Harry Potter Studio Tour London: Is It Worth It for Families?
The sets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter were absolutely incredible. We loved how it felt like we were walking straight into a scene from the movies.
For Harry Potter fans, visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour is often a dream come true. But is it worth spending half a day (or more) of your London vacation there?
Short Answer: Yes, if your family enjoys the Harry Potter books or movies and you have enough time. Going to the studio tour will take at least half a day of your trip and isn’t cheap. But to make our Harry Potter superfan happy, it was worth it.
If you're deciding whether to dedicate half a day of your London itinerary to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, here's what our family thought after visiting in 2025.
At a Glance
🏆 Best For: Fans of the books and movies
🕰️ Time Needed: At least half a day
💵 Cost: Basic studio tours start at £51.19 ($58.55) for adults, £41.13 ($47.04) for children 5-15, and kids 4 and under get in free
📍 Location: Leavesden (outside of London)
🚆 Getting There: Train and shuttle bus, or a round-trip transfer through the official studio tour website
📅 Reservations Needed? Yes! Book as soon as possible.
👨👩👧👦 Kid-Friendly? Yes, but the Death Eaters’ combat demonstration and Forbidden Forest may make little ones uncomfortable. They will enjoy the experience more if they’ve read the books and/or seen the movies.
⭐ Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (for fans)
What Is the Harry Potter Studio Tour?
Located outside of London, the Harry Potter Studio Tour showcases the actual sets and costumes from the films.
Common Misconceptions
Isn’t this basically like Universal’s Wizarding World?
No. This is probably the biggest misconception. Unlike Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this is not a theme park. This is a self-guided walking tour through the actual sets from the movies. Having said that, Universal did an incredible job bringing the Wizarding World to life. If you’ve already been to Universal, seeing the sets of Gringotts and Diagon Alley may not have quite as big as an impact on you as they would have otherwise.
Do you have to be a huge Harry Potter expert to enjoy it?
Not necessarily. While our daughter was the biggest fan in our family, even the casual fans in our group enjoyed seeing how the movies were made and stepping into the world of Hogwarts. You’ll definitely get more out of it if you have read all of the books and/or seen all of the movies, though.
Is it just looking at displays?
No. There are interactive elements and demonstrations. These were a big hit with the kids!
Our Experience Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour
Our family of four visited during our 6-day trip to London. My son and I are casual fans, my daughter is a die-hard fan, and my husband was a good sport and was happy to make us happy.
At the time we visited, my daughter had read the first six books more than once and could recall all sorts of details about them. So, even though the rest of our family was curious to see the sets and costumes, this tour was really a dream come true for her.
I think most fans would be impressed by this tour.
I was surprised at how emotional I felt as the bus from the train station drove us there, playing music from the films. There's something magical, so to speak, about the anticipation of getting to see something that's lived in the imaginations of people all across the world.
Even walking up to the entrance and seeing towering Wizard's Chess pieces lining the sidewalk felt thrilling.
And that was before we even stepped inside!
A Kid's POV
Our daughter (age 10 at the time) is our family's biggest Harry Potter fan.
Her favorite part:
"I really liked it because it seemed like you stepped into the movies."
The tour concluded with you getting to walk around this massive model of Hogwarts. It was so cool to see up close!
Highlights of the Harry Potter Studio Tour
The Great Hall
The Great Hall is the first set that you walk into, and it completely lived up to my expectations.
It really felt like we were inside Hogwarts.
Honestly, even if that was all we'd gotten to see, I would have said it was worth it!
Walking Through the Movie Sets
The sets themselves were fascinating, too.
That was my first time seeing a real movie set in person. It may sound silly, but I was surprised at how lifelike they looked. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's really there vs. what's "movie magic."
The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets looked so authentic, as if we were looking at an artifact rather than a set piece.
Some of the sets didn’t have quite as big as an impact as they would have otherwise. We had just visited Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL six months earlier. Universal did such an amazing job recreating Gringotts and Diagon Alley that those two sets weren’t as big of standouts for us. They were still quite impressive, though, and I certainly still enjoyed walking through them.
