography is not allowed in this area.

Outside you can also have your  photo taken in the original  Ford Anglia car ,  like Harry and Ron, and even wobble yourself over Hogwarts Bridge!

Throughout there are  interactive touch-screen boards  which play videos showing the cast and crew, or information about the making of the films, such as the  'Marauder's Map ' board, and around the magnificent Hogwarts Castle.

Accessibility and children

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London have done everything they can to make the Studio Tour accessible for wheelchair users. There is a lower window for ticket collection and step free access to the attraction. The Studio Tour itself, including the loos, gift shop and special effects green screen area, is completely accessible.

If you have small children or just need a break yourself, there are seats dotted around inside where they can sit and rest if needed. Fold up chairs are available for those who require one if you ask in the lobby. There are also toilets to be found around the Studio Tour.

There are some interactive things for younger ones to do but because of the nature of the Studio Tour and the amount of information on offer, it is probably most appropriate for children years eight and up.

As you hand your tickets over, if you have any children with you, they will be given a Studio Tour Passport each. In this A5 size booklet kids are able to collect stamps as they wander around the Studio Tour, and even find the Golden Snitch if they follow the clues on each page.

Entering the Studio and the Great Hall at Hogwarts

There are several 'holding rooms' before you enter the Studio itself. One you have gone through the lobby area, you queue to enter a smallish room featuring props and memories on screens of the Harry Potter films, and even Harry's cupboard under the stairs from Privet Drive - where the Story Begins...

The main cast of Harry Potter warmly welcome you to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

When you begin your tour you are guided into a large room with cinematography on the walls, and an introduction behind the original motivations for making the films. You will see interviews with the producer and the ‘discoverer’ of Harry Potter, the production consultant, and many others who were there from the beginning.

You are then guided into a cinema room, where you take your seat to watch a short film introduced by the three main actors themselves, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. They acknowledge all the hard work of the thousands of people who worked behind the scenes on the famous films and made them become a reality.

Step inside the Great Hall at Hogwarts School

The magic really comes alive as you step in through the doors of the Great Hall, of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you walk down the real stone floor, you enter the vast hall, with its high ceiling and tall Gothic windows. You can see the long house tables, dressed with individual place settings, all hand created for the films. Around the edges of the hall you will see models dressed in Hogwarts robes, the great fireplace and winged beasts holding the lanterns.

At the top of the room is the high table where models of the staff stand; Dumbledore at his Owl Lectern, Professors McGonagall and Snape, in their robes, and a huge Hagrid. Here too is the famous Sorting Hat, sitting at the front, just as it did in the films. After about ten minutes you are told they have to close the doors to allow the next group to come through, but you are free to come back later if you wish.

Explore the main Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter at your leisure

You are then free to go at your leisure into the rest of the studios. There is so much to see here it is great to be able to take your time and wander at your own pace. One of the first things you see as you go in is the 'ice palace' used in the film The Goblet of Fire, for the Yule Ball.

Below we look at some of the amazing sets from the eight films you will get to see.

What sets will I see at the Harry Potter Studio London?

In the studios, large sets intermingle with smaller props, all of which took months to create.

Professor Sprout's Greenhouse

In 2022 a new permanent addition appeared at Warner Bros. Studio London: Professor Sprout's Greenhouse.

At the studio you will have the chance to step into the greenhouse and stop to pull out a potted Mandrake as part of an interactive display. 

Be enthralled by exotic and magical plants as you learn Herbology lessons with Professor Sprout.

Look out for the Venomous Tentacula hanging from the ceiling as you walk through the greenhouse.

A fantastic new addition to the much loved studio.

Gringotts Bank

Featuring the magnificent banking hall, with crystal chandeliers come face to face with the goblin bankers, peering down at you. Visit the Lestrange vault, including the Sword of Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup, one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes.

Find out about our experience of the exhibition by reading our blog on the Gringotts Bank expansion .

Other top sets at the Harry Potter Studio

You will see the boys’ dormitory complete with made up beds around the central fire-burner.

Snape’s Potions room contains over 950 potions jars, as well as cauldrons ready for mixing on the table, dried herbs and even shrunken heads!

At Dumbledore’s Tower there is one of the most expensive set pieces created – the telescope – only used in a background scene. Here you can see mannequins of Dumbledore standing in his robes, and shelves and shelves of books, as well as old magical artefacts, such as the mysterious pensieve.

At the Weasley’s Burrow you can wave your hands over various boards, making them ‘magically’ start performing mundane household chores such as chopping carrots, knitting and ironing! This is popular with kids and adults alike. You can see here the Weasley magical clock with its nine golden hands, each pointing to one member of the Weasley family and their whereabouts.

Nearby is Hagrid’s hut with its quirky roof; a cosy indoor scene complete with mannequin of Hagrid, table and chairs, furs, lanterns and cauldron on the fireplace.

In the Gryffindor common room, more life size mannequins stand, Ron, Hermione and Harry, and you see the actual chairs by the fire, with real tapestries and portraits (all created from scratch for the films) and the wireless with ‘moving lips.’

Around the corner you can view the portrait of the Fat Lady, the Mirror of Erised , and the giant clock pendulum from Hogwarts Clock Tower.

If you are interested to see the individual wands for all the characters, a wand dial features all the principle ones, and you can see up close how differently they are all crafted. More than 3000 were made for the films altogether.

You will see the area with the set of the Ministry of Magic and the giant Magic is Might monument of muggles being crushed in their rightful place by the statue, from the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Malfoy’s Manor features the long table with assembled Death Eaters, Voldemort at the head with Nagini the 20 foot long snake, slithering down underneath a suspended model of the victim in the stories.

Professor Dolores Umbridge's pink office is on show, complete with all the painted kitten plates you remember from the films.

It is in this area where the famous winged-boar gates of Hogwarts stand, (the gates are based on Il Porcellino, a bronze fountain of a boar, made in the 1630s in Florence, Italy).

They guard the entrance to The Forbidden Forest . Hagrid stands just inside the gates, you can peek through and see him holding his lantern as you wait for the gates to open - to enter if you dare!

In the Forbidden Forest you'll see 19 enormous trees each with a diameter of over 12 feet and a full size model of Buckbeak as well as the magnificent Hippogriff and Aragog the giant spider, and his rather large babies.

Following the Forbidden Forest are more famous sets: the impressive Hogwarts Express , the enchanting Diagon Alley and fabulous outside sets including the Knight Bus, No 4 Privet Drive, the Hogwarts Bridge, Lily and James's house in Godric's Hollow and the Ford Anglia car .

Hogwarts Express

Your next part of the tour takes you through to a recreation of Kings Cross Station, with its own ‘Platform 9 ¾’. Here you can pose for a photo, of yourself, pushing the model luggage trolley ‘through’ the wall, just like in the films.

The Hogwarts Express is a beautiful red steam engine, the original used in the films, and you can board it! This is a popular attraction, and there is normally a slight queue to board. Once on board, you can walk down the corridor, peering into the compartments complete with student belongings; sweet wrappers from the trolley lady, satchels and an owl cage.

Near to the train is the Railway Shop, a train-themed souvenir shop, where you can purchase Harry Potter memorabilia.

What sets are there outside at Harry Potter studios?

There is seating outside just beyond the Backlot Cafe where you are allowed to bring your own food to eat. Here you also get a nice view of the Knight Bus, the houses in Privet Drive, Hogwarts Bridge, Godric's Hollow, and further down the Ford Anglia car too!

At the Knight Bus you can go inside the back door and look inside... see Bert and Ernie - the shrunken heads!

Number 4, Privet Drive

The famous house where it all began... Step inside Number 4, Privet Drive.

See the Dursleys' living room with a flurry of Hogwarts letters from the iconic scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , plus their kitchen and the Aunt Marge dinner scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .

Hogwarts Bridge

The bridge itself is a highlight – you can wander along it yourself and imagine you are walking up to the famous castle.

Lily and James’ house in Godric’s Hollow

See the fated house that Harry lived in until he was one - when he was attacked by Lord Voldemort himself. You can even see the blast in the roof where the attack claimed the lives of Lily and James Potter.

Ford Anglia and chess game

Outside there is the famous large scale chess pieces from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , and the original Ford Anglia, in which you are free to sit and have your picture taken.

The Creature Shop

After leaving the courtyard area, you enter the second part of your tour, the Creature Shop, where there are displays of the animatronics used, and waxworks of main cast.

Here you can see suspended up high the huge model of Aragog, the giant spider and the basilisk’s head.

There is also the animatronic Buckbeak, and Hagrid, masks of the Gringotts Goblins, models of Dobby and Kreacher, and a moving Monster Book of Monsters.

Diagon Alley

Following this is one of the highlights of the Studio, a walk down the actual Diagon Alley!

Entering at Gringott’s Bank with all its wonky charm; next door is Ollivanders , the famous shop where Harry gets his first wand.

Other shops include Eeylops Owl Emporium , Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream shop , Flourish and Blotts Bookseller, and very overtly in its bright colours, the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes , Fred and George’s Joke Shop.

This is a lovely set to take photos in.

Set designs and paintings from the Harry Potter films

Leading out from Diagon Alley you go through to a room where you can see lots of drawings and blueprints of all the set designs, such as Hagrid’s Hut, the Burrow, Hogsmeade and of course Hogwarts itself.

If you like artwork there is a white gallery with lots of beautiful paintings of the characters, with notable scenes from the books.

If architecture is of interest, here you will also see amazing scaled models of all the buildings featured in the films; such as Diagon Alley, Ollivanders Wand Shop, Hogsmeade and classrooms in Hogwarts. The models themselves are highly intricate and fascinating to see.

Hogwarts Castle, the original scale model used in the films

When you enter the next room there is, in a quietly blue lit room, a very wonderful scene: Hogwarts Castle, the original large castle used for the films, resplendent on its mountain side, with pine forests surrounding.

It is a 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts; this is very large and fills a great space, allowing you to walk all the way around it. The lighting is very effective, changing through ‘day-time’ to ‘night-time,’ giving very different perspectives.

Every part was detailed so you can see the astronomy tower, the Owlery, the bridge and the courtyard as well as the Great Hall.

Around the model castle are many interactive screens – great for kids – giving information on how it was constructed and how it was used in filming.

Wand Tribute Room

Following the Castle room you exit via an impressive Wand Room, a room stacked high with thousands of pretend wand boxes. This is a lovely tribute room where each member of the cast and crew of all eight films has their name inscribed on a wand box. Appropriately, J.K. Rowling herself has a place here.

This room leads you back out to the lobby, through the gift shop where you can pick up a memento of your Harry Potter day.

And so ends your Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. A very magical day out, with masses of opportunities to learn more about the films at every corner. Like Hogwarts, it might just be somewhere you wish to return to again.

Harry Potter themed tours & activities in and around London

Tours from london including warner bros. studio tour, harry potter london hotel & ticket packages, harry potter tours within london, harry potter locations within london & oxford including platform 9 3/4.

Subscribe to be the first to get new family travel inspiration Sign up today!

MUMMYTRAVELS

Can you really keep travelling with a child in tow?

Subscribe to be the first to get new family travel inspiration

Tips for the Harry Potter studio tour, London

For Harry Potter fans, the Warner Bros Studio tour in Leavesden always tops the list of things to do in London – but as it’s not a cheap experience, it’s well worth researching tips for the Harry Potter studio tour beforehand to get the most from your visit.

contains affiliate links *

Whether you’re wondering about how to get tickets or how to get there, how long to spend, what to do about food, how to avoid giant spiders and whether you really need that digital guide after all, I’ve packed all the answers into my list of top tips for visiting the Harry Potter Studios, London.

Having visited several times with my daughter (and more times without her), there’s also advice if you’re visiting Harry Potter world with kids. Grab your cloak, pack your wand and read on. Suitable for Muggles and wannabe wizards!

Which attraction is the main one? If you’re wondering just how many Harry Potter attractions there are in London, the official name is the Warner Bros studio tour, but it’s also commonly known as the Harry Potter tour, Harry Potter Studio tour London and Harry Potter World

Contents - click to jump to a section

Tickets for the Warner Bros studio tour get snapped up very early – plan to book in August if you fancy Hogwarts in the Snow at Christmas, and usually months in advance to visit during peak season as well.

If you’re visiting on a wet Wednesday in January, you’re likely to have more choice, but this really isn’t something to leave to the last moment.

An earlier time slot is also a good idea if you can get one, to give plenty of time to explore and to avoid a late night with younger fans.

Where to find tickets if the Warner Bros site is sold out

The cheapest way to visit is always booking direct with Warner Bros Studios but if your dates are showing as booked, there are some alternative options to try.

Tour operators will often have availability if you’re happy to  buy tickets with a coach transfer   – you can also book direct via  Golden Tours  which is the main provider. These also show one of the films on the journey to Watford which is fun.

While you can choose to take the bus from Victoria Station or near Baker Street Station, as well as from Kings Cross, there is also an option to make your own way and to meet at the ticket collection desk if you’re staying at a hotel near the Harry Potter Studios .

If you’re choosing the option without transportation, do consider how you’ll get to the site though as both the shuttle bus and parking require you to show a ticket.

You can also join  small group tours to the Harry Potter Studios  while some hotels offer packages including tickets. Again, this is a more expensive option but if you’re planning to book a hotel anyway, it’s worth exploring.

And if you have a Mastercard, you can sign up to Mastercard Priceless for last-minute tickets. There are 20 tickets available each day, available from 2-7 days in advance.

For hotels near Harry Potter World with kids, check out my top picks for places to stay

How to get to from central London

The Warner Bros Studio tour is around 20 miles from central London as the crow flies, in Leavesden, Hertfordshire – just outside Watford, but it’s easy to access using public transport.

By far the most straightforward way is to take the train direct from Euston station to Watford Junction – the direct fast trains take only 20 minutes and you can pay using contactless or Oyster card, just like the tube and other Tfl services.

Unlike other national rail services, children under 11 travel free on this route too – normally ages 5-15 pay a 50% fare on train tickets. If you do catch one of the other train routes between Euston and Watford Junction, it will take longer and you’ll need to have the correct child tickets.

Once you arrive at Watford Junction, there’s a free shuttle bus which is included as part of your entry ticket. The journey takes around 15 minutes, and buses run at least every 30 minutes during the day: the last bus heads back when the Studio Tour closes in the evening.

You’ll need to show your ticket or booking confirmation to the driver to be able to use the shuttle bus, so make sure you have it to hand. Sadly the Knight Bus isn’t an option.

There’s no direct tube route to the Harry Potter Studios or to Watford Junction itself. However, you can take the Metropolitan Line to Watford Underground station, just over a mile from Watford Junction station.

You’d then either need to get a taxi to the Warner Bros Studios – around 10-15 minutes by car – or make your way to Watford Junction station to catch the shuttle bus.

There are bus routes which run between the two stations, although it will also involve at least a short walk and some only run every 30 minutes. Alternatively, it’s 5-10 minutes by taxi, which costs around £7-£10.

Check out my four-page mini guide to Harry Potter’s London , including tips on some of the best places to visit, filming locations, wizarding trivia and even some of the inspirations behind the stories.

Allow plenty of time

While you can go at your own pace, it pays to leave plenty of time to explore here. Harry Potter World in London is huge – and new areas are constantly being added and unveiled.

There’s also an incredible amount of information to discover, with behind-the-scenes videos to watch, a chance to read more of the details of the creation and inspiration of the various props, plus interactive activities including casting spells and riding broomsticks.

It’s recommended to allow around at least three and a half hours. While you could rush round in less time if you’re visiting with younger kids (or less committed fans), it’s not a cheap day out so it’s worth making the most of it.

You can very easily spend longer too. On one visit with my then seven-year-old daughter, we spent around 6 1/2 hours exploring, and even on  my earliest visits  before several new areas were added, I’ve never spent less than about three hours there.

The morning slots are always the best option if you can find them, as you can then spend as long as you want inside. Bear in mind there’s only one (busy) place for lunch once you’re inside, as well as a cafe at the start, although you can bring your own food to eat in the Backlot cafe.

There are limited numbers for the very start of the experience, so expect to have to stick to the time on your ticket, but after that point, you can explore at your own pace.

While you can return to some areas, especially in the first section of the experience before you reach the Forbidden Forest, it’s not always easy (or possible) to go back, so it’s always better to take your time then move on.

After you pass the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4 and the last part of Studio J, there’s no turning back. From here, you head past the Backlot Cafe to the outdoor areas including the new Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse and Privet Drive, before getting to Studio K, with Creature Effects, Gringotts and Diagon Alley – check out the downloadable map here .

What age should kids visit?

There’s no minimum age for admission, so if you want to turn up with a baby or toddler, you’ll still be welcome as the whole attraction is family friendly.

However, unless you think your baby is going to nap the whole way round, I wouldn’t recommend it with younger kids. Fans will want to have the chance to soak up every last detail, while toddlers simply don’t have that attention span – they’ll get bored, you’ll get grumpy and it’s an expensive option to speed walk through.

There’s also a lot of walking for little legs – it’s not a small site – and often lots of queueing, especially at the start. If your youngest has older siblings who are desperate to go, it’s well worth taking a buggy or carrier and finding something which will keep the littler ones entertained.

