The best visitor tips for Harry Potter World, UK
All the insider tips & tricks to make your visit to Hogwarts at the Warner Brothers Studio tour as magical as it should be!
Harry Potter Madness
Is there a parent out there who has managed to completely dodge Harry Potter? We don’t think so. The enduring appeal of the Harry Potter books, films and merchandise isn’t showing any signs of slowing down and high on the tick list for any fan is a visit to Harry Potter World (officially the Harry Potter Studio Tour).
If you’ve popped on to the Harry Potter World website to book tickets, you’ll know just how busy the attraction is. You usually have to book months in advance and it’s not the cheapest day out so you want to know you’ll get value for money.
Booking tickets is - in our view - the easy bit. Knowing how to make the most of your visit is something else. And so we’ve pulled together some top tips that will help make your trip truly magical - the stuff you really need to know beforehand and no one really tells you.
1. Parking at Warner Brother's Studios
A real bonus of Harry Potter World is the huge car park! No need to bother with priority parking as ordinary parking is free and plentiful. Just make sure you remember where you left the car!
2. Drinking Butterbeer
Butterbeer is a huge attraction at Harry Potter World and no doubt everyone in your party will want to try some. However it’s got a rather distinctive taste that won’t be to everyone’s liking and so instead of buying one each, think about buying one cup to begin with. You can always buy more if you need to. Also note that you get to keep the cup it is served in and so you could always re-create a tastier version at home! They sell bottles of butterbeer in the gift shop which are much cheaper than the bar visions so that is also an option.
3. Food at Harry Potter World
Our top tip is to bring your own food! There are several themed food outlets including the Chocolate Frog Café and the Food Hall however these can be pricey and often involve queues. Fussier eaters may also struggle to find something they like. There are two areas (one indoors, one outdoors) where families can picnic and its worth noting that you can’t eat in the exhibits.
4. Taking Photos
You can have professional photos taken during the exhibits however you don’t have to buy them. You can buy a package of photos at the start of your tour which sound like good value, however surely you want to see them first? You can buy any pictures you want at the end and we’d recommend doing it this way around!
5. Visiting the Harry Potter gift shop
The Harry Potter World gift shop is absolutely huge and whilst jam packed with merchandise for even the most die hard HP fans, it can easily be overwhelming for smaller kids. The other thing to note is that the prices are pretty high (think £30 for a wand). If you were planning on giving your kids some pocket money to spend, it might be best to think about a budget once you've seen the prices.
6. Taking your time and soaking up the Harry Potter magic
There really is so much to see and it is tempting to follow the speed of the people around you and move with the crowd. Try not to rush and take in each exhibit, bit by bit. You can’t retrace your footsteps and so you want to make it worth it.
7. Sort out Harry Potter outfits beforehand
The gift shop is expensive and so our top tip is to bring any fancy dress or Harry Potter clothing with you. You could even surprise your kids with it when you arrive, if they’ve not seen it before. Not everyone dresses up but you only live once, as they say!
8. Wear comfortable footwear
There is a lot of walking involved and so wear the most comfortable footwear you own, and make sure everyone else does the same. There aren’t heaps of opportunities to sit down as you move around the exhibits and the last thing you need are sore feet.
Following our top tips we are certain you will have a wonderful day out. Not exclusively for Harry Potter fans as this is a magical experience involving real life film sets. So if you are interested in films of any genre, this is something the whole family can enjoy,.
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