We are not die-hard Harry Potter fans. We have seen the movies, we enjoyed them, and our teens grew up with them, but none of us were walking into the Warner Bros Studio Tour London with tears in our eyes at the sight of Platform 9¾. I say this upfront because most Harry Potter Studio Tour reviews are written by superfans and if you are a family somewhere in the middle, interested but not obsessed, this review is for you.
We visited the Making of Harry Potter as part of our 3-night London trip and it took up our entire final full day. The journey from central London to Watford takes about 90 minutes round trip and the tour itself runs 3-4 hours. That is a significant chunk of a short London visit and the honest question before you book is whether it is worth the time and cost for your family.
Our answer was mixed and that is actually useful information if you are trying to decide whether you should include it in your trip.
Planning your full London trip? Read our London Itinerary with Teens for our complete 3-night guide- what we did, what it cost, and what we would do differently.
- Harry Potter Studio Tour Review- My Experience
- Harry Potter Studio Tour London- What to Know Before You Go
- Warner Bros Studios Tour London- What to Expect of The Experience
- Special Events at The Making of Harry Potter
- Harry Potter Studio Tour London vs Universal's Wizarding World
- Is Harry Potter Studio Tour Worth It- Final Thoughts & Recap
This post contains affiliate links.
Harry Potter Studio Tour Review- My Experience
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter is where the movies were made. The props and backlots are authentic to the films. It is a unique place to visit being that the cast and production crew spent 10+ years making Harry Potter there. Now you get to see these items up close and experience the movies like never before.
It felt really magical boarding the bus to the location and touring the grounds. It is not a small building and will take the majority of your day to explore.
We typically move through these types of attractions quickly and don’t stop to read everything. It also was very crowded during our visit and it made some of the exhibits a bit annoying to spend any time at. Our tickets were a mid-afternoon time slot and I suggest booking the first reservation of the day if you want to avoid crowds.
Crowd levels aside this studio tour is perfect for the Harry Potter fan or fans of movie making. It is immersive and you can get a feel for what the sets were really like during filming.
Overall we had a lot of fun seeing all the sets and costumes as well as taking photos with some of the most famous scenes from the movies.
Harry Potter Studio Tour London- What to Know Before You Go
These are the things I wish I knew before we departed for our trip.
Location & How to Get There
Harry Potter Studio Tour London is not actually in London. It is outside the city and the nearest train station is Watford Junction. There are shuttle buses at the Watford Junction, that are included with your ticket admission, at the station to transport you to the Studio.
Visitors will want to take the London Euston train to Watford Station (around 20 minutes) and then the 15 minute bus ride to the studio. Guests can also drive themselves to the studio tour lot. Below is a map but travel time is going to depend on where your starting point is.
Another option is to book a tour from London that includes your ticket and transfers. This is the easier option if you don’t want to worry about public transportation.
Ticket Cost & Hours
Tickets for the Harry Potter Studio Tour London start at $68.00 USD. The tickets are timed based and you will need to make reservations early. There are also options to book a Studio tour and bus transfer from London, this may be a better option for you to not have to worry about taking the London tube.
Tip for Tickets: Book your date as soon as you can. You also want to book the earliest time if you can get there. Less crowds make it much easier to tour. (More on that later in my review.)
What to Bring
You don’t need to bring much to the tour. There are indoor and outdoor areas so dress for the weather. Wear comfortable shoes. The tour takes at least 2 hours to explore. Time will depend on how long you take for each area, dining, and crowd levels. We visited for around 3 hours.
You may want to bring a portable charger if you plan on taking a lot of video and photos. Guests are also allowed to bring their own food and drinks to be consumed at specified spots along the tour.
Where to Stay
If you are not staying in London you may want to book a hotel nearby. Browse the map below to find rates for your trip.
Warner Bros Studios Tour London- What to Expect of The Experience
The studio tour has guests traveling through different set areas from the movies. Each area has a specific theme to it and you can spend as little or as much time as you would like.
The Great Hall
Guests start at the Tour Entrance that has movie posters, scenes from the movie, and scripts along the wall. They then watch a short film followed by guides opening the doors to The Great Hall to begin your self-guided tour.
The Great Hall has costumes from the film as well as the sorting hat. There are lots of opportunities to take pictures.
Interior Sets & The Forbidden Forest
After guests leave the Great Hall you will go to an interior sets room that has so much to see. We saw The Mirror of Erised, the Chamber of Secrets door, costumes from the film, and a few interactive elements.
This area of the tour is very crowded and vast. It does not follow a straight path so be sure to take your time to see everything you want to see.
Next up is the Forbidden Forest which is a dark open path. There are spider props and it may be a little scary for young children. It is easy to get through and most kids will be fine.
