Visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London - the Making of Harry Potter

Forget London, this is the number one attraction in England!

As Tanbay and I approach our ten year anniversary, I have a confession for you guys: I have been in another relationship with someone else for almost twice as long: 

The Boy Who Lived.... in my heart since I was six. 

Some might say that my obsession with Harry Potter is a little riddikulus, but when Grandma asked what I wanted for Christmas, a trip to Warner Bros. Studio Tour was top of my list. 

And of course, you can't take your fiancé to go and see your real(fake) soulmate, so I took the lovely woman who bought me all 7 Harry Potter books and took me to see each of the 8 films, a.k.a Mama Weasel:

Parents' Evening in the Great Hall

What to expect(o patrnoum)

The whole experience really was magical, from the staff being fun and polite (a rarity in the UK) to the intricate detail that could be found round every corner (even outside, where the traffic cones were shaped like sorting hats)!

Everyone has an allotted time slot and when it's your time you wait patiently in the queue to be let in (remembrall, the British love a good queue). 

Actually, if you are early/late they are pretty flexible about letting you in the queue earlier/later, we were early of course and as they weren't full up for that time slot they let us in. 

After the orderly queue, your group walks into a small room and is given a short talk about the films. 

Weasels recommend: when you walk in that room, make sure you head straight to the doors on the other side of the room on the LEFT that way you'll be in a good position for what comes next:

Next the doors open to reveal a cinema. Everyone rushes to have a good seat (thus if you're on the left you'll have the front row seats). You're treated to a dad joke ("we're about to watch all 8 films"), which I was totally down for, but then instead there's a short film featuring Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. 

At the end of the film they walk through the doors to the Great Hall and low and behold, the screen goes up and the doors are really there!!!! 

Knock knock! Who's there? You know... 

They then asked if anyone was having a birthday, and the lucky three that were received a cool complimentary badge (and it didn't say Support Cedric Diggory)! I kind of wished I'd lied, said it was my birthday and weaselled myself a cool badge, but you know, I must not tell lies. Maybe you should though, or maybe just go on your actual birthday... 

My jealousy soon disapparated as the doors opened and we walked inside the Great Hall!!!

It was just as I imagined it to be!! Except smaller. This was a theme throughout really, I expected(-o patronum) the sets to be a lot bigger, because you have to have a camera/lights/directors and everything in there, on top of the actors. 




Anyway, thus ended the guided section of the tour. We were soon shooed out of the Great Hall (the next group was coming in) and then left to our own devices. Which was great, I hate a babysat tour. 

Hanging out with my bros

The next section was slightly overwhelming, there was so much to see/read/watch/experience! We were in one of the warehouses that they actually used when filming, and it was chocker with sets, props, photos, facts... It was all great and all so detailed!  You could literally spend hours trying to soak it all in. Here are a couple of facts we learnt:

Literally everyone wears a wig in the film, like even the guys with crap hair (looking at you, Weasely twins): 

Middle left, really, you need a wig for that?? And you bottom middle.. 

All the main animals in the films (Hedwig, Fang, Crookshanks and Mrs Norris) were each played by multiple animal actors. For example there are four Crookshanks, each used for different things:

Prince is totally my spirit animal 'would rather be carried than ever do any work'.

I don't want to ruin everything for you and go into too much detail, but I do have a tip or two on flying:


Flying

I looked in on the flying and it just wasn't my cup of tea:

• It didn't look like much fun - kind of like those  rides for kids that you get outside Tesco, they don't move around a lot and you have to sit there and awkward grind.
• The photo looked super fake, like I was expecting it to look as good as it does in the movies, but it looked really fake. I could photoshop that myself (if I had photoshop).  
• There was a queue.

But if it's your life's ambition to sit on an awkward broom, here are some Weasel tips!:

• As soon as you leave the Great Hall, head straight on over, you can double back and see all the sets afterwards and you won't have to wait in line
• Look like you're having fun!! We watched three people on their brooms, 66% of which looked like they were embarrassed. The third person was really into it and waving and smiling and shit, be that third person, you're worth it!

Next stop, Platform nine and three quarters

If you think the first section is fun (you will because it is) wait until you turn the corner and see the Hogwarts Express!!!

