Harry Potter

The Making of Harry Potter

By Gem - 12:33:00

Yesterday I went to The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour (sorry for the twitter and instagram spam) and I had the best day out ever, well since last weekend at Norbury Manor anyway. I'm a huge fan of the books which I started to read when I was 11, way back in 1999 now which makes me feel a little old. We're all part of the Harry Potter generation I suppose, most of us made our parents take us to midnight screenings of the movies and locked ourselves away in our bedrooms the day the new book was released to avoid spoilers. I was even pretty obsessed with the Chamber of Secrets forum over on Mugglenet,  I was a seriously uncool teenager.

The tour really was pretty special and I recommend it to anyone even if you're not a huge Harry Potter fan. You really get a sense of how big the franchise was, thousands of people worked on these movies to make them happen. All the wand boxes in Ollivanders were made by hand, the Great Hall set was huge with real stone floor and the costumes were so well made with a real attention to detail. But lets be honest, it was all made here in the UK by a largely British team so it was always going to be the best quality.

I got a little snap happy and over excited so there are loads of photos for you to cast an eye over:

harry potter studio tour, great hall, gryffindor common room, dumbledore's office

1.Cupboard under the stairs, 2. Dumbledore/Gambon's costume, 3. Great Hall fire place, 4. Molly's homemade jumpers, 5. Mirror of Erised, 6. Wands!, 7. Harry's dorm, 8. Gryffindor common room, 9. Dumbledore's office and the sorting hat.

knight bus

Me on the Knight Bus, make sure you try the butterbeer in the backlot if you visit.

Philosopher's stone, gary oldman, hagrid, harry potter studio tour

There were so many amazing props from the films there, I loved all the attention to detail on things like the books and letters and I really would love a Weasley family clock.

hogwarts castle

I got a tad emotional when I reached the final stages of the tour and saw the huge model of Hogwarts. The used this for a lot of the exterior shots with a mixture of CGI in all the films and a team of 50 people worked on this every year to maintain it. I spent so much time as a kid (and an adult) wishing I got my letter to go to Hogwarts so it was lovely to see the castle in all of its glory.

privet drive

Dress: c/o Yours Clothing
Jacket: New Look
Necklace: eBay
Shoes c/o Spartoo: Boots by Blink
Bag: Vivienne Westwood.
 

It's me outside 4 Privet Drive! I was very under prepared for the blizzard and sub zero temperatures yesterday and could have done with a few more layers and some gloves but most of the tour was inside so it wasn't a huge problem. Felt a bit like Narcissa Malfoy in my all black outfit.
 
I think I can sum up the tour and my love for the Potter world with the following quote from J.K. Rowling:

“The stories we love best do live in us forever; whether you come back by page, or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”

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18 comments

  1. Unknown24 March 2013 at 13:14

    A five year old at Christmas is still the best way I can describe my feelings about my day at HP Studio Tour - and if you recommend the butterbeer I take it you liked it? I thought I was the only one!

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    Replies
    1. Gem25 March 2013 at 10:38

      Me and my mate Emma both loved the butterbeer! I wish they still sold chocolate frogs and everything else like they did when the first film came out. I want to go back!

      Delete
  2. Unknown24 March 2013 at 14:34

    oh dear, that actually made me well up a bit, especially the last quote!
    I'm heading there at the end of the easter hols - i literally can't wait. loved all your photos!

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  3. Cheryl24 March 2013 at 15:47

    I went a couple of weeks ago (blogged about it with a ridiculous amount of photos!) and loved it but haaaaated butterbeer! Even my husband enjoyed it and he's not a Harry Potter fan, definitely worth the trip!

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    Replies
    1. Gem25 March 2013 at 10:39

      I went with our work actually Cheryl, only £35 all in with Staff Assocation x

      Delete
  4. Jem 24 March 2013 at 22:17

    I have so enjoyed reading this post, I can't tell you how much! I also got incredibly emotional toward the end of the tour, seeing so much of what I'd imagined up close. It warmed my heart wandering around and exchanging random grins with other Potter fans who were just as excited as I was - I saw a couple of elderly ladies enjoying the tour - just the two of them, no grandchildren in tow! It reinforced just how universal Harry Potter is :-)

    Lovely outfit - your bag made me swoon, very tempted to have a peek at the dress too!

    Jem xXx

    My tour post is here if you wanted to take a peek: http://beautifulclutter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-magical-birthday-harry-potter-studio.html

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    Replies
    1. Gem25 March 2013 at 10:41

      Thank you, it was such an emotional day for me which I wasn't expecting. It was such a big part of my childhood and life for about 10 years.

      Just taken a look at yours and kind of wish I hadn't put so many photos in now, might spoil it for people. Hadn't thought of that.

      xx

      Delete
  5. Kellie @ Delightfully Ludicrous25 March 2013 at 04:21

    Those photos are great! I went and saw the exhibit when it was touring but they wouldn't let us take photos.

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  6. Sarah25 March 2013 at 10:59

    It looks like you had an amazing time!!
    x

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  7. Anonymous25 March 2013 at 11:18

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    ReplyDelete
  8. Maria Fallon25 March 2013 at 13:37

    This looks awesome, I will definitely have to visit at some point!

    Maria xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lucy in the Clouds25 March 2013 at 14:41

    Aww, I got a lump in my throat reading the JK quote! I loved it there last summer and am dying to go back, I just don't feel like I did it justice!

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  10. Unknown25 March 2013 at 20:04

    I loved the Harry Potter tour it was so amazing!! Its amazing all the work that went into putting the films together. The picture of you in front of the house is lovely, I love your dress. I too was an uncool teenager ha, I loved Harry Potter fanfiction myself :)

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  11. Kezzie25 March 2013 at 20:07

    I really would like to go! It looks gorgeous in your photos! Tres envious!x

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  12. Anonymous25 March 2013 at 23:52

    This looks so exciting!
    I have seen quite a few bloggers post about this which makes me more and more jealous... one day I will go here :)
    By the way, you look gorgeous lady xox

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  13. Me and Moustaches31 March 2013 at 11:54

    I am so jelous! I was never a huge fan of HP but it really was amazing and part of my childhood, need to try and go here as Florida's a little harder to get too haha :)

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  14. Alice31 March 2013 at 18:31

    I'm so glad you got to go to the Harry Potter studio tour! It does look truly magical xxx

    ReplyDelete

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