Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter - review thread - chances to win goody bags! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the super lucky MNers who attended the special Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter MN event on 23 March.

They say "We were delighted to welcome MNers and their little wizards to the Warner Bros. – Studio Tour London,. Here you can step on to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter™ film series. Visitors can tread the original stone floor of the iconic Hogwarts™ Great Hall, encounter animatronic creatures and wander down Diagon Alley™. Located at the Studios where all eight films were produced, the Studio Tour showcases the incredible British talent, imagination and artistry that went into making the impossible a reality on screen. Visitors will relive the magic through the eyes of the filmmakers who brought the Harry Potter film series to life".

MN attendees - please share your responses to the following questions....

What were your first impressions on arrival?
How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?
Were the staff friendly and helpful?
Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

We'd also like you to include a review here.

Non MN attendees - if you've been to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter yourself, feel free to also share your overall thoughts on your tour experience on this thread.

All MNers who share their feedback of the Studio Tour and add a review will be entered into a prize draw where two lucky MNers will win a goody bag containing a Harry Potter wand, Fizzing Whizzbees, Peppermint Toads, Chocolate Frog and a packet of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans (worth £57.75).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ
Standard Insight T&cs apply

Non attendee
We visited this last year as a family. It was great and the facilities were excellent. I would have liked to spend longer in the great hall but I can appreciate the importance of timings as it is a very slick operation. We didn't use the cafe but had a hotdog ( which was ok but nothing great) in the outside eating area and a butter beer which I loved but the others hated. I feel that the only thing that let down the experience was the very high priced gift shop. It really needs to have a wider range of reasonably priced pocket money priced toys and games. I was quite shocked by the price of even simple key rings and posters that could be personalised which had very poor quality paper. Also I agree with a previous poster that the outside of the centre is not inspiring.

Never been but sounds great!

What were your first impressions on arrival?

The car park was very easy to navigate with very efficient attendants who also stopped to chat with the children.

The lobby had enough to hold the children's attention before and during queueing and the queue looked long but moved quickly.

Security was high which was reassuring!

How were the facilities?

The toilets were clean and there were enough to accommodate many people. My small child loved the magic flushing toilets with the sensors.

The cafe was just in the right place during the tour - we came across it when we had started to get tired and ready for a break!

We liked that the tables and benches were set out like the tables at Hogwarts to add to the authenticity.

The macaroni cheese was fine, however I have since read on this thread that vegetarian hot dogs were available which we didn't know about but my children would have preferred.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?

Very much so, from the car park staff to the very nice lady who gave us our official guides when we were some of the last to leave!

The staff who were placed along the tour were all very enthusiastic and made an effort to talk to the children and help them to find snitches along the way. We could tell that they were real Harry Potter fans themselves - they went out of their way to add to the magic of the experience.

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?

We are all fans of Harry Potter, my 8 year old Ron lookalike in particular. He loves the books and films and has been asking to go to the studios for months - we had hoped to visit during the summer holidays.

I had been a bit worried that as we had all been anticipating the tour for so long it might not live up to expectations. However, the tour was more amazing than we could have imagined!

The highlight for the children was the wand lessons and the Weasley's kitchen, they also enjoyed finding the snitches hovering about. I loved the Hogwarts Express and DH could have spent hours looking at the models of the buildings.

There was plenty to see and do, we went mainly for the 8 year old who was enthralled but I'd say that the 5 year old got just as much from the experience and managed to charm her dad into buying her a Professor McGonagall wand.

The only problem was that we didn't have enough time, if we visit again we'll book a morning slot so we can spend a bit longer looking at everything.

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

I have been recommending it to everyone I have spoken to today! It is expensive but I would have happily paid for the experience, and will almost definitely pay for us to all go a second time. I won't be recommending the butter beer to anyone though!

Thank you Mumsnet and Warner Brothers for this amazing opportunity, we feel very lucky.

What were your first impressions on arrival?
Very friendly staff made us feel comfortable and directed us to the car park. Loved the chess piece outside. Security were lovely and showed my son how the paddle worked. Liked the foyer, lots of space adm staff around to talk to.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?
Very good, used two toilets and one baby changing area, all clean and well supplied.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?
Yes everyone we came across was super helpful and very friendly. Lovely that staff were happy to answer all my 5 year olds questions.

