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The making of a Harry Potter fan’s dream come true Editor’s Note: I wrote this piece in 2016 Watford? after a whirlwind trip to London to visit As it turns out, it’s pretty close to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. what you’ll see on the tour. Even the Harry Potter actors themselves who have visited the theme parks have ecently I had the opportunity to been reported as agreeing that it was visit the Warner Bros. Studio Tour very well made. Universal’s Harry “The Making of Harry Potter” in Potter world, large and immersive as Watford, Great Britain. As a huge it may be, is just what an ultimate Harry Potter fan, I can tell you, it fan dreams of. was an amazing experience. The Watford tour starts out with a Having visited both Universal short video presentation with Harry Studios “Harry Potter” attractions in Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Orlando, it was interesting to Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione compare the real sets used in the Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron movies to the theme park attraction. According to the Universal Orlando Weasley) explaining the significance of what it took to create the eight website, president of Universal films and all of the hard work the Creative and Universal parks & movie crew put in to bring the books resorts Mark Woodbury said the to life on film. creation of the Universal Studios At the end of the video, the large Harry Potter attractions was a screen that displayed the combined effort with Warner Bros. presentation scrolls up into the Studios and the filmmakers of the ceiling to reveal the magnificent Harry Potter movies. wooden doors that lead into the When stepping in to the world of Great Hall. It’s a jaw-dropping Harry Potter at these parks, it’s an moment, to be confronted by these authentic experience that immerses doors that will lead you into Harry’s visitors inside the wizarding world. world. But just how authentic is it A lot of memorable moments have compared to the actual sets and happened in this hall on film. Harry props found at the studio tour in Potter was sorted into Gryffindor
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