This is the first time I was disappointed with a tour I booked on Viator. The actual Warner Brothers tour was *awesome,* but I had some issues with the tour company. First of all, they were late for the pickup and a bit disorganized in getting us on the bus. On the plus side, our driver pointed out sights as we headed out of London and took us past...
Abbey Road Studios! That was pretty cool. We actually drove over the crosswalk from the iconic Beatles photo. I may have to go back...just cuz...
So we left London and got to the studios about an hour later. A rep from the tour company came on the bus and handed out tickets. There were also "passports" where you could get stamps by finding hidden golden snitches throughout the tour. Apparently, they frown upon adults who want to do childish things because, when I asked for a passport, I was rudely informed that they were "only for children." Now an adult ticket is more than a child's ticket, so why can only children have passports? Fine! I'll be a grownup....
So we go in and stand in a queue where we walk past
The set for the Cupboard Under the Stairs.
We go into a small room where we watch a short film on 4 small screens about the impact of the
films. Then, we are herded into a small theater where we watch another film where Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint talk about the making of the films. Finally, the movie screen lifts and you see the entrance to the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
This is one of the long tables set for dinner
Some of the costumes of Gryffindors. Harry's first robes are all the way on the left. The center is Ron's costume and there is the cardigan worn by Neville.
Professors McGonigal, Dumbledore, and Snape. I do want to say that I was very disappointed by the fact that Richard Harris' Dumbledore was greatly left out of the displays here. I actually liked him better and felt that he was horribly overlooked.
Here is the actual Sorting Stool and Sorting Hat! We were then ejected from the Great Hall as the next batch was being set loose from the theater. But we could explore the rest at our leisure.
Harry and He Who Must Not Be Named...
The gates to Hogwarts
The boy's Gryffindor dormitory with Harry's Bed
Proof I was there. The Mirror of Erised.
The Cloak of Invisibility...one of the Deathly Hallows.
The Gryffindor Common room
Sirius Black's prison garb.
Entrance to Dumbledore's office
And Dumbledore's office (again...no Richard Harris)
Some of the more important small props, such as the Rememberall, the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone, Time Turner, etc...
The Potions Classroom
The Weasley's Home.
Oh the pink!
The meeting at Malfoy Manor with Charity Burbage suspended above the table.
The Black Family Tapestry
Where Sirius was removed.
The Riddle Family tomb.
The fireplaces in the Ministry of Magic.
One of Dolores Umbridge's Proclamations
The Hogwart's Express
The last costumes we saw for our main characters...as adults dropping off their own children.
,
We were halfway through and time for a butterbeer on the back lot. Yes, I got a souvenir mug. It's different than the one I got in Orlando (but they had that one too) I have already cracked the handle.
The Knight Bus
4 Privet Drive
The Potter Cottage.
We then headed in to see the second half of the tour, which included the creature and special effects shops.
Some of the masks for the goblins
Grawp's head
Most of the cast had latex masks made of their faces for special effects purposes. They were all creepy
Doby!!
Aragog!
Buckbeak. He moved...which was a little creep as well.
Diagon Alley Views
A piece of concept art I really thought was awesome. I wish they had copies of some of it for sale in the gift shop.
I'm going to show you a ton of photos of my favorite part of the tour. The scale sized model of Hogwarts. Parts were lit for day and parts for night. It was all totally AWESOME...
This was the end of the tour. Unsurprisingly, you exited through the gift shop. Surprisingly, I'd seen most of it before. I'd worn the t-shirt I'd purchased in Orlando...and it was also here in the UK. I got an "I was a prisoner in Askeban" shirt, a chocolate scented frog keyring, an actual chocolate frog, and some Jelly Babies.
I had some time left, so I go a sandwich and some water, then headed back to the bus. The only good thing I can say about the tour company is that they dropped me near my rental so I didn't have to take the tube back.
Oh, the lift in my building is not fixed.
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