The Magical World of Harry Potter - Warner Bros. Studios, London

Let’s face it – I think The Harry Potter Series are the greatest books in the world.  I don’t care if JKR’s books are not literary classics. I mean, I would rather read The Times of India over The Hindu. Vocabulary be damned, all I want is news. So it was only natural that we started our honeymoon with a trip to the Harry Potter Studios in London.

The nondescript entrance

A 30-minute drive from Ickenham, where Cheena’s cousin lives, the studios are situated in Leavesden. We were going out of town, so there wasn't any traffic around and when the studios came into view, I am sure my jaw dropped. We were finally here! Wait till I tell Bhuvana and the other Potter-heads. The outside of the studios was actually not jaw-dropping brilliance though. It was like a hastily erected shed, save for a few posters. We got the tickets and when we went in, it was a different story altogether.

**spoiler alert for Potter-heads who want to visit**

**what-is-this-gibberish alert for the folks who haven’t read Harry Potter or watched the movies(why do you even exist?!)**

Cupboard under the stairs

The queue was leading to The Cupboard Under The Stairs. We got the audio book and we were already fidgeting with it and trying to click selfies with the cupboard in the background. Posters of the cast adorned the walls and Mad-Eye Moody was looming over one corner.

The entrance and the coffee shop

The queue slowly thinned down and we were finally in a dark room with a voice welcoming us and listing the laurels and records the movies made. I counted a few Japanese girls amongst the crowd. A staff with Hogwarts robes ushered us in and we were facing a giant theatre screen in front of us. Everyone was scrambling to get good seats and we could see more Hogwarts robed staff trying to help the visitors. Sooner than later, Daniel Radcliffe was on the screen welcoming everyone and telling us about the making of the films and then Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were doing the same thing. When Daniel Radcliffe pointed sideways and said, “Welcome to the world of Harry Potter”(or something of that sort), the screen moved up and we were facing the doors of The Great Hall. When the screen scrolled up, I had trickles of tears in my eyes, don't ask me why. Birthday babies got the opportunity to open the doors and thennn, we were inside the great hall itself. From that point onwards, it is all a blur.

I like to think that is Nearly Headless Nick on the right

The studios are really a treat for all fans of Harry Potter. You could click pictures sitting at the Gryffindor table, admire the dress that Hermione wore to the Yule Ball, try to see if the fireplaces at the ministry will let you use Floo Powder or cajole the Fat Lady to let you in without a password.


The studios cover almost all the Hogwarts and Ministry sets. You also have a section where you can ride on a broomstick and get a videodisc burnt with you magically flying over the walls of the Hogwarts castle. A very popular attraction for kids and adults alike, you can try it if you don't mind being 30 pounds short after 10 minutes of flying on a broom. You could also try practicing wand waving for a fee, provided you don't mind looking like a fool brandishing a wooden stick with curious visitors stopping by to watch you. Little booklets were also being distributed, and you could get seals of various places like the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts at the respective sets.

The Knight Bus

The Buckbeak replica used in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was SO life-like that I kept staring at it for a solid ten minutes. The Burrow and The Potions dungeon room had self-stirring cauldrons and needles sewing by itself. Umbridge’s office was pukishly pink and it was right next to Dumbledore’s office. I tried saying Sherbet Lemon to the eagle, but looks like Dumbledore changed the password. The Magic is Might statue was towering over everything else and the snakes at the entrance to the chamber of secrets creeped me out a little bit.

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

Andddd then, I was in the DIAGON ALLEY! I felt like Harry when he first saw the alley, but of course there was no Weasleys Wizard Wheezes back then. Ollivander’s, Madam Malkins, the Apothecary, Puking Pasties, Gringotts…yoooohoooo! After clicking tons of pictures and using the free wi-fi to peethify to friends back home, I reluctantly walked out after Cheena gave me his evil glare.

Once we were out, we were facing the Hogwarts Bridge, Godric’s Hollow, Privet Drive and The Knight bus, all lined up right next to each other. The Knight bus was apparently constructed by adding a double decker bus to an ordinary bus. We also clicked pictures sitting on the flying Ford Anglia and Sirius’ motorbike and we took a walk on the bridge sipping yummy Butterbeer. This area also had tables and a snack counter. It was a lovely day and we were pretty hungry as well, so we sat down to have a cheese sandwich (the only vegetarian option) facing the Potters’ house in Godric’s Hollow.

The Burrow

After this, we were looking at the different masks made for the goblins, the elves (Dobby looked sooo cute and paavam) and the other creatures. The tour ends with the shops where you want to scream “TAKE MY MONEY!!” and buy the whole place, but I obviously couldn't do that so I had to make do with a Gryffindor bookmark. Oh, we also bought an Elder wand for a friend (they had almost every character’s wand for sale). I wanted to buy a Hogwarts scarf or a jumper, but they were way beyond our budget so I just shot pictures of everything. They had a whole lot of sweets as well – Bertie Botts’ Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Sherbet Lemons and the like.  

Say hi to Buckbeak!

Then, it was time to go. You would think I would be content and happy that I finally came here and saw all this magnificence, but no…now I want to visit the Harry Potter Studios in the USA. Hee hee.

The whole tour takes about 3 hours. Add an hour more if you are with young Potter fans.

Expenses:

• Entrance Fee – £33 per person
• Audio Guide – £4.95 per person
• Souvenir guidebook -  £9.95
• Souvenir - £25 for an Elder Wand, £8.85 for a Gryffindor Bookmark and a Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios clapboard fridge magnet
•  Butter Beer (basic one without the fancy souvenir mugs) - £5.90 for two
• Sandwich and Chips - £3.70
• Drive to the studios and back - £0.00 (Thanks to Cheena’s cousin)

Update: The Hogwarts Express has now been added to the exhibits!! It starts on March 19th, 2015.