This really was like I always dreamed it to be, but better. 

You can even enter the Hogwarts Express! My first thought was 'wow this really smells like a real, live, musty train' and it turns out it actually used to be a real, live, musty train, 10 points for my nose (eat your heart out Voldemort). 

They'd decked out each carriage like a year from the films, year 6 was complete with an everlasting R + L smear:

Incidentally, did you know Lavender Brown is an anagram for 'Brand New Lover'? 

Opposite the Hogwart's Express is another one of the best things in the world: 

A photo opp to show you leaving the muggle world and entering magic world!

I didn't know this was there, so that was super exciting. I've (sadly) never made it to the real one at King's Cross, but this was good enough for now.

Anyway there are three slots: two for taking a photo yourself, and one where they will lend you a tie (house of your choice) and take a PROFESSIONAL photo for you. 

No one was doing that and the poor professional woman looked really bored, I felt really sorry for her. Not sorry enough to go and pay for a photo but, you know. 

Next was the section for Butterbeer!!!

Weasel Warning: Butterbeer is rank. 

I know the real stuff isn't, but the stuff they serve at Warner Bros. Studio Tour is. Let me prove it to you:

Posing, top bit is alright, ew bottom bit is vile

BUT our friend Tara, from whereistara.com tells us that YOU CAN GET BUTTERBEER ICE CREAM!!! Definitely get one of those Weasel Squad!! Live my dream.

Despite the grossness, I'd still recommend getting a Butterbeer, do it for the Instagram photo:

And then reward yourself with the ice cream.

You can also get a (plastic) souvenir cup for an extra price, I didn't because it looked rubbish, plus our hand luggage only rule doesn't allow for rubbish souvenir cups.

After you've got over the Butterbeer taste, it's time for an even cooler part: outside!!

If you're there in winter (literally like September until June in England) you may want to bring along one of Hermione's little blue fires in a jam jar. 

Really though, the outside shouldn't take you more than 30 mins, and if you're really, really cold it can be done in 5, just quickly snap your photo of the Knight Bus: 

Privet Drive:

And the Weasely car:

and then head on to the next bit which is inside. 

I'd been pre-warned that the outside bit was outside, so I'd brought an extra layer. The inside bits were so warm though and we were inside for so much longer than we were outside, that I regretted having my extra layer (or rather, Mama Weasel regretted her offer to carry it round). 

Jumpers aside, this inside bit after the outside bit was probably my favourite. It was another of the warehouses where they filmed and it contained layers upon layers of creature costumes, including Goblins, Merpeople, Hagrid and Dobby (RIP).  

There was also the coolest video with Warwick Davis (a.k.a Prof. Flitwick, a.k.a. Griphook, a.k.a a random Gringotts bank teller).. I learnt a lot: in some bits of the film, Hagrid is played by a rugby player in a remote control head!! That head is SO realistic!!! They showed a clip of one of the films that is rugby player and remote control head, I had no idea it wasn't Robbie Coltrane! 

Around the next corner Aragog was hanging from the ceiling and Buckbeak was chilling:

Buckbeak has a bunch of feathers, ALL INPLEMENTED BY HAND. Why can't that be my job? Also, hello detail. 

Then there was Diagon Alley, it was kind of sad that you couldn't go in the shops, but I think it was important for my wallet. 

Then there was some of the most awesome Harry Potter artwork, I had to be held back not to steal it for my house that I don't have, but would gladly build by hand to house one of these babies:

Finally was the grand finale, which I have to be a bit Moody about and confess that I just wasn't that into: The Hogwarts castle. 

But I cheered up once I watched the screens and saw how smoothy it was incorporated into the films. 

Actually finally was the gift shop. Having a hand luggage only rule really helped me out here and stopped me buying a £30 illustrated Harry Potter book. In the end I settled for a 90p Ravenclaw postcard which I sent to my Grandmother. 




She was annoyed about it cause she thought she was in Gryfindor. Sorry Grandma, but if you go to a grammar school as a child and are part of Mensa as an adult you are a Ravenclaw, Wit beyond measure is (wo)man's greatest pleasure Grandma, deal with it. 

