Harry Potter Studios London: The Ultimate Visitors’ Guide
If you’re a Potterhead, the Harry Potter Studios (actually called the Warner Bros. Studio Tour) is a MUST on your trip to London. The studio is one of the filming locations for the actual films.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour has many original sets, costumes, and props used in the movies. There’s also tons of behind-the-scenes stuff you may not know about. The studio is huge, so the tour can easily take the entire day.
I’ve visited the studio twice (and probably will again), and I loved it both times. It’s a fantastic experience for Potterheads, because from the moment you enter, it’s like stepping out of our world and into the world of wizards, thestrals, and house elves.
How to Get There from London
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is situated in Watford, which technically isn’t London anymore. It’s about 20 miles (32km) from Central London, so the trip takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
There are different ways of getting from London to the Harry Potter Studios:
1. By Train & Bus
If you’re looking for the cheapest travel option, this is the way to go. It costs about £30 for a return trip.
The train to Watford Junction departs from Euston regularly – multiple times an hour – and takes about 20 minutes. Take the London Underground or a bus from your accommodation in the morning, then take the next train.
Check the National Rail and West Midlands websites for exact times (make sure you look at the duration of the train ride, because there are alternatives that take almost an hour) and to buy tickets. But don’t worry, you can also buy tickets at Euston station. Alternatively, you can use an oyster card or contactless card payment for this part of the journey (like in the London Underground).
From there, take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour shuttle bus. The bus runs at least once every half hour, and the journey takes 15 minutes. Depending on the opening times of the studio, the first bus leaves either at 08:15 or at 09:20. Check the WB Studio Tour website to check the time for the specific day you plan to visit. The bus is free – it’s included in your ticket to the tour.
2. With a Direct Bus Transfer
When I visited the first time, this was the option I chose. Of course, it’s a more expensive (prices start at £49), but more practical option to travel. To be honest, I chose it because I wasn’t confident using the public transport at that point, so if you can relate, I’d recommend booking a bus transfer.
Of course, if you have the money, book a private guided tour with a transfer. It’s on the pricier side, but I know that the tours are really thorough and usually the guides at the studios are HUGE Harry Potter fans themselves. With this option, you’ll probably get the most out of your visit.
Golden Tours is an official partner of the studio, so check the website for tickets. There are two ticket options: just the bus transfer (if you already have a ticket) or the transfer and tour ticket.
The bus leaves 1.5 to 2 hours before your ticket time from Victoria Station. It also stops at Baker Street before heading to the Harry Potter studios.
The bus leaves 6 hours after your entrance time, so you have a limited time to explore. If you plan on staying longer, take the train instead, as you can stay in the studios for up to 14 hours.
3. By Car
The final option – probably the most comfortable – is to travel by car. If you’re renting a car already, it’s the logical option.
From Victoria Station, it takes about an hour to get to the Warner Bros Studio Tour.
You can park on the parking lot right in front of the studio for free – just have your entrance tickets ready at the gate. Alternatively, you can pay £10 for priority parking, which is closer to the entrance. You can book this when you buy your tickets online.
Where to Book Tickets
Tickets must be booked before your visit – you can’t buy tickets at the entrance. And I’d recommend buying tickets at least a month in advance, because they sell out very quickly.
The morning slots are always the first to go, often sold out as far as 3 months in advance.
The best place to book your ticket is through the official website. Here is where you’ll find the best prices (because third-party sites add their own fees). Tickets for the regular studio tour start at 56£, but there are many other options, including family tickets, souvenir gift packages, and full guided tours.
You can also check GetYourGuide and Viator for tickets, especially if you want a guided tour or a transfer from the city.
What You’ll See in the Harry Potter Studios
Once you enter the studio (or actually the parking lot), you’ll be surrounded by all things Harry Potter. Right when you leave the lobby, you’re greeted by original costumes and a massive model of a Ukrainian Ironbelly (the dragon that guards the Lestrange vault in Gringotts).
