History of Magic
11 September 2018
London, UK
Rough start to the morning but I powered through... it’s HARRY POTTER DAY!
I think I must’ve taken the wrong train because it took 40 minutes instead of 20 and it stopped at every stop. I was a little worried because at this point it looked like I’d be late but there’s a special Harry Potter bus that takes you directly to the studio from the train station so I knew I could ask them about it; turns out it doesn’t matter if you’re late.
The WB studios here were home to all eight HP films. The studio tour was REALLY cool. I was a little irritated at first due to the massive amount of people and their inability to follow simple instructions but I let it go and took my time. I know it’s dumb but at certain points you almost want to cry! Seeing all the props and stages and knowing that they were there, creating these amazing films, was just really monumental (especially with the soundtrack playing the whole time!).
It was hard to take pictures because of all the fancy/crazy lighting but it’s probably supposed to be more about being there and taking it all in anyway. I think everything was well represented, they acknowledged all members of the film making process and had sets, props, costumes, makeup, wigs, animatronics, figures, scale models, etc.
Halfway through the tour they have a cafe and a butter beer station (this location is one of only four places in the world where you can get butterbeer). I wasn’t too impressed with the falafel burger but at least they had the option.
On to the second half and I was bowled over again by the sight of 4 Privet Drive, the Knight Bus, and many more wonderful things. They of course close the tour with the model of Hogwarts Castle that was used in the wide shots. I think if I went again I’d do an audio tour and there was also some sort of cool passport thing people were doing. I do think Harry Potter World in Orlando takes the cake only because of the actors there and that there are rides but to actually go behind the scenes of the making of the film and to see the costumes and everything else was a whole different experience.
I spent about three and a half hours walking through everything so by the time I got back to the hotel it was around 645. With an early flight in the morning and not much sleep the night before, another early night for me!
I got Subway for dinner and then watched the rest of HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.
