Harry Potter Bus Tour Of London
This is run by Brit Tours and is a 2½-3 hour tour is twice the price of their walking tour, but perfect for rainy days or for those who want to relax and enjoy the comfort of their luxury mini-bus to see many of the same sites listed above.
There are opportunities to get off the bus and take pictures as well. Guides are enthusiastic and informative.
When: at 2 pm on the following days
Schedule changes seasonally so be sure to check their calendar.
Cost: Adult : £30 | Children : £21
Sneaky Trick Number Three For Nabbing Those Tickets
Now I know that I said that you have next to zero chance for nabbing tickets to Harry Potter land in London without booking them at least a couple of months in advance but guess what I lied.
Well, kind of.
You can get last-minute tickets on the website if youre willing to be flexible and just take whatever day and time is available. I booked my tickets on Tuesday to go on the Sunday of the same week and was pretty lucky that the tour started at 2pm so I had loads of time to make my way around.
There were only a couple of tickets for the Sunday available and a few more for the following Monday and Tuesday after which the earliest I could book was 2.5 months later.
Its a big gamble definitely not one Id recommend taking if youre only in the country for a short period but it is always worth checking.
What Should You Expect On A Harry Potter Studio Tour
The most popular type of Harry Potter tour, a visit to the Warner Bros. Studio invites you into the world of Hogwarts and lets you discover the magic behind the movies across a 200-acre complex. See breathtaking sets like the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley and get up close and personal with authentic props and costumes from every Harry Potter movie.
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Buy Tickets On The Website
Now, Im not going to lie trying to get your hands on the Harry Potter studio tickets is like trying to conjure a genuine smile from Professor Umbrige. As in, it will take all of your wits and whiles to make it happen. Unlike trying to coax a smile from Umbridge though, it will be totally worth the effort.
First of all, let me be clear. You have to buy tickets in advance there will be no turning up on the day and hoping to strike lucky.
That shizz just doesnt fly .
So, you need to plan your trip in advance. Preferably as far in advance as you possibly can.
Tickets for the Warner Brothers Harry Potter tour sell like hotcakes and months ahead.
Dont be all blasé like me, hopping onto the website and thinking youll pick one up for the next day. I was totally sucker punched when I saw that tickets were pretty much booked out for two months in advance. Thats not a typo and yes youre reading it right. Two months.
Now, there are a couple of workarounds, which I am going to go into more detail below but that is the standard position.
So if youre thinking about taking a trip to London and you want to get a ticket, do it the moment you book your flights. I only wish I were joking.
Stop Ten Goodwins Court
Address: Goodwins Ct, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4LL
Strolling along the narrow passageways around Charing Cross Road I wouldnt blame you if you got the distinct feeling that the next stops on our Harry Potter walk in London was a part of the city Harry himself would be familiar with.
Crooked ye olde buildings overhang the narrow walkway of Goodwins Court, one of the two spots in the area that are said to have inspired Diagon Alley.
Delightfully quaint bow-fronted buildings transport you to another age their iron-barred windows and dingy brickwork are thought to date back to 1690.
Some people are convinced that Goodwins Court was the basis for the set of Diagon Alley in the Warner Brothers Studios and I have to say, the two do look convincingly alike.
Rumour has it that the only reason that Goodwins wasnt used as Diagon Alley in the films was because it was too narrow for the filming equipment needed.
What do you think?
Before you get too carried away though- I will say that others champion our next stop, Cecil Court as the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Lets go and take a look.
Watch The Scene: Harry and Hagrid go to Diagon Alley in the Philosophers Stone
1 minute walk from Goodwins Court to Cecil Court.
Walk to the other end of Goodwins Court. Turn left onto St Martins Lane, cross the road and turn right onto Cecil Court.
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Harry Potter Studio Tour
Delve behind the scenes of the beloved Harry Potter films at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Inside, you’ll see Harry’s world like never before. It features many magical touches like scaled-down replicas of Hogwarts and real steins of Butterbeer. The sprawling studio is ripe for exploration, with several hours of fun and entertainment. Starting at the very beginning with Harry’s little cupboard under the stairs, you’ll travel to iconic locations like the Great Hall, Diagon Valley and Privet Drive. The souvenir store alone makes the journey worth it. London Pass holders are eligible to purchase an exclusive studio tour package including tickets and return transportation to Central London.Address: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR Opening times: Varying opening hours daily, all times available here Prices: £66 for adults, £61 for children, £20 for infants 3-4 , free for children aged 2 and under for all London Pass Harry Potter Studio Tour customers £35 for adults, £27 for children 5-15, free for children aged 4 and under, various group and family packages priced £25.50-£36.95
Stop Fourteen Great Scotland Yard
Address: Great Scotland Yard, Westminster, London SW1A
Meander to Great Scotland Yard to hunt for the two entrances to the Ministry of Magic .
Great Scotland Yard looks innocuous enough.
There are some rather beautiful buildings and its located just off of Whitehall, the heart of British government as in 10 Downing Street is just off Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament sit at the other end.
Nothing incredible to see here right?
Wrong.
Great Scotland Yard was used to represent the heart of the wizarding world the Ministry of Magic neatly reflecting the areas importance in the real world.
Cast your mind back to Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix when Arthur Weasley takes Harry to the Ministry for his hearing on performing underage magic. They enter the Ministry through a red telephone box underneath a stone archway.
Well, youll have to picture the telephone box and the archway near the junction of Scotland Place do so and voila you have the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.
The fake bridge is a duplicate of one just around the corner on Scotland Place, CGIed here to cover up some of the ugly doorways of the buildings in the scene.
Watch the Scenes
8 minute walk from Great Scotland Yard to Westminster Station.