Platform 9 3/4
Next up on the tour is the Hogwarts Express. There was a long line to get on this, so we skipped it, but we did get our picture taken going through the Platform.
We liked this area but felt it was comparable to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, so we didn’t mind skipping things.
If you have never been to Universal’s Harry Potter areas this is really cool and you should take the time to explore more than we did.
Backlot Cafe
The Backlot Cafe is the half-way point of the studio tour. It has a small counter service food option.
They offer breakfast and lunch options as well as Butterbeer. Choices include hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, and fries. Menu can be found here. The food is fine. It is not good or bad. I enjoy the Butterbeer and the souvenir mug guests can keep.
The lines for food were ridiculous. I do not know if that was specific to our visit or if it is always long at lunchtime. It took at least 20 minutes to order and get food. The line moved slow. There was plenty of seating in the cafe and it was nice to enjoy our lunch without feeling rushed. We also had a place to refill our water bottles and use the restrooms.
The Backlot
The Backlot is next and I think this is where my favorite areas of the tour started. These areas felt very immersive.
The Knight Bus, Harry’s House and the Greenhouse can all be found in this outdoor space. The kids, and I all enjoyed checking on the baby Mandrakes, yes they do scream!
Gringotts Bank & the Vault
After walking through the special effects area guests will walk through a life-like Gringotts Bank, with working Goblins. This area is very accurate to the movies, be sure to take pictures!
After you walk through the bank you will enter the vaults and have opportunity to take photos with treasures. Then you will come close to a dragon as you exit the area.
There is a short little dragon projection show that is about 30 seconds long and runs continuously. If it is crowded when you enter wait for the next round to start and get a front row spot.
Diagon Alley & The Model Room
Diagon Alley is the last large room you will walk through and it does look exactly like Diagon Alley from the movies. It feels as if you have walked on set. For Harry Potter fans you will want to take time to notice all the details. If you are a casual fan a walk thru will suffice.
Next up is the model room. The Model Room is the last area to walk around and guests walk the path around a large model of Hogwarts. This gives you a birds-eye view of the scope of the castle.
Shops and Exit
Every attraction ends in the gift shop and Warner Bros. Studio Tour- The Making of Harry Potter is no different. You can pick up wands and other Harry Potter themed souvenirs after your visit.
Once finished with your tour make your way back to the bus stop. This will take you to the train station to start your journey home.
Special Events at The Making of Harry Potter
We visited during the summer but if you are traveling during a different season you may want to check out the seasonal event offerings.
- Dark Arts– Halloween themed event through the fall, lights are dimmed for your tour, Halloween pumpkins floating in the Great Hall, encounters with Death Eaters and Dementors.
- Hogwarts in the Snow– November through January, floating candles in the Great Hall, Holiday sets and costume displays.
- Hogwarts House Spirit– January- April (new for 2027), all 4 house banners displayed in Great Hall, trials and challenges for your house
- These events are included in your Studio Tour ticket. Additional upgrades are available as well.
Harry Potter Studio Tour London vs Universal’s Wizarding World
If your family has already been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando or Universal Hollywood, your experience here will feel different. Universal is a theme park with rides, immersive theming, and Butterbeer carts on every corner.
The Studio Tour is more like a museum. Authentic, educational, and genuinely fascinating if you care about film-making, but it won’t give you the same adrenaline rush.
We skipped the Hogwarts Express queue because we felt the Universal version was more immersive. That’s not a criticism of the Studio Tour. It’s a different experience with a different purpose. If you have done Universal and are expecting the same energy, adjust your expectations before you go. If you have never done Universal, the Studio Tour will absolutely feel magical.
Is Harry Potter Studio Tour Worth It- Final Thoughts & Recap
It is always difficult to tell someone if something is worth it for them but what would a review of Harry Potter Studio Tour London be without my personal opinion. We were not blown away by it. It was really cool and fun to see some of the exhibits but it felt similar to what we have seen at Universal.
I will say we visited on a really busy day. We didn’t enter the tour until around 2:00pm and I think that was a big mistake. The crowds were big and it made it difficult to spend time to see everything without feeling rushed. I think we would have had a completely different experience had we booked one of the first time slots.
Harry Potter fans do not want to miss this! If you are not a Harry Potter fan it might not be worth the time to travel outside London to see this.
Overall I am glad we went. There were areas we really enjoyed, like the Backlot area. I think one visit is enough for us but I am glad we included it on our trip to London.
If you loved the London experience, we also reviewed the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood– a completely different but equally unmissable experience. Exploring more of Europe? Visit our International Destinations Guide for every destination we’ve covered as a family.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.