Leaky Dines in the Great Hall at WB Studio Tour London

Leaky was honored to earn a seat at the press table at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London’s Dinner in the Great Hall. Seated with MuggleNet, SnitchSeeker, Time Magazine, and the Pottermore Correspondent (yes, the mysterious PMC…who will remain a mystery by gag order), the dinner was everything a Potter fan could dream: good company, good food, and endless magical moments.

The evening started off with being whisked off to the studios on a Harry-Potter decked out double decker bus. (*Click on all pictures to enlarge*)

Dinner guests were shuttled to the door of Warner Bros. Studio Tour, where each guest was checked in, given a souvenir ticket, and free drink and professional photo passes. The check in desk was decorated in wizardly fashion, with quills, antique type writers, and guests names in large Gringotts-like registers.

After check in, guests enjoyed complimentary hors ‘derves, Champagne, and juices, as they congregated in the lobby and got to know one another. In addition to the usual profile shots and Mr. Weasley’s flying car suspended above, the lobby was decorated for Christmas, with a large tree as a center piece. The first sign that the Studio Tour was still decorated for Christmas from it’s Hogwarts  in the Snow event.

 

 

Not knowing his new girlfriend was one of those crazy fans who would queue for hours for the midnight release of a book, this young gentleman was fully converted to be one of us. They are now married and enjoying a special dinner together in the Great Hall!

Emma, Dan and Rupert’s hand prints have been commemoratively frozen in cement, on display in the lobby of the studios in which they spent ten years of their lives.

Though the Dinner was advertised as a black tie event, WB gave the all clear for some very dedicated fans to come in cosplay–and those who did were fabulously costumed. Above, Fenrir Greyback takes Bellatrix to dinner rather than having her for dinner.

 

Others chose to adorn beautiful Gryffindor embroidered tuxes, and bring a Slytherin as their date.

Before entering the Great Hall, guests were immersed in the usual Studio Tour process; first held in a small theater/holding room (Theater J), where Harry Potter film posters from around the world and an introduction video from the producers were displayed, and then ushered in a larger theater (Theater K…see what they did there?) to watch a welcoming video from the Trio. When the movie was finished, the screen raised to reveal the magnificent doors to the Great Hall.

Beyond the lobby is a vestibule where lines form to enter the two theaters that begin the tour. In the vestibule, fans are able to see the set used for Harry’s cupboard under the stairs at Number 4 Privet Drive, and learn how the franchise came to be. Below, an excited fan poses in front of Harry’s first “bedroom.”

Examples of the Harry Potter film posters from around the world that are shown in holding room (small theater, J). An introduction video by David Heyman, telling of how the movies came about, is shown across these small screens before fans are ushered into the auditorium (theater K).

 

When the introduction movie ends, the auditorium’s screen rolls up to reveal a red carpet leading to the glowing Great Hall doors, adorned with wreaths for Christmas. A guide invites guests to gather in front of the doors.

In honor of those celebrating special occasions with this very special dinner, those who were celebrating birthdays had the chance to place their hands on the Great Hall doors, and push it open to reveal the splendor within.

 

The Great Hall was decked with more than just balls of holly (fa la la la la). Guests were seated at tables of ten, that were set with floral candle center pieces, Christmas crackers, menu cards, and place tags. Red wine, white wine, sparkling and still water were provided for the table to share throughout dinner (and if tables ran out, wait staff were happily to oblige your goblets of wine with a good top-up!).

Leaky was seated at the press table alongside MuggleNet, SnitchSeeker, Pottermore, Time Magazine, and the winners of the WB Dinner in the Great Hall Contest. (The Pottermore Correspondent’s identity shall not be revealed, and there for their face shall remain obscured from the images.) With the love Harry Potter, and journalistic experiences in common, it wasn’t long before the press table became the most fun, most excited, most vocal and loudest-cheering table in the Hall.

From left to right (front row): SnitchSeeker, PMC, MuggleNet, Time Magazine. The winning couple are pictured behind the news correspondents.

The adorable couple who won tickets to Dinner in the Great Hall were celebrating their two-month wedding anniversary, still beaming like newly weds!

Time Magazine snapped a shot of the Harry Potter fan sites united as one, including Pottermore.

 

Before the arrival of a truly fabulous dinner, the Great Hall doors suddenly burst open. Special affects smoke and fog streamed through as a trio of Death Eaters made their entrance. They never broke character as they mingled with and terrified the guests. No amount of provocation could force them from their silent and frightening presence.

 

One brave fan stood and tempted a Death Eater in a duel.

Before dinner concluded, the props and costumes around the hall were given explanations and back stories. All costumes on display throughout the Tour were worn by the actors in the films. Guests whipped out their cameras to snap a photo as the Christmas Pudding props briefly burst into flames.

The Christmas Puddings burst into (fake) flames.

Daniel Radcliffe’s last set of robes and Neville’s Battle of Hogwarts outfit, worn by Matt Lewis, are among the costumes that represent Gryffindor House.

Robert Patterson’s Tri-Wizard Tournament uniform stands among the robes and costumes representing Hufflepuff House.

