People walking down the street in Diagon Alley, the film set for the Harry Potter films.

THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER – Our Experience at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in London

My 9-year-old son and I recently visited The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Brothers Studio in London and we had an amazing time!

I wanted to create this quick guide to help you prepare for your visit so that when you’re there you’re relaxed, ‘in-the-moment,’ and ready for the ‘extras’ that are thrown your way – from photos to Butterbeer to souvenirs.

However, know that the entire tour is so well set up – I was thoroughly impressed! You can arrive with zero preparation and you’ll still have an amazing time. The designers have thought of everything a Harry Potter fan (and parents) could possibly want or need and the staff is incredibly kind and helpful.

Warner Brothers Studio London – Location and Arrival from the Center of London

People getting on double decker shuttle bus for Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. You can also see a red double decker bus on the left.
When you arrive at Watford Junction, exit the station, turn left, and you’ll see this double-decker shuttle bus that will take you to the Warner Brothers Studio.

The Warner Brothers Studio London is not in London. Don’t expect to walk over from Buckingham Palace or take a quick underground ride from the Tower Bridge.

Instead, you’ll need to travel from the center of London (assuming you’re staying there) to Watford Junction, northwest of London.

We made our way to the Euston train station and took the fast train (18 minutes – there are also slower trains) to Watford. When you exit the station, walk to the left and catch the shuttle bus for The Making of Harry Potter. You can’t miss it – it’s a double-decker and it’s decorated in Harry Potter theme. It’s about a 15-minute ride from the Watford train station to the studio, and there’s a short video just before you arrive.

The bus drops you off just outside the entrance. Walk down the sidewalk between the giant wands and make your way to the entrance line. We had our tickets printed out and once we showed those we waited in line to have our bags checked.

Good To Know: You can use contactless payment for the train and underground (so easy!) and kids under age 11 travel for free with an adult – just tap in and tap out together in the larger stalls.

Harry Potter Studios London – Inside the Studios

Two boys walk into the Great Hall film set from the Harry Potter films. There are pumpkins floating in the air.
Entering the Great Hall set

Getting Ready for the Visit – You can check your bags if you want (I didn’t) and get an audio guide (my son didn’t and was fine without one). Be sure to grab the passport and stamp in as you make your way through the studio.

Entering – We had a 4:00pm entrance but the attendant let us enter at 3:30pm.

The Sets – They’re amazing! I’m a Harry Potter fan, but not a die-hard, and I was still absolutely blown away with the setup of the studio and the sets. You’ll get a chance to walk through sets including:

  • The Great Hall
  • The Common Rooms
  • The Potions Room
  • The Forbidden Forest
  • Diagon Alley (my favorite!)
  • Gringotts Bank
  • 4 Privet Drive
  • Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse
  • and more!
People walk around looking at film sets at the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London.
It’s a large, open studio and there’s a route that takes you through the incredible sets.

Interactive Experiences – We had a few ‘shows’ with Death Eaters, and enjoyed stamping the passport, and some of the other interactive experiences. My son took a try at flying on a broomstick and we loved it! You ‘fly’ against the green screen and at the end you can choose to purchase photos and / or the video. Pricey, but worth it. We bought a photo and it hangs proudly on our refrigerator.

Eating and Drinking – About midway through the tour, you can stop at the Backlot Café. There are other dining options at the studio, but this is where we stopped for a quick snack and the obligatory Butterbeer (it tastes like butterscotch). My son loved the Butterbeer soft serve and we also got french fries. It wasn’t quite dinner time, but the food looked really good and I would have happily eaten a meal there.

Outdoor Sets – Some of the sets mentioned above are in the outdoor section. This is where you’ll find 4 Privet Drive, the Ford Anglia (you can sit inside for photos), the Knight Bus, and more.

Props, Special Effects, and More – When you step back inside, you enter (to me) where the magic happens for the Harry Potter films. You can learn all about the costumes, props, sound and video effects, and the art department. I loved this section, and my son enjoyed some of it, but he wasn’t interested in ‘going deep’ on the subjects. I often found he was a room ahead of me.

Hand holding up a mug of Butterbeer in a cafe.
Butterbeer at the Backlot Café – cheers!

Souvenirs at the The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour

Boy looking at wall of wands at the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London.
My son was so excited to check out all of the wands

If you want a Harry Potter souvenir, you’ll be spoiled for choice at the Warner Brothers Studio! We were a little overwhelmed (in a good way). Some of our favorite things to check out were the wands, the clothing, and the sweets (like chocolate frogs).

We ended up bringing home:

  • a photo of my son ‘flying’ on a broomstick
  • a Sirius Black wand
  • the Butterbeer cup and dish (from the Butterbeer softserve)

Visiting the Harry Potter Studios with a Baby or Toddler

Although I was with my 9-year-old this time, I’m always looking at if a place is baby or toddler friendly. Harry Potter Studios is well set up for little ones and we saw plenty of babies and toddlers during our visit (I will never tire of seeing a baby dressed up as Harry Potter). The toilets have changing tables, the entire tour is stroller-friendly, there are snacks for all ages, and toddlers can experience the studios too (without your having to worry about them breaking things!).

The only things I’d keep in mind are:

  • it’s crowded, so you need to keep a close eye on your little ones
  • there are some areas that could be scary for kids – like the forest path, the large snake, and just seeing some of the characters like the goblins
  • there are sometimes loud noises or flashing lights
  • it’s not an ideal place if your baby or toddler needs a nap – if possible, have one adult go into the main hall or outside to walk the baby to sleep while the other adult visits with the other kids in your group/family

Tips for Visiting The Making of Harry Potter

A replica of Hogwarts Castle at the Warner Brothers Studio just outside of London.
This huge model of Hogwarts Castle is at the very end of the tour. It’s the perfect spot for family or group photos!
  • Check the website for special events. We were lucky enough to visit during the Halloween period when the Great Hall was decorated with the floating pumpkins (just like in the film!) and we saw the dark mark projected on sets throughout the visit and my son learned wand combat from some Death Eaters.
  • Tell the staff if there’s a birthday in your group. My son’s friend got a special birthday button and he was able to open the door to the Great Hall!
  • Decide which extras are most important to your child (and you). Besides the ticket price, there are a ton of extra things you can buy during your visit – Butterbeer, a wand, Harry Potter-themed clothing, a video of your child flying on a broomstick, and so much more. If you think your child will want it all, talk about the options before hand so you’re on the same page when you get to the studios. My son was really excited to get Sirius Black’s wand, so he was willing to pass on other things (like the flying-on-a-broomstick video).
  • Plan on spending hours at the studios. Our visit time was 4:00pm and we didn’t leave until
  • Don’t check your coat if you’re visiting on a chilly day. Part of the tour (the beginning of the second half) is outdoors. It was nighttime by the time we made it outside and we were so happy to bundle up in our coats to see Privet Drive, walk across the Hogwarts Bridge, and try our hand at pulling up mandrakes.
Boy pushes luggage cart into brick wall. Above is a sign for 9 ¾ Hogwarts Express.
There are three of these at the Harry Potter Studio tour, so you’ll have a chance to take a photo! The lines here are much shorter than the similar set at King’s Cross station in London.

Have an amazing time at the Harry Potter Studio Tour! It’s so well-planned and it’s an incredible experience for the entire family. We loved our visit and would happily recommend it. My son’s friend even said he wants to live there!

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