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
Absolutely!!!! It was wonderful and we will definitely go back, 3hrs wasn't enough for us.

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?
Yes, definitely. The passports were great to keep the kids interested while the adults took more time to take it all in.

What were your first impressions on arrival?

It wasn't the first time I had seen the outside, I dropped off/collected DS {KangaBoy} and his girlfriend there last year. The car parking staff are very friendly and make the job of parking very easy. The chess pieces are a really great photo opportunity (even better in the dark with their shadows)

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?

As I am in a wheelchair my needs might be slightly different from other visitors, the kerb drops outside are excellent and very flat. The ridge to get in the main door is a tiny bit high so had to have a firm push from DH to get over it. Once inside the main floor it was excellent to move over. Obviously Diagon Alley was very very difficult, but we knew that beforehand from the information on the website. It was made harder by the fact that it was a hill upwards as well, which we weren't expecting.

One thing that I did notice inside the first room of the main tour, was that it was very difficult to see the screens as I was lower, surrounded by adults, this would also be the same for young children, I am not sure what the solution is apart from asking the adults stand around the edge of the room with children and wheelchair users in the centre, therefore being able to see over the adults heads as they would be lower than the screens. Parents wouldn't want to be separated from their children so not an ideal solution, I realise.

When trying to operate the Marauder's Map touch screens, the tables were very hard to get close to (in a wheelchair) as they had blocks underneath them, presumably to be pulled out for little children to stand on, it might help if these were easier to move in and out both for children and wheelchair users

The staff at the green screen Flying Car were excellent at accommodating the wheelchair and moving the blocks to fit my chair in with DH, the queues were quite long both to have the experience and to collect the photo

DH used the toilets near the cafe, which were clean with a good hand drier

Turning circles were a bit tight moving through the backlot cafe with the bollards also in the gift shop.

The tour was very busy but it didn't seem overcrowded once we were in the Great Hall and the visitors dispersed

Were the staff friendly and helpful?

All the staff were very friendly and helpful and certainly knew about HP. I enjoyed seeing them interact with the children

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?

Yes, very much so. We were there for over 4 hours and could have been there much longer but we had to go through the end part of the tour much quicker as we were running out of time before it closed, we were there without children though so could take our time reading and looking at everything

We liked the idea that you needed to look everywhere to see everything like the costumes and props up high. Also, all the detail on the props, costumes and scenery

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

Yes, I think certainly adults, pre-teen and teenagers who are interested in HP or film making could take a day to visit. Those with children, it depends on their ages and interest in HP how many hours they would stay interested or have the energy

It could be a very expensive day out with children, as part of the MN package we had the flying car on green screen photo opportunity ~ very expensive but fun, a pity you have to pay extra for the video, chicken goujons (me) ~ ok but needed something else with them, hotdog (DH) ~ onions were cold and slimey, soft drink (me) filter coffee (DH) hot and good flavour, 2 Butterbeers (with our own cups to bring home ~ very nice touch) ~ quite liked the flavour, souvenir colour brochure ~ excellent addition to the tour with great photos, quality paper and information, liked the fold out photo of Hogwarts Express.

Gift shop very expensive and I guess hard if you have small children who don't understand budgets, luckily it was just me and DH, we were in a rush due to the shop closing at 8pm. Perhaps having small versions of the bigger packets of sweets etc so that children could spend pocket money to buy something. Maybe chocolate GRINGOTTS coins covered in gold/silver shiny foil?

Thank you MN and Warner Bros Studios

"I was picked by MNHQ to review this product/ service, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.”

What were your first impressions on arrival?
I thought that the site itself was a bit underwhelming, but in hindsight, it made sense, as it was really just a collection of sets, that had been developed into something special.

The stewards in the car park were really friendly and efficient, and directed us where to park. From getting put of the car, the little detail started to appear, like the massive picture of HP, the chess pieces etc etc. My DD was oddly excited that we walked past the ticket booth on the outside, and a man guessed that we were from MN and said hello etc. The bag check was quick and courteous, as was the security using the scanner. I did think it was a bit odd that children weren't scanned, or maybe some were randomly?

