So What’s Been Happening Recently? #23
Harry Potter Experience -Warner Brother Studios.
24th January
Myself, the wife, my brother, the father in law and his friend all got in the ambulance and headed to Watford. It was the third time for us but for my brother it was the first time to experience the wonder that is the Harry Potter Experience.
It was a cloudy day, not much sun but that didn’t matter. Arriving outside not much had changed, except the parking layout. The statues were still there. And giant posters on the sides of the building and the new extra of the walkway from the bus stop had fences with newspapers and posters from the Harry Potter world. Okay I lied things had changed abit.
We made our way in after collecting our tickets and went through security the area where bags are stored and audio guides collected. This has been all changed as well.
Into the main foyer and another massive change. The Dragon is impressive. The arrangement of new features to see is alot better than the last time we were there.
As we made our way into the entrance area of the experience we got a chance for the first time to see the area from under the stairs. From the first movie. This was due to as we have the father in law with a wheelchair in our group we always had to skip ahead to the group waiting area. Which made a nice change.
After seeing the videos in the meeting area and in the cinema area the blind goes ups to reveal the actual main doors to the entrance of Hogwarts and into the great hall.
After viewing the great hall we head into the actual experience.
After a look around the props and stages of the first area we entered the first new area. The Forbidden Forest. One of the main things I found pleasing was the ground you walked on. As they went out of there way to create the feeling of walking on actual soft earth. It wasn’t perfect but a bloody good try. In this area you get to see Buckbeak and Aragog.
After the forest there is a little shop selling branded Forbidden Forest merchandise. And this then leads into Hogwarts Express.
There is also a little shop dedicated to the train station. And the father in law surprised me by buying me my first barrel mug.
After the train it leads in to the restaurant where people can try their version of Butterbeer. I don’t like it but the missus loves it. It’s not the original recipe. The original recipe is alcoholic.
Outside by the restaurant is where you get to see 4 Privet Drive. The home of the Dursleys. You get to walk through the house. There isn’t much to see but it’s also a new thing for me. Outside there is also the triple Decker bus. The home of Harry Potter’s parents. The Wooden bridge from outside Hogwarts castle and the Weasley’s car and Hagrid’s motorcycle.
After you leave the outside area. You enter the area of the how they created the prosthetics and animatronics.
This leads to the Gringotts Bank. This is a new feature and I think full size. Then you go behind the bank and you get to see the vaults.
After the vaults you walk into another version of Gringotts Bank that has been destroyed by the Dragon after Harry and gang release it from the underground caves after being trapped for a long time.
And then Diagon Alley.
On to the models and artists impressions of the various part of the Harry Potter universe.
The final part is the snow covered, as big as a house, model of Hogwarts castle.
Then after this you end up at the shop. I didn’t buy anything as I couldn’t find anything I wanted. We spent a about just under four hours wondering around and I was pretty tired. It had been along day. I nodded off on ride back home. After dropping my brother off we hit Mr. Chippy for some dinner and went home for some rest.
