Friday 24 July 2015

My 19th Birthday: Harry Potter Studio Tour

July 17th 2015 – Today I turned 19! I had a relaxed birthday (my favourite kind). I went to pick my new glasses up from Cwmbran (because Jordan pushed me off the bed and I landed on and broke my other ones). Then we picked Jordan up on the way home and we ate Chinese food, played COD and watched YouTube videos. It was a lovely birthday. Jordan also slept over ready for us to travel to London the next morning.

July 18th 2015 – Today we took a 2 and half hour car journey to London. We stopped in a Services along the way where I had  KFC Bargain Bucket, Dad had a Burger King and Jordan and Mum had a Subway. When we got to the hotel Jordan and I went to our room and cuddled watching Peter Pan and Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows part 2. Then we went for dinner with Mum and Dad at Toby Carvery. I only had a child’s meal because I wasn’t that hungry and because the food looked a bit rubbish. I had a lush cocktail though and afterwards we went back to our room and watched some more TV and a movie which Jordan fell asleep half way through with a pillow on his head. He  fell asleep and woke up saying “I’m a sandwich!”

July 19th 2015 – Today was the day that we went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour! We woke up and showered at 8am and went for food at 9:30. Jordan and I went down to Toby Carvery for breakfast first as mum wasn’t ready. Dad followed us down shortly after and we all had tea and a cooked breakfast from the buffet. Mum came down soon after and just had some jam and toast. We sat and chatted for a little while before going back to our rooms to finish packing. 

 At around 11am we all got in the car and drove 10 minutes to the studios. We got there early and had a look around the shop, my favourite thing in there was the wizard’s chess board which was like £200. Then we went to the café and got a quick drink before getting in line to go on the tour. Once they took our tickets we went into a room with some screens where it was explained how Harry Potter was chosen to be made into a movie and that it was extremely low priority but once they read it they just knew they wanted to make it. Also, they expected it to be a popular British film but didn’t expect it to be so popular worldwide. Then we went into a kind of theatre where a video of Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson played and they explained how the studio had been their home for 10 years etc. Then the screen lifted up to reveal the door to the great hall.  

Next we walked around the great hall and saw and heard some facts about some of the costumes on display there. 

Then we walked around the tour and I took lots of pictures of more costumes and sets such as the potions classroom, the Gryffindor common room, the boy’s dormitory, Dumbledore’s office and more. I lost Jordan a few times because he was in his own little world wandering around! 







Next we got to go through the Hogwarts express train and there was a small shop here where Jordan bought some Every Flavour Beans. 

Then we went to the backlot café and had a sit down and Jordan bought a butter beer. Then we went to the outside area and saw the Knight bus, Privet Drive , the bridge and Lilly and James Potter’s house. When we went back inside we saw a lot of the making of the movie like bits of the make-up department, creature creation, concept art and models. The concept art and sketches were incredible and so interesting to see. 

The final room contained the incredible 3D model of Hogwarts. It was huge and so detailed and amazing, you could walk all around it. Lastly we went back into the shop and looked at all the different wands before meeting mum and dad back in the café. Overall it was an amazing weekend and I would definitely love to go back one day!