So there you have it, a guide to Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London, from a TRUE Harry Potter fan. Not one that got into it when the films first came out, not one that got into it because their kids are. One who has loved the Chosen One since the very beginning when he opened at the close. After all this time? ALWAYS. 

Always. 

On a lighter note, it's time for another pun: 
     

Fantastic tips and where to find them
(Do you get it? It's like Fantastic Beasts and where to find them.)

• Book your tickets online this isn't the kind of place you can just Slytherin to on the day, you must book your tickets in advance, they don't sell them on site. 
• Go early Tickets are every half an hour, and they let a limited amount of people in on those slots. You then have an unlimited amount of time in the place. On average people take about 3 hours in the place, but some are slower so if you want it to be less crowded, go early. 
• Go when the kids are at school Let's face it, apart from my godmother's super smart son, kids are annoying. And boring. And they make noise and stuff. Go when they little tykes are at school. In the UK, this tends to be all the time, apart from two weeks over Christmas and Easter, one week over Halloween and late May and six weeks from the middle of July.   
• Bring a packed lunch Dudley will back me up here, Harry Hunting makes for hungry work, and if pricey fish and chips aren't your thing, and Butterbeer won't fill you up (it won't, it's rank), bring a packed lunch and eat it in the hall half way through *extra points if you bring a Bella-Twix* 

I've got to say though, this was one of my only complaints about Warner Bros Studio Tour: why isn't the cafeteria organised into four long tables, with house elves running round serving us (jokes, S.P.E.W. fo lyf). Seriously though, they could have Harry Pottered (verb, pending), up the place. 

How to find Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London

I'm not being funny, but I don't think this place is in London. Because it's not. It's kind of like how they claim Stansted is in London when it's not. 

But it's still not hard to find, if you're lucky you'll be driving, or if you're even luckier you'll have someone drive you (thank you, John)!

If you're unlucky enough to be going on public transport, don't worry we've got you, use this awesome website: Rome2Rio which gives you all the options of how to get from A to B. 

If you're getting between two big cities in England, we recommend using Megabus, where the fares are super cheap (we once had a three hour journey for 50p!), and the buses are much nicer than Stagecoach, National Express or Terravision. 

Accommodation

We really recommend staying near Warner Bros. Studio Tour, because you can then spend as much time there as possible without having to worry about getting home. There are lots of options:


Hotel 

De Vere Venues Hunton Park is pretty much the dream, just 20 mins walk from Warner Bros Studio Tour and so quintessentially British it hurts. Booking here will put you back a fair few pennies, but if you book with Agoda you will find massive discounts and the prices are reasonable at around £70! Breakfast is included and they have a swimming pool, a golf course and beautiful English gardens. 

Another option that's slightly further away (30 minute walk) but almost guaranteed to be cheaper, is the Premier Inn Watford. Again book with Agoda to ensure the lowest prices. 


AirBnB

If you're looking for a homier touch, try AirBnB, they have a few good looking rooms close to Warner Bros Studio Tour. Here is a selection: AirBnBs near Harry Potter. Don't forget to use our link to get £14 off your first AirBnB stay! 


House Sitting 

House Sitting would definitely be a good complement to your visit to Warner Bros, Studio Tour. You probably won't be able to get a House Sit exactly where you want to, but it is free accommodation! Your House Sit might even come with a car you can borrow: the one we were doing actually came with a PORSCHE!!! (We didn't use it though). 

If you are new to House Sitting, don't worry, there are lots of House Sits in England, so it's a good place to get started. 

So there you have it, an ultimate guide to visiting Warner Bros Studio Tour, London, including what to expect(o patronum), where to stay and how to get there. 

If you've found this post useful, please spread the love(good) and share this page with your friends. 

Remembrall to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For more behind the scenes stuff follow us on Snapchat! (Travelweasels). 

But for now, mischief managed. 


(P.S. a handful of the above links are affiliate links, this means that for every purchase made after clicking on these links, we get a portion of the profit, it's at no extra cost to you and will help fuel our Travel/Harry Potter addiction. We'll never use an affiliate link to something we don't personally use and love, because that's not cool.)

