To be honest, I'm not the biggest Harry Potter fan in the world, though I'm not a hater by any means either. I've seen all the movies at least once, but I've never read the books, and I'm not all that fascinated by the world created by J.K. Rowling and the filmmakers. For me, they are great movies and even rank as some of the best movies of the 2000s and beyond, but this isn't a fandom I've emotionally invested a ton of time in.
Still, recently on a trip to the U.K., I joined the rest of my family, some of whom are huge Harry Potter fans, for a visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour at the Warner Bros. Studio. The tour, which is about 20 miles from London, is great. The whole thing is very well presented and definitely worth any fan's time and money. For me, it really came down to one part of the tour that made the whole thing worth it and it wasn't what I expected: the model of Hogwarts at the very end.
The Tour Is Fantastic
The actual tour starts a little like a ride at Universal Studios or Disney World, walking through a line with photos and text on the walls explaining the Harry Potter movies in order. After meandering through the line and getting a quick briefing from a tour guide, you sit down for a quick movie about the movies and the tour, hosted by the original Harry Potter cast members.
Finally, the screen rolls up and the doors to the Hogwarts dining hall are revealed. Once the doors are opened, you get the first glimpse of the actual set of the dining hall that fans know so well. Even I, a super casual fan, was pretty amazed, especially by the floating candles. From there, the guided part of the tour ends and you are on your own to explore all that the tour presents. It turns from a theme park-like experience to a museum-like experience.
Sets, Props, And Costumes
The sheer amount of film-used sets, props and costumes from the Harry Potter movies is a little overwhelming. There are wands, trophies and Golden Snitches galore. Dozens of paintings that hang on the walls of Hogwarts are on display, and there are even some very impressive examples of whole sets from the movies, including the potions classroom and, most impressively, two different versions of Gringotts: one before its destruction in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and one after. Of course, the set for platform 9 3/4 is included, too.
After all that and a whole lot more, you finally arrive at the final climactic moment of the whole tour when you enter a darkened room with an incredible model of Hogwarts that fills the entire space.
The Hogwarts Model
The folks who created the tour definitely knew what they were doing when they put the model at the end. It is, quite honestly, astounding. As impressive as the rest is, it's the 1:24 scale mode, which was used for many of the exterior shots in the movies, that will truly blow your mind, as it certainly did mine.
The level of detail is incredible, as you'd expect from a film model like this, but it goes beyond that. Not only is the whole thing incredibly impressive from an artistic point of view, with details of the school of the school and the grounds, but the presentation is first class. It makes you believe the world of Harry Potter is real.
A winding walkway takes you from the highest point of the model, down and around to the lowest, so visitors get the complete experience from every possible angle. When we were there, it was set up for Christmas, so there was snow covering the model and the whole thing took on an ethereal vibe.
Of course, John Williams' magical score plays as you walk around, adding to the dramatic effect. Even if this model was the only thing in the whole tour, it would be worth making an effort to see it for even the most casual fans, like me. It's certainly made me eager to use my Max subscription and rewatch the entire Harry Potter series.