In your timeslot, you move into a room boasting various Harry Potter movie posters from all over the world.
From there, you move on to the introduction part of the tour – a series of rooms in which the guides tell you a bit about the Studio Tour and video introductions of some of the Harry Potter cast are played. I LOVED this part – you can really see the love that the entire staff has for the franchise.
The Great Hall
The Great Hall is where the tour really starts – you are greeted by the Frog Choir (singing ‘Double Trouble’ of course) at the front of the hall lined with long tables.
There’s a section in the hall dedicated to each house. They each have a collection of costumes and the house crest.
Interior Sets
As you move on, you’ll get to see the exquisite Yule Ball costumes (including Hermione’s pink dress) and a display of many of the wigs.
The next part of the Studio Tour is the interior sets. It is one of the biggest parts of the tour and includes sets and props like:
Harry and Ron’s Bedroom:
The Slytherin Common Room:
Potions Class (with spoons magically stirring potions in the pots):
The Triwizard Cup:
Dumbledore’s office (including the Pensieve and a model of Fawkes the Phoenix)
Hagrid’s Hut:
The inside of the Burrow (The Weasley’s house):
One of my favourite parts of the Interior Sets was the board dedicated to the animal actors:
Of course, there’s also a whole section dedicated to Quidditch. In this part, you’ll see the different broomsticks, Quidditch outfits, and the Quidditch balls (including the Golden Snitch).
The Dark Arts
The Dark Arts part of the Studio Tour included all things surrounding You-Know-Who, Death Eaters, and other evil creatures.
It starts with the Meeting at Malfoy Manor, with Charity Burbage floating above the long table and Nagini the snake ready to attack.
And yes, the Ministry of Magic with its dark green tiles is also included in this part of the tour. At last, you’ll make it to the place that embodies evil – Dolores Umbridge’s bright pink office.
The Forbidden Forest
The next stop on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour is the Forbidden Forest. I found this part particularly fun, because there are lots of animated creatures and special effects involved.
Some of the creatures you’ll come across include a centaur, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Aragog the Acromantula, and a patronus with a glow effect.
Platform 9¾ and the Hogwarts Express
After the Forbidden Forest, you’ll make it to Platform 9¾ and the Hogwarts Express. Here, you can take a photo with the iconic trolley and suitcases as they go through the wall to the platform.
I particularly loved going through the Hogwarts Express. It includes 7 carriages, one for each movie. There’s even one with the R+L heart drawn on the window!
At the end, you’ll see the Honeydukes Express trolley and a scene of Harry and Ron with all the candy wrappers strewn across the seats.
The Backlot
At this point, you’re just over halfway through the tour. The next place you’ll get to is the Backlot Café. Here, you can get something to eat. I found it to be a bit expensive, but I think it’s definitely worth getting a Butterbeer.
Note that there are two queues at the Backlot Café – one for food and drinks and the other specifically for Butterbeer and Butterbeer ice cream. These are served in souvenir cups, which you can take home.
From there, enjoy your Butterbeer or ice cream in the Backlot outside. Remember that you can’t go inside with food or beverages.
On the Backlot, you’ll find models of the purple Knight Bus, Hagrid’s motorcycle, Hogwarts Bridge, the Weasleys’ Flying Ford Anglia, and the Burrow.
You can also see go inside 4 Privet Drive, with sets including the living room filled with flying Hogwarts acceptance letters and an inflated Marjorie Dursley.
But my favourite part of the Backlot is Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse. You can go through the greenhouse and pick up baby Mandrakes.
Creature Effects and Animatronics
After the Backlot, you move on to the Creature Effects section. If you’re interested in the hair and makeup effects, this part is for you.
You’ll see masks, wigs, and props made for the movie. There are also videos showing how many of the creature effects were achieved, including all the different roles Warwick Davis plays in the movies.