(P.P.S. I solemnly apologise for the riddikulus amount of Harry Potter puns in this post). 

Nox.

10 Things To See And Do In London

London is renowned for its world-famous attractions, poor weather and unbeatable afternoon tea. 

Visiting London is high up on many people's bucket-lists, as are sights like Hyde Park and London Zoo, but what are the top things to see and do in London? Read on to find out!

Iconic things to see and do in London
These spots in London are the ones we've all seen countless times in travel blogs, on Pinterest and on Doctor Who. These are the places where you are going to get your best shots of London for your Instagram:

• Big Ben
• Westminster Abbey
• Houses of Parliament
• London Eye
• Tower Bridge
• Tower of London
• The Shard
• The Gherkin
• Harrods
• Buckingham Palace 

But rather than giving you just a check-list, we're also going to be giving you some cool little facts about these top places to see in London: 

Big Ben

Big Ben is arguably London's most iconic attraction. It is actually free to go up Big Ben, but only if you are a UK resident who books at least 6 months in advance... Personally, we think seeing it from the outside is enough - it's 96 metres tall, 161 years old and like I keep saying, 100% iconic. 

To annoy and confuse everyone, Big Ben is actually the name of the big bell inside the tower, the tower itself is officially called 'Elizabeth Tower' after the Queen. 

This is actually a trending theme in London - almost all the top spots have a 'nickname' that everyone knows (e.g. Big Ben) and then also an official name that not many people know (e.g. Elizabeth Tower). 

The Houses of Parliament 
Latched onto Big Ben are the Houses of Parliament (officially the Palace of Westminster). This is where the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can be found. Most interestingly though, this is the building that Harry Potter and his pals flew past in the Order of the Phoenix. 

Photo credit: pixabay

You can attend a debate for free if you would like. We've been on a tour of the Houses of Parliament which was interesting, but so filled with facts and history that we were pretty tired afterwards. If history and politics are your thing, then this is a must do when you visit London, if it's not, then just stick to a photo of the outside. 

Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is a one minute walk from the Houses of Parliament. Like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, it too has an official name no one uses (in this case, the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster).

Westminster Abbey is a must for anyone who loves the TV show Friends (Chandler was Westminster Crabbey there), anyone who loves Kate and Wills (they were married here) and anyone who loves British history (since 1066, almost every Queen and King of England/Britain has been crowned here). 

Unlike most religious buildings in the UK, you do actually have to pay an entry fee (18 whole pounds)! It is probably the most famous religious building in Britain, but for £18 you may want to just settle for a photo of the outside: 

London Eye
You can see the London Eye from Big Ben and in this photo it looks like it's right next door: 

But it's actually a whole ten minute walk away. Luckily, it's a good walk, as you get to tick off two more things from your bucket-list: 
Walking over Westminster Bridge (which is a nice toothpaste green colour), and of course walking over the River Thames (which is not a nice green colour). 

Should you bother going on the London Eye? Some people don't enjoy it, saying that it's too expensive and you have to queue for ages, but with a bit of forward planning you can avoid both of those things - tickets booked online and in advance are cheaper, and there's the option of buying a queue skipping ticket. 

We've been on it, I'm secretly scared of heights and found it a bit much, it's up to you whether you have 'ride the London Eye' or just 'visit the London Eye' on your bucket-list. 

Tower Bridge
For most of my life I thought Tower Bridge was called London Bridge. London Bridge and Tower Bridge are neighbours with just a 15 minute walk between them, but Tower Bridge is the one that everyone knows when they see a photo of it:

Photo credit: pixabay

The Bridge opens up in the middle to allow boat traffic through (which has priority over car traffic). During the 2012 Olympics a set of Olympic Rings hung down from the top of the bridge - and would fold up every time a boat went through (despite weighing 13 tonnes). Most importantly though, in Spice World the Movie, Posh Spice is driving the Spice bus, they approach a bridge and the gap begins to open to let a boat through. Posh Spice jumps the gap and saves the day - Tower Bridge is that bridge!! 