The foyer itself was jam packed with stuff to see, but we collected our tickets from a really friendly woman, went to the loo and queued straight up. But we found the queue really really long - I guess that lots of people must have arrived at a similar time? This was our low point actually. Maybe better queue management could have been deployed, eg saying how long left to wait.

This was also when my DC realised that they didn't have the passport things that other people were clutching - and I didn't really have an answer to that as I have no idea who got them and why/where from, and why we were missed out. That is our other low point, as I had a grizzly 7 yo in a long queue and was wondering if other MNERS would be judging us in the feedback.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?
Excellent! The parking spaces were plenty big, and the whole area was well lit when we came put in the dark. There were loads of zebra crossings, and pedestrian walkways and it looked nice and safe.
We didn't use the cloakroom but saw it well - signposted.
The loos in the foyer were nice - loads of stalls, and spotless. There were big cubicles and low basins in the ladies' loo too. And the magic flush and the Dyson air blade were great too.

We loved the Backlot Cafe. It was set out perfectly, with refectory tables a la Hogwarts, then small round ones for others. And the waste/recycling area was really clear too, and the DC liked using them as they were barrels (their words). The food was delicious, really really lovely. The Butterbeer cup was a nice touch too, as was the washing stand.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?
YES! Literally every member of staff was excellent, from the car park attendants to the various stewards, to the loo cleaner, the shop staff, the catering staff... Possibly the best, most consistent staff I've ever seen, especially as everyone seemed quite genuine. People seemed happy to give little nuggets eg the shop assistant laughing with my DD about the first time she had a Every Flavour Bean, as part of her company initiation.

A PP mentioned that the chap in the first bit wasn't clear? Not sure if it was the same one as the one who did our spiel, but if so, he was excellent, and didn't have a speech impediment but was... Swedish.

A special mention must go to Bethany who was scanning the costume bit. She was super friendly and we ended up talking to her for a bit. She showed us some of the costumes up close, she talked to us abput how she were special white gloves to handle the clothes as they are so precious etc. And she gave us loads of info about the costume process, how different sets of clothing are aged, or roughed up, and how this is used in the plot. My DD loves Luna Lovegood, and Bethany told us how she (Evanna Lynch) crafted earrings for the character, which were used and showed them to us. And showed us her costumes in detail too.

I asked my DD what the best part of the tour was, and after thinking hard, she said... Bethany. Because she made her feel special and gave us extra info, and made my DD feel like a fellow expert. So if WE are reading this, please pass our thanks on to Bethany, as she really made it super super special for my DD.
Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

Oops that was an essay so breaking it up into 2 bits
I just loved it so much I have loads to say!

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
We did. We really really did, so thank you so much. We were there as long as poss, but it feels like we could have stayed longer. I'm actually not a rabid fan of the books and films, although I like it a lot and I wondered if there would be enough to interest me. (As I get a bit bored with DD banging on about Hermione and Luna at home.) But actually the level of detail that the studio showcased was just fascinating to anyone.

Other than Bethany and the costume department, favourite bits of the dc were actually walking through Hogwarts Express, and doing the green screen car thing. DS liked the bits with Warwick Davies, who we saw in panto, and who he finds hilarious. And they both loved Diagon Alley, and then the wands.

My big takeaway is the level of detail, of lovingly created detail even when it wasn't strictly needed, that went into every aspect. And I loved too the fact that the whole team, ie crew, not just famous cast, were honoured.

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?
Absolutely yes. But save up, as it is pricey, and the cost of the wands is outrageous (but kudos to the marketing team who dared charge that much!).
And leave plenty of time as there is loads to see, and you'll still miss bits. I think we might go again next year.

Thank you to all at MN and WB who made this possible for us. We had an amazing time, the whole thing was super-slick, and my DC will be talking about it for months. As will I.

What were your first impressions on arrival?

