9 3/4 Reasons You Can’t Miss Hogwarts In The Snow

Last year I wrote a Trip Recap on Hogwarts in the Snow, you can read that here.

I recommend The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio Tour to any Harry Potter fan. It’s it seriously cool to see sets and props actually used in the movie.

However, if you love Christmas and are a huge Potter nerd, like myself, you plan your entire trip around seeing Hogwarts in the Snow.

The Basics –

2019 Dates: Nov 16 – Jan 26^th, 2020

2020 Dates: Nov 14 – Jan 17^th, 2021

First Tour Begins: 9 am

Final Tour Begins: 6:30 pm

Studio Tour Closes at: 10 pm

Tickets must be booked in advance because they limit the number of people who can enter the tour at a time.

Tickets Prices: (with current conversion rates)

Adults (16+): $61.65 (£47.00)

Children (5-15): $49.85 (£38.00)

Family (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adults + 3 children): $196.77 (£150.00)

Ages 0-4: Free

Most tours last about 3.5 hours. The only area you are actually walked through by a tour guide is the Great Hall and then you tour at your own pace and in your own way.

How to get there:

You can take a rental car or hire a car – it’s about 20 miles – 30 minutes from downtown London.

For rental cars – there is a free on-site car park.

You can also take a bus, more info here.

Tips:

After your initial “tour” through the Great Hall, you are allowed to go at your own pace. So, try to get tickets for the earliest possible tour so you can really take your time.

It will be a bit crowded. Afterall, everyone wants to get in on that Harry Potter goodness. Be patient (something I definitely need to work on) and if you hang towards the back you can get a bit more room. Be warned – don’t hang back too far or the next tour will come in.

You can take photos in most areas! I didn’t take my good camera with me during the tour and only have cell phone photos. They are still great, but I wish I had taken my camera with me.

You are NOT permitted to take photos at the green screen area or the pre-show cinema before the Great Hall. You are also not permitted to use photography equipment, such as tripods or drones.

Don’t forget to grab a Butterbeer at the Backlot Café, located about halfway through the Studio Tour. FYI – Butterbeer is amazing and you should absolutely get some. It is REALLY sweet.
Make sure to share your #butterbeermustache if you do!

This is not like Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s not interactive and you aren’t fully immersed in the Wizarding World. However, it’s so fascinating and incredibly cool to see actual props, sets, and costumes used in the films.

Any Potter nerd worth his or her salt knows that there is something even more magical about the Wizarding World at Christmas time. The tour itself includes breathtaking sets, beautifully crafted authentic props, and original costumes worn IN the movies. What’s not to love?

1.The Great Hall – When the doors to the Great Hall swing open you will be greeted by the familiar sight of large banquet tables covered in a Christmas feast. Numerous gigantic Christmas trees and each house represented.

“The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.” – J.K. Rowling Also, Hufflepuff pride haha

Tip – Make sure to pay attention to the Christmas pudding!

2.The festive Gryffindor Common Room – that’s right, the Common Room set of those “brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry, set Gryffindors apart.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The Gryffindor Common Room where Harry, Ron, and Hermione regularly hung out is transformed into a cozy Christmas dream!

“They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork — bread, English muffins, marshmallows — and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn’t work.” – J.K. Rowling

3.Yule Ball attire on display – Although I’ve read that this is on display year long, it seems more appropriate during the Holiday season. You don’t want to miss Ron’s ghastly dress robes or the beautiful dress Hermione wore to the ball.

“This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to Harry to be obsessed with the coming ball — or at least all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; he had never quite noticed that before.
Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night. . . .

“Why do they have to move in packs?” Harry asked Ron as a dozen or so girls walked past them, sniggering and staring at Harry. “How’re you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?”

“Lasso one?” Ron suggested. “Got any idea who you’re going to try?” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

*“I’m never wearing them,” Ron was saying stubbornly. “Never.”*
*“Fine,” snapped Mrs. Weasley. “Go naked. And, Harry, make sure you get a picture of him. Goodness knows I could do with a laugh.”*
*– J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

Interesting Tidbit:it took designers 3 months to create Hermione’s Yule Ball dress!