The set for Gringotts Wizarding Bank was absolutely beautiful!
Seeing the Props and Costumes
The coolest prop, in our opinion, was the Philosopher's Stone (or the Sorcerer's Stone for my fellow Americans).
The costumes were impressive, too. While I wasn't as emotionally attached to those, it was cool to see the "green screen" fabric lining of the invisibility cloak.
It was cool to see the green screen fabric on the Invisibility Cloak!
Interactive Experiences
One of the more memorable experiences for the kids was the wand combat demonstration. They were taught some wand choreography moves and got to "fight" the Death Eaters.
While our 10 and 8-year olds enjoyed it, this particular experience may be a little scary for younger children. A person comes out dressed as a Death Eater and it looks like they are casting spells toward you with their wand. It is easy to avoid if you don’t think your little one would enjoy it, though.
They also enjoyed the green screen experience. They got to sit on a broomstick and, through green screen technology, see themselves flying above Hogwarts.
We did not pay the extra fee to get copies of the photos, but the kids had fun all the same.
The Gift Shop
We got to the studio before our time slot, so we had extra time to browse the gift shop before even starting the tour. We chose to wait to make any purchases until after we finished our tour, though. We didn’t want to have to carry bags around for hours.
The gift shop is massive and has pretty much anything you can think of. The kids wanted lots of things, but we travel carry-on only, so we didn't have room for large souvenirs.
Our kids got a keychain and a small Hedwig stuffed animal.
How Long Does the Harry Potter Studio Tour Take?
We did not make any firm plans for the rest of our tour day because we wanted to enjoy it at our own pace, and I recommend doing the same.
Our tour started at 9:30 a.m. We ate lunch onsite before continuing our tour. We left around 1:00 p.m. We were surprised by how long we actually spent there because generally we move through exhibits fairly quickly at museums and we thought looking at props and sets would be the same. Luckily, we’d left the rest of the day open so we could spend as long there as we’d like.
If you're going to London and plan to do the tour, I highly recommend going first thing in the morning and leaving your afternoon and evening flexible.
Is the Harry Potter Studio Tour Worth the Price?
I can't imagine any Potter fan not thinking this was worth it.
Is it a bit pricey? Yes.
Will it take up most of a day of your trip to London? Yes.
But is it worth it? Yes—if you love Harry Potter. You’ll get the most out of it if you’ve read all of the book and/or seen all of the movies.
You'll get to see authentic sound stages, sets, decor, costumes, and props. You'll also get hours of enjoyment walking through the studio tour.
For us, it was one of those tours we keep thinking back on and saying, "I can't believe we actually got to see that!"
Tips for Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour
This is a very popular attraction, so be sure to secure your tickets well in advance, especially if you want control over your time slot. We highly recommend getting there as soon as they open so you can spend as much time there as you’d like. We would have felt rushed if we’d arrived later in the afternoon.
Make sure you know how you’ll get there (and what time you’ll need to leave your hotel). We took a train and then hopped on the free shuttle bus. We booked our train right away to make sure we had a way to get to the studio.
The studio offers a Ticket & Transfer package. It’s through Golden Tours and includes pickup from and return to central London. You won’t have to worry about trains, but you’ll pay more for the convenience.
If you plan to buy souvenirs, make sure you pack your luggage with that extra room you’ll need in mind.
What We'd Do Differently
We'd still book the earliest entry.
We’d skip the butterbeer. (Either the London version tastes very different from Universal Studios in Orlando, or the machine was broken - it was awful. The butterbeer ice cream was a hit, though.)
We’d watch the movies right before the trip. Our kids were too young to be ready for them, but I’d definitely do that if they were older!
We'd leave more souvenir space in our luggage.
We'd skip paying for green screen photos again.
