Harry Potter StudioVisitor's Guide

Your Harry Potter Tour adventure kicks off as soon as you present your ticket, starting with a queue that features Harry’s iconic cupboard under the stairs, complete with toy soldiers. As you wait in line, you can brush up on your Harry Potter lore with inspiring quotes from various characters from the franchise.

Next up, you will proceed to a dimly-lit room with multiple screens, where you take a deep dive into the history of Harry Potter and the magic that awaits. In the next room which is set up like a cinema, you can watch a short film that succinctly covers key moments and behind-the-scenes footage from eight Harry Potter movies, along with interviews with cast members, crew, directors, and even J.K. Rowling herself.

This preliminary experience concludes after the film, with majestic doors opening to reveal the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Stepping into the Great Hall marks the true beginning of the tour, as you enter the magical world of Harry Potter!

Your journey at the Harry Potter Studio Tour starts with the opening of the Great Hall doors, inspired by Oxford's Christ Church college dining hall. Discover the hall’s authentic paving stone floor, as your guides share fascinating details.

The tour progresses, showcasing famous sets like the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore’s office, Hagrid’s hut, and the Potions classroom. After this, the tour shifts to a self-guided format, offering you the freedom to explore these magical environments at your leisure.

This will allow you to experience the Forbidden Forest, complete with mist and spiders, and seize the chance to fly a broom (at an additional cost). You can also check out the famous Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 and ¾ for a serene photo opportunity, in contrast to the lively Kings Cross station in London.

As for outdoor experiences, these include the Knight Bus, Privet Drive, the unscathed Hogwarts Bridge, and Mr. Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia. Make sure you visit the meticulously designed Diagon Alley, especially Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – arguably one of the studio’s many highlights.

You will also have the chance to interact with various sets, like sitting on Hagrid’s motorbike, stepping into the Ford Anglia, and climbing aboard the Knight Bus. The outdoor area also presents prime photo opportunities, so it is important to take into account the weather when planning your visit. The tour also features an exciting Hogwarts Express simulation, where guests can board a replica carriage and embark on a journey filled with dementors and voice-over narration, offering a thrilling experience.

In the second part of the studio tour, the focus shifts to the filmmaking process, revealing the creation and effort behind the props and costumes. This section showcases an extensive collection of creatures, detailing the intricate and complex methods used to bring them to life.

Among the many things you will learn is that only the head of the basilisk was actually built. You can also explore a wide range of goblin and house elf masks, which offer insight into their design and how they were tailored to fit the actors.

Following the Creature Shop, the tour continues to the meticulously crafted Diagon Alley. This area is designed as a realistic alley, with each shop intricately decorated and featuring detailed displays, creating a genuine streetscape. Diagon Alley’s compact layout mirrors the film’s setting, offering a profound sense of realism and magical feeling of shopping for enchanted items.

During the studio tour, you also have the chance to go on a broomstick ride with the help of CGI and green screen technology. After donning your Hogwarts robes, you can mimic flying on a broom , while a screen projects scenes over London and Hogwarts. Staff members are on hand to help you out and make sure you get a striking pose.

Post-flight, you can choose from a selection of backgrounds, such as hovering over Hogwarts or flying along the Thames. You can even take a photo inside the Ford Anglia, simulating flight, or add a fun twist to your visit by posing as an Azkaban prisoner on a ‘Wanted’ poster.

The Harry Potter Studio Tour concludes with a spectacular large-scale model of Hogwarts Castle, which was previously used for film shots. This exhibit offers an impressive view of the castle from the Astronomy Tower to the lake shores, illustrating the iconic castle's scale and architecture.

The final room of the tour is home to a stunning 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts, a testament to extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. The model, meticulously handcrafted with real gravel and plants for landscaping, radiates authenticity.

Equipped with over 300 fiber optic lights, the model simulates torches and lanterns that create the illusion of student life within the castle’s hallways. This masterpiece stands as a tribute to the talent and skill of the Harry Potter art department, crafted by a team of 86 people.

Footage of this model was skillfully combined with special effects to produce the realistic exterior views of Hogwarts in the films, often mistaken for real castles. This model serves as a phenomenal conclusion to the tour, leaving a lasting impression on visitors.