Beep, beep, the alarm goes. Crash the phone falls, crash everything next to the bed falls, crash I fall out of bed. That was a rude awakening. What’s the time? We are up early to go to HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR!!!!!!!
Taxi, bus, line, security, line, ticket. Done.
The music starts, excitement ripples through the crowd, wait for it. Ta da, the doors open and we are into the great hall. Wow. This is where the actual scenes from Hogwarts castle were filmed. The tables are set, the pumpkins are lit and I feel like we are first-year students entering for the first time to get our houses selected by the sorting hat. The photo frenzy starts. This way, that way, finally down to the teachers table, the owl podium is real gold and melted wax. This is mesmerising.
The guide announces please leave the grand hall and move onto the next section. We keep snapping, politely the guide announces again and then we reluctantly head out. Now we see how the costumes, props and sets are made.
We travel through the Gryffindor boys dormitory and common room, Dumbledores office (my fav), the potions lab (with potions magically mixing), Hagrid's hut, how to make slime and so much more.
‘UP’ we shout, Jane and I make a broom rise. We are so magical. But that's nothing, now its time to learn how to ride a broom. Jane the daredevil goes first, then me, we travel over the castle, along a train line, lake a street watch out for the bus. This is incredible good fun.
On we go the quidditch, Ministry of Magic, horcruxes and my favourite has to be Dolores Umbridge’s office in gaudy pink with cats. Yes, the cats are even cute.
What that section over there? The wand experience. Let's have a go, pick a wand, Hermonie’s, of course. The wand instructor shows me the moves and I practice, then the death eater comes up and I fight him. Try move one on death eater, oh no, he wins, learn another move, he wins, on the fifth move I win. The death eater falls and Jane captures all my moves on camera. It does not happen if we don't take a photo.
Now onto the forbidden forest, this is amazing all smoke and massive trees, whats that big thing, its monster spiders, This is surreal. Jane and a worker try to scare me with a big spider, its does not work, well maybe a little. Laughter all round.
Turn a corner and we are on platform 9 3/4 and its a full-sized platform with train, carriages, the works. More photo snapping and now its time to rest these weary legs and drink a butterbeer.
Onwards we go, Privet drive, a death eater attack, ride in a flying car, this is all insane fun. More models, the Hogwarts Castle in 1:24 scale. So impressive. Now for the final frenzy and exit through the gift shop, happy with our treasure hauls off we go to find the bus. Now time to sit back and watch Harry Potter movies as we wind our way back into London.
Any normal tourists would just head off home, but not us. Cup of tea and a scone at The English Rose tea shop, shopping to buy a big coat for the next adventure and then on the bus we go for a night tour of London. There is a bit of scramble at the front of the line with people from India and Uruguay pushing in, but Mathew the tour guide points to us and we are lead like the princesses we are first on the bus and grab the front seats up the top. What a day.
We loved Butterbeer.... amazing pics and can't wait to see the rest. After reading this, Hamish declares... this looks better than Universal Studios mum, can we go? ;)
We loved Butterbeer.... amazing pics and can't wait to see the rest. After reading this, Hamish declares... this looks better than Universal Studios mum, can we go? ;)
ReplyDeleteSmart kid you have there :)
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ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a great time!
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