Yer A Wizard - 05.28.25

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. 

Today we immersed ourselves into the magical world of Harry Potter via the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. The self-guided tour that my mom, sister, and I did was everything I could have hoped for and more! We walked through the breathtaking sets of the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest, Platform 9 ¾, Diagon Alley, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse, Dumbledore’s Office, and the Hogwarts Bridge. We saw authentic props featuring the potions classroom, memory cabinet, and puking pastilles. We saw original costumes from scenes of quidditch, 19 years later, the Yule Ball, and the Beauxbatons. We saw creature effects featuring the Basilisk, Buckbeak, goblin heads, and Aragog. We saw various models and designs from the art department including the Hogwarts Castle model, graphic design, white card models, and technical drawings. We saw special and visual effects of the Chamber of Secrets door, invisibility cloak, and green screen. It was all incredible and left us speechless. 

Our visit took place during the Triwizard Tournament, and we were able to uncover how the filmmakers brought all the action-packed scenes to life. We learned the secrets of special effects during the Backlot Stage show, specifically how the filmmakers shot underwater and created the Hungarian Horntail Dragon. We saw demonstrations of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students’ arrival at Hogwarts. We experienced green screen technology and rode on a broomstick to compete in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. We saw the iconic Triwizard costumes and props. My sister and I even dared to enter our names into the Goblet of Fire. 

We toured the studio for about 4 hours, including lunch at the Backlot Cafe. This was a quick service restaurant located about halfway through the tour. My sister and I each had the Pulled Pork Burrito (pulled pork, seasoned rice and beans, guacamole and salsa, and served with fries) for $13.95*. My mom had the Chicken Caesar Salad (baby gem lettuce, parmesan, pancetta, Caesar dressing, rosemary croutons, and grilled chicken) for $11.95*. After we finished our tour, I grabbed a Slytherin themed ice cream cone at the Frog Cafe. 

I highly recommend this Studio Tour to all Harry Potter fans. I have read the books, seen the movies, visited the theme parks in Florida, and now I have toured the Studio in London. I chose to dress up themed to my Hogwarts house, Slytherin, and to me it made the experience that much more fun. I hope that your future visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is as magical as ours!  

Mischief managed. 

Since I am a Slytherin in a family of Hufflepuffs, I cannot end my post without telling you about our after-tour dinner at Il Posto, an Italian kitchen with a classic menu. I had the Insalata Di Pollo (mixed leaves, chicken strips, avocado, tomatoes, carrots, and baby spinach) for $15.40*. My mom had the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese (fresh egg pasta with tomato and beef sauce) for $15.90*. My sister had Margherita Pizze (organic tomato sauce, mozzarella fior di latte, parmesan, basil and oil evo) for $11.90*. I also had a glass of Pinot Grigio for $10.90*. Everything was delicious and it was a wonderful way to end our busy day. 

*All dollar amounts are in pound sterling.