We were all bouncing up and down with excitement! Having the music playing outside was utterly magical. The teaser of the chess pieces outside was a wonderful start. Then walking into the lobby being surrounded by all the photos, the excitement just kept building. It was a wonderful atmosphere from the moment we arrived.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?

• Disabled parking was actually right in front of the entrance, which is rather a rarity for days out!
• LOADS of seating throughout the tour.
• Clean and pleasant toilets, fantastic disabled loos.
• Everything was fantastically accessible.
• Audio tour was brilliant, especially as a visually impaired visitor.
• Great layout and space in cafe area.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?

They really couldn't do more. We were told at the beginning if we needed anything, just to ask a member of staff, and we did on a few occasions - all were more than happy to help. Everything from guiding me to sit down, to offering to take photos for us, to making sure I was okay with where I was heading. In brief - it is the most disabled friendly I have ever visited, and the staff were a large part of that.
I would like to mention a lady called Monica (that might be spelled incorrectly, but do remember her name) from the information desk as an individual, who was completely, unbelievably wonderful. She was chatty, friendly, encouraging, and could obviously tell I was a little bit anxious about a few things which she did her best to reassure me about. She really made the start of the tour a lot more relaxing than it would have been without her, and I will be writing to the studios to praise her as well. It's the first time I've done a full day out since getting my roller ball cane, and being visually impaired, and having her wonderful aura starting off the afternoon made it even more fantastic.

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?

Oh. Yes. It was perfect. The only way it could have been improved was to have another six hours in there!! The sets, the music, the props, the costumes, the green screen, the BUTTERBEER... It was completely like being wonderfully submerged into the magical world. We didn't feel like Muggles yesterday. DS, who adores animals, came home with a cuddly Hedwig and is now surgically attached to her. A lot of it was genuinely emotional - having grown up with Harry, having thought about and seen his world evolving through the books and the films, it was like reaching out to touch it in person.

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

I already have today, and will do repeatedly. It really is a one of a kind experience. For all generations - there was me, my son, and my mum in our party, and every single one of us had a breath taking time. If you have only read the books, if you have only seen the films, if you have done both, or even neither - there is something for everyone.

A really magical day. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Non-tester

We went a few years ago, travelling by train and staying in a Holiday Inn in Watford.
It was amazing!

My top tips:
Watch the films again before you go so all the sets are fresh in your mind.
Only buy 1 butterbeer for pics.
If you really hate how you look in your broomstick photo, they will let you queue jump for another if you are planning on buying a bundle (that may have just been a one off, but much appreciated).
If you want to do the gift shop in style, take lots of money. Alternatively, have a few HP gifts purchased and stashed in your bag before your kids start pestering for the stuff in the gift shop as it is very expensive.

Oh, and if anyone here is the owner of a boy wearing an orange zip up hoodie, aged maybe 11 or 12, he has beautiful manners and is very courteous!

Once my DD crashed into him and he was very nice. Then I was taking a pic of DD and he noticed and moved out the way so she wasn't so squished. And then when we were leaving the Backlot Cafe a the same time as he, he opened the door and waved us through.

Anyway, Orange Boy, we honestly weren't stalking you, but you seem very nice.

First Impressions.....How organised the parking was and how clean and how friendly parking people were and how BIG it looked and all the pictures outside.
The facilities were clean and well placed.
The staff were extremely friendly and helpful and looked like they enjoyed being part of it....I liked the chap in the cinema bit saying we were going to watch the 8 films back to back.Staff extremely informative with lots of insider info.
The experience was brill.It wasn't too crowded, we could take our time and the layout was well thought out.I had to keep reminding myself I was seeing the actual props in the films.Also when in the Backlot Cafe suddenly noticing the Knightbus!
I would recommend and already have done.I want to go back as I do not think one trip does it justice.
Buckbeak and the Monster book of Monsters were great too and the models and the one at the end with benches to sit was breathtaking.
Thank you Mumsnet and Warner Bros.

MNHQ I have done my review now, but just realised I posted it under my new name, not this one (which I'm under now because that's what I used when I signed up for the event). Hope that's ok. :)

We're all still on a major high BTW :o :o :o

“I was picked by MNHQ to review this product/ service, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.”

