Harry Potter!

This Saturday we finally went to the Warner Bro's Studio Tour of Harry Potter. If you didn't know I am a bit obsessed with Harry Potter and I secretly thought when I moved to the UK that there would be more wizards around! I have read all of the books, bought the audio books so I could listen to them when I drove to work or on long trips, own all of the movies and I am so excited to re-read them to our son! I wanted to go on this tour for my birthday but seeing as I was in my first trimester, I opted for a time I when I had more energy and could actually enjoy it.

I can't even describe how amazing it was. The tour is of the studio where they spent 10 years making the 8 movies. Everything there was the actual sets, clothes, props and models that they used in all the films. The studio is right outside of London and it took us about an hour and half to drive there. I could barely sleep the night before I was so excited.

If you're not a Harry Potter fan, you might not find these pictures to be as wonderful as we did and if you planning on going to the studio tour at some point- Stop looking now because it will ruin the experience.  Enjoy!!

Some of the chess pieces from the Philosopher's Stone.

I'm so excited

Once inside the lobby there are pictures up of the characters from the movie and one of the many flying ford anglia's

Also a brief view into Olivander's wand shop

While waiting in line to get in they had the cupboard under the stairs

You can see Harry's glasses on the shelf

We watched a short film and the excitement was mounting

Kit (already inside the studio, but it just showed his excitement the whole time also)

After watching the film the screen whooshes into the ceiling leaving you in front of the great hall's doors.
(I might have started to tear up at this point, lets blame the pregnancy hormones!)

And they open the doors to the great hall

Actual clothes wore by the actors from Hufflepuff. 

Slytherin House

Gryffindor school robes, with Harry's first year robes on the far left

The professors

This is a model ceiling of the great hall-
sadly not magically enchanted to look like the weather outside.

After the great hall you walk into a  huge studio filled with different sets and props from all of the movies.

The wigs

Educational Decree's from the Order of the Phoenix

Dress robes from the Yule Ball.

 

The week we went was wand week. It was amazing to see how many different types of wands there actually were. Each person's wand was hand crafted into a different size, shape and weight. They were customized to the individual characters. Professor slughorns had slugs on it! You could buy them in the gift shop or at least try them out.

 

Some of the people who make the wands in action.

The Mirror of Erised - the mirror that showed you what you most desire.
I wonder what we saw....

The Fat lady-
 leading up to Gryffindor Common House and the boy's dormitory.

The boy's dormitory

This fire place was brought back from France to use on the set.

Harry's bed

Ron's Bed

A fun fact - the beds were made to fit 11-year-old boys and they didn't change them for the whole 10 years of filming. As the actors got older they had to scrunch up to make it look like they fit.

Gryffindor Common room

Invisibility cloak

That is the first set of pictures and we were only a third of the way through the tour! I have 2 more posts worth of pictures - so stay tuned for more....