Guest writer: HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF MERCHANDISE.

First, I must confess to being a big Harry Potter fan.  Yes, I am in my 40s as the grey hairs and wrinkles attest, but I still find myself engrossed in JK Rowling’s writing every time I read them (as a general rule I tend not to re-read books as there are so many out there, but for JK I make an exception).   Now I have the joy of sharing my love of literature and Harry Potter with my two children, aged 6 and 8 and I have a genuine excuse for indulging my childlike love of a good story.  

So it was with more than a little excitement that we set off as a family (my parents, my husband and I, and the kids) to the Warner Brothers Studio in Leavesden, Watford.  Booking tickets originally had not been easy and we had had to cancel this trip in December (Covid) but rebooking had been very easy and we found ourselves in the giant studio space on a Sunday afternoon during half term. Surprisingly it wasn’t even too busy and the waiting times, in general, were bearable.  

Being a diligent fun mum I had read blogs before going about how to make the most of the day.  The two little ones were dressed up in Harry Potter gear (which did make the photos look great!) and we asked for a folding chair from reception which my mum could use if she got tired on the way round.    I knew to hang back in the Great Hall to get better photos and to rush to the green screen attractions where the queues are the worst.   I’d even been informed that Butter beer on sale in the middle of the tour is sickly sweet and fairly expensive therefore to buy only one cup so that everyone in the group can share – though of course, not very Covid-friendly.  

The tour started, rather appropriately, in a cinema where some of the tricks of the film-making are shared.  We see the three main child characters of the films before the door to the Great Hall and, yes, I did gasp a little when the curtain went back to reveal the REAL door to the Great Hall.  Actually in front of us.  OK, I told you I was a fan.

We were a little rushed through the great hall – this is the only part of the tour that has a time limit – but still got some great photos and were immediately plunged into the mysterious world of the Harry Potter stories.  The next room held original scenes, props, and costumes from the films along with the green screen broom ride – the videos cost 20 pounds each for a few seconds of footage so not cheap but it is good quality and a must-have souvenir.

In the middle of the tour, there is a Christmas shop (odd?) and an area for food and drink including butter beer and butterbeer ice cream.  My dad ignored my advice to buy just one so we all ended up on sugar highs, feeling a bit sick and sporting cream moustaches.  I actually quite liked the taste but couldn’t drink a whole cup.  We got a couple of souvenir mugs and they are quite cool.  

It took us about three hours to complete the tour, going through at quite a quick pace.  Highlights include Gringotts Bank, Diagonalley, the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Express, Privet Drive, and the Ministry of Magic.  Roughly in that order.  They are constantly updating and adding to the studio so many of the visitors there have already been to the studio multiple times and get something new out of it each time they go.

As expected we ended the tour in an enormous gift shop, packed with costumes, wands, chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts every flavour beans, broomsticks, keyrings, Triwizard cup replicas,   Fantastic Beasts souvenirs, and just about any form of clothing or toy you could imagine.  

We all had a fantastic time and would definitely go back.  There is so much to see that I’m not even sure we saw half of it and next time I would definitely make more of the guides who are true experts on the making of the Harry Potter films (some even worked on them).  I would definitely only order one butter beer in the future. 

Michelle Parot.

The website.