Tower of London
As you'd expect, the Tower of London is very close to Tower Bridge (5 minute walk). In keeping with London's other iconic spots, this one also has a special official name that no one's heard of: Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress. 

Parts of the Tower of London date back to as far as 1078. Among other things, it has been used as a prison (the most notably prisoner being Queen Elizabeth the First). 

We like the Tower of London, perhaps the best part of which is you can see the Crown Jewels there. Entry price is fairly steep (£21.45 for adults), but the Tower of London is almost always included in '2 for 1' deals or Tesco clubcard offers or any other London vouchers that you can get your hands on. 

The Shard

Photo credit: pixabay

The Shard is one of London's most recognisable sights. As the tallest building in the European Union it towers above London. Personally, we think it's a bit of an eyesore, though it is cool that it featured in a Doctor Who episode (albeit it one of the bad ones). Nevertheless, the good thing about tall eyesores is that when you go to the top of them, you a) get a perfect view of London and b) the eyesore itself is not in your picture. 

The Gherkin

Photo credit: pixabay

The Gherkin is also a relatively new addition to London, but that doesn't stop it from having a nickname (the Gherkin) and an official name not many people know (30 St Mary Axe). 

The Gherkin is the 10th tallest building in London, so whilst it's not as tall as the Shard, we definitely think it's better looking and more recognisable. 


Harrods
Harrods is a very upmarket shop which is definitely worth a look around - they don't mind you looking and not buying, but they can be a bit weird when it comes to what you wear in the shop. For example, when we went in they told Tanbay he'd have to wear his rucksack on the front (lol). However, they were very polite about it (unlike the rude Ritz employees). 

The two best things about Harrods are the food court and the kids section. They have impressive, delicious food and the kids section is straight out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace! A must see in London, even if it does look like a dodgy hospital. Be sure to be around for the Changing of the Guard, and fingers crossed you'll catch a glimpse of her Majesty herself! (Note: if the 'Royal Standard' is flying above Buckingham Palace - not the British Flag - you know Queenie is inside.) 

Other useful information:

Where to stay:
Those of you who are already familiar with our travel blog will know that we love to House Sit. The good news is that there are always lots and lots of new London House Sits advertised on our preferred House Sitting website: Trusted House Sitters. 

The bad news is that if you are new to House Sitting, you might not be able to get a London House Sit. House Sitting is competitive and *understandably* everyone wants to House Sit in London so competitive is even higher than usual. 

Don't despair though, another great option as to where to stay in London is to stay in a hotel. We highly recommend Expedia for a good place to stay in London. They are the world's largest travel company, they have a great choice and they have no change or cancel fees!


London will always hold a very special place in our hearts (Laura being British and Tanbay being in love with Britain). Whilst we can't say London is our favourite European city (that would be Rome or Berlin), we also can NOT allow you to skip London on your travels, it really is like nowhere else. 

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to read about our other European guides: 

How to Spend an Awesome First Day in Athens
10 Free things to Do in Rome!
10 Reasons You Have to Visit the Azores
14 Free Things to Do in Helsinki
24 Hours in Awesome Tallinn
Is One Day Enough For Sightseeing in Paris?
An Afternoon in Mijas, Spain
22 Fun (and Free) Things to do in Berlin

Connect with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook for more hot tips and useful guides!

This post is written in association with Expedia.ie. All opinions are our own, as always. 

London on a Budget!

LONDON: The capital of England - both geographically and fashion wise. See the iconic historical sites, the English pubs, the cute British royalty (or at least the palace where they hang out). Here we give you some tips on how not to spend all of your money here and still have fun!

How expensive is London really?

It is true that, in general, London is a lot more expensive than the rest of England (and indeed the rest of the United Kingdom). I have a great example to illustrate this: in England, students are given grants to live off whilst they go to university. Those who choose one of the universities in London get given a lot more money, which still isn't enough to cover rent in the grimiest of places!  

But, luckily for you, if you're travelling through London you don't need to rent a grimy place. With our tips you can do London in style and not have to max out your credit card..

