The highlight of my trip to London was the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, the actual set used for the filming the Harry Potter movies. J K Rowling's books got me hooked but the movies, not as much. Nonetheless, it was a treat to see what I've imagined in my head, brought to life, into something much tangible.
As visitors enter the Studio at staggered timings, you first have to join the queue in the Lobby at the timeslot you booked for. And catch a glimpse of Harry's room in the cupboard under the stairs.
Here's the map of the entire tour. It starts off with a short clip in the Cinema, a brief guided tour in the Great Hall, then you are pretty much on your own thereafter. Just note that it is one-way, i.e. after leaving the Interior Set for the Backlot, you cannot return to the Interior Set again etc.
In the Cinema
Before Entering...
What else, but the Great Hall.
Onwards, in the Interior Set Room, wander around and admire the actual props and sets used in the movie. Here are some highlights for me:
Great Hall Ceiling Model
Production designer Stuart Craig believes half of the Great Hall experience is contained within its magical ceiling, though the actual set of the Great Hall never had one.... The only 'real' ceiling ever built was the 1:8 scale model seen here. This model is one part of what is known as an in-camera matte, a technique in which the camera aligns perfectly with the set and the model to make the room appear complete.
Boys' Dorm Room
All the wands
Gryffindor Common Room with actual outfits
Clock Tower
Animal Actors and their profiles
Movie Memorabilia
I like the interactive nature of the Studio Tour, which includes:
Interacting with some exhibits such as activating kitchen utensils in The Burrow.
Hop on a broomstick for a game of Quidditch.
Wave the wand and cast the spell like an aspiring witch or wizard.
Collect stamps to fill your passports at various stations. P.S. I thought this was for kids only, but after seeing several grown-ups with their passports, I couldn't resist but ask for one from the friendly staff.
Here is the complete set of photos (all 75 of them) for this post:
Getting There
I booked the tickets (£ 30.00) in advance online and brought the email confirmation to collect the tickets at the venue on the actual day of the visit.
"Please keep this email safe as you will need it, along with one form of ID such as a bank card or driving license to enter the attraction and collect your tickets (as well as any Souvenir Guidebooks or Digital Guides you may have purchased). Alternatively, if you have opted to receive your tickets in the post, you need only bring these with you. Upon arrival, please have your tickets or confirmation available to show staff when required."
Some other terms you will need to note:
"Please plan to arrive 20 minutes prior to your ticketed time. Late arrivals cannot be guaranteed entry. Tickets are not for resale and are non-refundable."
There are tour buses that get you direct from Central London (at £ 31, it costs more than admission).
But which better way to get to Hogwarts than by train? I chose to take a direct train to London Euston then hop on another train to Watford Junction (a 20 minute journey). When I reached London Euston, I just asked the station conductor when and which was the fastest train to Watford Junction,. Alternatively, you can say "Which way to Hogwarts?" I'm sure they will get it.
At Watford Junction, exit the station and look for the shuttle bus bus stop (a 15 minute journey, with wifi on board, £2 return).
The recommended time to arrive at Watford Junction is 45 minutes before the time stated on your ticket and have your ticket or booking confirmation ready when boarding the shuttle bus.
More of the Studio Tour coming up.
No comments:
Post a Comment