Harry potter Studio Tour

[Hersetta427]

DD (8) is now hugely into the Harry Potter books - currently reading the prisoner of Azkaban. Would love to take her on the Studio tour as her birthday treat day out. What time would people recommend booking for - we would have to go at the weekend as I work FT. Is Sunday better than Saturday?

No advice on Sat vs Sunday but book an early time slot - dh and I were there for 5 hours but still felt like we missed loads!

We recently went at 4.30 on a Saturday, it worked really well for us. We had a late lunch at just before 2pm at a restaurant 15 minutes away from the studio, so we had a leisurely lunch and then plenty of time to get there.

It wasn't too busy at all, we really took our time going round and thoroughly enjoyed it!

We went a few years ago with dcs. It's was fantastic! Would love to go back now ds is older as I think he'll get more out of it - and they now have Hogwarts express!

Anyway, I digress. We went for about 11ish. We got there in good time, didn't have to rush. We had plenty of time there. Dcs were knackered by the end. We did Saturday but I don't think it matters whether Saturday or Sunday.

(Btw, I'm so glad you called it the Studio Tour and not 'Harry Potter World' like some people call it them mean that it's not a theme park)

*moan.

We went about 2ish on a Sunday, it was busy but manageable. Once you're through the first bit everyone kind of spreads out anyway. We were there for about three hours and felt we'd had plenty of time to see it all.

Be prepared to be shocked at the gift shop prices! It was really good though.

Thank you everyone. Think we are going to go for a 10.30 slot. Hopefully can stop for lunch to have a rest half way through. Sounds brilliant - very excited as I think dd will love it.

We went for the first slot, 10-10.30? It wasn't too crowded and we were the first ones in.

Travelled up the day before and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Hemel Hempstead which was cheap as chips.

It's very well managed with regards to
Timings and everyone having enough space/ time see it all. Agree with PP about prices in gift shop. Just silly money

How much do they charge for the broom flying photos etc....just to be prepared !!

Just avoid the butterbeer. It is truly vile. There is a large wet waste barrel next to the butterbeer stall and it gets used a lot

Don't listen to NicknameUsed, the butterbeer was amazing! Think it's very much a love it or hate it thing :D

Yes, it is very much Marmite thing, more people hating when we were there than loving it though.

It is super sickly sweet, and we found it very cloying.

They only let a maximum number of people through the big doors at any one time anyway, so everything is staggered.

I took a school group at 5pm and that was great. Bloody late night home mind.

Thank you all - some good advice. Think we may have to get at least one photo - its going to be DD's birthday so I am sure she would like a reminder. The Hogwarts express/ dementers sounds brilliant.

I have heard the butterbeer is awful - I know that do butterbeer ice cream now - maybe that would be better??

I think the ice-cream would be better. Butterbeer tastes like very sweet fizzy liquid butterscotch and somehow, for me, it just doesn't work as a drink. As an ice-cream I think it is worth a try. I would try it anyway.

Ice cream is lush, the drink is awful.

I'd recommend watching the films as well as reading the books as the studio tour is all about how the films were made, seeing all the props etc. I went with ds and his best friend went with his parents. They had a brilliant time being excited about stuff together

She has seen all the films - it was only watching those that finally made her read the books. I had been trying for ages and it was only me saying there were lots of things in the books that didn't get included in the films that finally got her to read them.

Thanks Lumpy- Ice cream it is then !

If it's her birthday, she'll be able to go to the front and open the doors to the Main Hall at the start of the tour. Make sure you're standing somewhere near the front so it's easy for her to step forward.

I would do the broomstick video as a birthday memento, it's really good

Make sure you book early, the tickets sell out fast

Go on to amazon (maybe eBay, not checked) and get cheap HP sweets before you go and take them with you, you can get 3x as much for your money even including postage, and can just surprise her with them at the end, save her wasting birthday money! I say this on every thread, but it really is a good tip in my opinion

Maybe ask family for £ or you give her £ as a gift if you think she would like a wand, they are £25

You can access gift shop at the start, you have to walk through it at the end. If she is going to get wand/Cape type things it may be a good idea to get them first so she use them on the day

Lastly, don't get the audio tour if it's your first trip, it may be good on later trips but there is already so much to see on your first trip. We got them and didn't use them, but having looked at it I would get it if when we go again to get more out of the second trip

Thanks Smurfy - really good tips. We won't bother with the audio tour. I was going to buy her a Gryffindor uniform and hide the tickets inside so will be nice surprise for her. Off to search for every flavour beans !

I think you need to mention that it's a birthday before you go towards the doors...