I’d recommend it for kids aged around 6+ though, as long as they’ve already been introduced to the early stories – once they’re a few years older and they’ve read more of the books or watched more of the movies, they’ll get even more out of it.

Watch at least one film beforehand

If you’re planning to visit the Warner Bros Studio tour, the chances are you’re already a fan, have read all the books, watched the movies and maybe even have your own wand.

But if you are planning to visit with kids and introduce them to the wizarding world, it’s well worth watching at least one film before you go.

Visiting with my daughter for the first time just before her sixth birthday, she had only watched the first movie and we were beginning to read the books, but it really helped her to feel familiar with Hogwarts (and sparked a love of the stories which has seen us return here and enjoy a string of other Harry Potter days out around the UK).

Bear in mind that you might spot some things which will act as mild spoilers for later movies along the way.

Consider bringing your own food

Apart from a cafe before you go into the Harry Potter Studio tour, there’s one main restaurant (the Backlot Cafe) around half-way through the attraction and it’s – unsurprisingly – very busy.

It’s also not the cheapest place to eat, so it’s well worth bringing your own food to save time in the queues and money. You can use the cafe tables, or the picnic tables outside if the weather is good.

There’s also a separate section to buy butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream if you just want a sweet treat rather than ordering food. If you haven’t had butterbeer before, I’d recommend ordering one to share – it’s definitely an acquired taste, so you might find you don’t want a whole one each!

You can keep the plastic mugs as a souvenir though (and there’s an area to wash them up so you don’t have a sticky mug in your bag for the rest of the day).

Or if you’re planning to make a special event of it, you can book a Harry Potter afternoon tea , with timed slots and a separate area to eat, currently £70 for two.

Set a budget for the gift shop

For Harry Potter fans, the gift shop at the end is almost as magical as the studio tour itself, and you could very easy spend a lot of money very quickly – especially if you’re considering clothing, wands and other bigger items.

Happily you can also get some souvenirs without breaking the bank, including chocolate frogs and other sweets, stationery and plenty of themed bits and bobs, including options for each of the four houses.

Whether you’re trying to prevent yourself spending your entire trip budget or want to reduce pestering from your kids, it’s well worth setting a budget before you go in, to avoid both temptation and tears.

Watch out for the added costs

While entry to the Warner Bros studio tour covers the cost of most things inside (barring food, drink and the gift shop), there are some extra charges if you want a photo posed on a broomstick, for example.

These are optional if you fancy trying the green screen experience without an official photo, and there is more free interactive fun and special effects, including making a broomstick jump up into your hand or having a go with a wand.

Keep your phone charged

It goes without saying that you’ll want to take photos as you explore, of everything from a chance to become a giant or wave a wand, to the amazing props and sets along the way.

So discovering your phone battery is almost flat as you arrive is something of a disaster.

You can buy branded portable phone chargers from the information desk for £15, but it’s better to keep your phone charged or to bring your own power bank – I’m a fan of this Anker portable charger which is compact but powerful enough to charge two devices at once.

There’s also WiFi inside in case you can’t wait to start sharing.

Don’t carry your bags all day

There’s a free cloakroom where you can leave coats, bags and suitcases while you visit, so you needn’t drag everything around with you all day.

You can also leave buggies and pushchairs there if you prefer not to take them in, although a limited number are allowed inside for each timeslot.

Skip the scary bits

If you’re visiting with younger kids, or arachnaphobes, it is possible to skip the scary bits – although there aren’t too many of these anyway.

Walking through the Forbidden Forest, there are two paths to choose between, so if you want to avoid Aragog entirely, you can. Make sure to ask staff as well if you also want to avoid him in the Creature Effects section towards the end.

The area on the Dark Arts is also off to one side, so you can skip past if you’re visiting with younger kids.

And staff are great too if you’ve got nervous younger fans with you – on our first visit, my then 5-year-old daughter was unexpectedly scared of Buckbeak. Staff offered to take us around to avoid walking past, then played a game to help her build up her courage to scurry past so we wouldn’t miss anything else.

Pick up an activity passport

There’s a free Activity Passport which includes puzzles, more trivia, a Golden Snitch hunt and space for souvenir stamps to collect along the way.

There’s so much information to take in, and so much to see and do that having this isn’t essential, but it does make a fun mini souvenir if you don’t want to buy the official guide, and is another fun option with kids if they are feeling overwhelmed or starting to lose interest at the sheer amount of detail.

And download the app

Download the Harry Potter Fan Club app before you visit, and you can use your Enchanted Keys to unlock more fun as you explore.

The app is free to download (from the appstore or Google Play ), and all you need to do is log in, tap the key symbol in the Discover tab and scan the Enchanted Keys whenever you spot them on the Studio Tour. That includes extra quizzes, more videos and other secrets of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.

But you don’t need a digital guide

Digital Guides are also available with added behind-the-scenes footage, more facts, interviews and so on.

Realistically, there is such a huge amount of information available as part of the main displays, that you really don’t need these to get the most out of your visit.

They are available in a string of languages as well as English, including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), Brazilian and Portuguese, so it’s one to consider if someone in your group has limited English though.

Let them know if it’s your birthday

If anyone in your group is celebrating their birthday, let them know at the entrance – not only will the birthday boy/girl get a badge, they can also play a special role at the start of the tour.

That’s all I’ll say so as not to spoil the surprise, but it’s something even the youngest Harry Potter fans can do and will love (as long as they’re not too shy).

Is it worth visiting?

If you’ve visited any other Harry Potter experience around the world, you might wonder is a visit to Harry Potter World worth it?

Personally, I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it. While you’ll get a taste of the wizarding world at Universal Studios in Orlando or recreated in the Forbidden Forest in Cheshire, for example, this is the only place where you can see the original props, visit the original sets and stand where the films themselves were made.

Don’t arrive expecting a theme park with rides but for fans, this really is unmissable.

For more Harry Potter locations in London and more Harry Potter days out in the UK , as well as places to stay near Harry Potter World , check out my top picks

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission . All tips for the Harry Potter studio tour in London are my own recommendations

Images copyright MummyTravels

Award-winning family travel blogger and mum to the mini traveller, aka Minnie. Together we've visited Europe, America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, tried a cruise and a road trip, and survived countless long-haul trips. London (UK) based. Serious beach habit.

Hi there, reading this leading up to taking our 8 year old daughter for her 8th birthday and on her actual birthday ! cannot wait as we are all massive fans and it’s our first visit, thankyou for a great write up and for the tips 🙂 Kind regards , Danny

Have an amazing time! Really glad they were helpful and what a great idea for a birthday present.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

A Complete Harry Potter Studio Tour London Review (+8 Top Tips)

When you have a Harry Potter fan in your family, one of the best experiences you can give them is a Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Before booking our Harry Potter Studio Tour, we had so many questions.

We thought it would be helpful to write a Harry Potter Studio Tour review to help other families get the most out of their visit.

As well as giving all our top tips for a successful visit to the Harry Potter Studios, we’ve answered a few FAQs at the end.

If you want to know what to expect, when to go and how to get tickets if WB Studios have sold out on the date you want… read on…

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and book or buy something, we may earn a small commission, but this is at no extra cost to you.

These are our top tips for making the most of your Warner Bros Studio Tour.

1. Do some research on the WB Studio Tour

This may sound like a strange tip. If you like Harry Potter, you’ll love the Warner Bros Studio Tour right?

Probably, yes. But maybe not.

It is a good idea to find out a little about the tour before you go. Thinking of the Harry Potter Studios as a museum is a good start.

Once you are in that mindset, your tour of the Harry Potter Studios will make more sense.

It is somewhere you can go to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films. You get to see real costumes, sets and props used in the movies and as the tour progresses, you get to see how the films were made.

The ‘tour’ is mostly self-guided, except for a little intro at the start.

We didn’t really have any idea what to expect. Our youngest (8) was expecting a theme park!

We obviously didn’t manage his expectations very well because he wasn’t really all that enthusiastic about it. But then, he wasn’t really a Harry Potter fan either.

Once you have decided that it is most definitely for you, snap up your tickets!

2. Buy your Harry Potter Studio Tour tickets in advance

If there’s only one thing we can tell you to make your trip to the WB Studios successful, it is to buy your tickets in advance.

The WB Studios Tour is hugely popular. People come from all over the world to visit and it is busy all year round.

It is absolutely essential that you buy your Harry Potter Studio Tour London tickets well in advance.

We booked our tickets 3 months in advance. It was a Monday during school term time in November and even then, there were barely any tickets left for the day we wanted.

Tickets are around £51 per person. You can buy them on the WB Studio website here . Children Under 4 are FREE and this is very telling. It is not really suitable for children under 4.

Top Tip : If you find that tickets are sold out on the day that you want, you can check a tour company as they should have more availability.

They are more expensive but may be your only option if you can’t be flexible on dates. GetYourGuide is a good place to look.

See here to book the best rated WB Studio tour (including transportation from London).

See here to book Harry Potter Studio Tour and a private transfer

See here for a family package tour from London (2 Adults & 2 Kids).

3. Do all the free things on the Harry Potter tour

You’ve spent a lot of money on your tickets so be sure to make the most of any freebies along the tour!

• Grab a free Activity Passport which includes a fun Golden Snitch hunt, puzzles and Harry Potter trivia. The passport also includes space for souvenir stamps that can be collected at key points throughout the tour such as Platform 9 ¾ and Gringotts Bank. You can collect the Passports from a staff member at any point during the Studio Tour.
• You don’t need to pay for an audio guide when you have staff members on hand to dish all the fascinating facts. They are hugely knowledgeable and love to talk about everything Harry Potter!
• The kids will be sure to love the free wand-duelling class next to the Forbidden Forest.
• Do the extra things like attempting to pick up the broomstick while muttering ‘Wingardium Leviosa’.

4. Grab your Harry Potter merchandise before your tour

If you want to keep the costs down during your visit to the Harry Potter Studios, you should consider buying any Harry Potter merch beforehand.

Items in the store at the studios are more expensive and if you’re visiting with kids, sometimes it can be hard to say no. Buying in advance gets around this issue.

Another thing to consider if you are going to by a gift is that buying it beforehand will mean that you will have it in your photos. You obviously can’t have your wand in your photos if you wait until the end of the tour to visit the store.

There is plenty of official merchandise on Amazon which you can browse here .

If you want other gift ideas for Harry Potter fans, take a look at this post on Harry Potter themed gifts for kids .

Having just said all this….just bear in mind that some of stuff in the shop is exclusive to the Harry Potter tour and you won’t be able to get it once you leave.

A final note on this, you can also visit the Harry Potter store at Platform 9 3/4 at London’s Kings Cross Station if you are staying in London. There you will find the trolley that passes through the wall and you can have your photo taken.

It is one of the best free things to do in London with kids (who are Harry Potter fans).

5. Buying professional photos at Harry Potter Studios

If you do want to buy the professional photos, wait until the end of the tour to do so.

You can collect the tickets as you go and then buy all together once you have seen them all. This will also save you time.

Just a word of warning here. The professional photos are very expensive (£14 for a photo).

You can sometimes take your own pictures but in some places (the train ride next to the Hogwarts Express) – it seemed to be strictly monitored.

In fact, I got told off for taking a photo before the experience had even started.

6. Take your time

You have to book a timeslot when you buy your Harry Potter tickets, but once you are in, you can take as long as you like.

Actually, once you are past The Great Hall, you can take as long as you like. Up until this point, you are on a guided tour and you need to stick with your group.

After this point, you are free to wander as you please.

Spend some time chatting to the staff. This guy in the photo below was great. He pretended to be a Goblin in Gringotts Bank and fooled a few people who were rushing by. They are so knowledgeable and interesting.

People tend to rush through to try to get ahead of the pack but if you hang back, you can often get better photos without loads of people in them.

Consider buying tickets towards the end of the day so that you are one of the last to leave.

You can, of course, be the first ones in but then there will be a steady stream of visitors all day. To be in with a chance of having the place almost to yourself, it is best to go later.

Last admission is 6.30pm and by about 8pm it starts to get quieter. The Studios close at 10pm.

7. The best bits of the tour at WB Studios

People ask what the best bits about the Harry Potter Studio tour were.

This is quite subjective because everyone’s opinions will differ. These are just our favourite bits of the Harry Potter Studios Tour:

• The dragon encounter in the vault under Gringotts Bank was pretty spectacular. We won’t spoil it but it is a little scary, especially for little ones.
• Pulling a potted Mandrake in Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse (in the outside area just after the Backlot Café).
• Wandering through the Forbidden Forest – watch out for those pesky spiders!
• Making Dobby dance.
• Taking a ride on the Hogwarts Express.

Tip for Diagon Alley at Harry Potter Studio Tour London

People come in waves so if this is your favourite part, hang around and see if you can get a photo without people in it.

This was the view just a few minutes later.

8. Consider taking food with you to save time

We would recommend taking your own food. Not only does it help keep costs down but it will also save time if you are in a rush. The queues can be quite long in the cafés and you won’t want to spend a long time waiting for food.

If you prefer to buy food at the Studios, here is some information on the restaurants at Harry Potter Studios.

There are a few places to eat at the Harry Potter Studios and they are reasonably priced. You can read more about the eateries here .

• Chocolate Frog Café  – in the main lobby serves a selection of hot and cold drinks and sweet treats.
• The Food Hall – in the main lobby serves a fairly comprehensive breakfast and lunch menu.
• The Backlot Café – at the half way point of the tour serves breakfast and lunch and, of course, Butterbeer.
• The Hub Café – in the main lobby serves hot and cold drinks and baked goods.

If you are having lunch there, the kids will love the Harry Potter bus shaped sandwich boxes.

If you want to try the Butterbeer, you probably only want to get one per family. You can ONLY buy the Butterbeer at the Backlot Café which is around the half way point (after seeing the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4).

Note – Butterbeer does not taste good! Children will probably prefer the Butterbeer Ice Cream.

Here are some FAQs about visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour London

We are often asked about our Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Understandably, when you’re spending a lot of money on something, you want to make sure it is worth it. And once you’ve made the decision to go, you want to make sure you get the most out of your visit.

Here are some of the questions we get asked about the Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Where are the Warner Bros Studios?

We thought we would start with this for anyone unaware that the Warner Bros Studios are actually NOT IN LONDON.

It is easy to get to the Harry Potter studios from London though.

Note that the Warner Bros Studio Tour is right next door to the Warner Bros Studios.

The address for WB Studios is :

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Studio Tour Drive Leavesden WD25 7LR.

The easiest way to reach the WB Studios from London is by train.

The closest train station to Harry Potter Studios is Watford Junction . Trains depart from London Euston and take around 20 minutes.

You can get a WB Studios shuttle bus from Watford Junction. The journey is included in your ticket price.

You can also arrange guided tours from London if you don’t want to take the train. We recommend this one.

We live very close to the studios so we drove. There is an enormous car park and parking is free.

There are also hotels nearby if you prefer to stay in the area. Here is a list of hotels near the Warner Bros Studios for families .

See here for our recommendations for hotels in London for families .

If you are staying in London with kids, there are loads of fun Harry Potter experiences in London . We also have a whole section on the blog for visiting London with kids .

Do you need to be a Harry Potter fan to enjoy the Harry Potter studio tour?

One of the most frequently asked questions about the Harry Potter Studio tour is whether or not you need to like Harry Potter.

Based on our experience with one child who loves Harry Potter and the other who doesn’t, I would say it really does help to be a Harry Potter fan.

I love the Harry Potter films. Admittedly, I haven’t read the books and am told by my son that the books are better.

Either way, I would class myself as a Harry Potter fan (although not fanatical) and I enjoyed the tour.

It is an interesting experience and unless you actually dislike Harry Potter, I can’t think that you wouldn’t enjoy the tour.

How long does the Harry Potter tour take?

The Harry Potter tour lasts as long as you want it to really. You could be the first one in and the last one out.

There are parts that you cannot go back to and do again though (like the Hogwarts Dining Hall) so make sure you have completed each area fully before you move on.

Ideally you should allow at least 3 – 4 hours to do the Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Is Harry Potter Studio Tour all inside?

We thought that the tour was all inside but actually, around 10% of the WB Studio tour is outside.

This is something you need to consider if you are visiting in the winter or when it is raining.

When you arrive, you have the option of storing your coats in the cloakroom but you might not want to store your coats if you think you will get cold easily.

Having said that, you will only spend around 10-15 minutes outside so weigh up the need to carry your coat around the rest of the tour.

We kept our coats but they were just lightweight puffer jackets by Mountain Warehouse . They were easy to fold down into our Osprey day bag .

What age is best for the Harry Potter Studio tour?

There is no age restriction at the Harry Potter Studio tour.

We mentioned briefly above, however, that children under 4 are free because the tour isn’t really suited to young children.

Firstly, it is best if they have a slight concept at least of Harry Potter. Secondly, there is a lot of walking involved.

If you are thinking about taking kids on the WB Studio tour, we would recommend waiting until they have seen the films or read the books before taking them.

Having said that, children aged 6+ will get something out of the visit. But then you need to think whether it is worth paying that money for them to potentially not enjoy it.

When is the best time to visit Harry Potter World London?

