Experiences: Harry Potter Studio Tour

While my family was in London, my brother and I had one day, just one weekend day, that was going to be entirely to ourselves. So what did we do? We went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour! We actually did this last time he visited too, as we are both big fans (and both Hufflepuffs!)



In preparation, a few days before we had gone into the city to visit the Primark at Tottenham Ct Road, the best place to get the Primark HP merch. Unfortunately, they were lacking in t-shirts, particularly Hufflepuff ones, and we didn't buy anything, but Bro had the shirt he wore last time and I have made a new dress with HP newsprint fabric that I could wear, so we did that! As always, I had HP socks on as well!



On arrival, I realised I had dressed so well I actually matched the print on the walls! So we stopped for a photo on the way in. Since moving to London, I have now visited 3 times, pretty much lining up at once per year. However, every time there has been something new or an event on for us to see, and this trip was no exception.



We started off with the usual video and entrance into the Great Hall. I really really wanted to open the doors, as it was only a week before my birthday, but there were children who were also celebrating their birthdays, so I let them do it. I guess 30 year olds is not their demographic for that part.



The first special bit that we saw was the Hogwarts in the Snow event. They add in Christmassy touches, like the Christmas feast set up in the Great Hall, snow covered Christmas trees, and a lot of Yule Ball touches like costumes and set pieces (as the Yule Ball took place over Christmas during Goblet of Fire).



The other part that was new was Gringotts! They have reburbished and added an expansion with the main hall of the Gringotts bank, the trolley they used to get around inside the bank and the vault and bank as it was during the last film. I won't spoil it entirely, but it was pretty fantastic!



Then, of course, they have redone the shop too. So it was a good long time deciding what to get - in the end I got two keychains, a bunch of sweets and a tea towel for the kitchen. A very nice haul, and we ate lunch in the Backlot cafe as well (plus, the traditional Butterbeer and Butterbeer icecream!).



And in the end we were there about 6 hours, I think. We went in at 10, and left close to 4pm. What a fabulous way to spend a day!!!