Harry potter world.

[threeofus]

I'm taking kids to harry potter world on Friday.. We have a 4.30 tour time... But can we go in earlier?

Do you mean the Studio Tour? You can get there earlier and look in the shop first, and there's posters and statues to look out outside and in the reception area.

Yeah... The studio tour is 4.30 but was hoping we could go in earlier and get lunch and look round the shop

No idea re lunch. I don't think there was much there in the way of food.

Placemarking as DC are promised a trip there this summer....

You can only go in the shop earlier. There isn't a restaurant or anywhere to buy lunch.

I can't see the point in getting there before your tour time as it makes more sense to go in the shop afterwards.

Go to St. Albans for lunch and a walk about its only 1/2 hour to the studios

Yes you can have lunch

I think there is a cafe before the studios entrance. If you get there early there are a few photos and sculptures to look at.

We went recently. There is a coffee shop just inside the front entrance, we didn't go in there so I can't tell you what the offerings are.

You could easily kill 90 mins between having coffee and browsing in the shop, not sure there is enough to do for more than that though so I wouldn't get there too early.

If your tour is booked for 4.30pm then you are allowed to get in the queue for the tour at 4.30pm or perhaps just before (worth asking when you arrive). The tour starts in the queue(!), then goes into a dark room for a talk with TV footage (massive group of people in dark room), then you go into another room to see a short film (cinema style - everyone sitting), finally you are shown round the great hall, then you leave the hall and go off to look at the rest on your own at your own pace (you are not allowed to return to the great hall). They say the average person takes 3 hours to do the tour - some will be much longer. We usually take 3 hours (DS8 has had enough then).

The restaurant and gift shop are in the foyer before you queue for the tour - so you can visit both before or after the tour. Very big, expensive gift shop. The tour also ends in the gift shop (naughty!). The restaurant is large, but (IMO) quite expensive and not that great quality. Think it usually costs us around £22-25 for 3 drinks (soft) and 3 hot dogs (or similar). We usually go in the morning, have a coffee, do the tour, then have lunch.

Worth noting... there are picnic areas. You could take a packed tea, and eat it just before you go outside to see the bus/buildings.

Have fun, you could be in for a late night!