Saturday was Stratford Upon Avon, so Shakespeare and his millions of fans making pilgrimages… And Sunday was Harry Potter Studios Tour. It's a kind of frightening concept for a tourist trap: They just recycle the old sets and props and such, and then make people actually pay to see stuff. They have an actual cash cow on their hands, as we are doing it in droves. There were almost no cars in their parking lot-- just rows and rows of tour buses--then there are the shuttle buses that bring people up from the city itself… It was amazing how busy the place was, and it was just as busy when I left--which was getting on towards evening… And they regularly book up/sell out…
It's not exactly the normal kind of amusement park experience. It is really a tour--some guided and some individually paced. First the guided part: we wait in a Disney-styled queue until they let us into a big waiting room--this whole part is reminiscent of a show at Disney-- then they showed a teaser film as we stood there about the global phenomena that was Harry Potter. A kind of introduction to the movies and how the producer decided to make the movie (they know money when they see it). It got us revved up nicely… Actually the best part was seeing the posters in all the different languages. It made me remember the buzz-y movie out when I was in Europe previously (oh so long ago) Titanic. I went around and took pictures of the Titanic movie poster in Hungarian, Spanish, whatever. Same kind of thing with these posters… Seeing Harry Potter spelled out on a Russian movie poster. That's definitely the coolest. The other fun part about these posters is seeing the little kids grow up. That's just amazing!
Beyond film one--about six minutes--is film two. This one was narrated by the trio themselves and introduced us to the concept of the park. That we were running around on the set that THEY ran around on when making the movies. That we'd see Ron's hideous winter formal robes, Hagrid's hut, Dumbledore's office. We could ride the broom against a green screen, walk down Diagon Alley, check out the Knight Bus… all the sets… AND we could see the random way they were laid out: boy's dormitory at Hogwarts right next door to Dumbledore's office…that kind of thing. AND there would be other rooms and areas that would be focused on the different elements of making the movies. Set designers, special effects, CG, models, the whole nine…
Now that I've done the tour, I've gotta say, it's a heckuva concept for an amusement park. I'd pay to see the same kind of thing for the Lord of the Rings movies, for example…
Second film sorted, we were guided into the Great Hall… the dining room, with the tables all laid out and mannequins (always so oddly creepy) dressed in the actual costumes of the various actors. So they showed us the differences in the school uniforms over the years as different costume designers got involved with the movies… The ceiling that we all love so is, of course, CGI… this ceiling is just massive lights and structure… we're seeing behind the curtain here!
And that ended the guided portion of the tour… the rest is self-guided, and pretty massive. They recommend all over their website to allow three hours for the tour, and that's just what the group I went with Sunday gave us… And it was really not enough time. Or, rather, it was just enough time, but I felt rushed by the end… So that just gives a sense. They told us at the beginning that the record of someone staying is 13 hours. I'd have no desire to stay THAT long… but I probably could have easily stayed four…
As it was, I took a very short lunch break--but I had to take SOME break to refuel a bit and have that butter beer-- and also VERY little time at the gift shop in the end… which is a flaw in someone's plan, surely. Though I still managed to spend all my money--so maybe it was just as well that I didn't stay longer there…
The sets are separated roughly into two halves: the interior sets, then the cafe at about the midpoint (convenient, that), then the exterior sets, then the conceptual rooms: prosthetics, models, animatronics, those kinds of things.
