I decided to split up our UK/Paris trip into multiple posts because I have SO many pictures and they won't load if there are too many photos in one post! Links to the other posts are at the bottom of the page. So here is part one about our time in LONDON AND THE HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR!!
Also, I'll put the highlight video I made of our whole time in the UK at the beginning of each post that includes Edinburgh, Alnwick, London and the Harry Potter Studio tour!!
After we were done in Paris we found a cheap flight to London so we could spend some time sight-seeing. Unfortunately we didn't have too much time to actually see the city because we booked a tour to go to the Warner Brothers Studios outside of the city to see where all the Harry Potter movies were filmed. Which has been on my bucket list since they opened the tours!! Also, we were in London ON THE SAME DAY AS THE ROYAL WEDDING!! Thank GOODNESS Harry+Megan got married at Windsor Castle because I don't think we could have even gotten down to Buckingham palace if that's where everyone was that day. But we DID get to walk down to Buckingham Palace and sit on the steps and take in the scenery for a while. We walked up and down the streets and eventually headed back to the train station to get on our bus for the tour!
Ok. Now. THEE HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR! What a freaking life event you guys. Friends come and go but Harry Potter has been there for me since 2nd grade hahahaha! I know every single line of the first movie by heart and most from the other movies as well. I've read the entire series about 4-5 times and the first book 6-7 times. You bet your BOTTOM I was at every movie premier at midnight dressed in my best Hogwarts attire. And I counted the days until each and every new book came out and read each one in a week if not in A DAY. I especially have a special memory of my Grandpa and I reading either the 6th or 7th book while we were both on vacation in Laguna Beach and literally devouring the story. I also remember being a very sad 2nd or 3rd grader, bawling my eyes out because I found out Hogwarts wasn't real, I wasn't getting a Hogwarts letter when I turned 11, and that magic wasn't real at all. Literal tears and heartache you guys. Tough stuff. BUT LET ME TELL YOU. This entire experience was the most magical thing I've ever experience in my life... wait... no it was more than magical, it was spiritual you guys. A spiritual experience filled with tears, chills and goosebumps.
What you have to understand is. This is the ACTUAL set. These are the ACTUAL props. And these are the ACTUAL costumes used in the movies. They had to destroy many of the sets that were made during the years that they filmed but they kept A TON of the sets to remain here forever for us potter heads to enjoy and pass out over. Also, the way you actually ENTER and START the studio tour was so incredibly emotional I was shook to the very core. I won't ruin it for you just in case you get the chance to come here I want it to be just as indescribable as it was for me. So here are some (ok a lot so sorry) of my fave photos from the tour!
(The entrance to the great hall. I touched it.)
(The smallest set during the entire series was the cupboard under the stairs.)
(Portrait of the fat lady omg)
(The invisibility cloak you guyyyyys)
(Dumbledores office)
(The mirror of Erised, which is "Desire" spelled backwards if you didn't already know that)
(All of the HORCRUXES)
(The mermaid egg from the 4th movie)
(TONS of little props including the sorcerer's stone, the time turner, the remembrall, the deluminator, the golden snitch, Rita Skeeter's journal, and so much more...)
(Snape's costume, RIP Alan Rickman)
(Hermione's Yule Ball Gown are you actually kidding me??)
(The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets)
(Enemies of the Heir Beware)
One of the most amazing things was walking into the last room and seeing the GIGANTIC model of Hogwarts that was used for tons of shots. They had the dramatic finale music playing from the movies and it was so emotional. It was so cool! I HIGHLY recommend this tour if you are a Harry Potter fan. It's something I will remember and obsess about for the rest of my life.
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