Included in the Ravenclaw House collection is Moaning Myrtle’s ghostly robes, worn by Shirley Henderson.

As Draco Malfoy is the ultimate representative for Slytherin students, Tom Felton’s robes, featuring an Inquisitors Badge given to him by Umbridge,  from Order of the Phoenix are displayed for Slytherin House. 

 

Tables of guests were dismissed from the Great Hall to explore the rest of the Studio Tour at their own pace (or until set-up for the dance had been completed at 11:00, and guests re-congregated to give their best Luna Lovegood interpretive dances).

The Studio Tour is full of amazing props and costumes. It is exhilarating to be so close to the authentic Harry Potter materials, and it would be impossible to include in this article coverage all 433 photos that were taken.

 

One of the main first features of the Studio tour is the gates of Hogwarts, currently guarded by Death Eaters.

Across from the Hogwarts gates is the one and only Leaky Cauldron–a place where people of all characters are free to kick back, and hangout.

 

Decorated for the Hogwarts in the Snow feature, which runs until January 31, the sets were garnished with Christmas decorations.

The Hogwarts in the Snow feature also included new prop displays, such as the Goblet of Fire. The outer casing around the Goblet is intricately carved wood, with inset beads and ruins etched in, and mechanically enhanced to melt away and reveal the Goblet. The Goblet itself, also made of wood, spews blue steam, that turns red before shooting out a piece of burnt paper with Harry’s name on it.

 

 

 

With a focus on snow, the Tour also set up a demonstration booth where fans were able to come see (and feel!) how fake snow and fire were created for the films. Buckets of four different types of snow materials were available to finger (salt for snow that crunches, and shredded paper for making good snow balls were two examples). Fire effects were simply created with steam and LED lights.

 

The Studio Tour begins and ends with displays that were originally apart of the tour when it opened its doors in 2012. In the middle of the tour, three editions have been added throughout the years–a room specifically dedicated to the Dark Arts, a room with booths that allow fans to ride a broomstick or drive the Weasley car in front of a green screen, and the Hogwarts Express, which was revealed earlier this year.

 

The hall leading to the grand Hogwarts Express exhibit are adorned with high-def images of important scenes that involved the scarlet steam engine–beginning with a two part image of Harry’s first visit to Platform 9 3/4 in Philosopher’s Stone, and an image of Harry’s last film appearance on the platform, dropping off his son, Albus Severus.

 

Here, guests are able to take photos of pushing a cart through the wall, similar to King’s Cross Station, shop for Platform 9 3/4 related merchandise at the Railway Shop, or pick up a treat in the sweet shop next door. Dinner guests were treated to complimentary desserts and beverages on the Platform, half way through the tour.

 

The Hogwarts Express exhibit was designed to be viewed from the inside as well as the out, allowing fans to feel like Hogwarts Students boarding the train. Seven of the train compartments (one representing each film) were set up as if they had just been vacated by our favorite Hogwarts characters, who would be back to collect their personal items off the seats.

Departing Platform 9 3/4 and the Hogwarts Express, dinner guests were able to collect a complimentary mug of delicious Butterbeer, only available at the Studio Tour and Harry Potter theme parks.

A portion of the Studio Tour is outside, to accommodate large props, sets of important buildings and allow fans to touch and interact with them first hand. Leaky and MuggleNet decided to make a quick escape down the Hogwarts wooden bridge, and to our get-a-way vehicle, Sirius’s bike and sidecar.

 

 

Other interactive features included building fronts of Privet Drive, Godrick’s Hallow, the Knight Bus, the Weasley car, and larger-than-life stone wizarding chess pieces.

The Studio Tour contains more than props and sets. It is also home to special affects departments, who helped bring magical creatures to life on screen.

 

 

Interactive parts of the special affects room included repotting a Mandrake and watching a fetal Voldemort breath, and raise its head to new life, with the simple touch of a button.

Of course, every detail of the Harry Potter films took a lot of brainstorming, planning, drawing, painting, model building, and more before the sets and props were physically constructed. Much of this process adorns many walls of the next few rooms, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the creative process.

The tour comes to an emotional close, as fans walk up the set of the real Diagon Alley, turn the corner, and lay eyes upon a breath-taking model of Hogwarts, snow-covered and sparkling in the special-affects and lighting produced “evening starlight”.

Dinner guests exited through the gift shop as tour guests do everyday, and found themselves in a re-decorated lobby and vestibule. A chess-board dance floor had been laid, and lights hung, for guests to dance the night away into the wee hours of the morning.

 

This was Warner Bros. Studio Tour London’s first Dinner in the Great Hall event. There have been whispers of making such a magical experience an annual event, allowing the chance for more fans to have an enchanting night. With the success of their first attempt at giving fans such an experience, we do hope the Studio Tour is inspired to make this an annual tradition, and we encourage fans to attend. There is nothing like becoming a Hogwarts student, just for one night, and enjoying a great dinner in the Great Hall.

We would like to thank Warner Bros. Studio Tour and all the House Elves involved in making this night truly special, and providing this opportunity for us and for fans.