4.Take a festive stroll down Diagon Alley – That’s right, Diagon Alley, where you can find everything that you need to attend Hogwarts; gets a snowy makeover during Hogwarts in the Snow.

“Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, “Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they’re mad….” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Tip – Don’t miss out on the movie magic at the end of Diagon Alley where you get to see behind the scenes of Harry’s footprints in the snow.

5. The homey festive touches in the Burrow – This was by far one of my favorite sets in the entire tour. You just have to love the Weasley family and their cozy, eclectic home. Can you imagine Molly Weasley knitting those fun initial Christmas sweaters? Or cooking a killer Christmas roast for the entire Weasley clan? So fun!

“A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance that read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.
*“It’s not much, but it’s home” said Ron.*
*“It’s wonderful,” said Harry happily, thinking of Privet Drive.”*
*– J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

Tip: Watch out for the knitting needles, surely making Mrs. Weasley’s famous homemade Christmas presents!

6.The many many Christmas trees – You won’t only find Christmas trees in The Great Hall, Gryffindor Common Room and other sets, but there is also a gigantic tree right inside the front doors. Even Hagrid would have trouble with that one!

“Come on, cheer up, it’s nearly Christmas.” – Hagrid, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

7. Do a bit of Christmas shopping – This is THE perfect place to shop for the Potter nerd in your life. Whether it’s a wand, Christmas ornament, mug, sweets, or house specific attire, they’ve got you covered. There are some really cool things here.

“Yeah,” said Harry. “No more pretending we care what happens when Jupiter and Uranus get too friendly . . .”
“And from now on, I don’t care if my tea leaves spell *die, Ron, die* — I’m just chucking them in the bin where they belong.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

8.Have a feast in The Great Hall – During Hogwarts in the Snow you can dine in the Great Hall for a few nights in December! I can’t even explain HOW much I want to do this. It started in 2017 (2 years after I visited). This year is was December 9, 10, and 11 (yes, that was a Mon-Wed). These tickets sell out FAST and for a cool $315.00 (£240.00). It’s every Potter nerds dream come true!

“Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce — and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favours were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursley’s usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside.” – J.K. Rowling

9.HOGWARTS in the snow – the main draw to Hogwarts in the Snow, that’s right, the Hogwarts castle, which is HUGE, will be transformed as the magnificent model is covered with a layer of filmmaking snow. The ‘snow’ is a mixture of granulated paper and grains of salt, and it was used during filming. The same process and combination are used to decorate the model for the festive seasons during Hogwarts in the Snow.

“Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they follow Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban.”
*– J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone*

“The singing grew louder as they approached the church. It made Harry’s throat constrict, it reminded him so forcefully of Hogwarts, of Peeves bellowing rude versions of carols from inside suits of armour, of the Great Hall’s twelve Christmas trees, of Dumbledore wearing a bonnet he had won in a cracker, of Ron in a hand-knitted sweater…”
*– J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

“At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Harry found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that he, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private.” – J.K. Rowling

There is nothing quite like a bit of magic at Christmas – between the snow, festive sets, Yule Ball Ice Sculpture, and Christmas trees, you won’t be able to help but feel like a kid again! So, push your trolley through Platform 9 3/4. Take a ride on the Hogwarts Express, take a stroll down Private Drive, and take a ride in the Weasley’s flying car! Hop on the Knight Bus or sip some butterbeer in front of a Christmas tree! Nerd out!

“Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer. “Merry Christmas!” he said happily, raising his tankard. Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside.” – J.K. Rowling

Some of my favorites, I mean who am I kidding? The entire tour was my favorite, but I did have a few absolute favorite.

The Potions Classroom:

*…”I am telling you turn to page 394.”…*
“Silence!” snarled Snape. ” Well, well, well, I never thought I’d meet a third-year class who wouldn’t even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…”
*– J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban*

Dumbledore’s Office:

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Interesting Tidbit: I love the details in the pensieve and all of the 900 memory vials. Each of the 900 vials has a unique label that was created by the Graphics Department.