December!

I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year, due to having pretty much of the whole festive period off including New Years! With having Christmas off in my job role is pretty rare, I'm pretty lucky in starting a new place and being given it all off. With that I really want to get a Christmas Jumper this year, they've got a few nice one's in New Look that I'm keeping my eye on.

Where the Magic begins!

So this weekend just gone me and Jamie took a day journey to Watford, to go and see Hogwarts in the Snow! We set off bright and early at 7:30am, we had one stop at Gordano Service station to swap driving. We arrived at Leavesdon just after 11:30 am, we parked up and walked to the studio's to get our tickets, automatically we noticed something was missing. The chess pieces had gone, not quite sure why? If anyone know's comment on the post, rather intrigued to know why they're not there at the minute! 

After arriving we went and got some lunch in the cafe inside the studio, I had parsnip soup with toasted bread! It was lovely and Jamie had a tuna sandwich. After finishing our food, we took some photo's of the inside just before entering the main studio. 

The Christmas tree in the Entrance of the studio's

The Flying car from the Harry Potter Films

Our tickets

The Cupboard under the stairs

We waited in the que for about 20 minutes, which wasn't too bad. We proceeded into the cinema, where we had our intro about the Studio. After that we went into the Great Hall, where all the Christmas decorations were out. The small and finest details were amazing, each time i've been i've gotten a different piece of information. This time was about the fire place and the crest at the back and how it was never seen much in the films due to having a roaring fire on most of the time.

The Great Hall

Hufflepuff's Christmas Crackers

Slytherin Crackers! 

The Fire Place in The Great Hall

Gryffindor 

After about 15 Minutes in The Great Hall we were asked to proceed to the next room due to the next tour coming in, which was fine and you are allowed back in if you didn't get to see everything! In the next part of the tour we came to the main bit, which is mainly set's, costume's, hair and make up!

Gryffindor Common Room Set

The Sorting Hat

Potions Classroom

This  Set up was brilliant it showed how they done the snow in the films!

The Weasley's House, The Burrow

This is a new section in the studio tour, this is featuring the Dark Arts.
 You may recognise the hand from Borgin and Burke's

Nagini is also new to the table, in which I haven't seen before!

Right before the exit to the courtyard above the door is, Thomas Riddle's grave stone.
Which I haven't seen before, but I think I was more observant this time!

After finishing up the first main sound stage, we proceeded outside to see some of the outside set's which include's some of Privet Drive, The Knight Bus, Hagrid's motorcycle, the Weasley's car etc. This is the only part of the tour you can eat and drink at, they have butter beer on sale if you so desire to have one! I haven't had one from the studio's but if it's anything to go by the one's they do in Orlando, I recommend trying one!

The Knight Bus

Number 4 Privet Drive

After finishing up and getting plenty of photo's from the outside set's, we head into the next sound stage. This sound stage consists of one of the model's of Hogwart's which was covered in snow!It also consists of Diagon alley, which also double's up as Hogsmead and multiple other set's I was told.

Nearly headless Nick

Mandrake Plant

3 out of the 4 dragons from The Goblet of Fire

Basilisk Head

Model of Gringotts Bank

One of the tour guide's was showing us how the footprints were made,
when Harry was wearing his invisibility cloak

Florean Fortescue, not as good as the real deal in Orlando!

After finishing up in Diagon Alley, we went to the next room. Where the Hogwarts model was, it was covered in snow!  

After finishing the studio tour we got our souvenir guides and headed on home! We stopped off at Bristol and went to TGI Friday's, which didn't impress me too much if i'm honest, then we got straight back on the road and headed home! I definitely recommend the studio tour, I've done the tour a few times now and each time it changes!