T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L A S S O C I AT I O N O F A M U S E M E N T PA R K S & AT T R A C T I O N S • A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 • $ 8 . 0 0 U S

INSIDE:

2012 NEW RIDES & ATTRACTIONS ROUNDUP

8 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE SIGNAGE

FUNWORLD

OffRaces

to the

TOM STAGGS ON CARS LAND AND THENEW DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

78 FUNWORLD � Au g u s t 2 0 1 2

Do You Believe in Magic?

New Rides Attractions&

2012

“The Making of Harry Potter”allows visitors to tour theHogwarts’ Great Hall set.

© 2011 W

ARNER BROS. ENT. H

ARRY POTTER PUBLIS

HING RIGHTS © J.K

.R.

Warner Bros.unveils Harry Potter

movie studio tour in London

www.IAAPA.org � Au g u s t 2 0 1 2 � FUNWORLD 79

A s with the novels, the Harry Potter filmshave captured the imagination of mil-

lions of people worldwide. Now “Muggles” andmovie fans alike can go behind the scenes at the “WarnerBros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter,”which opened March 31 (www.wbstudiotour.co.uk).Whether setting foot in Diagon Alley or peeking intoHagrid’s Hut, for the first time people can explore the setsand props at the place where all eight films were made:Leavesden Studios.

Warner Bros. spent £100 million(US$155 million) developing the moviestudios and visitor attraction at the for-mer aerodrome, north of London.Within two mustard-yellow hangars,named J and K, the movie magic awaits.A pre-show film sets the scene as DanielRadcliffe, Emma Watson, and RupertGrint share their memories of filming atLeavesden before disappearing throughthe doors of the Great Hall. There aregasps from the audience as the cinemascreen rises to reveal the Great Halldoors behind. The audience then enterswith the words, “Welcome to Hogwarts,”ringing in their ears. It is a fantasticreminder that they are stepping behindthe camera into the filmmakers’ world,with everything still a hot set, ready forthe next take.

“The content is so genuine andunique, and that’s the key to this prod-uct,” says Sarah Roots, vice president ofthe Studio Tour. “With it comes thecraftsmanship, the history, and the sto-ries which have made this project spe-cial. Our staff pick up on all the greatstories that bring the sets and props tolife, like the bead counter hourglassescontaining the ‘points’ that the schoolhouses win or lose, which sparked anational beads shortage. We’re lucky.enough to have staff who were extras onthe films, so they bring their experi-ences, as well.”

Inside the Great Hall, our guide, Elise, explains that weare following in the footsteps of the cast and crew as we walkalong the York stone floor, which has stood up to a decade ofwear and tear. The familiarity of the hall spreads from the100-foot oak tables and smoke-blackened fireplace to thehouse robes on display, including Harry’s first Gryffindor uni-form. It is only when you look up at the lighting rig that the

illusion ends. We learn that the magical ceiling started outwith hundreds of candles suspended on wires, which had tobe replaced digitally when the real ones started falling down.

After a short introductory talk, we are left to wander freelythrough the attraction. On average, people spend three hoursvisiting, but many could have happily spent four to five hoursthere. Visitor numbers are limited to 5,000 people a day, anda timed entry system means the tour never feels overcrowded.Prebooking is compulsory, which sets it apart from other UK

attractions: “It’s been great for openingbecause it’s given us the opportunity to pre-plan,” says Roots. Tickets went on sale inOctober, and the Studio Tour sold out in itsopening month (April), while most attrac-tions suffered with a wet Easter. Advancebookings are looking equally promising. Tick-ets are priced at £28 (US$43) for adults, £21(US$32) for children, and £83 (US$128) fora family of four; thus visitors’ expectations arenaturally high.

According to the films’ productiondesigner, Stuart Craig, “The designer’s job is to

provide a place that tells the story,” and Thinkwell Grouphas done the filmmakers proud, creating an attraction thatcomprehensively charts Harry Potter’s journey from page toscreen. It is a coherent, visually rich, well-paced tour thatreflects the spirit of the movies and the people who workedon them.

The exhibits run the gamut of the film franchise, from

“The stories we lovebest do live in usforever, so whether youcome back by page orby the big screen,Hogwarts will alwaysbe there to welcomeyou home”

– J.K. Rowling

by JulianaGilling

© 2011 WARNER BROS. ENT. HARRY POTTER PUBLISHING RIGHTS © J.K.R.

production design, to art direction, hair and makeup, specialeffects, visual effects, set construction, and props. The setsand props are astonishing in their detail, prompting wide-spread admiration from visitors amazed at the thought andtime invested in their production.