What were your first impressions on arrival?
The building is huge! The photos on the front of the building got us all excited for what was in store.
The car park was well managed and we were directed painlessly into a space.
The chess pieces were great and provided the first of many photo opportunities!
Security were friendly and aimed to get us through the doors as efficiently as possible. The lobby, cafe and toilet area were clean and tidy.
The desk in the lobby was a nice addition for the evening. We enjoyed looking at the props around the lobby and had a sneaky look in the gift shop before we picked up the tickets. After a short queue (and another photo opportunity) we made it into the tour!

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?
The toilets were plentiful, clean and tidy. The cafe in the lobby provided a well deserved coffee after a long journey. The Backlot cafe had plenty of seating and the staff were very efficient at tidying up.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?
All of the staff we spoke to were very friendly. Their knowledge was amazing! My daughter tripped over by the train and a member of staff rushed over to offer first aid. All of the staff taking photos were lovely and patient. I don't think I saw a single staff member without a smile on their face!

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
We absolutely loved it! It was fantastic to see all of the props, big and small! My DD said that the evening was "amazing". She has only seen the first two films and got so much out of the experience! She has spent this evening playing "bean bamboozle"!

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?
Definitely. DD loved seeing the props and finding the snitches around the displays. We all loved going in the car! The Butterbeer wasn't a hit but you have to at least try it! There is so much to see that a second visit is a definite must!

I am a non-attendee

I absolutely 100% would recommend it, and I have done

I knew before we left that I wanted to go back, I think you could go 5 times and still find new stuff each time. Now that they have the train I am desperate to go back

I think it's wonderful as it is, a few more interactive bits would make it more appealing to younger children as there is a lot of looking and reading

I really enjoyed the butterbeer but it's not to everybody's taste! I wasn't expecting to like it but just wanted to try it so I could say I had drank butterbeer, that is an experience in itself. The shop is expensive but it is good quality. I advise people to buy sweets ahead of time as you can get 3 items on Amazon (including postage) for price of one at the studios. It means you don't have to miss out but you get more for your money. I would use any money saved and put it towards pictures/videos, it's not something you can get elsewhere and it's a great memento of a great day

Thank you for allowing us to attend this event.

We were directed to an empty parking space right at the front,they took consideration to the fact we had 2 buggy's and asked if we needed any more space due to accessibility.
We felt the entrance was very impressive and our daughter was amazed at the portraits and model of flying car inside the lobby. There was a queue for the tour itself but we probably only waited for about 15 minutes which is nothing compared to queuing time at many other tourist attractions for example.

The facilities throughout the tour were great, plenty of toilets throughout the site, and very easy to find too, which seemed clean. There was sufficient enough choice on the menu in the cafe, and enough seating and tables despite the venue being busy. We had a buggy and a pram and everywhere was easily accessible. Plenty of seating dotted around too.

The staff were generally very friendly and made us feel very welcome. We found the gift shop a little disorientating at the end but a member of staff went out of his way to find exactly what we were looking for.

We really enjoyed the tour, especially considering DH and I are not big Harry Potter fans unlike DD. We still found it fascinating and a great experience. We had a lovely family photo taken In the car and plenty of lovely pictures taken throughout the tour.

We would recommend this to others and we're pleasantly surprised.

Just want to say once again thank you for the opportunity to take the tour.

We have visited a few times.

We got the special HP bus from the train station which was great and made things even more exciting.

My first impressions were 'wow' i loved the portraits and the flying car in the lobby, the dvd and the opening of the doors to the great Hall. Platform 9 1/4 blew me away. I loved every second of it. I really enjoyed the shop, so much choice.

My only complaint would be when I asked a member of staff if there was anywhere I could breastfeed my 6 week old baby and was advised to use the toilets! When I declined I was pointed towards a bench right in the middle of a walk way, drafty and with a steady stream of people walking past. I thought that was disgraceful.

squiditch if no-one else claims Orange Hoodie Boy as their own, I will

Non-attendee but have been several times.

I cannot tell you how much I love the tour without getting gushy! Everything from the coach from Watford to the giant chess pieces outside, to the huge pictures in the entrance and onwards is amazing. I was literally speechless when I saw the model of Hogwarts for the first time (this doesn't happen very often!).

