Ever wondered if you can eat dinner in the Great Hall of Hogwarts and drink unlimited wine while you’re there? Well, I’m here to tell you that you CAN and it is total and utter MAGIC. Here’s how.
*Note: no one under 18 is allowed at this event, so you’ll have to leave the young witches and wizards at home. Because wine. I was a big fan of this rule.*
Every year, Warner Brother’s studios outside London hosts a magical Christmas dinner (in addition to one at Halloween, and one at Valentine’s day) that allows guests to come in, eat dinner in the Great Hall, then be set free in the studio to tour at their leisure. You don’t need a Hogwarts letter and a flying Ford Anglia to get there, but you will need about £240. It seems pretty pricey, but am here to tell you, it was so worth it. I would 100% pay it again… and again… like, I’m probably going next year, maybe the year after that.
One of the reasons I had not yet had my life changed by entering the Harry Potter studios was that I thought you basically needed a portkey to get there. Well, you do not. It’s much easier to get to from Central London than I imagined. Aside from buying tickets through a tour company on a normal tour day, here’s how to do it. All you have to do is take a train, just like Harry!
London Euston —> Watford Junction, it’s that easy.
From Watford Junction, the studio sends buses every 20 minutes to pick up the stranded witches and wizards from the train station to take them to the event (based on the bus covered in Harry Potter logos, I assume this bus is not just for special events).
After about a 15 minute bus ride, you have arrived at the studio, and the magic truly begins.
Upon arrival, there is about an hour on the schedule to mingle in the lobby, admire the cupboard under the stairs, and drink as many glasses of champagne as you can.
After downing a glass of champagne due to a false alarm (twice) that we would not be able to take it with us into the studio, we entered. Blah blah blah, safety instructions, amazing short film… then THE DOORS TO THE GREAT HALL APPEAR, and if you’re lucky like me (and a few perfect strangers), they will let you open them.
Obviously before I sat, I had to just stare and take in the Great Hall in all of its Christmas/Yule Ball glory. Amazing.
Once seated, it will take about 30 seconds for a house elf (read: studio employee/contracted wait staff who gets paid and has rights, I hope) to come and start pouring the wine, in large, never ending portions. They want you to get your money’s worth in drinks alone, it seems, and I’m not mad.
Now let’s talk about the table settings and food. I can tell you with 100% certainty that I never have, and never will again, see turkey presented in such a perfect shape. Its been two months and I’m still over here wondering how they did it.
See, I told you that turkey was crazy.
Okay, so now for the craziest thing of all. Once the meals are finished, they just let you go rogue in the studio (within reason), wine in hand. You explore at your own pace without a guide, take 1 million terrible photos (and about 8 good ones), and spend a lot of time staring in awe at the magic before you. Don’t forget to stop for butter beer, and watch out for Death Eaters, they are everywhere, but they secretly love selfies.
I will spare you most of my terrible photos and keep a lot of the magic a mystery, but here’s some keepers.
Oh, by the way. Dessert and more wine (yes, MORE wine) are served on Platform 9 3/4 next to the Hogwarts Express, NO BIG DEAL.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is, start saving now, and keep your eye out for tickets to one of these dinners, you will not regret it. You even get to pick out your own wand from the gift shop on the way out! I’m officially a witch now.
*Huge thanks to our lord and savior, J.K. Rowling, for creating such a magical world.*
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