I spent two of my three hours in the interior sets room AND that's without lining up for the green screen experience of riding the broom (all reports say it's totally uncomfortable). I took pictures of all the world… but I'll only put a few up here… serious there were a ton! I loved the boy's dormitory, and I really want Ron's homemade knitted quilt! Hagrid's hut had a display about the various animals involved in the films… and so I got to see a line up of all the Fangs and the Hedwigs, Crookshanks, etc… So cute!! I did really get a kick out of seeing their prom clothes lined up… Other highlights were the Gryffindor common room (I'd always loved those tapestries--and the furniture did look awfully comfortable), a display of the horcruxes, the cat-plate wall of Umbridge's (there but by the grace of god…), a display of the various decrees that Delores instituted--those are always a fun read, and the set of the death eater's scene where Nagini kills the Muggle Studies professor with Snape looking on… Big model snake alerts! :)
Probably with all the setting-up portions, I was only in this area for a little over an hour, in fact. But it was at about 2:50 that the panic started to set in, time-wise…
So I got my butter beer and a muffin and noshed… The foam wasn't as foamy as the butter beer in Florida… And it's sweet as ever… But it's the kind of thing that one HAS to do. I have a thing about souvenir mugs at all such places, but I was able to withstand it, as I already got one in Florida. :)
At 3pm I was at the outside sets--in a drizzly rain, of course. The Knight Bus, 4 Privet Dr, some Tudor-style shop fronts from Hogsmeade, the bridge where Harry talks with Remus… and trying not to get too wet! Back indoors then for the series of special effects rooms. The animals one was a lot of fun, and got the bulk of my time/attention, I think. :) Animatronic hippogryff alert! The room that got the short shrift, it being about 2:20 by this time (and I was trying to leave 20 minutes for the gift shop) was the concept artist's room… I'm sure it's fascinating… The secret surprise at the end was the Hogwarts model… OM Frigging G!!! It's a great set-up. You walk in, and there's a model. So you take a couple of photos, and think that you're done… But oh-no, you've just started. There is a ramp that goes 360 degrees around the model and down a slope. And the whole time, the model goes with you… you go from one part of the castle to another… then some woods… then an intricate and tiny bridge… then a big front door. Lights turn on and off… and everything could be walked right into--it's all excellently crafted. I don't think I blinked in the 10-15 minutes or so I walked around the thing. I LOVE these kinds of scale models!! What it reminded me of most was the Storybook Island ride at Disneyland… a personal favorite… I love the tiny and perfect element--and it was the same. Just a lot bigger--and you walked around this one, you don't get moved about on a boat like a ride… Anyway, if you ever can't find me, just guess that I've moved here!! :)
AND--I'd done it-- I think it was something ridiculous like 3:40 or 3:45--and I was in the gift shop and had to be to the tour bus by 4pm… so I had planned to be out of the shop by 3:50. Sigh/whimper! And I had a budget of L60 or something like that--and my goal was to spend every pound. Then came the real challenge. Apparently every other tourist in London had the same idea. It was a mosh pit! And I hate crowds like that… But what can I do?? I tried to make a loop/survey of the space and make intelligent choices for people. (Just think of all the gifts to buy for everyone!) Really, though, there was also a frantic quality of just grab whatever comes first. So I didn't even look at t-shirts. No time. I tried to look at key chains and magnets, but there was such a line around them that even *I* couldn't see the pillars or reach in to grab something. I *did* get myself a lovely Ravenclaw keychain (SO ridiculously overpriced--but it was lovely). I won't use it as a keychain, of course, it's crazy heavy. But I have a bit of a collection going, so this will get added in… Got a magnet, a couple of small gifts… and *poof* in five minutes, my money was all gone! Magic!!! Things I thought of but did not buy for myself or others: house design throw pillows (oddly awesome, but how the hell would I pack that home?), mugs (same reason, really, packability), tea towels (I love this idea for souvenirs for people--easy to pack, don't have to worry about sizes--but these were actually pretty ugly), more keychains/magnets (eek! L10 each!!!), and stuffed animals (same reason as pillows). I can always go back… I DID get something for myself and for a few gifts… I'm calling it a success!
Plus, there is always Kings Cross Station right here in London. The tour I took gave us a bit of a coach tour of London-specific sites of the films AND a visit to the (totally FREE) special display of the half-in-half-out trolley into a wall at Platform 9 3/4. They have a queue and everything, and they pose you and toss your scarf to get the effect that you're running to catch your train. It's great and something everyone should definitely do… AND there's conveniently a souvenir shop right next door. So IF I missed anything/anyone at Leavesden Studios, there is always here!!
Overall, the day is a definite must for any fan!! Right up there with Orlando or something similar! And now I have to go back to this thing called the "real world." Sigh!!
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