Harry Potter and his adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have had an enduring impact on contemporary culture. Over 25 years after J.K. Rowling’s first novel in the series was published, the Harry Potter phenomenon remains one of the most successful and best-loved entertainment properties in history. Harry Potter’s adventures have been brought to life in an ever-evolving, interconnected universe beloved by millions of fans worldwide, including eight blockbuster Harry Potter films. One of the ways in which fans can indulge their passion for Harry Potter is at location-based experiences.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter celebrated its 12th anniversary earlier this year. The ground-breaking touring experience gives wizards, witches and muggles alike the ultimate chance to experience authentic sets used in the film, and to discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series. Visitors can explore the original Great Hall, see Platform 9 ¾, step inside the Forbidden Forest, discover Gringotts Wizarding Bank and pull out a screaming Mandrake in Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse, before admiring the breath-taking miniature scale model of Hogwarts castle.
From 16 November 2024 until 19 January 2025, visitors to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter can see their favourite Harry Potter film sets dressed for the festive season in a breathtaking blanket of filmmaking snow, experiencing the enchantment of Christmas at its popular Hogwarts in the Snow Feature.
The magnificent Great Hall is adorned in festive scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and for the first time ever Studio Tour fans can witness a demonstration of the animatronic head of Hagrid used in the Harry Potter film series, and experience the charming snowy scene in which Hagrid drags a gigantic Christmas tree through the grounds of Hogwarts.
Brand new to the feature is a frozen Hogwarts fountain – as seen in the Clock Tower Courtyard in the Harry Potter film series, which will adorn the Backlot area of the Studio Tour. Elsewhere, the Hogwarts castle model is covered in a blanket of film makers' snow, and beloved sets such as Gryffindor common room, Forbidden Forest, and Diagon Alley are dressed in their festive finery.
Attentive visitors will notice miniature snowmen and discover the filmmaking secrets behind creating flames that don’t burn and ice that never melts.
From 19 January 2025, the much-loved Magical Mischief feature will come to the Studio Tour. Neville will be making a return to the Magical Mischief feature in 2025 alongside Professor Umbridge and the swing pendulum, levitating cake and Harry’s flying acceptance letters.
Fans who have previously attended the Magical Mischief feature will recall the iconic scene in which Neville is tormented by Cornish Pixies. Visitors will now have the chance to experience this moment in its new film accurate home, the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom.
The film makers have been hard at work bringing the chaos of this spectacle to life, with visitors able to see Neville moving whilst being suspended from the classroom’s ceiling, a stunt never seen before at the Studio Tour. Fans will be transported into Gilderoy Lockhart’s lesson, experiencing the pixies’ mischievous antics first-hand. Keep an eye out for those electric blue rascals around the Studio Tour. Don’t scream…it might provoke them!
Tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, are on sale for 2025 and must be pre-booked, with all extra features included in the ticket price. All tickets can be purchased from: www.wbstudiotour.co.uk.
For the latest Harry Potter news and features, visit www.harrypotter.com.