If at all possible, go on a weekday during term time. Easier said than done when you have school aged kids. If you have an inset day, maybe consider using it to visit the Studios.

We visited on a Monday and booked one of the last tickets of the day.

Don’t be fooled when you arrive and there is no queue for the ‘Tour Entrance’.

From here, you pass through into a holding area and it will fill up. We got so excited when we saw there was no queue (photo below).

We also visited during Hogwarts in the Snow. It is one of the things we recommend for kids to do at Christmas in London . It was so pretty seeing the sets covered in snow. You even get to see how they make the snow at the end of the tour.

If you can, time your visit to coincide with one of the special events. The best are the Dark Arts which is a great Halloween event for kids . See other places to visit at Halloween in London with kids . Hogwarts in the Snow (around Christmas) is also great.

And finally – is the Harry Potter Studio Tour London worth it?

We thought we would leave this to the end so that you have enough information to make up your own mind.

For so  many, the London Harry Potter Studio Tour is one of the best Harry Potter experiences in the UK .

Personally, we have mixed opinions.

For Harry Potter fans, yes it is worth it. For younger children, no it probably isn’t.

It is a lot of money but you can spend an entire day there if you want which makes it seem more reasonable.

We hope you found our review of the Harry Potter Studio Tour helpful. If you have any questions that we haven’t covered, please drop us a line and we’d be happy to help.

If you’re thinking of visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort, don’t miss our recommendations for family-friendly hotels near Universal Orlando .

We participate in various affiliate marketing programs. Flashpacking Family is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Most popular posts

Guide to visiting Lake Louise, Canada

Jordan itinerary

Sri Lanka’s best beaches

Things to do in Suffolk with kids

Free things to do in London for kids

Protect Your Trip »

The 10 Best Harry Potter Tours in London

Grab your wands and prepare for a magical trip through London.

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

A highlight of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is seeing the model of Hogwarts.

Though you won't find Eeylops Owl Emporium, Flourish and Blotts, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes or Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in London 's streets, that doesn't mean you can't indulge in the world of "Harry Potter." Knowledgeable witches and wizards lead themed tours that discuss not only filming locations for the beloved Potter films, but also the wizarding world's most famous individuals like Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Consulting Muggle traveler opinion as well as expert input from the top witches and wizards, U.S. News & World Report found the best Harry Potter London tours on offer.

Note: These tours take place on foot, by bus or on trains, so it's best to leave your brooms and Floo powder at home.

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

Price: From 51.50 pounds (around $64) per person Duration: 3.5 hours

For Potterheads, no trip to London is complete without a stop to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter , which explores how the "Harry Potter" films were made. During the self-guided visit, travelers will wander the Diagon Alley set, board the Hogwarts Express, view props and costumes and much, much more. Visit around Halloween for the Dark Arts or the winter holidays for Hogwarts in the Snow; the tour is decked out in seasonal décor for both events.

"As both a filmmaker and 'Harry Potter' fan, I was absolutely blown away by this tour," says Leilani Osmundson , digital producer at U.S. News Travel. "The sets, props and costumes were incredible and very well-maintained, and there were written explanations for almost everything." Osmundson suggests staying at the back of the group when entering the Great Hall for a chance to snag photos with fewer people in the shot when the group moves on. Keep in mind, this great experience comes with equivalent fees: Travelers warn of high ticket prices and expensive souvenirs. To avoid crowds, get to the studio early.

Tickets start at 51.50 pounds (about $64) per person. Children 3 and younger as well as caregivers can explore for free. Ticket packages that include a stay at a hotel or afternoon tea cost extra. Hours vary depending on the day. The tour is self-paced and you can explore as long as you wish, but you'll want at least 3.5 hours (more if you're a die-hard fan who wants to take in every detail). The tour is located in Leavesden, Watford, which is about 20 miles northeast of central London. Take the train to Watford Junction then board the complimentary shuttle to the studio.

View & Book Tickets: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Evan Evans Tours – Harry Potter Film Locations Walking Tour

Price: Adults from 29 pounds (about $36); kids from 24 pounds (around $30) Duration: 3 hours

Along this three-hour walking tour, you'll see the telephone booth that takes you to the Ministry of Magic, the Millennium Bridge and King's Cross Station, among other top filming locations. Tour-takers say the guides share fun Potter facts along with information about London.

Tours depart at both 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets cost 29 pounds (approximately $36) for adults and 24 pounds (about $30) for kids 3 to 16. You will also need a valid travel card for the Underground, as part of the tour is on the tube. The outing is not accessible. Evan Evans tours also runs an outing that buses trip-takers to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.

View & Book Tickets: Viator | GetYourGuide

Courtesy of Tour for Muggles

Tour for Muggles

Price: Adults from 17 pounds (about $21); kids from 15 pounds (around $19) Duration: 2 hours

"Harry Potter" fans praise the witches and wizards who lead this tour, saying they are full of fun information and are passionate storytellers. A few note that if you're traveling solo, this is a great tour to take. The two-hour tour takes travelers throughout London – including across the Thames – and tells stories about Harry, Ron and Hermione along the way.

You'll meet your guide near the Monument tube station. The walking tour costs 17 pounds (around $21) for adults and 15 pounds (about $19) for children younger than 12.

See Your City – Original Harry Potter Locations Tour

Price: From $19.04 Duration: 2 hours

During See Your City's two-hour jaunt, you'll not only learn about the filming of "Harry Potter" (including the bridge destroyed in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"), but guides will also quiz you along the way so you can earn points for your house. Travelers praise the guides for their fun and informative delivery, saying that there are several spots on the tour that they wouldn't have seen by themselves.

Tickets cost about $20 per person and run mornings at 10:30 a.m., and afternoons at 2 and 7 p.m. In addition to English, See Your City conducts tours in Italian, German, French, Spanish and British Sign Language. The company runs other "Harry Potter"-themed tours, including one that explores London by boat and one that runs at night.

International Friends – Small Group Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter & Oxford

Price: Adults from 174 pounds; kids from 169 pounds Duration: 11 hours

This daylong tour begins with a visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to see the sets (including the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid's Hut and the Great Hall), costumes and props from the films. After spending four hours at the studio, the coach will whisk you away to nearby Oxford where guides will take you on a walking tour of the university buildings and city streets. Tourgoers call this an excellent way to spend the day and appreciated the stop in Oxford.

Tour tickets start at 174 pounds (about $216) for adults and 169 pounds (approximately $210) for kids ages 5 to 15. Trips depart from central London around 8:30 a.m. and return around 7:45 p.m. In addition to "Harry Potter" outings, International Friends runs "Downton Abbey" tours.

Courtesy of London With a Local

London With a Local – Free Harry Potter Wizarding Tour

Price: Free Duration: 2 hours

Tourgoers routinely encourage "Harry Potter" fans to take this tour, saying the guides and stories shared are both fantastic. The walking tour meets at Palace Theatre, where the play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" performs. (While seeing the play isn't part of the tour, you may want to grab tickets to the show while you're in London.) From there, guides will lead you down Diagon and Knockturn alleys (aka Charing Cross Road) and past buildings that inspired the Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the Ministry of Magic. Be sure to refresh your trivia knowledge, too, as guides quiz travelers for the Hogwarts Trivia House Cup.

Outings last about two hours. Tours depart at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., but daily availability can vary. The tour is free, though tips for the guide are appreciated. London With a Local runs other movie- and book-based free tours, including James Bond and Sherlock Holmes tours.

View & Book Tickets: London With a Local

Brit Movie Tours – Wizards London Bus Tour

Price: Adults from 32.50 pounds (about $40); kids from 21 pounds Duration: 3.5 hours

Hop on an air-conditioned bus to see spots in London that served as a backdrop for the eight "Harry Potter" films. Sites tourgoers will see include the spot used for the Leaky Cauldron, the spot where the Knight Bus squished itself through traffic and more. Along the way, guides will quiz you about the books. Plus you'll see a few spots from the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise. Many travelers say the bus tour is a bargain and praise the guides. A few others note they could have found the stops by themselves.

Tours run year-round on Sundays (usually at 9:30 or 10:30 a.m.) as well as Wednesdays at 2 p.m. in the warmer months. Availability can vary, however. Tickets start at 32.50 for adults (about $40) and 21 pounds (roughly $26) for kids 15 and younger. Brit Movie Tours also runs a walking version of this tour.

London Top Sight Tours – Harry Potter Azkaban Tour (Film Locations & Prison)

Price: From 69 pounds (about $86) Duration: 3 hours

This tour focuses on the famous prison that housed some of the Death Eaters (followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named): Azkaban. Tour-takes will visit the Clink Prison Museum, which inspired J.K. Rowling when writing about the wizard prison. Additionally, this walking tour stops at two "Harry Potter"-themed shops as well as other locations from the films. London tourists say the guides do an excellent job.

Tours last three hours and depart from King's Cross. Tickets start at 69 pounds (roughly $86) per person and include the entry ticket to the Clink Prison Museum. Keep in mind you'll also need a topped up travel card for the tube. Tours run at 10 a.m. and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. daily. The company runs a variety of other London tours, as well as private tours.

City Wonders – Fully Guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Price: Adults from $310; kids from $297 Duration: 6 hours

As the name implies, City Wonders conducts fully guided excursions to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Guides meet the tour group – of no more than eight individuals – at the Euston War Memorial before boarding a train to get to the studio. Upon arrival, a trained guide will lead your group through the Studio Tour. You'll view props, costumes and sets like Ollivander's, the Gryffindor common room and more. Along the way, guides will share interesting tidbits about the movies. Travelers say the tours are excellent and the guided portion through The Making of Harry Potter is extra special. They also say that sampling Butterbeer or other magic foods is a must, but warn of long lines for concessions.

The tour starts at $310 for adults, $297 for children 5 to 15 and $12 for infants 4 and younger. It lasts about six hours and departs at 11:05 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. daily. City Wonders runs a variety of tours, including outings to the British Museum and the Tower of London .

Free Tours by Foot – Harry Potter Walking Tour London

Price: Free Duration: 2.5 hours

If you're hoping to save some knuts, sickles and galleons on a London trip, this could be a great tour option. As the name implies, Free Tours by Foot runs pay-what-you-wish walking tours. The "Harry Potter" tour will go by Westminster Tube station (as seen in "The Order of the Phoenix"), Godwin's Court (Knockturn Alley), St. Paul's and Trafalgar Square, among other top sites. Travelers say it is a wonderful tour, as guides share information about both the boy wizard and London history.

Tours run Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Though tours are free, reservations are required. Additionally, part of the tour takes place on the tube, so make sure you have plenty of money on a travel card.

View & Book Tickets: Free Tours by Foot

Harry Potter Tours in Scotland

London isn't the only place in the United Kingdom to get your Potter fix. Scotland – where you'll find the real-life Hogwarts Express and Hogwarts castle – is another must-visit destination for fans. Here are some tours to consider:

• Free Harry Potter Tour: Explore Edinburgh on foot to hear about the influence the city had on the books. Book on Free Harry Potter Tour .
• The Magical Highlands Tour (Includes Steam Train Journey): See the Scottish Highlands and take a ride on the Jacobite steam train (aka the Hogwarts Express). Book on GetYourGuide .
• Harry Potter & the Hogwarts Express: Visit filming locations in the Highlands including the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Book on HAGGiS Adventures .
• J.K. Rowling's Edinburgh: Traverse city streets to learn about the Potter stories and their creator. Book on The Potter Tour .
• The Potter Trail: Grab a wand and explore Potterific sites around Edinburgh on this free tour. Book on The Potter Trail .
• Edinburgh Harry Potter Tour: Find out where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is buried and the namesakes for some of the characters. Book on Viator .
• Harry Potter Tour: Walk by Edinburgh Castle, the Elephant House and more on this tour. Book on: Viator | Get Your Guide .
• Jacobite Steam Train Experience. Take a ride on the Hogwarts Express and snap photos of Cairngorms National Park. Book on Scottish Tours .
• Immersive Harry Potter Tour. Get quizzed on your magical knowledge while walking through Edinburgh. Book on: Viator | Get Your Guide .

You may also be interested in:

• The Best London Tours
• The Best Sightseeing Tours of Buckingham Palace
• Take a Photo Tour of London
• The Best Daytrips from London
• The Best Scotland Tours

Tags: Tours , Travel , London

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

The best pigeon forge dinner shows.

Korrin Bishop April 9, 2024

Flight Canceled or Delayed? What to Do

Amanda Norcross April 8, 2024

Carry-on Luggage Sizes by Airline

The Best Charleston Tours

John Rodwan April 4, 2024

The Best Napa Valley Wine Tours

Amanda Norcross April 4, 2024

The 10 Best Denver Tours

Lyn Mettler April 4, 2024

Top Memorial Day Weekend Getaways

Nicola Wood April 3, 2024

The Best Way to Renew a Passport

Amanda Norcross April 3, 2024

The Best Checked Luggage

Erin Evans , Rachael Hood , Catriona Kendall , Sharael Kolberg , Amanda Norcross and Leilani Osmundson April 3, 2024

The Best Venice Tours

Lyn Mettler and Marisa Méndez April 2, 2024

• NORTHERN IRELAND
• TRAVEL TIPS

20 Tips for visiting the Harry Potter Studios in London

Looking for some useful tips for visiting the Harry Potter Studios in London ? We are here to help!

If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter series, a trip to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London is a must-do.

Located in Watford, the WB Harry Potter Studios are where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.

Here you will find everything that was used to make the films. This includes some of the sets (such as the Grand Hall), the props, the costumes but also many interactive attractions.

It’s important to note that this is not a theme park like you would find in Orlando. These were the actual studios and they were turned into more of an exhibition for visitors to learn more about the movies and how they were made.

So, are you ready to discover all our Harry Potter studios tips? Let’s get started!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!

🔎 Table of Contents

1. Book your tickets in advance

The Studio Tour is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions , and tickets often sell out.

There are two ways you can book tickets for the Harry Potter Studios.

The first one is to book your ticket directly on the Warner Bros studios website . This is ideal if you are booking well in advance and don’t want transport included.

The second option is to book a tour from London . This will include the entrance to the studios as well as transportation from central London.

As a general thing, it is advisable to book at least 2 or 3 months in advance if you are booking direct.

As previously mentioned, tickets sell out fast! Also, it’s important to take into consideration the season since some periods are busier than others.

The studios are open most days but they do close for a few days in November and around Christmas time so make sure to check this beforehand.

Click here to book your ticket

2. Book a tour from London if you are looking for last-minute tickets

If you’re looking for tickets last minute and none of them is available on the website, don’t worry! You can also book a tour from London that includes the entrance to the studios and transportation.

You can book these tours even if they are tickets on the website since they include transportation so they work out about the same price as paying for everything separately (Ticket, tube, train and shuttle) but they are particularly convenient when you want to score some last-minute tickets.

The fact is that we can’t always plan months or weeks in advance so if you are already in London or are going soon and really want to visit the Harry Potter studios, make sure to book one of these tours.

3. Book an early slot and arrive early to maximize your time at the Studios

When you book your ticket, you will be asked to choose a timed entrance.

The studios open at 10 AM so you can book anytime from then.

In average, visitors spend 4 hours in the studios however, you are actually free to stay as long as you want.

This means that if you want to get there at 10AM and stay until it closes in the evening, you can do so!

For this reason, I highly recommend to book an early slot (10AM, 10:30AM and 11AM are ideal).

That way, you will have loads of time to explore, take your time for lunch and will have more than enough time.

If you are a huge Harry Potter fan, this is the best tip you’ll find!

Regardless, even if you don’t want to spend more than 4 hours, you can always leave whenever you wish and will have the afternoon to enjoy your time in London.

If you take a midday slot, you will need to dedicate the entire day to the Harry Potter Studios since it will take a couple of hours to get there and back.

3. Plan your journey from London

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is located in Leavesden, which is about 30 miles from London.

While this doesn’t seem too far away, you will actually need between 1 and 2 hours to get there from central London.

There are different ways to get there but the most convenient is by taking a tour that includes transportation.

This way, you don’t have to worry about anything and will be taken straight to the studios.

If you want to do it yourself, then head to Euston station and take a train to Watford junction (you can use your Oyster card for that but it’s one of the furthest zones so the cap will be a bit high).

From Watford Junction, simply walk across to the carpark and you will see the Harry Potter buses. They are impossible to miss since they are entirely decorated.

The shuttle will take you straight to the studios and costs £6 return.

Make sure to keep your ticket for the return!

READ MORE: 20 Best Harry Potter Things to do in London

4. Consider driving (if you have a car and are not in London)

If you are not in London and have a car, driving is definitely a good way to go. You can easily get there and the area is not busy. It’s actually pretty remote.

There is free parking at the studios so that’s definitely a plus!

If you’ve been on the website, you may have seen that there is a closer carpark for £10 but the free carpark is very close. It only takes 1 minute (if even) to get to the entrance so unless you or one of your passengers can’t walk 100 yards, you can simply use the free carpark.

When you get there, follow the signs to the carpark. You will be asked to show your ticket to enter so keep it handy.

If you get there before 11 AM, it should be pretty empty too.

5. Dress appropriately

Since you will be walking around a lot, it’s advisable to dress comfortably.