How We Fit This Into Our London Trip
Here’s a peek at the major highlights we focused on during our trip to London:
Day 1:
Buckingham Palace
Natural History Museum
Princess Diana Memorial Playground
Day 2:
Stonehenge
Science Museum
Day 3:
Windsor Castle
Day 4:
Tower of London
Borough Market
Globe Theater
Day 5:
Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour
Day 6:
British Museum
British Library Treasures Gallery
We gave the Studio Tour its own morning because we knew we didn’t want to feel rushed. While you could add another activity afterward, we suggest keeping your schedule flexible so you can enjoy the experience.
For our complete day-by-day plan, see our 6-Day London Itinerary With Kids.
Should You Include the Harry Potter Studio Tour on Your London Itinerary?
Definitely include it if...
You're a Harry Potter fan
Your kids love Harry Potter
You have read all of the books and/or seen all of the movies
You have at least 5 days in London
Consider skipping it if...
You're not a fan of the books
You haven’t watched the movies
You're only visiting London for a few days (it isn't worth giving up seeing other major sites if you're not a huge fan)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Harry Potter Studio Tour in central London? No. You’ll likely need to take a train to Watford Junction station and then get on a free shuttle bus that takes you to the studio. Another option is to pay extra to get a ticket that includes transportation pickup through Golden Tours.
Is it self-guided? Mostly. You’re guided into The Great Hall and then allowed to explore independently from there.
How much time should you allow? Minimum 3.5 hours to be on the safe side. You could easily spend 5 hours there if you like to stop and look closely at everything.
Is it suitable for kids? Absolutely, with a couple of caveats. The Death Eaters’ combat demonstration may feel scary to young children, and little ones might feel a little uneasy in the Forbidden Forest. If the kids haven’t read the books or seen the movies, they may not get the most out of the experience. Our 10-year-old daughter had read the first six books and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our 8-year-old son hadn’t read them, but had heard his sister talk about it enough that he still thought it was cool and had a lot of fun, especially with the Death Eaters’ combat demonstration.
Is it a theme park? No, this is very different than Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There are no rides here, but you get to see authentic props, costumes, sets, and sound stages.
Is it worth visiting if you’ve already been to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL? Yes, if you prep your expectations. We had just visited Universal six months before this trip. We didn’t know we’d be going to London at the time. We had a great time in Orlando and were blown away by how good of a job they did making the Wizarding World come to life. If visiting Universal is closer/cheaper and you have to choose between the two, I’d probably say Universal will satisfy you. But if you’re a die-hard fan and seeing the actual sets is important to you, then you’ll still have a great time on this tour.
Is it worth it if you're not a super fan? Not really. If no one in your group cares about Harry Potter, it’s not going to mean anything to you.
Will visiting spoil the books or movies for people who haven’t read or seen them yet? Kind of. Our daughter had read the first six books when we visited, and there were definitely some sets and props that she didn’t understand. When she finished the final book months later, she was able to connect the dots between what she’d seen and what she’d just read. If you’re planning to read the books or watch the movies, I would suggest doing that first just so you can fully appreciate what you’re seeing. But the tour itself does not give the ending away.
Our Verdict
👍Would we do it again? We wouldn’t go a second time, but we’re SO glad we went once!
💰 Was it worth the money? Yes, absolutely.
👨👩👧👦 Was it good for families? Yes, but the younger kids may not like the Death Eaters demonstration or the walk through the Forbidden Forest. Our 10 and 8-year-olds loved those, though. The tour will mean more to them if they have read the books or seen the movies.
🧙♂️ Best for: Fans of the Harry Potter books and movies
⭐ Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Conclusion
If your family loves Harry Potter, we think this is a memorable day trip you can take from London.
While it requires more planning than attractions in central London, walking through the real sets and seeing the props up close made it a highlight of our trip for our little superfan.
Looking for more help with planning your London trip?
Planning a trip to London can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.
We've put together practical guides based on our family's experience to help you make the most of your vacation—from choosing what to see to building a realistic itinerary.
Check out the articles below to continue planning your trip:
