Day 28: You're a Wizard
Although I have videos of this day I decided that I wouldn't spoil it for you.
If you're as big as a Harry Potter fan as I am...then maybe you can appreciate that I didn't show you everything. The Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio is something that you should DEFINITELY add to your own personal bucket list. Your inner child is guaranteed to come out as soon as you walk through the the Great Hall Doors.
When you pull up to the front door you're greeted by three chess pieces seen in Harry Potter the Sorcerer's Stone and as soon as your through security it's immediate immersion into the Wizarding world of Harry Potter. You walk down this over sized corridor that has Marauder's Map on both sides with well known quotes from the book splattered through out the map all the while the theme music is playing in the background.
There's two more holding rooms that you have have to go through before they let you walk into the Great Hall. When you see the massive doors that lead to the Great Hall you just want to cry (some people did) because this is all real. This is all very real and you're about to be on the set.
Majority of the sets that you see in the studio are the originals...down to the props and costumes. To walk through all the set ups, costumes, props and to be able to place everything in which movie and character they belonged to was just amazing.
When you make it through the main portion of the studio there's a sign that leads straight into the Forbidden Forest. And when I tell you it truly is a forbidden forest believe me when I tell you that it is, equipped with the Aragon and his sons. [which come down from the ceiling by the way] Throughout the forest though they do explain to you how the set was made and how I believe majority of this particular set is hand painted.
Following the Forbidden Forest...is Platform 9 and 3/4 complete with the Train (which you can walk through and see each rail car used per film).
BUTTERBEER.
There is a half-way point during your tour of the studios that you can buy food and more importantly...
it's this cafe area that leads to where it all began...Privett Drive.
Parked outside are the double deck bus, the Weasley's car, and Hagrid's motorcycle along with the chess pieces aligning the food court area. Right next to the Dudley' house is Harry's parent's house. And you just look at it. and you think about the scene of when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came and gave Harry his scar.
Afterward, it get's more technical throughout the tour...like the creation of the various creatures...the draw-ups of each scene, everything that occurred behind the scenes until you walk down into Diagon Alley (which is life size by the way)
And finally.
You turn the corner. And you see it. And you can't stop yourself from shedding a tear as you're overwhelmed by the sight.
You see the school we ALL wished we could of went to growing up.
You see Hogwarts.
