Are you excited about an upcoming trip to the Harry Potter World in London? The Warner Brothers Studio tour is a must-see attraction if you are a Harry Potter fan, aka Potterhead! This extensive guide will give you an idea of what to expect and excellent tips for bringing kids under four.
The Harry Potter Studios invites you to see where the magic of Harry Potter was made. The elaborate studio sets, the iconic props, and the interactive experiences allow you to fully immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter. It truly is an unforgettable experience!
Keep reading to learn why the Harry Potter Studio Tour is a must-see attraction and tips to help you fully enjoy it with children under four years of age.
How to get to the Harry Potter Studios Tour
By Train
The Harry Potter Studio Tour is located in Leavesden, roughly 20 miles outside London. We took the train, and it was an easy, no-hassle experience. Our train route was London Euston to Watford Junction.
Tip: There is a considerable time discrepancy between the overground direct train and the one that stops at every station. We took the direct train to the studios, which was about 20 minutes. We took the train with frequent stops for our return, and it took almost an hour.
Outside the Watford Junction station is a Harry Potter Studio Tour bus pickup location. All we needed to do to get on the bus was show them our admission ticket.
Tip: Be sure to arrive at the Watford Junction 20 minutes before the tour time. There is a tiny coffee shop in the Watford Junction station, where we stopped for an espresso. I suggest skipping it all together and grabbing something when you arrive at the studios.
Transportation included with a booked tour
Many of the tours include a means of transportation, which can include bus or train. Be sure to look closely when purchasing tickets. Also, the transportation time is included in the total tour time, which is around 7 hours.
By Car
Becuase we didn’t rent a vehicle while visiting London with kids, I can’t speak from personal experience. But, I did read on the website that parking is available and is free with the Harry Potter Studios admission ticket.
Arrival by Private Car
Being only 20 miles outside of the city, a taxi or private drive could be an option. However, if you’re traveling with young children, you will need to worry about the car seats. This would be the least desirable option for my family.
Booking the Harry Potter Studios Tickets
I suggest booking these tickets as soon as possible. In fact, if you’re traveling to London for the first time, I recommend booking the Harry Potter Studios Tours first and then working the remaining itinerary around it. These tickets book out fast!
Our trip to London was last minute. We were unable to purchase the tickets through the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio website.
My husband had to work around the system to ensure we could visit the HP Studios. I mean, that was the primary reason for our trip to London!
Ultimately, my husband had to purchase one ticket from two different third party tours with morning times (children under four years are free) because the tours did not allow him to select two adults. This gave us so much anxiety leading up to it. We feared we would have to remain on our separate tours, me with our baby and my husband with our toddler.
When we arrived at the Studios and went to the ticket office, the staff was more than accommodating. In fact, they were empathetic and understanding. It was no issue at all. She had to discuss the logistics with the tour company and confirm we were on the list. The options were to go with our tours or walk in and be completely self-guided.
Initially, we spent some time waiting because we wanted to join the guided tours (with the ability to break off at our own pace); however, with a toddler and baby, it was best we started without the guided tours.
Don’t forget to find the hidden snitch, and stamp your Harry Potter Passport!
Tip: If you are traveling with young kids, I suggest booking a morning time. Plan to spend at least 3 hours at the Studios. I think we spent closer to 4 hours.
Grab a snack in the lobby before you start
Entering the building, you almost immediately walk underneath the life-size Dragon; it is incredible! Walking past the gift shop is a restaurant, Starbucks, the Chocolate Frog Cafe, and a Tea Time experience.
Note: The tea time experience needs to be purchased ahead of time.
The Chocolate Frog Cafe was really pretty! And the embellished sweets were impressive!
The Harry Potter Experience
The tour starts with everyone entering a large theatric room, where they show clips of movies, behind-the-scenes, and even one-on-one interviews.
We bypassed this entire portion with the little kids, so I can’t speak about any of it. I would have loved seeing these video montages, but with a baby and toddler, it was best to skip it.
A staff member took us directly to the entrance of the Great Hall through a series of back stage doors.
Tip: If you feel like the dark room and videos will be too much for your young kids, be sure to talk with a staff member. They were more than accommodating for us!
I broke up the Harry Potter Studios Tour into three segments:
Segment 1: The Sets & Props
In this first segment, you will find incredible sets, props, costumes, and interactive experiences!
Stepping foot into the Great Hall, you can immediately feel the magic! I felt so giddy! It was incredible. You can explore the room and see so many details!
My son loved the giant frogs that were on display with the chorus.
After some allotted time, everyone is escorted out of the Great Hall into an open massive auditorium. This area can be a bit overwhelming… There is SO much to see, and it’s unbelievable! Some of the movie sets include the Gryffindor common room, Snape’s classroom, The Weasley’s kitchen, the Forbidden Forest, and so much more!
