There are lots of reasons to love the Warner Bros studio Harry Potter tour. Many. But one of them has got to be how it is constantly changing. Yes the major attractions will always be there: The Great Hall / a model of Hogwarts / the wand room but along side those there are ever changing exhibitions that focus on a part of the films.
The Goblet of Fire was the fourth film in the series, and this current exhibition runs from March until the end of September. This constant updating of exhibitions means that no matter how many times you may have been before when you revisit there is something new to see, new props to grab your attention and make it feel like you are there for the first time again.
I was recently invited to see the Goblet of Fire exhibition but sadly I couldn’t make it, much to the delight of some members of my family who hadn’t been fora long time and were thrilled to go on my behalf on the condition they report back. Unsurprisingly they had a wonderful time, loving the bits they had seen before, and adoring hearing more about The Goblet of Fire.
It is one of the other things I love about this tour, the people that work there are SO knowledgeable about all the films and thrilled to be able to share that knowledge without making you feel like a muggle. Every time I have gone something new has been pointed out to me, or a snippet about one of the props has been divulged.
During filming, two versions of the Goblet of Fire were created for different purposes. The original goblet was hand-carved by Head Propmaker, Pierre Bohanna, from a single piece of wood chosen for its twists, knots, and splits to give it an organic, ancient quality. A mould of this was then taken for the Special Effects version that was rigged to propel the parchments of the four Triwizard Champions. You will see both versions of the Goblet of Fire up-close as part of the feature.
Tom Riddle’s grave will be displayed in the Studio Tour allowing a 360 degree view of the sculpture, providing the perfect photo opportunity for fans of the Dark Arts.
The iconic Prefects’ Bathroom taps will be displayed in the Studio Tour complete with multicoloured water running from each of the 53 spouts, just as seen on-screen.
All the extra features included in this exhibition are included in the ticket price for entry, which must be pre-booked (you cannot turn up on the day without a ticket): Buy tickets