There is the well-worn Gryffindor Common Room, with itsred and gold tapestries, slouchy sofa, and threadbare rugs. AnInvisibility Cloak printed with Celtic symbols features a greenlining, which allowed the visual effects team to make Harryvanish. In the boys’ snug dormitory, it is revealed that directors

had to come up with new angles to stop audiences from realiz-ing that the actors had grown bigger than their beds.

We are treated to the sight of self-stirring cauldrons in thecavernous Potion Room, as well as Dumbledore’s turretedoffice where the Sorting Hat sizes up newcomers peering intothe Memory Cabinet. Diagon Alley is a treasure house ofPotter landmarks, from the dusty, wand-stacked windows atOllivanders to the Weasleys’ distinctively orange WizardWheezes shop. Attention to detail is evident everywhere.Sights range from the “Wanted” posters for Bellatrix

80 FUNWORLD � Au g u s t 2 0 1 2

New Rides Attractions&

2012

The GryffindorCommon Roomfeaturesauthenticallythreadbare rugsand furniture.

www.IAAPA.org � Au g u s t 2 0 1 2 � FUNWORLD 81

Lestrange and Harry Potter, to the shop signs forbidding thesale of unicorn blood.

Videos featuring crew members such as set decoratorStephenie McMillan and special effects guru John Richard-son punctuate the tour, outlining what is involved in dress-ing the sets and building fire-breathing dragons. As Radcliffesays, “You’ll never look at Quidditch the same way again,”after seeing the green-screen technology and broomsticks onmotion bases. Nevertheless, people are prepared to wait 45minutes to jump on a broomstick for their green-screen

photo opportunity (priced at £12/US$19).On a studio tour, guests are inevitably held at arm’s length

from the sets and props. Guides such as Alex—sporting aDeathly Hallows tattoo—do a great job of sharing their pas-sion for the Potterverse with visitors. However, there is roomfor more interaction. In the Creature Shop, people areenchanted by the mandrake puppet, which they can makesquirm with the touch of a button, and the beautifully ani-mated Buckbeak, which bows to them. Imagine being able tohandle selected prosthetics and props, or putting together filmclips.

Roots is exploring the possibility of staff doing presenta-tions to larger groups. Children are given passports withspaces to collect stamps and Golden Snitches to spot. Visi-tors can also explore touchscreen Marauder’s Maps and a dig-ital guide that is available for an extra charge.

There are plans afoot for the outdoor Backlot, where youwill find the Knight Bus, Privet Drive, and Hogwarts Bridge:“We’re going to open up the bridge to visitors, which willmake that more engaging and add value,” says Roots. LikeDiagon Alley itself, which has changed continually since itsconstruction, the Studio Tour will evolve.

“It’s pretty dynamic and we’re looking at things that willenhance the experience without major capital change withinthe attraction,” says Roots. “Later, we’ll want to create a rea-son to revisit. In the longer term, we’ll possibly introducesomething else from the Warner Bros. portfolio. We’ve gotthe benefit of having seasonal content, so we may considerputting snow on the Hogwarts model at Christmas. Also, wehave the props from the Yule Ball, so there are opportunitiesto do lots of things with the sets.”

Everybody has a personal favorite on the tour. For me, itis the Hogwarts castle model, which produces plenty of RonWeasley-style “bloody hell” exclamations. Photos cannotcapture the scope and realism of this structure. Built to a 1:24scale, it measures more than 50 feet across and twinkles with2,500 fiber-optic lights as the lighting system cycles from dayto night. Witnessing the changeover is an emotionalmoment for many visitors.

Before exiting through a roaring trade in Chocolate Frogs,Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, and Gryffindor scarves(£24.95/US$38), at the giant Honeydukes gift shop, we passthrough what looks like Ollivanders’ wand emporium. In atouching tribute, each box bears the name of one of the4,000 people who worked on the movies. By revealing thefilmmakers’ secrets, a project like this sometimes runs therisk of diluting the magic. Instead, the “Warner Bros. LondonStudio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter” has conjured upa deeper connection with the characters, the cast, and thecrew who took us on this magical adventure.Contributing Editor Juliana Gilling would love to have RitaSkeeter’s Quick-Quotes Quill. julianagilling@gmail.com

FW

© 2011 W

ARNER BROS. ENT. H

ARRY POTTER PUBLIS

HING RIGHTS © J.K

.R.