On Friday 27th March we took 45 extremely excited buddies on a truly magical tour of the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studies.

The tour kicked off with the buddies stepping inside the iconic walls of the magnificent Great Hall. We were amazed by the incredible attention to detail, it looked so real that we totally forgot we were standing in a set and it wasn’t real. The next room showcased iconic props, costumes and sets and we really got to experience the magic of filmmaking first-hand. Many of the staff there were actually extras on the film, it was great to pick their brains and find out all the backstage secrets. We even got to experience green screen technology and ride in a flying car and a broomstick just like the cast.

The Great Hall

A highlight for many of the buddies was enjoying a refreshing frothy tankard of Butterbeer. We then got to knock on the door of Privet Drive, board the Knight bus, and take advantage of the opportunity to take a quick selfie on Hagrid’s motorbike. We were blown away as we discovered the secrets behind all the magical creatures in the films and the technology involved in making the incredibly advanced animatronics.

Privet Drive

We even strolled down the cobbled streets to see a wonderful array of magical shops and finished the tour with a large scale model of Hogwarts, created by 7 sculptors, which was truly breathtaking. The classic exit through the gift shop was a great opportunity for the buddies to pick up some souvenirs, which topped off a day we will never forget.

Large scale model of Hogwarts

“The trip was well organised, it was a lovely trip, and all three members of the Buddy Scheme team were extremely sweet and enthusiastic!”

“It was a lot of fun and I would do it again”