Retrace your footsteps along Great Scotland Yard back to Whitehall. Turn left onto Whitehall and follow it along. There is an entrance to Westminster Station is on Whitehall.
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What Should You Expect On A Harry Potter Black Taxi Cab Tour
Hail a taxi and journey much further than your usual route with the Harry Potter black taxi cab tour. Discover film set locations across the city as you swap your broomstick for a black cab. Up to six people can hop in the taxi, and the tour includes famous London sights as well as a ton of Harry Potter treats.
Harry Potter Studio Opening Times
For opening times in 2023, please refer to the Harry Potter Studio Tours calendar.
- Monday to Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Closed
- Monday: 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday and Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Closed
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How Do You Get To Warner Bros Studio London
The Harry Potter Studio Tour London is located in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, 20 miles northwest of London. It is easily accessible by car and public transport.
If you are travelling by road, the attraction is less than three miles from the M1 and M25 motorways. Put the WD25 7LR postcode into your sat nav for it to calculate the best route from your starting location. Onsite parking at the family-friendly attraction is free.
If you are coming by train, the nearest train station is Watford Junction, and from there you can catch a regular shuttle bus for the 15-minute journey to the studio.
You can also travel directly to the Harry Potter Studio Tour by bus from several locations: London Kings Cross, London Victoria, Birmingham Coach Station and Birmingham New Street.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour in London is also easy to reach by road or rail from four London airports:
Interactive Opportunities At Harry Potter Studio Including Free And Paid For
Warner Bros Studio Tour interactive signs
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 , 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 , to perform in front of a green screen, on to which a marvellous 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,
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.
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What Should You Expect On Harry Potter Tours Outside Of London
While the capital might be the scene for some of the best Harry Potter tours in London, its not the only place to go on a wizardry quest. Hogwarts itself was filmed over several locations that include Christ Church College and Bodleian Library in Oxford. The Potters House is located in Lacock Village, Wiltshire, while Godrics Hollow can be found in Lavenham, Suffolk.
Harry Potter Studio Tour: Types Of Tours
- Harry Potter Studio Tour with Transportation
On a fantastic full-day tour from central London to the Warner Brothers Studio, go behind the scenes of the Harry Potter franchise sets and walk in the footsteps of the favorite characters and the iconic actors that played them. With comfortable transfers from Central London in a premium coach, full of convenient features and wi-fi access, you can arrive at Warner Bros. Studio tours in luxury and comfort.
- Harry Potter Film Studio Tour
Take a stroll through Londons streets and visit some of the most iconic film locations from the Harry Potter Films, the eight-part series that has inspired generation after generation to read and dream. .
- Warner Bros studio tour & Oxford Day Tour from London
After a magical day at the Warner Bros. Studio TourThe Making of Harry Potter, travel to Oxford for a visit to the University of Oxford. Admission to the Harry Potter studio tour and a professional guided educational and engaging walk in Oxford are included in the full-day trip.
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What Will I See At The Harry Potter Studios London
Anyone for chess?
Featuring the original Studio sets of the critically acclaimed film franchise, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London â 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.
Our Harry Potter Studio Tour Review
So, we did really enjoy ourselves and I would recommend visiting butâ¦â¦â¦. is it worth £37.5 each? Itâs actually £47 if youâre buying a single adult ticket. After the cost of food and being VERY restrained in the shop we actually spent nearly £300 in total. Honestly, Iâm not sure it is worth the ticket price and it pains me to say that. Iâve asked a couple of other people and they tend to agree itâs very expensive for what it is. The main reason is because you wonât be able to stay there all day. We were there for 4.5 hours, including lunch but they donât have any activities that can bulk out the amount of time there. It isnât a theme park, and it isnât supposed to be, but it might be nice if they had some kind of playground area. Harry Potter themed playground â that would be AWESOME!!
As things stand Iâd probably give it 4 / 5. If you spread the first lot of sets out a bit more, so everyone can actually see, and knocked £10 off the ticket price then Iâd give it 6 / 5. All that said, tickets sell out months and months in advance and that many people cannot be wrong! If youâve been Iâd love to hear if you think itâs value for money?
The prices were correct at the time this review was originally written and it has been subsequently updated. Iâve kept the original prices in for context. Please visit their website for the latest as they have increased since then.
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How Much Does The Harry Potter Studio Tour Cost
As of June 2022, The Harry Potter Studio tour costs:
We saved a little bit of money by purchasing the family pass.
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 youre traveling during the summer, Id 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.
Australia House Gringotts Wizarding Bank
The longest continuously occupied diplomatic mission in the U.K., , Australia House served as the setting for Gringotts Wizarding Bank .
Unlike other sites on this tour, it is the interior of this building that was where scenes were filmed for Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.
It’s here that Hagrid takes Harry to the wizarding bank for the first time.
The scene was filmed in Australia House’s Exhibition Room which is, unfortunately, not open to the public.
A polite word with the security officers at the door may reward you with a peek through the windows, but this is not always guaranteed.
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School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry The Harry Potter Escape Room In London
Escape Rooms can be totally brilliant or pretty naff. We can all guess which category a Harry Potter escape room falls into right?
So what does it involve? You and your team of fellow witch and wizard wannabes are locked in a room, your task? To solve a series of Harry Potter-themed enigmas to defeat the dark side and win your freedom. Simples.
Where Are The Harry Potter London Studios
About 1 hour from London
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
Magic is not the only thing stirred up at these studios. Its 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.
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The Making Of Harry Potter
What to expect from the Harry Potter Studios, London
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 âbehind the scenesâ, seeing props, costumes and the amazing sets themselves.
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