Gringotts
The next stop in the Harry Potter studios is Gringotts Wizarding Bank – starting with a small-scale model of the bank and ending in the stunning lobby, with its impressive chandeliers and golden walls and columns.
You’ll even see a model of Harry and Griphook under the Cloak of Invisibility.
After the lobby, you can go through the various vaults featured in the movies: the Lestrange vault and Vault 713, with its magical high-security door (yes, it moves!).
At the end of the Gringotts portion of the tour, there is a display of the Ukrainian Ironbelly crashing through the bank. And though it’s just a video, it looks pretty realistic until the very end, when the dragon breathes fire.
Diagon Alley
Next stop: Diagon Alley. This part of the tour is so immersive. Walking in, the atmosphere is whimsical and exciting.
You’ll pass by all the shops you know so well: Ollivanders, Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.
The Art Department
This is probably the most underrated part of the whole Studio Tour. But I found it wonderful to see the attention to detail that the artists put into the Harry Potter movies.
In this part, you’ll find mostly white card models and technical drawings. The walls are also lined with concept art by various artists who worked on the movies.
A Model of Hogwarts Castle
To end the Studio Tour, you’ll come across a magnificent model of Hogwarts Castle, which is one of the highlights of the tour.
Green Screen Experiences
Throughout the tour, you’ll come across various green screen experiences. At the Quidditch section, you can ‘ride a broomstick’. There is also a green screen experience on the Hogwarts Express.
Of course, photos and videos of these experiences come at an extra cost, but they’re especially fun for kids.
The Shop
After the tour, you’ll come to the official shop. It’s massive – there are separate rooms for each Hogwarts house.
This is the ideal place to pick up a souvenir, including Hogwarts robes and wands, or smaller items, from hair accessories and notebooks to iconic sweets from Honeydukes’.
Activity Passport
If you want to make the most of your visit and get a great souvenir, pick up an activity passport. Just ask any member of staff to get one – it’s completely free!
All over the Harry Potter studios you’ll find spots where you can stamp your passport. The little orange booklet also includes a Golden Snitch Hunt and a Cornish Pixie Hunt.
Where Can You Eat?
There are different spots to eat at in the Harry Potter Studios:
- The Backlot Café: The perfect spot to take a break in the middle of the tour, and to try Butterbeer or Butterbeer ice cream.
- The Hogwarts Table: At the beginning (or end) of the tour, the Hogwarts Table is a restaurant inspired by the Great Hall. For a special experience, book the Afternoon Tea here.
- The Food Hall: Also located near the lobby, the Food Hall is a great place to get something small to eat before or after your tour.
- The Chocolate Frog Café: Located next to the Hogwarts Table and the Food Hall, you can get a variety of drinks and sweet treats here.
Best Times to Visit
Because most of it is inside, the Warner Bros Studio Tour is always a good idea. And because the studio only sells a limited number of tickets, the crowds fluctuate very little.
That being said, I would try to avoid weekends, public holidays, and UK school holidays, because there’ll be more kids on these days. If you can, try to get the first slot in the morning, because that’s when it’ll be the least crowded.
Also, check the website for its events and special exhibitions to see if there’s something specific that interests you.
Extra Tips
Here are a few tips to make your trip extra memorable:
- Bring a bottle of water and a snack if you want to avoid standing in the extremely long queue at the Backlot Café.
- You can order a personalised ‘Happee Birthdae Harry’ cake to enjoy in the Food Hall or to take home. You have to order it at least 72 hours before your visit.
- Try to arrive 30 minutes before your time slot. It’ll take a while to park, go through the security check, collect tickets (if necessary), and still admire the displays in the hub.
- Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be on your feet for a few hours.
- Consider using a digital guide (available near the entrance) or the official Studio Tour app (free) for a more in-depth behind-the-scenes look.
- Bring a powerbank and a charged phone. You’ll want to take lots of photos and videos, and won’t want your battery to drain before the end of the tour.
