Harry Potter tour (Leavesden studios)

CornishJon

We went to the HP tour on Monday. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too.
Don't be afraid to turn up a bit early. There is the restaurant, Starbucks outlet and large shop there to have a look around. With regards to the time of your tour, this was managed differently to how I expected. I assumed we would wait around and they would call you when your time comes.
This isn't the case. You join what for us was quite a long queue and wait to go into the first film room. Our tour was booked at 12pm. We turned up at 11am and joined the queue just before half past. Our ticket was scanned before we entered the queue and nothing was mentioned at any point about tour times. We probably spent about 20 - 25 mins in this queue - it did seem particularly busy when we went though. I don't know if they actually limit the ticket numbers for any time!
The first film room holds about 110 people so once that room is "full" they just stop anyone else going in and then it's a 10 min wait until the next batch go in!

kayl

I am visiting London with my daughter in October, and want to book the tour, but wondered about the best timing. I understand that it will take some time to get there ( we are staying at the Covent Garden Travelodge). Would I be better booking it for say 1pm so that we won't get caught up in the rush hour traffic?
On the assumption that the restaurant will be extortionate, can anyone recommend somewhere nearby for lunch?

savagevixen

Hi all
I took my 5 daughters (aged 3-11-son didn't want to come!) and my mum and mother-in-law to the Harry Potter experience very recently. We broke down on the motorway and missed our 12.30slot. Staff when we got there were fine, and to be honest it was a very long queue to get in anyway, and nobody even noticed our ticket time.
On entry you watch a little film in a cinema, and then go through to the main hall, in here kids can get a 'passport' which they can stamp at various points around the studios. You have a limited time in this room and then it's through to a HUGE studio, this has Hagrid's Hut, boys dormitory, costumes, loads of sets, potion room, the flying on broomsticks (where you get your photo taken wearing a gown-can't remember price for 1 photo, we bought 6 photos and it cost £30) etc. It is worth noting that once you leave this area you cannot re-enter. There is nowhere to buy food or drink in this area.
My children are complete Harry Potter fans. We were in this section alone for 3+ hours, and still didn't see it all.
The only place to buy food is between this large studio and the next. There is an outdoor area where sandwiches cost about £3.75.... I was annoyed as we left out packed lunch in the car, worried it would get confiscated, and yet actually nobody checked bags or anything so we could have taken our food in. 4 sandwiches and a few drinks and crisps was £28. The day we went was FREEZING. There is nowhere to sit down and eat inside, although the outdoor area is covered. We were frozen.
This outdoor area has the Weasleys car, purple bus, Hagrid's bike, houses set. So the kids can run around and climb on these.

The next studio has the goblin masks, prosthetics, the animals (that massive spider etc) lay out and loads of information. This is where Diagon Alley is, which my kids loved. We spent ages here looking at it all.

All in all we were there 5 hours and 30 mins, we only left because it closed, my kids could have done even more, even the 3 yr old. I was really impressed and found it fascinating.

The shop is what you would expect. Huge and sells anything from Lollies, and brooches, to all the wands and cloaks and t-shirts.

Rough guide, dd1 bought a T-shirt for £22, but there were some cheaper ones(£14)
A Huffle Puff was £14, Wand £24, Brooch £6, Scarf £24.95, THE CLOAKS WERE £74!! (We did not buy any lol) A book about the Studio Tour was £10. Lollies were £2+ but quite big.
It was dd2's birthday and my brother bought her some of those Jelly Beans (£8!!!) beware, they do actually taste of the flavours... soap, bogey (?), earthworm, and VOMIT. Mine were so starving queueing for an hour to ride the broomsticks, they started eating them and we had no where to spit them out!!!
We are going to go again when enthusiasm has worn off a bit and the venue is quieter, as it was quite busy.
For us it was actually worth the money, kids had a fantastic day and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
As far as eating nearby, no idea, the studio seems out on it's own and in the middle of nowhere, but I could be wrong.
Lots of little wizards running around.

susancs

kayl wrote: »

I am visiting London with my daughter in October, and want to book the tour, but wondered about the best timing. I understand that it will take some time to get there ( we are staying at the Covent Garden Travelodge). Would I be better booking it for say 1pm so that we won't get caught up in the rush hour traffic?
On the assumption that the restaurant will be extortionate, can anyone recommend somewhere nearby for lunch?

There is no where else really to go to eat within reasonable walking distance of the studios (as you are staying in Covent Garden I persume you will be getting the bakerloo tube/train and HP bus and not going by car). The HP studios does not have a restaurant but more a cafe that does sandwiches and cakes, plus a Starbucks...prices were in line with Starbucks prices I seem to remember. There are some cafe type places near Watford Junction Station.

In regard to travel, aim to go after 9.30pm to get cheaper off peak travel rates during the week and your journey to Watford Junction will take about 50 minutes plus then waiting for the tour bus and travel to the venue, and lunch so 1pm would probably give you plenty of time to get there.

DD19

Anyone know of any discounts available for this yet?

susancs

DD19 wrote: »

Anyone know of any discounts available for this yet?

I doubt there will be anydiscounts for a good while as they have had to extend opening hours due to the high demand for tickets. They also only allow so many visiitors into the tour each day so that it is not crowded.

donaldjohnson

cannot recommend this place enough was really good

Jellybean_Jo

I'm going to this next week (18th) and our tour time is 3pm. They don't seem to be too fussed on times from what I've read; do you think it's worth us getting there for say 2pm and joining the queue (assuming there is one) then in the hopes of getting in early? I'm so looking forward to it!!

Nightowl

Off to the studio's on Tuesday, can't wait. Someone mentioned their bags weren't checked for food. Does that mean you are 'allowed' to take a picnic? Does anyone know, thanks in advance.

wealdroam

Nightowl wrote: »

Off to the studio's on Tuesday, can't wait. Someone mentioned their bags weren't checked for food. Does that mean you are 'allowed' to take a picnic? Does anyone know, thanks in advance.

Their Planning Your Visit - Refreshments webpage will help with your question...

If you have brought your own refreshments with you, we have a newly built picnic area adjacent to the car park.