The studios are air-conditioned so you might feel cold in the beginning but once you start walking, you will warm up.

It’s also important to take into consideration that there might be some rain and since some parts of the studios are outdoors, you may want to take a good jacket.

There is a fair bit of walking around so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Finally, I would advise you not to wear straight or short skirts since it could be uncomfortable if you are trying the Quidditch activities.

6. Wear your Harry Potter clothes and accessories!

This one is a no-brainer. If you’re dressing up for the occasion, why not go all out and wear your Harry Potter clothes and accessories?

You will fit right in and will feel like you are a part of the magic!

Also, you will be taking a lot of photos and they will look even better if you are a bit dressed up!

Rest reassured, you don’t actually need to rock your cape but don’t hesitate to wear your Hogwarts house scarf or a hat.

7. Ask loads of questions!

The staff working at the Harry Potter studios are really friendly and they love answering questions.

There are people in each room and although it may look like they are watching everything, they are actually here to answer your questions and tell you more about what you see.

Don’t hesitate to go see them and ask your questions. If you don’t have any questions, then just ask them if they have any interesting facts to share with you. They will have loads!

For example, if you are in the Gringotts Bank, they will tell you how it was built. They may also mention the Harry Potter reunion since it was filmed in the studios and Tom Felton was sitting there for parts of it.

They will also show you some hidden gems.

Basically, they have extensive knowledge and talking with them will make your experience even better.

They all speak English but a lot of people also speak other languages. Make sure to look at their badge to see which language they speak.

8. Take loads of photos!

This is another no-brainer. The Harry Potter Studios are a paradise when it comes to photo opportunities.

You will want to take loads of photos and you should not refrain.

This is your one chance to get loads of Harry Potter themed pictures!

There are so many photo spots in the studios including Platform 9 3/4, the Great Hall, the Gringotts Bank and more.

Take your time and if you need someone else to take a photo, don’t hesitate to ask one of the other visitors.

Everyone is here to enjoy the studios and nobody would run with your phone. Also, they may ask you to take a picture of them in return. Win-Win!

9. Take your time

This is probably the most important tip I can give you.

The Harry Potter studios are a lot to take in and there is so much to see!

I would advise you to not rush through it and to take your time. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you should enjoy it!

As previously mentioned, you are not being rushed for time here. You can stay as long as you want so take your time and enjoy.

If you are scared you are taking too much time and will then have to rush, here is a tip.

The restaurant is located halfway through the tour so as long as you don’t reach it, that means you haven’t done half.

Once you do, you can consider it will take you as much time to finish.

10. Get a Harry Potter passport and the stamps!

The Warner Bros studios were built in a very interactive way. They did everything they could to make sure that visitors would have fun and would bring back loads of memories

If you want, you can get a Harry Potter passport and the stamps of all the places you visit!

You can get them at the entrance or by the first stamp station.

You will find different pages with stories and games as well as a spot to get your stamps.

The stamp stations are located all around the studios. You can see where is the next one by simply turning the pages.

It’s very fun and you will enjoy looking for the stamp stations. Also, it’s free and you get to take it back home!

11. Do a Harry Potter Quiz

If you want to add a bit of fun to the experience, you could consider playing a bit and doing a Harry Potter quiz!

You can find a free Harry Potter quiz here . Get it on your phone or print it beforehand and ask your crew the questions.

This will test your knowledge of Harry Potter and will create a fun atmosphere during the visit.

12. Get food at the Harry Potter Studios or bring your own

The Harry Potter Studios have a restaurant located on the premises. This is a great opportunity to get some food and relax for a bit, especially since it’s located about halfway through the tour.

The restaurant has a wide variety of food, including vegan and vegetarian options. It’s also really affordable! Your meal should cost under £10 and can be paid cash or on card.

This is a pleasant surprise since usually restaurants are very expensive in this kind of things.

Since it’s so easy and affordable, I recommend to get food there.

However, it’s important to know that you are allowed to bring food in. If you are travelling with kids, this will be a cheaper option.

You can find picnic areas outside, just next to the knight bus and the bridge.

Please note that you will also find a Starbucks and a snack place at the entrance (once you went through the security control but before starting the tour itself).

You can fill out bottles of water as well so I would highly recommend to take a bottle beforehand.

13. Try a butterbeer

It doesn’t get any more Harry Pottery than a good butterbeer.

Butterbeer is the ultimate wizarding drink and you can’t get it in many places since the recipe is secret. The Harry Potter Studios in London are one of the rare places in the world where you can get a real butterbeer.

Getting one is a must-do! You will either love it or hate but this is not really the point. It’s just a cool thing to do and to experience at least once.

Also, if you get it in the butterbeer mug, it will be a great prop for photos!

The butterbeer bar is located right by the restaurant (Backlot Café). You can get it in a regular plastic class or in a butterbeer mug (it costs £3 more but it’s a nice souvenir).

Since it’s right by the knight bus and the Dursley house, you can take beautiful photos holding your butterbeer.

Please note that a butterbeer is alcohol-free and therefore suitable for children.

That having been said, it’s very sweet so you may want to share it with someone. You may not manage to finish it on your own.

14. Use the Harry Potter Fan Club App

The Harry Potter Fan Club App is a great way to get extra content and make the most of your visit.

Available on both Android and iOS, it includes a map of the studios, videos, photos and more.

15. Do all the green screen attractions

A lot of scenes in the Harry Potter movies were created using special effects and CGI. Amongst them, you will find all the Quidditch scenes.

Basically, and without being spoiler, the actors would ride their broom in front of a green screen and the images in the background would be added in post production.

You will find these green screen sets in the studios and not only do you get to see them, but you can also try them!

There are two of them, the Quidditch and the train carriages right by the Hogwarts Express.

As you get there, you will realise that photos are being taken and you have to pay extra to get them. While this is true, it’s important to note that you can do them and not buy the photos.

The photos are nice souvenirs but there will be no pressure to buy them.

Knowing that, you might as well make the best of the experience and get in line to play some quidditch!

This is important to note because these attractions are very good fun and super interactive. You will have such a good time doing them but yet, a lot of people skip thinking they have to pay.

You do not have to pay to do it. You simply have to pay if you want to buy the photos but once again, there is no obligation to do so.

16. Get a digital guide if you speak another language

The Harry Potter Studios are all in English and while this is not an issue for some, if English is not your first language, you may struggle with some of the explanations or even names (all names were translated differently).

For this reason, it could be a great idea to get a digital guide. They can be hired at the entrance for less than £5 and provide information and facts in many languages including French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and more.

You can book it with your ticket beforehand or simply head to the reception desk and ask for one. You will be provided a small digital screen and headphone and can go around the studios while learning even more about the world of Harry Potter.

17. Use the free Wi-Fi

The Harry Potter Studios offer free Wi-Fi which is great because it means you won’t have to use your data roaming while you’re there!

Also, the coverage is not always great in certain parts of the studios so it comes very handy to have free Wi-Fi available.

18. Use the cloakroom

Located at the entrance, the cloakroom is free of charge which is perfect if you want to leave your bag or coat.

They will be safe and sound at the cloakroom and you won’t have to lug things around.

That having been said, it can be a bit cold in certain parts of the studios and of course outside, so I wouldn’t leave everything there.

19. Watch the movies before you go

If you want to make the most of your visit, watching the Harry Potter movies is a must.

As you know, the Harry Potter Studios are entirely dedicated to the movies. This is not about the books.

Of course the movies were based on the books but the WB are very much about the movies.

If you want to learn more about the books, make sure to visit Edinburgh. It will be a much better place for that.

Knowing that you will discover everything about the movies, it would be much better if you watch them before going.

Not only will you recognise many of the sets and props but you will also understand more of the references.

It will get you excited and you will have the images very fresh in your mind which will enhance your experience.

20. Get some souvenirs

The gift shop at the studios is great and it’s definitely worth leaving with a few souvenirs.

There are many different items available, including clothes, wands, prop replicas and more.

While they are not cheap, they are definitely worth buying as they will remind you of your amazing day at the Harry Potter Studios!

You may also be interested in:

• The Ultimate Guide for visiting the Harry Potter Studios in London: tips, tricks & Review
• 20 Best Harry Potter Things to do in London
• Harry Potter in Scotland: 13 Harry Potter locations & experiences you can only have in Scotland
• Harry Potter Train in Scotland: Ultimate Guide to riding the Jacobite train in real life

Founder of Beeloved City, I am originally from France and have been living in the UK since 2016. I've travelled to 25 countries as a backpacker, travel coordinator and for holidays. I spent a year in Australia before eventually settling down in Manchester, England

A Magical Guide to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour in London

Grab your wands and white-spotted owls muggles. It’s time to board the Hogwarts Express to a magical world you thought only existed in the chapters of a book and the big screens of movies.

On this adventure you get to go behind the scenes at Warner Bros Studios on the Harry Potter London tour.

The Making of Harry Potte r studio tour is a fascinating insight into the technology and whole team effort that goes into creating blockbuster movies while maintaining the integrity of the story from which they came.

Not only can you visit the film sets and see some of the movie props , but you can also drink butterbeer, interact with some of the magic, and purchase your favorite Harry Potter Merchandise.

Don’t get this place confused with the Harry Potter World in Universal Studios . This one is NOT a theme park with roller coasters, recreated Hogsmeade villages, or Hogwarts express rides. This is a self-guided tour through the real-life working film studios!

In this guide we’ll share everything you need to know about taking a Harry Potter Warner Bros studio tour in London from getting tickets, what you can see and do, and some cool interactive experiences.

Let’s start with a few logistics before sharing the experience.

What if there are no tickets available?

• Platform 9¾

The Studio Shop

Where are the harry potter london studios.

The Harry Potter Studios are located in the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden, 20 miles Northwest of Central London. It makes for a fantastic day trip from London (or half day!)

Magic is not the only thing stirred up at these studios. It’s one of the largest studios in the UK and is the location for many films including the Fantastic Beasts series, Paddington, Mission Impossible, and Batman.

What is the Harry Potter Tour London?

The Making of Harry Potter is a self-guided tour that takes you through two soundstages and a backlot filled with original sets, props, costumes, animatronic creatures, and special effects from the movies.

For more than a decade, talented men and women and childhood stars filled this studio to give life to the magic of the books we all love so much into our real worlds.

Thousands of artifacts were left behind after filming finished in 2010 , so in order to preserve and showcase them and bring the filmmaking magic to Harry Potter fans around the world, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter was created.

Doors opened on the 31 st of March 2012 to thousands of wannabe wizards and witches from around the world and it has since become one of the best things to do in London .

There are many Harry Potter film locations all over the UK, but they filmed most of the last movies in the series in the lots at the Warner Bros Studio in London.  

All about Warner Bros Studio Tickets!

How much does the harry potter studio tour cost.

As of June 2022, The Harry Potter Studio tour costs:

• Adult – £49.95
• Child – £39.95
• Family – £159
• Under 4s: free

We saved a little bit of money by purchasing the family pass . (that covered our 2 adults and 2 kids)

Reserve tickets well in advance. They book out very quickly. We booked about 3 weeks in advance once we had our itinerary set for our trip to London and had little options left. And we traveled off-season and right at the end of the pandemic. If you’re traveling during the summer, I’d book months in advance if you can!

There also may be special exhibitions during your tour.

The tour is accessible , and visitors can bring one carer free of charge.

Ticket prices include the electric bus shuttle from nearby Watford Junction station.

Where do you buy tickets?

You can only buy tickets online – you CANNOT purchase them at the gates!

Note: Tickets are timed entry, which keeps visitor numbers lower. I’d make sure you turn up on time, so you don’t miss your entry. We arrived about an hour early so stopped in at Bake Wise for a coffee at Watford while we waited to get the bus from the station.

They won’t let you into the studios if you are early, so you’ll just be waiting in the car park!

Wipe your tears muggles! Wizards don’t cry, they get to work finding a solution. Wave that wand. The luck you seek may be found hidden with a tour group company.

The tour group ticketing system is a little different so you may get lucky with some spare tickets. It’s a good last-minute option. It will mean you’ll be venturing with a group , and it may be slightly more expensive. Some of them may even include transport. (However, it’s easy to get to the studios using public transport. More on that down below). Check tour availability here.

Is the Harry Potter Studio tour in London worth it?

The Harry Potter Studio tour at Warner Bros is expensive. BUT, I think it’s totally worth it, especially if you are visiting London with kids, or love the books and movies yourself.

If I compare it to other attractions I’ve done around the world, the price is good for what you get. There is no price on magic!

It’s one of London’s best attractions for a reason so I would allow room in your budget for it.

All of us LOVED it. Kalyra (our 14 year old) was thrilled when we told the girls we were going to London because it meant she could finally go to the studios – a dream of hers for years. (It made her London for teens list!)

Craig hasn’t seen all of the movies, nor read any of the books, yet he thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

Savannah (10 yrs) has only read a few of the books and is starting to become more of a devoted fan. She decked herself out with Ravenclaw gear after visiting the Studios.

Harry Potter World London (as some call it) is a fantastic way to allow muggle children to feel magic and help them discover what can happen when you dream big. That alone is worth the ticket price.

Next, I’ll share a few Harry Potter World tour extras that may enhance the magic.

The Harry Potter Digital Guide

At Harry Potter World London, you can rent a digital guide , which is a multimedia device with headphones that you wear around your neck.

The device shares fascinating facts about the sets, props, and costumes on the tour via audio, video, and picture galleries. It features behind-the-scenes footage, stories, and interviews with those involved in the production – cast and crew.

I was the only one in our group who purchased the self-guided multi-media digital guide. Craig and the girls were content to wander around looking at all the sets.

The digital guide enhanced the experience for me, and I think it’s a worthy upgrade.

I learned a lot, including how the original director pushed back HARD against the Americanization of the films i.e. making Hermione American or adding in cheerleaders for Quidditch. He was adamant the movies keep the British integrity of the books. And for that we honor him. Hogwarts does not need cheerleaders or Starbucks!

For most of the sets there will be a clip from the relevant movie scene so you can see how that set came to life on the screen while standing in front of it.

You can hire them digital guides for £4.95 upon arrival in the lobby (or you can pre-book).

FOR KIDS: Activity Passport

While our teen did not want the activity passport, Savannah and I had loads of fun filling it out. It’s a fun souvenir to take home and is completely free.

The Activity Passport is a small booklet with a few trivia and puzzles , which we didn’t do as we were too caught up in the set magic. There are several stations set up throughout the tour, for you to stamp your booklet.

Souvenir Guidebook

After the magical experience on the studio tour, I couldn’t help but purchase the Making of the Harry Potter Souvenir Guidebook. It’s full of fun facts, in-depth information about the films stories and behind the scenes stories and secrets, and beautiful photography.

I think it’s worth it for true Harry Potter fans as a memory evoking souvenir.

You can pre-book your Souvenir Guidebook when you purchase your tickets.

How long do you need for the Harry Potter Studios Tour?

It took us about 3.5 hours to go through the tour. You could easily stay longer, especially if you get the digital guides.

I would say allow for at least four hours. They do allow for that amount of time with their last ticket allocation entry time before closing. Once you enter the studios, you aren’t on a time limit so can stay as long as you like!

The Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour Highlights

Okay, now let’s start the magic! You’ll begin by seeing the tiny cupboard under the stairs and a room full of posters for each of the movies, some life-sized figures of Hagrid and the other other characters, before moving into a small room for a special effects introduction.

In true Harry Potter style, the walls above will have moving figures of people sharing their stories and feelings about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Guides will then take you to a theater to watch a small trailer about the movies.

Then the self-guided tour begins when the doors slide open, and the smoke slowly unveils the Great Hall.

The Great Hall

I was expecting to gasp upon first sight of the Great Hall, but for some reason, it didn’t capture my imagination as much.

When we visited, the Great Hall was set up to be in the style of Order of the Phoenix so perhaps its darker version didn’t feel so enchanting. And also, there is no stunning arched ceiling as they created that using visual effects.

But there is a teacher’s table at the tip of the room where the Hogwarts professors sat, two tables on the side set for dinner, and costumes of students from each Hogwarts House.

I gasped more walking into the Great Hall in Christ Church in Oxford , which is said to be what the Hogwarts Great Hall was modeled on. Plus, all the tables were set out in Christ Church which made it feel more real.

As you walk out of the Great Hall and into the interior sets at Harry Potter London studios, you’ll see informational displays of the production team as well as costumes from the Yule Tide Ball and its beautiful ice sculpture.

Interior Sets

It’s only walking through the interior sets of the Gryffindor Boys Dormitory, the Common Room, Dumbledore’s office, Hagrid’s Hut, The Burrow, and the Potions Classroom that you realize how much attention to detail there was in the making of these films.

You’ll also be surprised at how small the rooms are!

Give yourself enough time to pay attention to all the props and details of each room that include costumes and display panels with interesting information.

Dumbledore’s office especially had so much to look at with shelves filled with astronomical devices, telescopes, and star charts; the Memory Cabinet filled with more than 800 tiny vials; hundreds of books (actually British telephone books) bound in leather; forty-eight portraits of former headmasters hanging from the walls; and of course, the sorting hat!

