5 Things about Harry Potter and The Warner Bros. Studio Tour

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Wander through Diagon Alley, hop on the Hogwarts Express, beware of Death Eaters and learn some wand combat moves at the unmissable Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Promising to be full of magic, nostalgia and fun, here are 5 things you may not know about the tour.

Harry Potter owes his name to the town of Lacock

You might not have heard of Lacock before, but this is where J.K. Rowling came up with the name of her much-loved character. The author was on holiday in this charming village when she came across an old man with a dog called Harry. She also happened to be staying next to a pottery shop – and the rest, as they say, is history.

However, the link to Harry Potter doesn’t end there as scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone were filmed there. In fact, many British TV series and films have used this place as a filming spot due to its gorgeous unspoiled appearance and quintessentially British vibes. Fancy discovering this quirky little spot? You can take one of our tours here!

The feasts had at the Great Hall were real

The director of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Chris Columbus, wanted the meals the characters feast on to be as authentic as possible. Hence why real food was used for the most part of the filming. But as tasty as it looked, the food didn’t do well under intense production lights and quickly spoiled. The lesson was learned, and moulds and frozen food were used for the following films.

Three of the main characters did their actual homework while filming

Remember the scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone where Harry, Hermione and Ron are doing schoolwork? It turns out they were actually doing their homework for school at the time! We doubt this schoolwork was as exciting as the ones you’d get at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry though…

Actors James and Oliver Phelps weren’t initially sure which twin they were playing

Even after being officially cast as the mischievous duo Fred and George Weasley, neither James nor Oliver knew exactly who was supposed to play which. Once the casting director cleared things up (James would play Fred and Oliver would play George), the twins were ready to play a few pranks on set, very much in line with their characters’ cheeky demeanor! However, they swear they never switched roles as such…

What you see at The Warner Bros. Studio Tours is the real deal

Visiting The Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London is not just an absolute must for die-hard Harry Potter fans but also those who love a bit of real-life magic or are curious about the technicalities of filming and special effects. Expect to see the costumes used in the films, a multitude of striking props that might just make you believe in magic and magical creatures (even if it’s for just one second) and the actual sets where filming took place (such as Diagon Alley, the Great Hall and the Forbidden Forest). There really is no better way to step into the world of Harry Potter and discover the magic of film-making.