Tip: We prepared my three-year-old for the tour by watching YouTube videos. This helped prepare him for the giant spiders, which can definitely be scary!
Throughout these sets are various props, costumes, interactive exhibits, and demonstrations! Even if you aren’t a Potterhead, you will appreciate this tour!
Interactive Exhibits
The interactive exhibits are great if you have young kids! For Mrs Weasley’s Kitchen, you can control the knife cutting food or the sponge washing dishes!
There are exhibits where you must wait in a cue, which was not too bad. What makes this extra fun is that they are all in front of the green screens! So you can have videos and photos made for epic souvenirs!
My three-year-old loved being able to cast a spell, causing the broom to rise into his hand! There is another fun opportunity in which you are riding on a broom! This was hilarious because I have a video of me flying through the air on a broom with a toddler in front and my baby on my back.
You can purchase different packages that include a video and a photo. There are also other photo opportunities!
There is also another area, where they show how some of the larger props and vehicles were used. It was really neat seeing them translate from the green screen to the movie.
Tip: Don’t forget to use your marauder’s map! You should receive it with the Harry Potter Passport. There are display counters scattered throughout. When you place the map on the counter, you can see the footprints appear!
And then, when you think it can’t get any better, you will walk onto the Platform 9 ¾ and see the Hogwarts Express! You can walk right onto the train and see how each cabin was used in a particular movie.
Right across from the Hogwarts Express is another fun interactive opportunity. The simulation lets you feel like you’re on a moving train. We were unable to take advantage of this activity, but it did look like a neat experience!
Breast Feeding tip: There are benches throughout the tour, and it was easy enough to nurse my baby. The staff was extraordinarily accommodating, and did inform me they have a room available for that. So if you prefer privacy, be sure to ask a staff member.
Segment 2: Outdoor Sets & Butterbeer
After finishing this portion of the tour, it opens up to a restaurant and an outside exhibit. We were definitely hungry, and it was time for the kids to eat. If the weather is nice, take advantage of sitting outside to eat.
This is the only area where you can buy Butterbeer. And if you have never tried it, you need to! It’s really sweet, I can’t drink a whole one. The butterscotch-tasting foam is my favorite part! You can buy the butterbeer in the same line for food; however, if you only want butterbeer, there is a separate line for that. You can even try butterbeer icecream!
Tip: If you buy the souvenir mug, there is a station outside that lets you rinse them out! This way you can pack it away!
The outside portion of the tour was much needed for our kids. Between the fresh air and the need to run around, it was perfect! Here, you can step up to the Purple night bus, walk on the Hogwarts Bridge, walk through the Dudley’s house, and more! My son loved running back and forth on the Hogwarts Bridge.
You can even walk through Professor Sprouts’s Green House and pull the Screaming Mandrakes!
Tip: Like the Forbidden Forest, we prepped my three-year-old for Screaming Mandrakes with YouTube videos.
Segment 3: How the Magic was Created
The final segment of the Harry Potter tour focused on what went into making the films. There are sketches everywhere; it’s really neat to see how the ideas started. From there, you will see how they made the different creatures. My toddler loved the dragons!
The Gringots Goblin masks are all on display, which may be a little frightening to little kids.
Walking through the Diagon Alley set was incredible! Peaking through the windows makes you feel like you’re there!
And then finally, you will end the tour by walking into a room with a massive model of the Hogwarts Castle. As an avid Harry Potter fan, it took my breath away! This beautifully hand-crafted work of art is the tour’s finale, as it should be!
Aside from the Hogwarts Castle and the Dragons, this was the least exciting segment for my son. Also, it’s the end of a long day for little kids.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour Gift Shop
This gift shop is massive! You can quickly feel like a kid in a candy shop! It’s so large that you can easily get turned around (I did!).
From Christmas ornaments and candies to elaborate Legos, The Harry Potter Studios gift shop thought of everything! This could be an excellent opportunity to purchase gifts for those at home! Just be cautious of the price tags.
It can be challenging managing little kids in these gift shops! We for sure went back and forth on some items. I told myself it was a long day, and the kids were champs. Needless to say, we left with a few Harry Potter items, and I wasn’t even mad about it!
I would suggest the The Official Guide for the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
My final thoughts on the Harry Potter Studio Tour
If you are a Harry Potter fan, you owe it to yourself to visit the Harry Potter Studios in London. It is so incredible, that you will want to come back. Seeing how the stories came to life will only make you appreciate and love the Harry Potter world even more. I saw so much, yet I knew there was so much more to learn!
You won’t regret adding this to your London itinerary!
We had a great time with the kids! I felt like we prepared my son pretty well for some of the scarier exhibits, and watching the YouTube videos helped amp up his excitement! It’s a long day for these younger children, but it’s absolutely worth it!
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