My digital guide pointed out things in each room not to miss with a story attached to it.

In between the interior sets, you’ll find displays sharing many of the magical things from the movies like the wands, horcruxes, and the animals of the Wizarding World.

At Hagrid’s Hut you can see the clever tricks filmmakers used to make Hagrid seem much larger than other characters. There’s an interactive area where you can sit in the chairs and test it yourself.

Without a doubt, my favorite Harry Potter movie moment was seeing Quidditch come to life in the first movie. It was exactly how I envisioned it in my mind, only way more exciting!

This Quidditch display will show you how they made it happen.

Younger children will enjoy stepping up to the broomstick at the Quidditch area to command it to rise up to your hand. Now it’s your turn to fly the broomstick!

The Green Screen Experience

Fly on over to the green screen experience. I did not think I’d participate, but once I walked up with Savannah to offer her encouragement, I couldn’t help but jump in for a witchy photo with her!

And because it turned out so cool, I had to purchase it. I tell you; I must have drunk a “buy everything, it’s just too much fun” potion walking into the studios.

Savannah went one step further and rode the broomstick around London. We opted just for the photo package instead of the video one.

You will receive a link to download the digital versions of the photos too which I thought was great.

There weren’t any lines when we arrived at the Green Screen Experience. I wouldn’t line up for a long time to do this. But, since tickets are timed entry, I don’t think the lines will be that long. But then again, some people may linger all day here!

Also, around this area are many displays sharing how the visual and special effects team created the magic and wizardry of this world we love so much including the flying car and the whomping willow tree!

Dark Arts and The Ministry of Magic

The joy of wandering through the sets of the good magic will soon be overshadowed by the darkness.

Starting with the Death Eaters Meeting at Malfoy Manor, you’ll gaze upon the recreated scene of Charity Burbage’s catastrophic end with Nagini the snake.

Use your Digital Guide to see how it all comes to life on the screen.

I loved seeing and learning about the Ministry of Magic in this section as well. The elaborate red and green tiled building was based on a 19 th century building in London.

It was one of the largest sets constructed for the films and required hundreds of extras for the films shot there. Many of the actors said it was one of their favorite scenes to film – especially because many of the extras were their crew member friends!

I also found the Professor Umbridge Display fascinating as I learned that as she gained more power at the Ministry of Magic throughout the films, her wardrobe became progressively pinker. All these tiny details I can’t wait to spot when I re-watch the movies.

The Forbidden Forest

Time for a tentative walk through the dark and eerie Forbidden Forest. This was Kalyra’s favorite set at the Harry Potter Studios.

It’s a misty land of nineteen towering trees, twisted roots, and giant spiders. Press a button and they’ll fall from the sky, and life-sized Aragog with its hairy legs spanning 18ft will creep out of the tree roots behind you.

Younger kids may find this scary.

While I found it super cool, it didn’t scare me. Not after our ride on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Studios Orlando. The ride broke down right when we were upside down with those giant spiders dangling over our faces!

In the Forbidden Forest, there is also a full-sized model of Hippogriff Buckbeak , which first appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 

Platform 9¾

While they filmed most of the scenes for Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross Station in London, the crew recreated part of the platform on a sound stage here for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

The train interior scenes take place inside the train here with blue and green screens for special effects like the hopping chocolate frogs and flying Dementors!

Be sure to get your photo here with the cart running into the wall. The one at Kings Cross station is also very cool (Get there early to avoid the lines!)

Now you’re finished the first sound stage tour and are halfway through the Making of Harry Potter experience. Now for a break.

The Backlot Café

Now it’s time for another magical experience all witches and wizards can’t wait for – Butterbeer.

If you have never tried a butter beer it tastes just like it does in the book – a cross between creaming soda and butterscotch! Your first taste will be exactly as it’s described in the book.

I was slightly disappointed they did not have frozen butterbeer like they do at Universal Resort, Orlando . I could sit and drink that all day long.

Located halfway though the studio Tour is the Backlot Café. The café has standard café food – burgers and hot dogs and chili cheese fries – with plenty of gluten free options!

As I have gluten free requirements, I was impressed with how they managed this at the café. The first question they ask is if anyone has dietary considerations and they take care of that straight away, making sure to cook your food in its own separate place.

The prices are going to hurt for sure, and there is indoor and outdoor seating here and you have views of the Privet Drive and magical vehicles.

The Backlot: Privet Drive and Magical Vehicles

Before you enter Studio 2, you can explore some of the exterior sets from the films, including Number Four Privet Drive , the home of the Dursleys; the iconic Hogwarts Bridge created for Prisoner of Azkaban; and the purple double-decker Knight Bus .

You can jump in the Ford Anglia and Hagrid’s Motorbike for some fun family photos!

Creature Effects

If you loved the creatures from the Wizarding World, you will love the Creature Effects room.

Discover how they created Dobby the House-Elf; the many features of the various Goblins, mandrakes, the Basilisk; the animatronic features of Buckbeak and Aragog; and the makeup effects used to create the terrifying face of the Dark Lord.

You can even become Dobby and make him dance!

Gringotts and the Vaults

One of my favorite sections of the Making of the Harry Potter tour was the vaults of Gringotts Bank.

First, you walk through majestic Gringotts Bank, complete with goblin bank tellers. If you’ve done the Gringotts’s ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, you may walk through here quite quickly as they are the same.

Most fascinating in the vaults is learning how they used 38,000 pieces of rubberized treasure to create the scene for the multiplying cups in Lestrange Vault. You can take your photo here in a spot that creates an optical illusion of you lost in the middle of the cups!

Next to here is the set for the Dragon Escape sequence of the final film. Be prepared for a fire breathing dragon to charge at you through the smoke!

Diagon Alley

I wasn’t as excited about Diagon Alley in Harry Potter World London. I know Diagon Alley at Universal Studios in Orlando is not the real thing, but boy did it feel more magical, especially with all the shops opened and the fire breathing dragon at the end of it.

But Harry Potter movie fans will love how this is the real Diagon Alley used in the latter films complete with quirky shops and slated buildings. Again, you’ll be surprised at how small it is and how dark!

Hogwarts Castle Model Room

There is no better way to finish a tour of the Harry Potter Studios than at the model of Hogwarts Castle.

You’ll learn how they built this 1:24 scale model based on production designer Stuart Craig’s initial concept sketch. They filmed the model with enhanced digital effects to create an unbelievably real Hogwarts Castle that all muggles, witches, and wizards long to attend.

Take your time to walk around and pay attention to the incredible tiny details perfectly hand-sculpted to scale.

On our visit, there was a special lighting exhibit of the Weasley Twins fireworks exploding onto the side of Hogwarts. You can see that in our Reel (+all the other cool things mentioned!).

Seeing Hogwarts Castle was the part of the tour where tears pricked my eyes, just like it did walking into Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure in Orlando.

I think it symbolizes the power of magic, belief, imagination, and allowing yourself the grace to create what you see and feel inside of you as a gift for the world.

It blows my mind what J.K Rowling has created with the Harry Potter Realm simply because she chose to scribble a few notes down on a napkin during a time of significant hardship . She followed that trail and looked at what she brought to all of us – a story of magic, friendship, courage, and possibility.

Has there ever been a more popular story? Over twenty years later it’s still drawing in fanatical muggles of all ages from all around the world. We all just want to feel a little of that magic from within the realness of our Muggle Land.

You end your tour (of course) in the Studio Shop. You can’t access it without a ticket.

The merchandise store is quite big and organized into sections for each house and other things like Dark Magic! Whatever you want, this store has: jewelry, clothes, posters, trinkets, knick knacks, housewares, books, games and more.

I loved the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio tour so much that I bought the T-Shirt. I couldn’t help but pick up the black singlet top with spells written all over the back. I feel very magical when I wear it.

The girls also picked up something to each remember the experience by and I also purchased a Harry Potter souvenir book, which you can order online when purchasing your tickets.

Video: Harry Potter Studios Tour in London

See the magic come to life in the video below!

How to get to Warner Bros Studios London

The nearest railway station to the Studio Tour is Watford Junction . Direct train services arrive there from both London Euston (20-minute journey) and Birmingham New Street (1 hour journey).

Don’t fear if you are not on a direct line. Getting around London is easy. Get the tube to the nearest train line to take you to Watford Junction. Just allow for extra time. You can use Google Maps or the TFL Go app to help you plan your route.

We caught the TFL Rail ( T ransport f or L ondon) out to the Harry Potter Studios from Shepherd’s Bush Station .

 You can use your oyster card/contact less card if traveling through London zones 1-9. 

As part of your ticket, there is a shuttle bus from Watford Junction to the Studio Tour. It takes about 15 minutes and they run at least every 30 minutes.

READ MORE: An in-depth guide on getting around London!

Where to stay near the Harry Potter Studios?

I am guessing you are a tourist spending time in London. I don’t recommend you stay in Watford near Warner Bros, there is not much there!

You can easily stay in Central London near the other popular London attractions you intend to visit. As mentioned above, it’s easy to get around London.

We stayed at the fantastic 4-star Hilton Kensington . It was right near Shepherds Bush Station which is on one of the train lines that takes you to Watford Junction. It only took us an hour to get there and involved one easy train change. We stayed here for two nights as guests of the hotel.

The hot buffet breakfast was fantastic and had lots of options and was a perfect start to the day. I loved the kids breakfast section they had – the girls especially with the doughnuts available!

The location of the hotel was excellent. It’s only a two-minute walk to Shepherd’s Bush tube station and five minutes in the other direction to Holland Park Tube, both on the red Central line.

Close by is the stunning Holland Park and Kyoto Gardens ( a London park hidden secret) and Westfields Shopping Center is across the road – this is the largest shopping center in Europe with more than 265 shops and 50 restaurants.

On the Southern terrace closest to the hotel is a cluster of 17 restaurants, which is where we stopped for great Thai one evening.

Book your stay on Booking.com

Read more reviews on TripAdvisor

More London Travel Tips

• 33+ Essential Things to Know Before Traveling to London
• Is the London Eye Worth it?
• 15 of the best views in London
• 16+ Great Pubs in London for travelers
• How to spend an enjoyable day in Camden Town
• 21 Best Places to Visit in London
• The Perfect 3 Day London Itinerary Guide

FREE Printable PDF London Guides

We’ve created a simple one-page checklist of all the top things to do in London, UK. We also have printable PDF itinerary outlines for you! Pop your name in the form below to access.

Are you a Harry Potter Fan? Have you been to Harry Potter World in London? Do you have any tips or questions?

About The Author

Caroline makepeace, leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

How to Get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour from London

How to use public transportation to get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour from London

The set of Dumbledore’s office.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Year Visited: 2022

Time of Year: May

The Harry Potter Studio Tour

If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter movies, visiting the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour while in London is a must.

These are the actual studios where they shot the majority of the movies (there are other filming locations you can visit throughout the UK as well!).

The Harry Potter Studios are huge, and are therefore set 20 minutes outside of central London. If you have a car, you can drive there, but it is pretty easy to get to the Harry Potter Studio tour from London using public transportation (provided the Underground line you need isn’t shut down—like it was for us…).

Good to Know: If you don’t want to get to the Harry Potter Studio tour on your own, you can also book a tour with transportation from London, but this will cost more than doing it yourself.

What’s in this Article:

How to get to the studio tour, frequently asked questions, where to buy harry potter souvenirs.

London to Watford Junction:

To get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour from London, first take the London Underground to Euston Station.

Read more about using London public transportation .

At Euston Station you will switch from the Underground to the Overground (unless you were close enough to Euston that you walked there). You will follow the signs leading up to the National Rail service (if you need help finding where to go, just ask any of TFL [Transport for London] employees who will be at the station).

From Euston, you can get a train to Watford Junction. This is a direct train, so you will not have to get off and change trains, but it may make stops at other locations along the route. The journey can take 15 min. to an hour, depending on how many stops the train makes.

We did not travel from London Euston, as the line was shut down for maintenance. I will explain what to do if a line is shut down in a later section.

You can also get on the Overground at any of the stations along the route between Euston and Watford Junction. Euston is the most easily accessible from central London, and you can get the fastest trains here, but if you’re near another station on the route, you can get to Watford Junction from there.

Can you use your Oyster card to get to Watford Junction from London?

Yes, you can use your Oyster card on the Overground from London to Watford Junction. You will not need to purchase a rail ticket for this journey.

The orange double lines mark the Overground route from Euston to Watford Junction in the top left.

Watford Junction to the Studios:

Once you arrive at Watford Junction, exit the train station and cross the parking lot to bus stop 4 on the far side of the parking lot.

There are posters for the studio tour at the bus stop, so you will know you are at the right one. Chances are there will also be someone dressed as a wizard…

This bus will take you directly to the studio tour.

Do you have to pay for the shuttle to the tour?

According to the website, you do have to pay for the shuttle to the studios. However, you do not have to pay to get on the shuttle. There is simply a tip jar if you would like to leave something for your driver. You do need a valid studio tour ticket to get on the shuttle.

The shuttle bus from Watford Junction rail station to the studios.

The Return Journey:

Once you’re done at the tour, head back to the bus stops where you were dropped off. Keep in mind that there are multiple bus stops here, so make sure you get in the line for Watford Junction.

Then of course you can take the Overground back to London from Watford Junction.

What if the line from Euston to Watford Junction is shut down?

It happens. In fact, it happened when we were in London, over a bank holiday weekend.

TFL will periodically shut down lines for maintenance work, typically on Sundays or Bank holidays, when there isn’t the mad rush into the office (yes, even in post-2020!).

If the line you need is shut down, there will be replacement buses available to get you to your destination.

The most important thing to remember if this happens is that it will take you a lot longer to get to the studios. It took us an hour and a half to get from London to Watford Junction. So make sure to give yourself enough time.

An easy way to check your route is on the TFL app .

You can also ask at a station in London, and they will help you figure out where to go.

To get to Watford Junction we took:

The Underground to Queen’s Park.

The Overground to Harrow & Wealdstone.

A rail replacement bus to Headstone Lane.

A second rail replacement bus to Watford Junction.

We followed this journey from the app, and asked each of the station attendants along the way to make sure we ended up in the right place.

The way back ended up being a lot easier. We got a bus at Watford Junction that went directly to Stanmore, an outlying Underground Station.

It is important to be familiar with the Underground Stations. We almost missed this bus because we didn’t recognize the name. Again, always ask the attendants, who will help you know exactly where to go.

The main lobby area.

Before Your Tour

When you first arrive at the Harry Potter Studio tour and pass through security, there will be a lobby with the restrooms, and the information booth.

There is a free coat check at the information booth, so you can leave anything here that you don’t want to have to carry around with you through the whole tour.

You can also get a free “passport” at the information booth. There will be stations throughout the tour where you can stamp the passport. It’s a super fun and free souvenir to take home with you, and no , it’s not just for kids! So be sure to go up to the information desk and ask for the passport!

After that you will pass into the main lobby, a large open area that will lead off to the Harry Potter tour, the gift shop, and three of the four restaurants. You can visit these either before or after your tour.

The passport you can get stamped at different locations throughout your Harry Potter tour.

During Your Tour

At the start of the tour you wait in a long line (basically the epitome of Disney World ) until you get up to the theater where you will watch two videos and enter the Great Hall. After that, you can ramble through the tour at your own pace.

The tour showcases actual sets and costumes used for filming, as well as props/special effects and how they were made.

There are a lot of photo op stops where you can take pictures. These include on the Hogwarts Express and at Platform 9 and 3/4, so if you didn’t get a picture at King’s Cross Station, don’t fret.

There are several gift shops along the tour with specialized products, like the Christmas gift shop, so be sure to check these out before you exit the tour. The main gift shop is at the end of the Harry Potter tour.

Ron and Harry on the Hogwarts Express.

Eating on the Tour

You can eat in the main food hall either before or after your tour, but if you get hungry or thirsty during your tour of the Harry Potter Studios, you can eat at The Backlot Cafe. This cafeteria is about halfway through the tour, and there are also bathrooms available here.

Pro Tip: If you want to try a butterbeer, be sure to get one at The Backlot Cafe. This is the only place at the tour where you can get butterbeer.

See more of the Harry Potter Studio Tour in this video:

Harry potter studio tour frequently asked questions.

The set of Gringott’s Bank.

Here are answers to all the questions I had before visiting the Harry Potter Studio tour from London :

Do people dress up at the Harry Potter Studio Tour?

Yes! There are definitely people at the Harry Potter tour in full on wizarding gear.

I just chose to wear my house colors, so I could still blend in with the muggles… But I wish I had worn my Hufflepuff scarf though!

So if you want to dress up, do it! You will not be the only one.

How long do you spend at the Harry Potter tour?

We spent 2 hrs. walking through the studio tour (not counting time spent eating). You can spend longer or shorter, depending on how much you want to see.

After the initial start of the tour, you wander through at your own pace. There are a lot of photo op stops which we did not take advantage of because we didn’t want to wait in line.

You could easily fill up three hours here, plus the cafes and gift shops.

Can you start the tour early if you arrive before your time slot?

Because transportation can be unpredictable, you should give yourself plenty of time to get to the studios. We arrived about an hour before our tour was scheduled to start.