The staff are all super-helpful. Last time we went we talked to one guy for ages about wands, and the time before that a guy was showing off some of the design sketches. Both really knowledgeable and friendly.

Can't wait to go back. I want to go on my own and stay there for 12 hours!

What were your first impressions on arrival?
pros
Well manned car park, very friendly attendants - my phone was playing up and I could only show them a bit of my email, they were very sweet and said, don't worry, and what I should do next.
My 12 yo was very impressed with the giant models outside.
It seemed verrrrry quiet, but it was a weekday afternoon I suppose.
The area outside was clean and tidy

I liked how the reception area was themed as Gringott's Bank - very sweet.

cons
It felt a little strange having to go though security for what is seemingly a low risk family friendly tourist attraction.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?
pros
Toilets were well spaced and very clean.
Cafes were ideally placed too and also well maintained and clean.
The Shops were cool to look at but they sit on the con section really

Cons
Eye-wateringly expensive food and drink. Turns out our complimentary meals and butterbeer would have cost around £15pp! I would have been quite cross to have forked out around £15 for a cheap hotdog, a Fanta and a butterbeer in a plastic mug.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?

The staff were excellent,very friendly and knowledgeable. They took the time to answer all our questions and also point little details out that we may not have otherwise noticed.

The security guards and car park attendants were great and helped me with my previous tech problem!

I was most impressed with the fact they gave the public at least an hours notice (and regular updates) about the last shuttle bus. Which was nice as it gave you plenty of time still to have alook around with out going"Crikey.. 5 minutes?? quiiiick!"

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?

We did, very much so

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?

Yes, but only if you're prepared to spend a LOT of money an take your time over it.
It is really is fascinating trip and a real insight into how films are made. My nephew was really interested in the modelling side of it all.

It was incredible the detail and the effort involved, far more than you can ever see on screen

I really would say that you need a proper "break" half way thought (backlot cafe) and be prepared for the very different, but very interesting special/visual effects section.

The Hogwarts model is incredible and almost every person gasps in surprise.

The Special section I've invented solely for The Shop (and overall prices)

The Shops prices were... ridiculous. We all know and expect (unfortunately) that attractions have inflated prices, but wow, this was so very expensive the cost of things was quite prohibitive. My nephew was looking at a Hedwig puppet and he asked me to guess how much it was. Imagine my look of horror, when I guessed £15, he said "More", "25??" "No," he grins and says "even more". I replied... rather hesitantly "£30?" he replied and said "No, it costs £35!!" I was shocked. Iasked him to put it back in case he somehow managed to break it and we'd end up paying for it!

They had house jumpers for £75. Seventy Five Whole British Pounds. For a jumper! ONE jumper.

We didn't buy anything in the end as it was just... crazy money.

I think that (potentially) paying over £5 for the hotdog in the backlot Cafe is a bit of a rip-off. The hotdog was a cheap sausage. The goujons were nice, but again, over priced for what they were.

If we had paid for the whole event, tickets, meal, drink, butterbeer, souvenir guide and green screen, we would have spent around £200 fro two adults and a child.

Can I just ask, did other people who got the shuttle bus get on for free with the email? As we didn't - we showed the email as instructed by MNHQ, but the driver said that MN had made a mistake and we weren't allowed to go for free. £2.50 is a good price though, for a return, so not a big deal, thankfully we had the cash with us

Did anyone else notice they spelled Florean Fortescue incorrectly??

What were your impressions on arrival?

Parking was easy, the attendants were very polite. I'd have preferred to pick my own row but that's only as I'm a rubbish parker and like to go in a space with no one else near! My boys (3 and 6) loved the big pictures outside and trying to figure out which film they were from. Also loved the lobby, looking at the pictures and talking about how much older Harry looked in some of them. Smallest loved the flying car and was upset he couldn't climb up to get in it.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?

