Harry Potter World

Monday’s adventure to Warner Bros Harry Potter World was our first trip since the UK was put into a second lockdown – this one “only” lasting for a month – and boy, was it a fun outing! I’ve been a fan of the series since I was a young kid, having since become a certified Potterhead, and I’m proud to announce that I have also recently convinced Mum to start reading the series too! Seeing as there is still the small matter of a global pandemic currently going on, we of course still had to wear our masks, but it was a small price to pay – and as a quick side note, I can easily say that the staff that work here were very friendly, passionate about the series, and have also upheld hygiene standards more thoroughly than anywhere else we’ve been. Anyway, on with the tour, which started in the iconic Great Hall!

The studio tour is absolutely PACKED with the real sets, props and costumes used during the filming of the series. We spent around 3 hours there, but could have easily spent way longer, as there are also countless videos and written information positioned throughout the tour that contain more behind-the-scenes details.

I was very surprised to learn just how many props, especially creature animatronics, they actually made – I always thought that most of it was CGI.

It was also absolutely astonishing to watch the process that goes into creating the makeup and prosthetic pieces that many of the actors wore – particularly the actors who played the goblins in the series. Each costume and prosthetic was designed individually, so no two characters looked the same, with each makeup application taking around 5 hours. Moreover, when creating wigs and eyebrows for the prosthetics, each hair is individually hand-punched, one by one. I kept thinking that they could have just replicated one goblin prosthetic for all the actors, and it still would have been pretty cool, but instead, they went above and beyond, in order to truly bring the world of Harry Potter to life on screen.

In sets such as Dumbledore’s office and the potions classroom, again the level of detail was incredible; in both sets, there are hundreds of detailed props, each of them entirely unique, sitting in the background, that you wouldn’t even notice if you weren’t looking at them up close.

What was easily my favourite set piece was the interior of Gringott’s Bank – it truly felt like a real location, and one of great style and luxury at that. Everything from the marble pillars, to the grand chandeliers truly made it feel like we had just stepped into a marvellous palace. So naturally, when we turned the corner, and watched a video explaining how the “marble” was actually made of paper, our jaws dropped. Moreover, the chandeliers were also created by the set designers, using around 25,000 fake crystals for each chandelier.

It was also pretty cool to see how many animatronics were involved in certain props too, such as the intricate door locking mechanisms that appear throughout the films, that again, I always assumed was CGI.

Halfway through, it was time to stop for a delicious Butterbeer! In case you’re wondering, it tastes like a fizzy butterscotch soda with sweet cream on top, and it’s absolutely wonderful!

The set for the Forbidden Forest was also a highlight – it felt super creepy and atmospheric, complete with rolling fog, spiders, and flashing lights.

The outdoor sets, including the Knight Bus, Privet Drive, and Hogwarts bridge had a special winter installation, so there was even fake snow falling outside – although it didn’t feel so fake, as it was bloody freezing!

Next up was the spectacular Diagon Alley, which was covered in glittering snow and icicles, and included iconic locations such as Ollivander’s wand shop and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

And finally, we finished the tour with a look at the epic Hogwarts castle itself (funnily enough, I only truly appreciated the scale of Hogwarts while looking at the smaller model), a trip to Honeyduke’s sweet shop, and of course, the Hogwarts Express.

All in all, it was fascinating to learn about all the costumes, sets, props, makeup, animatronics, locations, animal actors, wigs, and special effects that went into bringing the books to life on screen – an experience that any film fan or Potterhead will certainly love!