We got into the line as soon as we arrived, even though our tour didn’t start for an hour. The employee let us in the line without even checking our tour time, although we then asked if it was ok.

Apparently this is not always allowed, but it depends on how busy it is. But again, we had no trouble starting the tour early.

Can you enter the gift shop, or eat before your scheduled tour?

Yes, if you arrive before your scheduled tour, you can get something to eat while you wait. There are three food options available in the lobby area before (and after) you go on the tour.

The Hub Cafe (Starbucks)

The Chocolate Frog Cafe (desserts)

The Food Hall

The food was surprisingly good, especially the ice cream at The Chocolate Frog Cafe!

I believe that you can also enter the gift shops, although the website still says with the “current 1-way policy” that this is not possible. I did not try to enter the gift shops, since we got in line for our tour right away, even though we arrived early, but it seemed like you could go in them before the tour.

Can you eat during the tour?

Yes, in addition to the three food options in the main lobby of the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there is The Backlot Cafe , about halfway through the tour.

Can you get Butterbeer at the Harry Potter Studio tour?

Yes, but be aware, you can only get butterbeer at The Backlot Cafe on the tour.

Is the Harry Potter Studio tour outside?

The majority of the Harry Potter Studio tour is inside, but there are a few things to see outside.

Just after the Backlot Cafe, there is an outdoor courtyard you have to walk through to get to the rest of the tour. You will see a few more sets in this courtyard, including the Knight Bus, the Hogwarts Bridge, and Number 4 Privet Drive.

If you don’t want to stay outside (if it’s pouring rain or freezing cold), you can quickly walk through the courtyard to continue on your way.

Can you sit under the enchanted ceiling?

If you look at the Harry Potter Studio tour website, there is a picture of the enchanted ceiling with floating candles at the main food hall.

This is only open for the afternoon tea, so if you are just eating at The Food Hall, you do not get to sit under the ceiling.

Do you need a tour ticket to do the afternoon tea?

Yes, unfortunately you cannot come to the Harry Potter Studios in London just for the afternoon tea, or even just to shop in the gift shop. They consider all of these things to be part of the experience, and thus you need an actual tour ticket to get in to the building. Then you will also need an additional ticket for the afternoon tea.

Does it cost money to check your coats?

No, you can check your coats and bags for free at the information desk when you first walk in! So be sure to take advantage of this.

Are the passports just for kids?

No! Pick up a FREE souvenir “passport” at the information desk when you first walk in. This is a fun activity, and it is not just for kids (although sometimes you will have to wait a while for your stamp, because children do not understand the concept of lines, and as a 30 year old it is apparently frowned upon to shove the 10 year olds out of the way, even if you were there first…).

The stamps in the studio tour passport.

Where to Get Harry Potter Souvenirs

The Shop That Must Not Be Named, in the York Shambles.

There are so many places to get Harry Potter souvenirs throughout the UK, that I wasn’t sure if I should buy something at the studio tour, or wait until I went to the gift shop at King’s Cross Station (where it might be cheaper, orrr they might not have it!) , or wait until I got to the Shambles in York, where it would just be so much cooler to buy a wand!

So to help you decide, I’m reviewing the shops at the studio tour, as well as listing out ALL of the other locations I found where you can buy HP souvenirs, and if they’re worth waiting for.

P.S. There are more HP shops than the ones listed here. You can literally find one everywhere you turn.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The Harry Potter Studio tour is actually the best place to buy Harry Potter souvenirs in the UK. Their shops are definitely the most extensive, plus they are all themed. You can buy candy from Honeydukes, or a wand from Olivander’s.

I chose not to buy anything at the gift shops here, because I wanted to buy souvenirs from the Shambles (AKA the real life Diagon Alley—pictured above!), but I ended up regretting that decision. This is really the best place to buy souvenirs. They have an insane amount of variety, whereas all the other Harry Potter gift shops are fairly small.

Be sure to spend some time browsing around the shops at the studio tour.

Heathrow Airport

When you first arrive in London at Heathrow, you can visit the Harry Potter gift shop in terminal 5.

Please note: We arrived at terminal 2, and did not travel to terminal 5. You might need to go out of your way to visit this shop.

Platform 9 3/4

There is a Harry Potter themed gift shop at King’s Cross Station, the site of Platform 9 3/4. There is also a photo op of Platform 9 3/4, but it is not on the actual train platforms (otherwise, you would need a ticket). Look for it in back of the main rail station lobby.

The York Shambles

The Shambles are arguably the coolest street in England. They definitely have a Diagon Alley vibe, which I think makes it the perfect place to buy a wand.

There are several Harry Potter themed gift shops here, the largest one being The Shop That Must Not Be Named . Keep in mind that, even though it is a larger shop, there are still a lot of things you can find at the studios that you can’t find here.

The Jacobite Steam Train

If you choose to ride the Jacobite Steam Train in Scotland someone will come push the souvenir cart around so you “get something off the trolley.”

Of course they do not have a lot of options, as it is just a little cart, but you can get some unique steam train (Hogwarts Express) themed items here.

This is where the steam train stops off at, before returning to Fort William. We found a fun little shop here, hidden away down a secret alley.

Again, it was mostly the same things you will find at other gift shops, and because it is a smaller shop, the selection will be slimmer. It is fun, however, to find secret hidden shops that make buying Harry Potter souvenirs more special.

Glenfinnan Viaduct

You can visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct to watch the steam train go by! And then of course, you can find buy Harry Potter souvenirs in their visitor center.

This is not strictly a Harry Potter shop though, and the selection is small. But you will find more Hogwarts Express themed merchandise, if you are not able to go on the actual train.

Literally Every Street in Edinburgh

Everywhere you go in Edinburgh, you will find stores advertising the “birthplace of Harry Potter.” It’s all the same merchandise, so there’s no need to wait to find something better somewhere else, if you do find something you want.

Conclusion:

After traversing the UK in search of all things Harry Potter, I would conclude that the best place to buy souvenirs really is at the Harry Potter Studio tour in London. So go ahead and consider this permission to blow all your vacation fund at their gift shops.

However, it is especially fun to buy Harry Potter souvenirs from Diagon Alley (the York Shambles) and the Hogwart’s Express (the Jacobite Steam Train).

But if you find something special, buy it at the studio. You can always buy chocolate frogs and every flavor beans at any Harry Potter shop you come to, but you might not find the same merchandise that they have at the large studio stores.

The set of Diagon Alley.

Any more questions?

Don’t hesitate to email me or comment below with any other questions you may have about visiting the Harry Potter Studio tour from London.

Planning a trip to London?

Be sure to save one of the pins below for future reference:

You might also like:

Harry Potter World: London vs. Orlando

Harry Potter Places to Visit in the UK

The Beginner’s Guide to London

Transportation in London: The Beginner’s Guide

How to Get to Warwick Castle from London

Lord of the Rings Places to See Around the World

What to Read & Watch Before Going to the UK

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

Tips for Visiting the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour (Updated August 2022)

This week we took G-Man and friend to the Harry Potter studio tour as his birthday treat. This was instead of a party – hurrah! We had a great time geeking out on all the amazing Potter film artefacts and sets. Especially, I must confess, us grown-ups in the group. It’s a fantastic experience that, despite the horrendous cost, I definitely recommend.

It is also one of those places where a bit of research and prep beforehand really pays off. This is especially true if, like us, you are taking young kids. So here are my top tips for avoiding misery, saving money and making the most of a family trip to the Making of Harry Potter studio tour!

2022 update : Now that our youngest is old enough to have worked her way through all the books and films several times over, we splashed out on a return visit in August 2022. This guide is therefore updated throughout with the latest information, including tickets and prices for 2023.

Top Tips for visiting the Harry Potter studio tour with kids!

Tip Number One… Kids under six?? Think carefully before taking them!

I’ve no doubt that there are many under six who will love this place. I’m equally sure that it would the seventh circle of hell for/with others.

Before you decide to take kids of any age, think on this:

Things to consider:

• There is A LOT of walking around.  We were there for just over SIX HOURS, and most of that was walking.
• There is a fair amount of queuing as well (see tip two!). It was relatively quiet when we went. Or so I was told by staff – it felt pretty busy to me! But there was still nearly an hour of queuing just to get into the building and to start the tour.
• The Harry Potter studio tour is an exhibition of props, costumes and sets, NOT a theme park.  There are a few interactive bits to play with. But I don’t think they would have been enough to keep my three-year-old happy. Plus, some of them involved LOTS more queuing and TONS more money. If your kids don’t like looking at things in museums and galleries for any length of time, or cope well with big crowds, they may not be impressed with this.
• They really need to have seen the first few films at least to get anything out of the tour. And bear in mind that a lot of the stuff is obviously from the later films.

When they’ve got to go…

Finally as a side note, be aware that toilet facilities are limited (I’d say just about adequate) inside the tour.

There is a toilet block in the car park (by the bus stop). And as soon as you get inside, there is a bigger set of loos in the lobby. However, in the first section of the Harry Potter studio tour I saw only one small set of toilets. This was the area you’re likely to spend the longest in, up to and including the cafe and backlot. And there were just four cubicles in that particular Ladies toilet. Unsurprisingly, there seemed to always be a queue during our visit.

Facilities for babies and younger children

Now, officially (as stated on the Studio Tour’s website), the attraction is suitable for ‘all ages’. And there are some facilities for babies and toddlers:

• Baby facilities I saw were a fold-down changing table in the disabled loo and a baby feeding area (with changing tables) at the Backlot Cafe. This is approximately half way around. You can take a pram in (or leave it free of charge in the cloakroom). It would likely be not much fun with those crowds. But weigh that up against having to carry tired little ones when the queuing gets too much.
• The cafe will provide hot water for warming bottles
• There are lots of benches at various points during the tour for resting on. There are also no stairs (there are ramps) so everywhere has been made wheelchair/buggy accessible. The only exception I can think of is the Hogwarts Express. This vintage steam train has one carriage you can go into via a short flight of step. Inside, you walk along a very narrow passage so definitely not accessible other than on foot. That said, there is an open carriage-set featuring Harry, Ron, and the sweet trolley at the end of the train, so even if you can’t walk down the carriage passage way, you can still get a little peak.
• kids four and under get in free. We got a ticket for (three-year-old) T-Bird when we booked, just in case we ended up wanting to take her with us. We didn’t use it, but it didn’t cost us anything either.

Tips for visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour with children with additional needs

While my own children don’t have any particular additional needs, some of their friends do, and my day job involves working with SEND children and adults. I always therefore keep a look out to see what extra help may be available for those that need it, and I have to say I am very impressed with what the Harry Potter Studio tour seems to offer. Click here to skip down to my summary and links at the bottom of the page. And I would love to hear from anyone who has used these services if they are as helpful as they seem. Leave a comment below!

Tip Number Two… book ahead… way, way ahead…

You can’t buy tickets at the door, and dates book up very early on. It can be a bit of a schlep to get to the Harry Potter studio tour. The last thing you want is to have to turn around and go home again, so plan ahead, and don’t forget your tickets!

On a side note, I paid the postage to get our tickets sent to us. When we got there, I was very glad I did. You can pick up your tickets from ticket machines and a box office outside, but there were long queues for these.

Then you have to queue again to go into the building. They do a full bag search/metal detector security check before you’re allowed inside, so it can take some time when it’s really busy.

And everything – cafe, shop, tour – is inside. Thank goodness there is a small building out by the bus stop with toilets for the desperate..

You then also have to queue if you want/need coffee for the grown ups in the group. And queue again inside the lobby area to start the actual tour.

And let’s not forget the queue for the shuttle bus from Watford Junction….

​One less queue in the freezing cold of an English January morning, only a day after it snowed (a bit) with two antsy seven-year-olds in tow was definitely worth that £3.95 postage (£6.95 for international post).

Just remember you’d need to book at least a couple of weeks in advance. This is so there is time to get the tickets posted to you before your visit.

Pick your favourite time of year…

Another little tip about booking is to check what is happening throughout the year . The displays at the Harry Potter Studio Tour are changed depending on the season, so if you go at Christmas, you’ll see the Great Hall decorated for a yule feast, and snow over Hogwarts. Go at Halloween, and you’ll see something completely different. Visit in the summer, and it will be different again.

Whatever time of year you go, the core sets will be the same, it’s just that they will be dressed and lit differently.

Tip Number Three: Go early, and assume you’ll be ages…

It can take a while to get around everything at the Harry Potter studio tour. It is quieter the earlier you go. We had a 9.30 entry ticket, and got there at 9am. You are instructed to arrive at least twenty minutes before your ticketed time, and this worked perfectly for us.

We left around 3.30pm, having stopped for lunch at the Backlot Cafe. So the tour took us six and a half hours (plus travel time).

While we didn’t rush it, we also didn’t queue for the green screen Broomstick or Hogwarts Express experiences. I’m guessing these would have added at least another hour (long queues!). This was on a fairly quiet day, on a weekend in mid-January. I dread to think what it would be like peak season.

Entry is in timed slots. Avoiding spoilers, when you go in, you’re shown a short film introduction to the tour and taken into set one. Well, actually it’s the second set… There’s a rather iconic little set to look at as you queue for the cinematic start of the tour.

After that, you’re let loose in the rest of the tour. Though you can’t go back into set one, you are otherwise free to wander through the rest of the attraction at your own pace.

2022 Harry Potter Studio Tour tickets update :

We had a 9am ticket second time around, on a mid-summer holiday weekday, and it was even quieter, so if you can get there that early, I highly recommend it. There was much less queueing this time, though by the time we left, it was considerably busier.

Tour Layout

There are five distinct areas at the Harry Potter studio tour:

• The lobby , Studio Cafe and main shop (where you end the tour);
• The cinema and first big set (where you start the tour itself);
• Studio J – the main part of the tour, with the majority of sets, props and costumes, including the Forbidden Forest , Kings Cross Station and the station shop;
• The Backlot Cafe and the outside area , which consists of the Backlot itself (hello Privet Drive , Hogwarts Bridge, and the newly opened Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse !) and a small picnic area. This area also includes vehicles you can actually get in (or at least hang off the back) for some fab photos.
• Studio K – the Creature Effects room, Diagon Alley (alas, no, you can’t go inside the shops – with one exception), concept art and set models, and Hogwarts (the scale model). Since our first visit, Gringotts and the Vaults have been added to this area, and are our new absolute favourite part of the tour. You’ll know why when you go there…

Harry Potter Studio Tour Map

You can download a map of the Harry Potter Studio Tour here . Bear in mind that you can’t go back into the Backlot area and Studio J once you enter Studio K, so just make sure you’re done and dusted with those areas before moving on.

The final section (Studio K), felt a lot smaller and probably took us a third of the time to do (though it was definitely G-Man’s favourite bit!), so if you’re on a tight schedule I’d suggest dividing your time accordingly.

With that said, the average time spent on the Harry Potter studio tour is about 3 1/2 hours. We doubled that without even trying, so don’t underestimate how long this might take!

​And charge your camera before you go…

2022 Tour Layout Update

Since our first visit, they have added Gringotts and the Vaults, plus the Forbidden Forest and Professor Sprout’s greenhouse. These are all very much more immersive than the sets there before, with special effects and animatronics that provided some of our favourite moments of the tour. I feel like they must have replaced something else as the tour didn’t feel any longer, but I can’t think what it was – perhaps a bigger Ministry of Magic set? Whatever it was, these new additions were definitely worth a revisit.

Tip Number Four: Dress for the part! Even just a little bit…

Lots of people dress up for the tour, and it’s great fun for most kids. G-Man however is one of those children who, to my eternal chagrin, doesn’t much like dressing up.

Probably just as well though, as I would happily have blown the budget and remortgaged the house to see the kiddos dressed in Hogwarts quidditch robes like these .

In the face of filial revolt and because I insisted there was at least some dressing up, I got the kids really cheap scarves in Gryffindor colours instead (affiliate links) .

The scarves arrived by Owl Post on the morning of our trip, along with a couple of brown paper ‘party bags’. The boys opened the scarf parcels before we left (we saved the party bags for afterwards) and proudly wore their scarves most of the day, even when sweltering inside.

The thrill of dressing up

The boys LOVED their cheapo scarves and clearly felt part of the action without feeling self-conscious; a reminder to me that a token nod (when it comes to dressing up) can be just as exciting for young kids, but crucially less pressurised.

If your kids are like mine but you can’t let go of that fancy-dress wishfulness, then I’ll let you know that we saw plenty of adults (and a whole heap of teenagers) in full wizarding regalia, so you wouldn’t be alone if you wanted to bring out that witches hat and cloak at the back of your wardrobe.

I’ll admit I only just resisted getting a Ravenclaw scarf to wear myself (and of course I’d have made K-Dog wear a Slytherin one), but only just…

Tip Number Five: Decide beforehand what you’re willing to spend on, and what you’re not!

This is an expensive day out. Before we had even arrived at the Harry Potter studio tour, we’d spent £150+ on tickets and travel alone (£130 on the family ticket for 2 adults/2 kids – including the postage, £10 on the tickets for the shuttle bus from Watford Junction (cash only, but they do give change), and £17-something on train fares).

So given that we had spent a heap before even walking through the door, keeping further costs down to a minimum was high on my priority list!

