24 April 2012
*Spoiler Alert! If you've not been yet, I wouldn't recommend reading this review because there are quite a few surprises throughout the tour*
Here are my top five parts of the tour;
5) Trying butterbeer! Having never been to Universal Studios, I was a butterbeer virgin. However, it was expensive (£2.95, ouch) & the cups were boring and, for want of a better word, crappy. But it was delicious! 4) The giftshop! Seeing all the brilliantly designed merchandise made me feel just like a child in a sweet shop. 3) Watching Buckbeak the hippogriff come to life before my very eyes was truly magical. 2) The graphics design corner, despite being extremely understated and out of the way was brilliant and I could barely tear myself away. 1) And finally, my favourite part of the tour was the epic reveal of the entrance to the great hall. Just after you've watched the introductory video, the final shot shows Emma, Rupert, & Dan disappear through the doors to the hall. Then, my breath was taken away as the screen rose dramatically to reveal the very doors that we had just seen seconds before on the projection.
Out of 10, I'd rate it 8 stars, because it did not disappoint.
Negative points; -It was expensive, of course. I know that it is very unlikely that the prices will drop dramatically, but it is still a huge downer. -The outside area's lack of places to sit. Eventually, we just sat on the floor. -The lack of interactivity in the earlier stages of the tour. It was advertised as being very immersive, but the frustrating roped off areas were untouchable.
Advice to anyone planning on visiting; -Take sandwiches! The food is yummy but ridiculously priced. However, you really can't miss out on the butterbeer. -Don't bother with the audio guide. I spent an extra £5 on mine, and although the guide was interesting, there's just so much to see and do that listening to the lovely Tom Felton read a very scripted explanation of each set is not as fun as it sounds. I missed most of the stops, and just listened to all the recordings whilst eating dinner. -Bring about £20+ for the giftshop. That's enough for a chocolate frog and a keyring/cuddly toy. -Make sure your camera is fully charged, and has lots of memory. Trust me, there are so many photo opportunities. -Don't stress too much about arriving exactly on time. We got in half an hour later than scheduled, and there was no problem at all. -Also, don't rush! We spent a good 5 hours + trawling through the various sets, and even then we missed a bit.
Overall, I can't recommend the tour enough. It is truly a must-see for any Harry Potter fan.
Review: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter • Opuss № I