Yer a wizard, Harry!

I had such an amazing day today.

I really don't know how else to describe it. It was so magical. (sorry in advance for all the puns). We arrived at the Harry Potter Studios and I was amazed at how big it was. I didn't realize that they had used these places for the actual filming. We were queued into a room where then we moved into a large cinema room where we saw a little bit of what the story of Harry Potter was established. Afterwards the screen moved up and the doors to the Great Hall were revealed. I cried. It was so amazing to see the Great Hall right in front of me. Not only that but you could see the stone figures that McGonagall takes down during the 7th movie to fight during the Hogwarts war. In the Great Hall we saw the actual stone floor that was used. It isn't as big as I thought it would be. But there were costumes worn by the different characters as well. Such as Cedric Diggary's costume, Draco Malfoy's, Neville's costume from the last movie with his knit sweater. There was also Hagrid's costume and some other professor's at the head table. It was so amazing.

Then we moved into the first set of artifacts in the next room. We saw so many different things. Such as the fountain that was used in Goblet of Fire and the different Yule Ball costumes. Then we saw some of the make-up they had to use on each character. I think my favorite part of this beginning section was the clock from the tower they used during the 3rd movie right outside of the infirmary. There were just so many props and costumes that were here that made me think of each and every movie. The other cool part was the actual door used in Chamber of Secrets. It actually movies! You would think it would be CGI but it was mechanical!! Then there were certain parts such as the Horcruxes that were there and the scene where Nagini crosses the table to kill the professor in the 7th movie. It was just so amazing.

There was a new part too that has just been added! It is the actual Hogwarts Express!!! It steamed too and you could hear the whistle of it too. It was so amazing. They had another Platform 9 3/4 here as well. Then we got some lunch! I got the famous butterbeer it was delicious! Tasted a lot like cream soda.

Then we moved onto the next part which was outside. We saw Privet Drive! It was just so cool to see all of these different things. Then we moved onto the next stage where the different creatures were kept. So I saw the Dobby figure that was made, Buckbeak, The Basilisk, and some other notable figures as well! Did you know that the man who actually played Hagrid was a rugby player that was dressed as Hagrid from far away? But while close up it was a mechanical head! It was so cool to see all of this! Then we made it into the different concept art rooms where they keep all of the art work that was created to bring the different characters to life. Then we moved into the different scale models of all the different buildings they would need to create in the movies.

Then came the part I was not expecting. Hogwarts Castle. They used this model to film most of the parts that showed the exterior of the castle. It was breathtaking. All of the details and all of the little parts of the castle that were needed to show its beauty. It was amazing. I am so thankful for this experience. Then came another amazing part was the wand memorial room. In this room everyone on the cast and crew received a wand with their name on it. Most of the names were scattered but there is one pair for example, the couple fell in love on the set and a few years before this room was built the wife had passed so they were put together. It was magical being in that room and knowing that everyone that was there had such a huge part of those movies.

Then I hit the gift shop. There was so much stuff it was crazy! Granted I got myself a few things it was all so cool just to be there.

So tomorrow who knows what will happen. But for now I am going to delve into the Magical world of Harry Potter.

Until Then!