( 2022 update : The shuttle bus from Watford Junction is now included in the price of your ticket, so you don’t need to worry about paying extra for it.)

Budgeting for food and drink

Food is normally a major part of the budget on our trips with the kids. They do like to eat, and I do hate carrying heavy picnics, so we aren’t as frugal here as we could be.

On this trip, we allowed money for buying the adults’ coffees ‘cos it was very cold and very early and I NEEDED it. There’s a Starbucks coffee counter (not a proper Starbucks) in the lobby cafe, perfectly positioned for your arrival.

Incidentally, in the mornings the lobby cafe next door (the ‘Studio Cafe’ as it’s called) offers a breakfast menu that included bacon sarnies (£4.50) and porridge (£7! How much?! Why???), among other things. We’d already eaten, or I doubt I could have resisted that bacon.

Food options at the Harry Potter Studio Tour

Cafe prices at both the Harry Potter studio tour Studio and Backlot Cafes were about average for a tourist attraction and there were enough kid-friendly options to feed both our guys.

We thought about taking a picnic lunch this time but in the end, the hideousness of the idea of lugging around lunch along with our winter gear (we didn’t want to put it in the free cloakroom, as it was freezing and the backlot area is outside), outweighed the cost for us.

But picnics/food from home are allowed, so if that’s your thing, you don’t have to worry about sneaking out your sandwiches – there’s a perfectly decent picnic area to enjoy them in.

Kids’ Knight Bus lunch boxes and adult options

For reference, as of Jan 2017, kids lunch boxes (in very cool Knight Bus cardboard boxes! ) were under a fiver and contained a sandwich (cheese or ham) Capri-Sun drink, a piece of fruit and a flapjack. We still have that box several years later – it’s great for storing little Harry Potter bits in!

( 2022 update – Knight Bus kids’ lunch boxes are still available!! I forgot to check the price, but I think they are now slightly more than £5, though still seemed fairly reasonable).

The cafe also had more adult sandwich, wrap and salad options, including a couple of vegetarian choices and some pots of crudités and humous. Pretty standard tourist-cafe fare, but enough variety to keep most people happy.

Hot food started at £3.50 for soup, and there were options like mac ‘n’ cheese at £6, hot dogs or very tasty gourmet-style fish-finger hotdogs (smothered in tartar sauce – so tell ’em to hold that if the kids aren’t into toppings!) at £5.50, and burgers at £7. They don’t, for some bizarre reason, do chips.

2022 Harry Potter Studio Tour Cafe update

The menus for the cafes/restaurants (which have been refurbished since our visit) are now available online here , so you can get a good idea ahead of time as to options and prices. The lobby seems to have been renamed the Hub, and Starbucks drinks are now served from there.

As we arrived that bit earlier for our second visit, we got to the Backlot Cafe just before 11.30am and found that they were still serving breakfast. While sandwiches and fridge items (and Butterbeer) were available at that time, the only hot food on offer was rather tasty breakfast (or for us, Brunch) rolls. So be aware that before 11.30, your backlot cafe hot food options will be limited to Brioche or GF rolls with a choice of bacon, sausage, egg, or mushroom (or all four!).

You can of course get more food at the end of the tour, in the Food Hall/Hub. And there is an additional Chocolate Frog Cafe, also in the lobby, which has hot drinks, ice-cream and milkshakes, and ‘sweet treats’. So now you can sugar-fill those kids before you get started on the tour.

Hogmead’s Finest Butterbeer

Butterbeer is apparently non-negotiable when visiting the Harry Potter studio tour, and was a rather pricey £6.95 for a small cup (including the souvenir stein – it’s £2 cheaper without that).

Unless my muggle tastebuds are deceiving me, Butterbeer turns out to be cream soda with squirty UHT cream on top. You have been warned. Also be warned that while it is okay for people with gluten, wheat and nut allergies, it contains trace amounts of dairy. No Butterbeer for vegans or anyone with milk allergies or lactose intolerance then!

If you want something stronger, the cafe did offer a couple of grown-up choices – bottles of London Pride, Carlsberg, Bulmers and wine.

Butterbeer Ice-cream

As I am a soft touch, we ended up splurging on the Butterbeer ice-cream too (same price as the non-ice-cream Butterbeer!) – which is a Mister Whippy style ice-cream that was distinctly butterscotchy in taste.

Portions were huge, and you can have a waffle cone at £4.95 or pay a couple of extra quid to get the souvenir ice-cream dish – just be sure to pack a bag to take it home in.

The cafe food was generally very tasty, so we were happy to pay for the lunch. Less happy to pay all that dosh for the Butterbeer stuff, but I chalked that up to party-bag fillers and emotional blackmail, and tried not to cry to much into my food.

2022 Butterbeer update

Updating this several years later, these have actually lasted very well, so perhaps not such a bad buy after all! We now also have the 2022 version of the Butterbeer Stein, which has been redesigned a little since our last visit, so is now slightly less Germanic, but is just as fabulous.

Also, a welcome addition is a washing station, just outside the cafe doors in the backlot itself. Here, you can rinse your butterbeer steins before packing them away. It’s worth noting that not everyone wants to take their steins home with them. We saw quite a few were abandoned here. The staff clear them away pretty quickly, but keep a look out. You could nab yourself an extra one or two for the cupboard…

Harry Potter Studio Tour Guides and souvenirs

Other than on food and drink, your money will be magicked away from you paying for the digital guide (£4.95 per set – we didn’t bother and didn’t miss it), £9.95 for the souvenir guidebook (no thank you!), and at the green screen photo/video ops (£14 for one photo – £7 for each one after that… DVDs and USBs were… considerably more! Yikes – No, my child, I do not love you  that much).

And let us not forget the shops. There are two – the lobby shop, and a smaller railway outlet that has different, Hogwarts Express-themed goods.

( 2022 update – the shops have multiplied!! There are now three, as a small and rather pointless shop has been added as you come out of the forbidden forest. No doubt they are hoping that your hold on your purse strings will have loosened as you run from the spiders…)

Ah, those emporiums of wonder; where everything is spun out of gold and unicorn tears and handcrafted by woodland elves. Or so you’d think, judging by the prices. You can get a rough idea of what you’re in for by checking out the (more limited) stock available through the Harry Potter studio tour online shop .

All our kids wanted were wands, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs. The wands were an eye-watering £28.95 (or a pound more for the Fantastic Beasts ones because, erm, just because), and the sweets were a gut-wrenching £8.95 each… That’s for one, albeit rather large, chocolate frog or a not-very big box of jelly beans.

Home-made options!

As I’d done my research and am a cheapskate, I preempted two of those requests (wands and beans) by trawling Pinterest and producing some cheap, easy and pretty convincing home-made substitutes for their party bags (you can read about them here ). So I talked them out of those particular purchases and sent them off on a hunt for other goodies in the shop.

Both kids had brought £20 from their savings. After a rather dispirited trudge around with me saying “nope, you can’t afford it” to every other thing, they ended up with some Honeydukes milk bottle sweets, a chocolate frog (it was their money!) and a couple of key-rings. This didn’t leave much change from their £40.

Retail therapy

Don’t get me wrong, the shop had some lovely items, and some great packaging – especially the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheeze toys and the clothes. If you are prepared to spend a whole wad of dosh, you can do some fun shopping here. But I strongly suggest you take a little time to check out costs beforehand or online as you shop (there’s free wifi at least!).

Just as an example, we had to talk G-Man out of a book he really wanted that we could see was over £5 cheaper on Amazon. That’s at least a chocolate frog’s legs in savings!

On the other hand, and so as not to be a total killjoy, I’ll admit that there were lots of great things in the shop that I haven’t seen anywhere else, so if you really, really want it, get it while you can. Carpe diem, etc.

And be reassured (or dismayed) that there is a cashpoint in the lobby too.

2022 Harry Potter Studio Tour shops update

A lesson I have now learned – younger kids shop more cheaply than older ones. I shudder to think about how much money was spent this time around, but we walked out of there with a BIG bag (30p extra, thank you very much). I shouldn’t have been so smug about our first visit. This time around, we got wands AND jelly beans.

Most important tip of all therefore – make them take their own pocket money!!

Tip Number Six: Take advantage of the free stuff!

Yes, there are some free things! Most notably the free Harry Potter studio tour Passports that you can pick up for the kids in the lobby – guides were giving them out or you can ask for them from the information desk.

These passports are a great little souvenir, with spaces on each page for embossed stamps that the kids will find on their way around the tour.

There are also clues to help locate golden snitches that are hidden throughout the tour, and a couple of extra pages with puzzles and questions to entertain the kids.

Wand duelling and broomstick riding

Next to the Ministry of Magic display, there is a free wand duelling class that the kids can do (don’t forget to look up around there, by the way, as a lot of the massive Ministry sculptures – and Tom Riddle Snr’s grave – have been placed high up, above the crowds). Lots of fun, and you’re welcome to take photos/videos yourself for this one.

Next to the Quidditch display is an animatronic broom . Kids (or, if you must, grown-ups…) can queue up to stand next to the broom and have it rise from the floor to their hand, just like in Harry’s first lesson with Madam Hooch. Fun, but over in seconds so probably not worth it if there’s a long  queue.

You can also find the goblet of fire around here. If you stick around, it may even do it’s party trick for you…

2022 update : the wand duelling is still there, though it’s moved due to things being rejigged to make way for the Forbidden Forest. As are the animatronic broom and goblet of fire (though that didn’t seem to be doing it’s thing this time around).

Also added was a fun little forced perspective set, where the kids could pretend to be Hagrid and sit next to baby Norbert at the pub, while the grown up sat to the side of them looked tiny by comparison when viewed on the monitor. This one is also free, so make sure to try it out.

Platform 9 3/4

The Platform 9 3/4 display at the Harry Potter studio tour has a fun ‘ Guess Who’s Luggage? ‘ game at the top end, where you go in. The boys found this hilarious for some reason. Basically, you try to guess who each pile of luggage belongs to, using clues from their possessions. And yes, it was much more fun than it sounds!

2022 update : the passports are still available – and much more prominent than before so you are unlikely to miss them. They’ve also added (at least when we were there) a little crafting table in the Kings Cross Station area, where you can fold into shape a cardboard Monster Book of Monsters hand puppet to take home.

Harry Potter Studio Tour Guides

But the best free thing on the tour is definitely the (human) tour guides hanging around throughout the exhibit. Rather than spending on hiring the digital guides, just get these guys talking and they will bend your ear back with some fascinating titbits and wonderful enthusiasm for the subject. We found all of them to be really helpful and welcoming, and definitely more engaging for our youngsters than headsets or a book.

One of the things we learned from them, for example, was that Newt Scamander’s wand is the only one that doesn’t have an animal-artefact core. This is because he’s a vegan of course, but it was a real ‘doh, of course!’ nugget of information for us grown-ups, at least.

2022 update : they may have had these before, but what we noticed this time around were stations where staff were set up with models and displays on tables, so that they could explain and demonstrate aspects of the filmmaking wizardry. We found these great at engaging the kids when they were overloaded by looking at written descriptions.

Tip Number Seven: Keep an eye out for animatronic or interactive displays…

It’s not always obvious, but some of the displays (especially in the creature effects room) at the Harry Potter studio tour can be set in motion with either buttons or interactive boards. The kids loved hunting down these interactive areas, so keep your eyes peeled for them as you walk round.

Probably the first (we may have missed some!) was right near the start of the tour. Underneath the giant pendulum from The Prisoner of Azkaban are a row of touchscreen interfaces containing a digital Mauraders’ Map . Our kids loved this and spent ages exploring the different links.

Further on, The Burrows set display has a number of little screens in front of it – each of these sets a different one of Mrs Weasley’s household Magiks into action. G-Man spent quite a while here, doing the ironing. I hope he likes it as much when he’s older.

Studio K animatronics

And in Studio K, many of displays in the Creatures Room have little buttons to start up the animatronics – we were particularly taken with the Mandrake plant and the Beastly Book of Beasts!

2022 update . Alas, these animatronics are now on automatic, so no buttons to press. You still get to see them move, but you can’t do it yourself. However they have added a fun ‘see yourself as a house elf’ section, demonstrating how motion capture is used to animate characters like Dobby.

Round the corner from this, a full-sized animatronic Buckbeak comes to life during a great video by the creature effect team (and Warwick Davis). We really enjoyed this video, and the kids got a real thrill out of seeing Buckbeak moving.

2022 update : Buckbeak still moves, but he’s now in the Forbidden Forest! You can still watch the video, which is also still great.

You may also notice that both Diagon Ally and the Hogwarts scale model are on a Night-to-Day lighting cycle that’s worth sticking around for. Yes, you will take a lot of photos in these areas!

The Harry Potter Studio Tour Backlot

Outside in the Backlot, the kids can clamber all over Mr Weasley’s Ford Anglia and Hagrid’s motorbike, as well as the back of the Knight Bus – lots of free photo ops here too. Alas, you can’t go very far into the Knight Bus – no testing out the beds if that’s what you fancied, but the kids enjoyed hanging off the platform at the back.

2022 update: The backlot has changed a lot since our last visit. The bus and vehicles are still there, and so is the Hogwarts Bridge (you can walk along it) and Privet Drive. This time we got to go inside the Dursley’s pad, and though it’s only a couple of rooms, they are great fun. Hello Aunt Marge!

New additions to the Backlot were the Burrows (a large scale model), and Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse. You can go inside this, and try your hand at gardening while you are there. Watch out for those Mandrakes…

Tip Eight: Watch the films before – or after – you go…

The Harry Potter studio tour is all about the wizardry that went into making the films, and so to truly appreciate everything, watch them again! But don’t stress if you can’t find the nineteen hours and forty-six minutes that you’ll need to watch all eight movies before you go…  

We completely failed in this but had a great time watching some of them straight afterwards instead – completely blowing G-Man’s mind when he realised he’d been standing in Dumbledore’s actual in-the-film office that very day !

Parenting job – done.

So was it all worth it?

YES! As a demonstration of the artistry involved behind the scenes, the Harry Potter studio tour experience truly is wonderful, so I have to recommend it whole-heartedly. 

But if your kids are still very young and haven’t seen any/many of the movies yet, then I would seriously think about waiting a little while longer (ahem, or going without them). It doesn’t look like this exhibition will be going anywhere soon, and so if you go once your kids have seen at least two or three of the films I really believe they will get a lot more out of it.

Also, as it covers all the films, there will be spoilers. Obviously.

The cost of the experience

On the other hand, the Harry Potter studio tour is also an experience that just keeps getting pricer. As I had looked at getting tickets closer to G-Man’s actual birthday in December (2016), I happened to notice the price rise introduced as of January 2017 – for example, the family ticket went up by £20 from £106 in 2016 to £126 now (EDIT FOR 2023 – make that £160!).

A quick look around the internet shows that generally all prices at the attraction have gone up a lot over the last few years (a family ticket was £83 in 2012.  Butterbeer started out at around £2.95 a glass; now, you’re paying a few pence shy of seven pounds.  The issue on prices does leave a nasty taste in my mouth, but they’re hardly the only attraction to be milking their customers for every pound. Just go with your eyes open and your hand firmly on your purse.

2023 Harry Potter Studio Tour Price Update

Yes, prices are now quite a bit more than when I wrote this post. However, several new displays have been added since our visit – the Forbidden Forest and Gringotts . We visited in summer 2022, just in time for the opening of Professor Sprout’s greenhouse (the latest permanent set), now that our youngest is old enough to appreciate it too. I can honestly say it was worth spending all that money again – especially given how much had been added or changed, and was therefore new to all of us.

You can find the 2023 prices here (valid up until 31st December 2023). But basically, a family ticket for 2 adults (16+) and 2 children (5-15) is now £160. Yikes.

Bought separately, Adult tickets are £51.50 each, while 5-15 year olds pay “just” £40.00 each.

Children under 4 still go free, and you can also get a free ticket for carers.

Some shop prices have also snuck up again, though others are about the same. Wands , for example, still start at £32 (up to a frankly obscene £149). Cafe prices have increased slightly too, but you can now check out full menus and prices online , making it much easier to plan ahead.

Transport options

Public transport to the harry potter studio tour.

In a shocking (but very welcome!) twist, the cost for the shuttle bus from Watford Junction station to the Harry Potter studio tour in nearby Leavesdon (just outside London) is now free – or rather, included as part of your ticket. That’s about a £3 saving per head, if you were going to arrive by train and use this service anyway. Of course, if that saving has just been added to the ticket price (as the website states), then it’s an additional, unneeded and compulsory extra charge for anyone NOT going by train. So more of a hidden cost than a true freebie.

For non-Londoners/Brits, going to Watford Junction via tube or train (it’s part of the Oyster Card zone ) and then jumping on this bus is a LOT cheaper than the dedicated bus transfers that run from the major stations.

Those fancy bus transfers from mainland London stations cost around £40 per person. But don’t do it! Get a tube/trainfrom central London (zone 1) to Watford Junction (zone 9) instead. It will cost under £20 each if you use a contactless card (see how here ). This is really easy, to do, and the free-with-your-ticket Harry Potter branded coaches to the studio leave from right outside the station door at Watford. So don’t be put off by the thought of finding your way around an unfamiliar city transport network. You could buy yourself a wand with the saving! Well, a chocolate one, anyway.

