Harry Potter Studio Tour

How long do you think a studio tour at Warner Brothers would take you? An hour; maybe two including the shop? Wrong! People usually take three hours PLUS the shop, but some take a lot more. It's hard to put across the scale of the two studios and back-lot involved, but two airport terminals and a car park would be about right.

Even with all that space to fill, the exhibitions are densely packed with Potter memorabilia, but I don't want to spoil your visit by giving too much away. Here's what Dan enjoyed the most.

Its a busy place and you have to book your slot, but in our excitement we arrived over two hours early!  Dan's friends Kathryn and Holly didn't mind spending an hour in the shop and it wasn't a challenge for Dan either as they have all kinds of things you just cant get elsewhere, hence the high prices. There are sections for quiddich kit, sweeties (including chocolate frogs and peppermint toads), school and graduation gear, broomsticks, and of course, wands. I expected to see more hats for sale, but otherwise I was amazed. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes included remember-alls and the extendable listening ear. At the luxury end there are costumes, jewellery, crystal balls and sculptures.

Dan was keen on the Daily Prophet Press where the girls tried to get him to have his picture taken for the front page. He was keen but just couldn't keep still but we eventually got him to do it when he was tired on the way out.

The tour itself is a bit like the ones at Orlando, but without the transport; you have to walk. After an introductory session and short guided bit (which was brilliant, but I'm sworn to secrecy), we were let loose. Dan did his usual power walk through the first studio because with so much to focus on he just couldn't settle. He has to know what's on offer before focusing down. Eventually he was attracted to movement around two big mechanical doors with complicated locks. Never mind The Burrow, the Mirror of Erised, Dumbledore's Office, the Potions Class, or Hagrid's Hut; Dan likes doors.

People queued for 45 minutes to have their picture taken while flying on a broomstick but we skipped that bit and wandered up Diagon Alley; about ten times. We had to keep going back to bow to Buckbeak the Hipogryf.

I took over 250 photos and Kathryn took as many more, half in the shop. You can see them on Photobucket