Harry Potter Studio Tours- A truly magical experience.

September marks many things for me, one of the more important dates in september is the 16th. It's my very good friend Jo's birthday. We've know each other for ever and until this year I don't remember a birthday I've missed. So in order to celebrate early we headed of to do what we do best, fan girl over Harry Potter. We headed down to London for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. It was freaking awesome!

I donned my Hufflepuff t-shirt and Jo sported a Gryffindor hoody and t-shirt.

The whole experience is amazing, from the moment you drive into the car park you're transported to a whole different world. Even outside there are props that really sets the scene for what you are about to experience

The foyer is another spectacular place, the people who designed this tour have really mastered the skill of fitting a lot of people into a room without making it feel crowded. We queued for about 10mins before our tour started.Then the adventure began, the first two room are film based and you aren't allowed to take photos, your guide who will be super friendly and enthusiastic will guide you through the rooms. Then out of no where appears some very familiar doors and your experience begins 

You start in the great hall and there are so many things that I just never noticed in the films, The amount of detail that went into the sets is just outstanding, take a look at the back walls. This is the only part of the tour where you are guided, you are asked to vacate the hall after a while so that the next group can come in and get the same wow factor as you but feel free to slip back in after the big entrance. Just the looks on some peoples faces was brilliant, it was truly magical.

After the great hall you head to the special effects area that has so many of the sets it's hard to work out how they fitted them all in! There are members of staff on hand to explain some of the props and to answer any of  your questions. Also we were in here for quite a while and I had forgotten to bring any water with me to take my tablets but luckily a very helpful member of staff was more than happy to grab me a cup of water. It was a small geseture but one that I really appreciated.

Oh the pink! Did you know the more power Umbridge gets,the more pink her outfits get?

After this section you head outside and you can finally grab a drink and some food! Now here you can try some famous butter beer, personally I wasn't a fan but I'm glad I've tried it.

Also in this section you will find the outdoor sets (obviously). There are come brilliant photo opportunities, we were a little worried that the lack of light would detract from the experience as we were on a later tour but it really didn't the area is well lit and there wasn't really any need for a flash on cameras.

I love this photo and the fact it's dark really adds to it! 

 So after our butter beers we got a little chilly so headed back indoors and onto the next bit. It was time to see creatures and special effects.There was some kind of creepy stuff in here, actually Aragog was bloody terrifying! But it was really intriguing at the same time.

Next was another really exciting section, Diagon Alley. It was amazing to stand where some of my favourite actors have stood, also I couldn't get my head around the fact that it was inside, it seems too big to fit inside! 

Next was possibly my favourite bit, if there was one section I would want to take home with me I think it would be this. The art department did a seriously amazing job and it's sad that nobody would really see this if it weren't for the studio tour. There's just so much to look at, every piece has so much detail I would recommend really taking your time in this section. Sadly we heard a few kids complaining how 'dull' this section was so I think this is one for the older Potter fans.

I would love some of this on my wall!

They really do save the biggest surprise till last. I could post loads of pictures of this but they would never do it justice I think it's just one of those things you have to see for yourself. The lighting changed between day and night so you get the full effect. It's so beautiful and I'm glad it's been put to good use.

Then last but by no means least, the gift shop! I spent so long in here, I'm sure everyone else thought I'd got lost or something, they actually cheered when I came out. The shop is designed so that it's just as much part of the experience as the sections before it. I could have spent a painful amount of money in that gift shop, a Weasley sweater was £70 and I was tempted! There are quite a few things on my to buy list for my next visit. 

One of the many things I almost purchased.

So that's my visit to the Harry Potter studio tour. it was awesome and I seriously can't wait to go again. I know it won'y be any less magical the second (or even third) time round. There is literally so much to take in and they are always adding new bits, also Harry Potter never gets boring!

My tips for making the most of the tour

1. Take a drink
2. Take some food- There's a cafe at the start and snacks in the back lot but I'd recommend some snacks if you have little ones with you as the food is a little pricey!
3. Make sure your camera have enough battery/memory- I would have been devastated if I couldn't take pictured!
4. Give it a go! - Flying on a broom was awesome! You can also learn to duel which is what I'll be doing next time 
5. Take your time- Don't feel rushed, there's a lot to take in so take your time
6. Ask questions - The staff are brilliant, they have a real passion for Harry Potter and they know so much!
7. Set a budget or be prepared to spend a small fortune- Like I said, a Weasley sweater was £70. A wand is £25.
8. Have some house pride! 
9. Look for the detail - It's the small things that really make it magical.
10. Have fun! - It's honestly an amazing experience 

I hope you've enjoyed this post, it's been a great one to write. If you fancy going you can book tickets here and if you've been let me know what you thought!

Keep it Scrimpy
Laura.