Driving to the Harry Potter Studio Tour

For drivers, parking in the car park is free, or you can pay £10 for a Priority Parking space, near the entrance (buy this beforehand, when you get your tickets). There are some blue disability badge parking bays close to the main entrance too, but those aren’t guaranteed to be available.

There are also electric car charging stations, which require you to download the Pod Point Open Charge app.

While we got the train/bus combo for our first visit, train strikes and an even earlier ticket time encouraged us to drive down for our second trip. We didn’t (cheapskate here), pay the extra £10 to use the closer spaces, but found we were parked very close anyway (Row B, just past the bus stop).

Of course, this was because we were among the first visitors of the day, and if you have a later entry ticket then you are going to be parked further away. Personally, I didn’t think the car park was big enough to warrant the extra tenner, especially going early, so bear that in mind if you also book an early slot.

Even more Harry Potter!

Got a thirst for all things Potter? Check out these other Harry Potter-related posts!

Additional Needs advice and information for the Harry Potter Studio Tour

I am impressed by what I’ve seen of their facilities and information for visitors with additional needs. There is a dedicated web page for additional needs , to help with information and advice ahead of your visit. And there looks to be lots of help and facilities onsite too. Tickets for carers are free.

List of additional needs services

• There is a downloadable autism guide . This has images and descriptions of each stage of the experience, so that you know exactly what to expect.
• A more general downloadable accessibility guide contains more details and pictures. Basically this has a bit more information about what is on the webpage. But in a handy printable format that you can bring with you.
• Assistance dogs are welcome if they are fully trained. You can request a bowl of water for them during the tour.
• You can borrow ear defenders if noise is an issue. There are also ipads with subtitles that you can borrow for the introductory film. Bear in mind that the ipads must be booked in advance.
• And while there isn’t a descriptive audio guide for the visually impaired, there is the digital guide and induction loops.
• There is a sensory room for visitors with autism or other additional needs. This is aimed at providing a calming environment during the tour.
• Discrete hidden disability lanyards are available to borrow so that staff can be made aware if you need help.
• As well as accessible toilets throughout the tour, there is also a Changing Place in the lobby. This is large enough for a wheelchair user and two carers. It has a hoist, height adjustable changing bench, toilet and washbasin. You can borrow a RADAR key for this if you don’t have one.

I recommend checking out the web page for more information. But also don’t be afraid to give them a phone call if you need any assistance not listed there. They say they are very willing to help.

15 Comments

Fantastic tips – thank you! Thinking of taking my daughter and a couple of her best friends for her birthday in June 2019. Sounds expensive but then again I’ve spent over £300 on parties and the like over the last two years, and they can be over in two hours.

It’s a great experience – definitely something they remember longer than most birthday parties, in my experience anyway!

Thank you for your valuable article. It’s rare to find tips for families with smaller children. I really appreciate those. We will visit it in 2 weeks with a 6 y old. Phew! Let’s see! 😀

This was really useful thank you!

Hello, Really Useful tips – thank you. Just wondering if you could answer this question … I have booked tickets as a surprise for my partner for his birthday and I have requested for them to be posted. I was just wondering if you could tell me if they arrive in a plain envelope? I don’t want to ruin the surprise if he gets to the post before me. Thank you.

I hate it when packaging accidentally gives the game away! But don’t worry – if your tickets are like mine, they’ll arrive in a plain, white, envelope that doesn’t give away anything about what’s inside! Here’s a pic to reassure you – these were tickets bought 2022.

And this is what the tickets themselves look like – they come in a fab photo wallet, and will have a random image printed on them.

Thank you for all these handy tips. Going there tomorrow with a priority parking ticket (I could not resist).

Great tips. going with teenagers but will definitely use your handy recommendations

Hi I was wondering if you could help so I have tickets booked for 5.30pm what time would you suggest we get there like can u get inside b4 5.30pm

You can get into the lobby area before your ticket time, so you can check out the hub food hall area and possibly also the main shop. The website recommends arriving around 20 minutes before your booked time, presumably to allow for queueing to start the tour (they show you a welcoming film in a cinema-type room, so admit people in groups).

I think that if you arrive earlier than that, whether they let you start the tour itself will probably depend on how busy it is. We were asked what time we were booked for by the member of staff letting people into the tour itself (not the building), and from the way she asked, I think she had just turned away other people who had booked for later slots as she seemed relieved that ours were for the right time.

But I’d say it’s worth a shot if you are only a little bit early, and you can always hang out with coffee and chocolate frogs if you have to wait!

The tour closes at around 10pm, so even going at 5.30 you should have lots of time to see everything without having to rush. Have fun!

I really enjoyed the Harry Potter Studio Tour! It was so interesting to see all the sets and props from the movies.

Hello from Czech Republic, I need your little advice. I’ve puchrached tickets on 9am and now I found out, that the bus run at least every 30 minutes -but from 9.20am (with additional services available from 8.15am when the first tour is at 9am). So now I am confused – how I get to the Studio for the firts tour? I thought that the bus ride is include in the ticket. 🙁

Hi Dominika, You are absolutely right that the bus is now included in the ticket (you’ll need to show this or your email confirmation of purchase when you get on).

As for times, the website recommends getting to the studio 20 minutes BEFORE the start of your tour, so you should aim to arrive at about 8.40am.

I’ve double checked bus times with the Studio Tour and they have clarified that there will be buses every half hour, starting at 8.15am, on days when the first tour is at 9am. So roughly 8.15am, then 8.45am and so on. As the bus ride takes about fifteen minutes though, you might still want to aim for the first bus to be sure you get there on time. You can check what time the first bus is on the day you are visiting by clicking on the date in this calendar .

The Studio Tour open the main doors at 8.30am, so you can go into the lobby/hub area when you arrive, but not start the tour until your time slot.

It does mean an early start, but having done the 9am slot recently, I can say it will be much quieter going around so worth the pain of getting up early!

You could always skip breakfast and grab something when you get there. The various cafes in the hub open at the same time as the studio itself (8.30am), and have breakfast menus until 11.30am. Here’s the breakfast menu for the Food Hall in the hub/lobby, and this is the breakfast menu for the backlot cafe (halfway around the tour). You can also get pastries and tea/coffee at the Chocolate Frog Cafe and Hub cafe (that serves Starbucks coffee), which are also in the lobby/hub at the entrance.

Have a fabulous time – I’m sure you’ll really enjoy it!

I’ve just booked tickets for next February (9am slot) as I missed out on getting a January one – I didn’t realise they would sell out quite so far in advance!

Your guide is excellent – thank you so much. And a family ticket is now £172…

Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually reading about the Harry Potter Studio Tour! I’ve always been a huge fan of the series and I can’t wait to visit the studios. The tips you’ve provided are so helpful, especially the one about buying tickets in advance. I’m definitely bookmarking this post for future reference. Thank you for sharing!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and site URL in my browser for next time I post a comment.

• Forest School
• House And Home
• Out and About
• Parenting Without Plastic
• Play and Learn

Recent Posts

• How to weave a Tsikuri (Ojo de Dios or God’s Eye)
• How to make a tassel
• How To Make Ms. Marvel’s Marvellous Magic Bangle
• How to make a conker god’s eye
• How to make a twiggy dragonfly!

6 Must Sees at the Harry Potter Studios Near London

Word is that, on average, at least one in every 15 people on this planet owns a Harry Potter book. That's more than 500 million sold books , not to mention the billions of dollars made on the movies, the toys, the theme park lands and more. Harry Potter is undeniably a part of our culture and it comes as no surprise that kids (and adults) can't get enough of experiencing the world of Hogwarts in real life.

While the Universal Studios theme parks have the magic of Harry Potter down pat, The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Studios just outside London has preserved the actual soundstages and facilities where they filmed the movies. You can spend the day admiring every detail of this extremely well-executed display of Harry Potter film memorabilia.

Related: Best Credit Cards Without Foreign Transaction Fees

We found the entire experience is crazy cool for kids and adults alike. The magic of Hogwarts and its mysteries come to life on this tour. There are even seasonal offerings such as Hogwarts in the Snow around the winter holidays and Dark Arts in weeks around Halloween. But here are six must-see areas of the Harry Potter Studios Tour open around the year:

1. Great Hall

The view is overwhelming when you enter the Hogwarts Great Hall. The tables are set up on each side like a regular meal for the students, and the room is enormous. At the front, mannequins are dressed in the actual costumes worn by Dumbledore, Professor McGonnigall, Hagrid and the gang.

2. Potions Room

The set of the Potions Room from the Hogwarts cellars has been meticulously displayed, complete with jars of unsavory concoctions and bits and pieces of mythical creatures. (Warning: If you're bringing small children, this area can be downright creepy.)

Severus Snape's cellar rooms from the movies are on display here, along with a cool video of the set designers explaining how they created all the magical, mythical designs. You might even see some of the cauldrons seemingly in the midst of mixing up some magical potions, wands in motion stirring the ingredients.

3. Hogwarts Express

We geeked out walking onto the Hogwarts Express train and through its rail cars. It was easy to imagine our trip to Hogwarts from London's Kings Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾ ( which actually exists, by the way ). Built full size, the train billows real steam from its engines. The whole thing is filled with compartments showcasing scenes from the various movies. Look for Hermione's purse, Harry's glasses, Ron's sweater and other cool "artifacts" that dot the seats inside the train.

If you want to ride the iconic Hogwarts Express through Scotland , that's possible from April - Oct. each year.

fo(Photo by Darren Murph / The Points Guy)

4. The Backlot Café

About halfway through the tour, we rested our weary souls at a café for some lunch, and -- most importantly -- a taste of delicious butterbeer. It's not a true visit with Harry Potter if there isn't some butterbeer to quaff. It is enjoyable (and nonalcoholic, by the way). Pay the extra British pounds for the commemorative mug -- it's worth it. There are three other dining establishments within the experience, too, so no one will go hungry.

5. Makeup and Special Effects Area

It's fascinating to walk through a very large and detailed display of how the makeup artists created all those fanciful creatures in the films. Visitors can learn how they made Hagrid look so large and how actors were transformed into elves and other unsavories. Save time to see all the interesting behind-the-scenes secrets the filmmakers used to create the fanciful worlds that came to life in the films. Videos explain the secrets behind the magic without spoiling the artifice.

6. Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley is both mysterious and fun. More entertaining than scary, this area is as playful and fanciful as it is in the films. We took our time in this area so we could absorb all the details of each shop, from the wand store to the apothecary. This area's mind-altering perspective makes it appear longer and deeper than it really is. The buildings are colorful and aged, with windows full of wares you might expect to find inside the world of Harry Potter. There are lots of surprises in the alley too, but you will have to spy them for yourselves!

Getting Here from London

Keep in mind that the Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Studios London is not actually in London, but about 20 miles northwest in a suburb easily reachable by tube and train. Once you navigate to the Watford station, there's a motorcoach waiting to drive you to the studios just 10 minutes outside of town. Plan on spending a large part of your day at studios. There is so much to see and no reason to rush through it.

Tickets start at £45 for adults and £37 and go up from there if you add tours or VIP experiences. Tickets need to be purchased online in advance.

Related: Best Cards for Entertainment Spending

Traveling to London on Points

If you want to London and visit the Harry Potter Studios, the good news is that you can often find cheap flight deals to London from the US. The bad news is that using points and miles to get there can be surprisingly expensive at times because of the hefty airline taxes and fees that often are tacked on -- especially when departing the UK. But, you don't need to steal a flying car to get here. Check out our tips for flying to London using points and miles.

When it comes time to rest your muggle heads, the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge has family rooms available for four with one bed and a sleeper sofa for 87,500 points per night. Kids will love the indoor pool and the rucksack of goodies at check-in. See another eight family-friendly London hotels you can book with points .

Bottom Line

Don't discount this Harry Potter attraction because it's outside of London. It's easy to get to and -- whether you're a Harry Potter fan or not -- you're sure to enjoy the magic created specifically for this franchise.

Looking for more Harry Potter travels? Here are some options:

• Things to Know About Hagrid's Newest Harry Potter Ride at Universal Studios
• Hagrid's Cottage From Harry Potter Is Now Taking Overnight Guests
• Live Your Childhood Harry Potter Fantasy at This Wizard Brunch in New York This Summer
• Calling All Muggles: The Real Hogwarts Express Train Is Back in Action

I review the ‘VIP’ Harry Potter tour in the UK – it’s crowd-free and comes with free champagne

• Hope Brotherton , Travel Reporter
• Published : 10:33 ET, Apr 8 2024
• Updated : 14:54 ET, Apr 8 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

EVER since the Warner Bros. Studio Tour opened in 2012, fans of the boy wizard have been flocking from all over the world to see the sets and the props.

The tour's popularity is both a blessing and a curse - with lengthy queues and large crowds becoming part of the experience.

However, one new tour offers to give Harry Potter fans the time and the space to freely explore the attraction.

Earlier this year, tour operator International Friends launched their Semi-private evening experience at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter .

The tours operate every Friday evening, with guests arriving at the attraction at 6.15pm.

Tour groups are capped to a maximum of 50 people, giving guests the space to explore the Leavesden studio without the crowds.

While guests are provided with a private coach transfer from London , I drove to the tour simply because it was easier for me - and my parking was hassle-free to organise with International Friends too.

Once I'd met up with my group, just outside the towering chess pieces, we moved into the entrance where we were greeted by a member of Warner Bros staff.

As the last tour group to enter into the attraction, we avoided all of the queues, which can keep visitors awaiting for at least 30 minutes at peak times.

Our small group was then given a private welcome talk before we were led into the Great Hall.

Most read in Travel

Longest zip line in the US to launch next month - with 5,523 ft track

Airline is first to introduce new overhead lockers, it's good news for carry-ons

The seat you should always pick on planes to increase your chances of sleeping

Tiny island nicknamed 'Key West of the North' is 2 hours outside major US city

Inside the Great Hall, I was given a glass of champagne (non-alcoholic options were also available) and made to feel like a VIP.

As I moved through the room, which was far less crowded than my previous visits, I was easily able to take photos next to some of my favourite sets from the film series.

After enjoying an extended amount of time in the Great Hall, we went on to explore other parts of the behind-the-scenes experience, including the Gryffindor Common Room , Snape's Potions Classroom, Dumbledore's Office and many, many, more.

My niece and I had plenty of time - and more importantly space - to look at the sets and take photos alongside our favourite ones.

There were no lengthy queues for the green screens either, so my niece and I were able to live out our dreams of riding a quidditch broom - all without spending too much time waiting around.

As our visit coincided with the Magical Mischief event , we were even able to make Howlers (the terrifying letters with enchanted messages) too.

From posing for snaps next to the Hogwarts Express to creating a souvenir video battling a dementor on one of the train's carriages, our three-hour visit moved seamlessly thanks to the lack of crowds.

At points, we practically had the space to ourselves.

Even our pitstop for Butterbeer, the syrupy butterscotch juice, topped with liquid marshmallow, was devoid of all crowds.

I would say we caught up with other visitors, who weren't part of the semi-private tour, as we posed for photos on Hagrid's flying motorcycle.

That being said, this was the only time we queued to take photos, so it wasn't a frustrating wait in the slightest.

Because the Warner Bros. Studio tour closes at 10pm, you'll start to hear announcements that the attraction will be closing from around 9pm.

Make sure you leave enough time to get through the entirety of the tour, without having to rush, and leave plenty of cash for souvenirs in the gift shop.

If you're travelling with young children, encourage them to save up their pocket money - as they'll definitely want to buy a sweet treat from Honeydukes.

Semi-private evening experience tickets cost £199 for a full-paying adult and £195 for a child aged between 5 to 15, with infants going free.

Tickets include entry into the tour, return coach transfers to London and a glass of champagne in the Great Hall.

While tickets don't come cheap, it's a magical experience for Harry Potter fans who want a crowd-free time at the ever-popular tour.

Tickets can be booked on the International Friends website, here .

Other visitors on the semi-private tour have also praised their experience.

In an online review , one person wrote: "I can’t recommend this semi-private tour enough. As we came in after the last daytime tour, we practically had the place to ourselves."

Another added: "The semi-private tour of the Harry Potter studios was a fantastic experience.

Read More on The US Sun

Katt Williams halts show after fight breaks out in middle of standup gig

WWE fans lose their mind as John Cena and Undertaker make WrestleMania return

Three other harry potter attractions to visit in the uk.

Harry Potter fans are spoilt for choice in the UK, with plenty of different attractions to visit across the UK.

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was filmed at Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire in Wales. While the film sets were dismantled years ago, Dobby's Grave can be found on a sand dune on the beach.
• Both Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets were Alnwick Castle . Set in Northumberland, entry tickets cost £20.50.
• Glenfinnan Viaduct is well-known for being part of the journey on the Hogwarts Express. While the magical train ride has been indefinitely paused over safety concerns, fans can still visit the famous viaduct.

"With a much smaller group size than normal, we could explore the sets, props, and costumes at our own pace without feeling rushed or crowded."

Meanwhile, here are the top 10 Harry Potter filming locations you can visit in the UK.

• Harry Potter