Every toilet was very clean and had plenty of toilet roll and soap in them. There were plenty of them too strategically placed, whenever one child needed to go we were never too far away from toilets and didn't have to queue at all! Would have been good to have some more seating areas throughout, the kids got a bit overwhelmed with excitement at times (also walking around) and would have been nice to have a rest. Cafe was good, ample seating. Food was so so, not fantastic but standard for the type of place in my opinion.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?

Majority of them were. The man who checked tickets in the queue (which we'd been in for about 25 minutes so the kids were starting to get narky) was amazing, really chatted with them both asking questions and complimenting outfits. Anyone I had to ask a question of was courteous and chatty. The lady who took out green screen picture didn't tell my eldest to take off his green hoody so the picture didn't turn out brilliantly which was annoying, you'd think she would mention it! Cafe staff were chatty and friendly despite being very busy. One staff member couldn't answer my question so took to me someone who could and remained until she was sure I was sorted which I thought was really good, most chatted to the smallest in his robes and accepted when he told them he was the real Harry Potter

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?

So much yes. The kids thought it was brilliant to see actual Harry Potter things, and I enjoyed wandering around looking at the sets and props. They had had enough by the end, but I think it was all just too much for them. The queue to get in whilst absolutely HUGE moved quickly and there were things for them to look at so any boredom was quickly distracted.

Would you recommend?

Absolutely. I don't think you need to be a die hard Potterhead (although it helps!) but the whole experience was so lovely it'd be great for anyone. Easy to get too also (driving from slightly north) and whilst it could be a costly day you could easily spend hours there. We were there for about 2.5/3 hours which for a 3 and a 6 year old with limited attention spans is amazing. Plenty of photo opportunities and interactive bits too to keep them entertained.

We were a last minute addition, and are so grateful for the opportunity to go so thank you so much to Mumsnet and Warner Bros. I wouldn't have taken the kids otherwise and they had such an amazing time it was wonderful to see how much they loved it.

We took the shuttle bus both ways and did not pay. I just showed my email printout.

Oh. Must've had a different driver then! He said 'lots of people have been asking that, but no, they [meaning MN] should've authorised that with Warner Bros before promising that'

Thank you to Warner Bros and Mumsnet for this wonderful and generous opportunity. I went with DH and DD (8). I have enjoyed the films and books, DH the films and DD was not particularly a fan before we went.

What were your first impressions on arrival?
Easy to find and welcoming and well organised, massive relief following awful journey! Staff in car park knew their stuff. I liked the chess pieces outside. Entrance hall seemed well set out, didn't really linger as the tour was starting. Perhaps some props could have been placed in there for decoration? Would be good to have an idea of when the tours would exactly start as a bog break may have been useful before we went in.

How were the facilities throughout the Studio Tour?

Bogs were clean and spacious with no queues. DH said the mens were queue free and clean. Moaning Myrtle would be good, or some audio- I think the Roald Dahl musuem has some audio and decoration in the loos which I like.
Cafe was well placed and clean. Macaroni cheese was a big portion with salad and tasty. Chicken goujons were good, perhaps with a small side-e.g. Bread or potato based thing would be complimentary rather than mountains of salad (veg refusenik DD ate some) but am not sure if they normally come with it. Hot dog was ok (7/10 from DH, would have preferred a side-he felt a bit left out! Again, not sure if other options are available usually). Butterbeer was interesting, and the glasses which you could rinse and take home were a lovely souvenir.

Were the staff friendly and helpful?
Staff were all helpful, knowledgeable and interested in the Harry Potter experience. They seemed pleased to be there which is a welcome change from many other attractions. There were always staff members to hand to explain or guide you.

Did you and your family enjoy the experience?
Yes! I would love to spend more time there looking at the props, models and drawings. The length was about right for us with DD in tow. She has now badgered us to watch the films (not that I need much encouragement!) and hopefully the books will follow. DH enjoyed it so much he made me breakfast the next day...

Would you recommend other families visit the Studio Tour for a day out?
Yes, particularly if you are into HP. I would go again. I did buy a couple of things in the gift shop, I am using my Marauder's Map mug which has footprints that reveal themselves when the cup warms up! DD's unicorn is great quality and the right size for cuddling (we were impressed by the Hedwig with the rotating head). The sweets were rather overpriced for what they were, however.