Accommodation

Depending on where you're visiting from (and hence how much your travel costs are), chances are accommodation is one of your biggest expenses (if not the biggest). London is so vast with so much history and culture you have to spend at least a week there, a weekend on its own won't cut it. A week in a hotel or even a hostel can be super expensive. Don't worry though, we've got you covered: 

• House Sitting Yes, even Londoners have pets and go away, House Sitting is your biggest chance of free and luxurious accommodation. If you're on a budget this is the only way to stay somewhere 'classy' and London does class like nothing else. We are with TrustedHousesitters and sits for London come up at least once a week. 
• Couchsurfing is another way to completely eliminate any living costs, it won't be as luxurious as House Sitting but as London is so big there's lots and lots of options. 
• AirBnB, now this may not be cheaper than a hotel, but it will probably be more comfortable and with access to a kitchen. Furthermore, you may find that hotels are more expensive in certain areas, but AirBnB is not. We found this to be very true when we tried it out AirBnB in Paris.

Food Prices in London

If you look in the right places food prices are cheap because there's so much competition. Avoid supermarkets unless you find a really big one, the rule with supermarkets in England (not just London) is the bigger they are, the more likely they are to stock value/ own/ essential stuff (i.e. cheap stuff). Go for up and coming, independent places - they have a lot of competition and so can't bank on the hipsters overpaying for them. 

Site Seeing

This is what the rest of this post is about, because once you've sorted your bed and food you can address your other necessity - seeing the world. The great thing about London is that most of the iconic sites are free!!

Big Ben 

Big Ben is arguably London's most easily recognisable feature. It was built in 1854 and is 96 metres tall. 

Actually Big Ben is the nickname for the giant bell inside the clock. The actual tower itself is called Elizabeth Tower. If you're lost and looking for it though, you're probably better off asking for Big Ben, I don't think everyone knows it's called Elizabeth Tower. Or ask for the houses of parliament - Big Ben is on the end. 

You can walk up her for free, but only if you are a UK resident whose booked more than 6 months in advance through your local MP... 

So instead take a photo from the outside is just as good!

Westminster Abbey

Right next door to Big Ben is Westminster Abbey, Joey and Chandler have been there (Chandler was Westminster Crabbey) and Prince Wills and Kate Middleton got married there. If those two facts don't interest you (why?) you may like that most Monarchs of England have been crowned here. If you don't like that then I don't know what you'd like to hear, I just like it because it's famous and the architecture is beautiful.

Entry is absolutely ridiculous (£18 for an adult, £15 if you have a valid student ID..) I thought Abbeys were God's house and were free? Humf. Entry to St Margaret's Church which is next door is free. We just settled for a photo outside. 

British Museum

The British Museum is great, they have everything. It was founded in 1753 and has remained open ever since (apart from in world war one and two). It was free back in the day and is still free now (though donations are appreciated). Our favourite part is all the Egyptian stuff:  

I wouldn't be surprised if they have more ancient Egyptian stuff than they do in Egypt.. There are rooms and rooms of it. The best bit is of course is the really old, and hopefully dead, mummies:

Even the entrance to the British Museum is beautiful - it's really really white. 

Even if mummies and white rooms aren't your thing, I can still guarantee that  the British Museum won't disappoint! 

The Natural History Museum 

This is the best museum ever. No doubt. If you're a fan of David Attenborough, blue whales or dinosaurs this is a must do for you (and if you're not a fan of any of these what's wrong with you)?! It's absolutely free and is fantastic!

In one room they have a life size model of a blue whale which is actually the biggest creature ever! Who knew. There's another level that's about earth quakes and tsunamis and you can stand in a room where they stimulate an earthquake for you.

Take a Ride on the London Underground 

I find the underground really grubby and completely confusing, but I still love it! London is pretty big so I would recommend that you go everywhere on the underground, if you walk you'll see half the stuff and be knackered. 

Before you get on the tube, you'll need to listen to this song and watch this film in preparation.

Other 'must do' attractions to check off your list are the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, the V and A, Tower of London, Tate Modern, Madam Tussauds, the Aquarium, see a show, Camden markets, Piccadilly, Trafalgar square and so much more! Head to Oxford Street if you want the run of the mill Topshop, Primark type shops - Selfridges is there too which is definitely worth a look. Lonely Planet can help you out there.