The nearest train station is Watford Junction, and regular shuttle buses to the studios run frequently, and from practically outside the station doors! Go left from the station towards the bus stops, and look for the big Harry Potter poster! It takes about 15 minutes to get there and costs £2 for a return ticket. You will need to print an order confirmation of your tickets to use this service. But the experience starts the second you step aboard, as screens in the bus will show a short film to get you hyped up for the tour!
One of the great things about the tour is, after a short introduction from the staff, the rest of the tour is unguided. It means you are allowed as much time as you like to wander around each segment and make sure you've covered every inch of it before moving on. Which is really handy when you consider there is a lot to look at. Photography is allowed throughout the studio, with very few exceptions, so being able to wander at your own pace means plenty of time to snap whatever pictures you like without feeling rushed. The website estimates about three and a half hours to complete the tour, but you could easily spend all day there.
There are also plenty of photo-ops, so you can step into the world of Harry Potter yourself. Which of course, we all want. I have some pretty hilarious photos of my dad 'running' through the walls to Platform 9 and 3/4, and walking the carriages of the Hogwarts Express was one of my favourite parts of the entire trip. I don't want to give too much away, but i'm sure we all have at least one friend who has been and made their profile picture a snap of them at Privet Drive, so there's also that! The tour ends in a big, big way... How? Well, i'll let you find out for yourself...
At £33 a ticket for adults, it is quite a pricey tour. When you consider the time you can stay there, and all of the things you can see, it begins to feel like a bit of a bargain. I was a massive fan of the books growing up, and as a film student, for me the tour was worth every penny as it combined two of my most loved worlds. The studio often hosts extra events too, that are included with the cost of a standard tour ticket. Check out whats on, on the studio tour website!
There's also a really nice pub just outside the train station. When I visited, they offered a burger meal with a drink for £4.99. The veggie option was yum, and it was really great value. It's not many places you can grab dinner and drinks for four and still have change from a £20 note... Ok so it was only 4p, but it still counts, right? Check out this post to see the bits and bobs I picked up in the gift shop and the on-site cafes!
See you next time!
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